Incandescence

Chapter 38

I stared at the screen of my phone in hand. Twenty missed call and twelve text messages which I hadn't even read. They all were from Anis and right now, I didn't want to talk to him. I wanted my temper to cool down before I spoke to him. After I had dinner, Shahmir had sat with me for the longest while, talking about what had happened. He wasn't taking any sides but he helped me see why my parents and Anis had done this. Once my temper cooled, I realized that they had done this for my benefit only. I pressed a button on my cell phone to read Anis's messages when I heard the outer gate open outside and a car drive in.

Maybe, Anis was having some guests over. I thought as I snuggled inside my quilt and decided to read to the texts now. But before I could read one text, the door to my room banged against the wall and there stood Anis. He hadn't even changed him clothes since the lunch we had a few hours ago. His hair was ruffled as if he had been combing his hands in his hair again and again.

"Anis, please go away." I said softly. I didn't want to deal with him. Shahmir and Sadaf stood behind him.

"Why haven't you returned my calls or replied to my texts?" his tone matched mine. I turned around to face him and gave him a glare that chilled other's bones but Anis was unperturbed.

"I just didn't feel like responding." I said and turned away from him, clearly indicating that I didn't want him there. I heard shuffling of footsteps behind me as Sadaf and Shahmir left the room.

"Well, I need an answer, Alisha!" Anis said as he stepped inside the room and closed the door. I sat up in bed and looked at him, standing in front of the closed door, his arms folded against his chest.

"What sort of answer?" I asked, confused. He pointed towards my phone. I picked it up and scrolled through the texts.

Alisha, where are you?

Alisha, why aren't you attending my calls?

Alisha, let me explain what had happened.

Alisha, please reply.

There were many other texts of the same nature. I placed the phone on the bedside table and looked at him.

"So?" he asked, moving towards me.

"So what?" I asked, my gaze not meeting his eyes.

"So, don't you have anything to say?" he asked.

"Anis, I just don't want to talk about it right now." I said. He shook his head and sat down beside me on the bed. He took my small hand in his big ones.

"Listen, Alisha, I wanted what was best for you. I was going to tell you now that we were back. I was scared that your parents will blurt it out and that's what happened. I swear Alisha I didn't want people to talk about your character that's why I had to do what I did." He squeezed my hand.

"How could you do this to me, Anis? I trusted you. You could've asked me before asking my parents for my hand in marriage. How could you be so sure that I would say yes?" I asked. I was wounded by his high-handedness.

"I could read it in your eyes, Alisha, the feelings you had for me and how hard you were trying to protect yourself from me. I understood you better than you understood yourself."

"Still, you should've asked me before doing all this."

"I'm sorry, baby, next time I will ask you before I do anything like this again. Happy now?" he bent on his knees in front of me and pulled his ears like a child. I laughed and nodded.

"That's like my girl." He said and ruffled my hair. I smiled at him.

"Your temper scares me a lot and when your mom called and told me what had happened, I was like I'll never be able to make it up to you." He said as he sat up on the bed beside me. "But then I knew, you can be talked sense easily. I knew you would come here because whenever you are distraught, you need Sadaf."