Hi! So a quick update because I actually want to finish this before I get busy. I don't want to just give up on it. The last chapter, I think, got the most comments. Personally, I didn't like that chapter. But thanks for reading regardless. I hope these ones will be better with more nice AsYa moments 😊.
Thank you guys for the likes and the lovely comments. 😳
Chapter 6
Quietly Beautiful
Because we have a wedding coming in the family, Humeira and I decided to go shopping for all the rasams that will be starting in a few weeks. I was waiting for Humeira in front of the entrance of the mall. For a change, I was the one who came on time and she was the one late. Deciding to call her, I took out my phone and right at that time a call came in "Humeira's.
"Hello, Zoya! I'm so sorry. I swear I was on my way to the mall when he called, you know the guy I told you about. Umm.. so I want to meet him. Can I pleeaase???" She barreled through without even giving me a chance to speak.
"Fine, fine.. go meet your prince charming." Humeira met this guy she liked but she wouldn't tell me yet who he was. Seems like this is the season of love around me, a wedding and my best friend is falling in love. Back to my lonely life: I decided to enjoy the evening and do some shopping by myself.
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I was looking at a really pretty amethyst set at the jewelry shop display when I heard someone call my name. Of course, who else but Mr. Khan... With the frequency I keep meeting him, I shouldn't be surprised to see him around anymore. But I was. And I realized our city must really be small because he appears in front of me every few days.
So here he was to fill the quota since I hadn't seen him for almost a week. "Hi, Mr. Khan. How are you?"
"Not good. I am in deep trouble." He said dramatically. Such a drama queen. Ehm.. King, I mean.
I saw he was looking at rings... probably an engagement ring. "For Tanveer?"
"Yes, but I don't know her size and she isn't picking up. I don't have time to sit here all day." He said grumbling and looked at his phone again as if his intense stare would make it ring.
"Did you already choose something?" I peered at the ring displays curious about his choice.
"Yeah, which one was it again?" He asked the pretty sales lady in confusion. She pointed it out with a bright smile batting his eyelashes. I fought the urge to giggle. Even though he is buying his engagement ring, girls still try to flirt with him at any chance they get.
But he wasn't really paying attention to her; he was preoccupied with his phone. Suddenly his face changed as if he had a light bulb moment. He asked for my hand giving me a feeling of dj vu. I hesitated not knowing what game he was planning this time.
"Come on. Help a guy out." I shrugged. What else could go wrong? Wait. Don't answer that. He took the ring which looked expensive and over the top like those heavy rings you see in shops and wonder who would buy those. Calling it ugly would be an understatement. I looked at Mr. Khan and wondered how can this guy pick something like that.
He held my hand and slipped the ring in. I looked at him surprised; it was the first time a guy put a ring on me. It was a different feeling, somewhere between wonderful and ominous, like something monumental happened but it shouldn't be acknowledged.
He interrupted my thoughts by taking it off quickly. "Wow, this looks ugly."
I laughed at our similarity. "I thought it was your choice." He shook his head, "not really, I just got the most expensive one."
"Pick something you like for Tanveer. You know, something you think will suit her. She would prefer that more than the most expensive ring you could find." I advised him like the love guru I thought I was. But on second thought, Tanveer would've probably appreciated that pick, especially after knowing the price tag.
He brushed it off and kept browsing the rings. "I don't know what Tanveer's style of ring is."
I rolled my eyes. Can't even pick something right for the fianc, the person he is going to spend the rest of his life with.
"This one." The sales lady was taking out the ring Mr. Khan pointed to " a gorgeous blue diamond ring. It was simple but it was elegant and graceful. Okay, I take it back; Mr. Khan can have good taste in jewelry. This was a piece of art " an exquisite piece of art " though slightly less expensive, it still had a price tag that shocked me.
"Try this one. I bet this will look great on you." He exclaimed and was putting the ring on me. I stared at him speechless. Great on you, he said. Why was he picking my favorite? And picking correctly at that... How did he know?
He was asking me what I thought, but I wasn't in a state to reply. He held on to my fingers and examined his choice.
"So, how's this one, teacher?" He teased me. "Just like you, quietly beautiful."
He was staring at me. If I didn't know better, I would've thought he was trying to flirt with me... something like trying to sweep me off my feet. I nervously laughed and steadied myself. I took off the ring avoiding his eyes and agreed with him with a yes.
"Ok, I'll get this for Tanveer." He decided and gave his card to the sales lady. Tanveer. And that's when I realized I was hovering over a dangerous cliff, expecting something I shouldn't. I brushed off all the previous feelings like those never existed, like those moments never happened and turned away.
"Thanks, Ms. Farooqui." He called me back and offered me coffee in return. I politely declined citing that I should leave now.
Then he insisted to drop me off and get coffee on the way. "It's my favorite coffee shop. Come on."
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At the coffee shop
"This is by my college. I used to get coffee from here all the time. If you taste it one time, you wouldn't forget it."
We entered the shop bustling with college students, couples. It was nostalgic even though it hasn't been long since I graduated. As he went to get our orders, I looked outside and smiled at the sight of an older couple walking hand in hand. So cute.
"What are you smiling at?"
"Them. I'm so envious." I said wistfully. They were now waiting for a bus. He sat down facing me and I felt embarrassed for spouting out a declaration of my loveless life.
"I guess they are the proof for your side." He smiled at them as well. So he was talking about our love argument. I didn't want to talk on that matter so I didn't say anything. He didn't wait for me but continued,
"But my proof is every couple in this shop." He looked around the shop satisfied with himself.
"Many couples here can turn into them and many will break up. True love cannot be found where it truly does not exist, nor can it be hidden where it truly does. So, it's not bad to try and look for it." I replied meeting his gaze.
"William Shakespeare. Ms. Farooqui, I didn't realize you were a Shakespeare fan." I took a sip from of my coffee and playfully glared at him.
"I should be surprised that you know Shakespeare." I teased him back.
"Don't get fooled by my handsome looks, I used to be a class topper." He bragged puffing up his chest.
I stifled a laugh. "Class topper?" Come on, he was the class joker who partied every night.
Before he could argue, we were interrupted by a voice.
"What are you doing here?"
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I got the Shakespeare quote from the AsYa thread and I really liked it. So I used it here. 😊
Edited by --Evon-- - 12 years ago
Shiv Shakti
127