Holding On

ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ ғᴏᴜʀ

Zain stared back at his friend who regarded him with a degree of curiosity. Glancing around at their obscene surrounding in the bar from the quiet spot they'd chosen and still finding Kevin's gaze on him, he grimaced in annoyance.

"Why do you look at me like that?"

"What's going on Zain?" Kevin said after taking a short swig of his beer. "The only time I get to see you nowadays is in the evenings. You're never available in the afternoon man. And you no longer come so we can go for for lunch together anymore. Come on man, your company is just a ten minutes drive from mine. What have you been up to?"

"Sorry if you're feeling ignored," he said in a mock sappy sympathy, then taking a drink of his own beer and holding his head proudly, he replied. "I've been up to Emma Taylor."

"Now what's that even supposed to mean?” Kevin cocked his eye brows.

"I've been having lunch with Emma every day."

Kevin suddenly burst out laughing, and Zain frowned.

"I'm sorry Zain but I couldn't help it. Just almost a month ago, you came to me crying like a baby because she said she didn't love you anymore and to get out of her life, and now you're here telling me that the two of you have been going out a lot lately. Come on man, tell that to someone who's oblivious to your situation."

Clutching the neck of his beer bottle tightly, Zain scowled at him. "I'm being serious man. I told you that my new business partner George turned out to be Emma's husband. I didn't tell you that Emma agreed to be friends with me that day."

"So it's true?" Kevin asked, and when Zain nodded, he gave him a look that all but read what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-you? "Zain you proposed friendship to her even while you are trying to get over her?"

"Who said I was trying to get over her?"

"What do you mean by that?" Kevin queried with an alarm that Zain hoped was for his sake.

"I'm planning to get her back, bro." he deadpanned.

Kevin stared back at him mouth agape, seemingly shocked, incredulous and disbelieving. "I thought you'd given up on her and decided to move on!"

Shrugging, Zain reclined in his chair as he swallowed a bit of beer. "I seriously wanted to, Kev. But one look at her at her house and I couldn't help it. I still love her and this love will never die."

"But she is married for Pete's sake!" Kevin mused as if the fact wasn't any obvious. "You want to get her to get divorced to be with you. That's quite very so presumptuous. What gave you the idea Emma will be willing to do that for you? Does she even know about your intentions?"

"She still loves me." Zain replied, remembering the vibes he felt exude from her each time they were together. "I've not told her my intentions yet so she thinks I just really want us to be friends. I'll tell her at the right time when she's in deep enough, but I know she loves me."

"What is the base of this conclusion?"

"I felt it in her kiss that day when she claimed she didn't. I see it in her eyes whenever she looks at me despite her efforts to cover it up. I just know she does."

"Oh my God. You simply can't base a feeling as crucial as this on those signs. Besides what's to say you didn't misinterpret them?"

"The hell I can't!" Zain bummed his fist on the table, starting to get upset.

He'd known that his best friend almost brother would find ways to discourage him rather than give him ideas, the reason why be hadn't told him about it initially. "She reacts to me the same as she did five years ago, Kevin. She's only holding back because she's married."