MANAL

87: Manal

"Hey, Manal, are you done?" One of the staff at the organization, Mr. Ammar asked me when I went to his office to drop some files. Since I started my internship there, he has been the one closest to me. He put me through how I was supposed to fill my logbook and also gave me a brief orientation about the organization. It got my colleagues talking about the special treatment I was giving, but I assured them it was nothing out of the ordinary.

Although Mr. Ammar was a nice and hospitable person, I didn't want to get too close to him. The reason was that he was married. I was wary of his wife cornering me somewhere and giving me the beating of my life.

I had to be circumspect.

"No," I replied. "It's barely 2 PM, I still have to be there till 3 PM."

"Didn't you say you were feeling sick earlier?"

"I still am." Jawaad was making me feel some type of way. My conscience wouldn't stop hunting me.

"Then let's go." He proposed. "I have closed for the day. I can drop you off at your house."

"Thank you, sir, but that won't be necessary. Our driver will come and pick me when it's time." I politely declined.

"
He shook his head. "That won't be. I think you're stressed. You should go home and have a rest. I'm permitting you to leave."

In a way, he had a point. I needed to go home and rest. My head had been fuzzy since the morning. "Okay."

"Cool. Let's go?"

"Sure. Let me go and pick my bag. I will meet you outside." With that, I walked out of his office and back to ours.

I walked over to where I kept my bag on my desk and picked it up.

Walidah gazed at me, questionably. "Are you leaving already?"

Walidah was one of the interns there. So far, my relationship with her had been better than with others. For some weird reason, they seemed not to like me at all.

"Yes," I replied. "I'm not feeling too well." I purposely omitted the part that Mr. Ammar would be taking me home because I didn't want her to misinterpret the innocent gesture.

"Tell me the truth!" She smiled sheepishly. "Your boyfriend is coming to pick you, right?"

I frowned. "Who?"

She rolled her eyes, not buying my display of oblivion. "The guy that I always see you talking to outside, every morning."

"Oh! He won't be coming anymore... and, he is not my boyfriend." I clarified.

"Oops!" She gritted her teeth. "I'm sorry. You two look so good together, I thought...never mind. Is he your brother?"

Irritated, I snapped, "Certainly not!"

•

When I walked out of the building, Mr. Ammar was already in his grey Range Rover. I quickly got in. "I'm sorry for keeping you waiting I had to explain to them why I'm leaving."

"Relax, Manal, it's fine." He chuckled.

I released a breath and nodded.

Mr. Ammar turned the key in the ignition and the car roared to life. He glanced at me—which got me uncomfortable—before he started to drive.

Once we were outside the gates, I could swear it was Jawaad's car parked a few distances from the office, but then again, he wasn't the only one driving a black Benz in the whole of the city.

I inferred I was only hallucinating because his thought had been with me. For a fact, I knew Jawaad wouldn't return. His pride wouldn't even allow him.