Incandescence

Chapter 21

Alisha

I opened my eyes and looked around. I was still in the plane, with Anis sitting beside me, typing furiously on his laptop. He had removed his seat belt and now had his feet relaxing on an ottoman as he worked. I unhooked my belt and sat up.

"Good morning!" He greeted me cheerfully when he felt me stir. I grimaced at him.

"Morning." I replied, rudely, still angry at his high-handedness. How had he planned this trip with my family and friends without my knowing? I hated him for that. Did I really hate him? A small voice in the back of my mind asked that question. Did I? Well, no, I did not. I couldn't hate him for just a small joke now, could I?

"Where is the washroom?" I asked him. I wanted to freshen myself after the sleep. I wondered for how long I had slept.

"Come, I'll show you." He said, placing his laptop on the ottoman and getting up.

I followed him along the corridor towards the end where he opened the door and switched on the lights. I entered with behind him, and looked around. It was a master bedroom, decorated in colors of beige and green. In the middle of the room was a beautiful four-poster king-sized bed decorated with beige and green curtains and sheets. A matching rug decorated the room. Towards the left corner, a dressing table of matching colors stood which held his perfumes and combs. The room was sparsely but elegantly decorated. It was simple yet elegant and I took an instant liking to it. The muted colors cooled one's eyes and the combinations that he had used were soothing.

I followed him towards the left of the dressing table where a door led to the washroom. He switched on the light and opened the door for me. When he turned around, he almost collided with me. I was on his heel.

"Sorry!!" I said softly, looking in his eyes.

"It's alright." He said and tried to sidestep but I did the same at the same time so we collided again.

"Alisha!" He literally moaned my name. I looked at him and gave him a confused smile. He held my hand and then stepped aside. A tremor ran down my spine as his skin came in contact with mine and my breathing started to get difficult. Before he could say anything, I shook my hand out of his grip and ran inside the washroom, locking the door. I was breathing fast as I stood against the door, with my eyes closed. What was happening to me? Anis was only my friend, nothing else. I didn't have any such feelings for him so why did I feel all this suddenly?

I took deep breaths to calm my beating heart and then walked over to the wash basin. It had a huge full length mirror along the wall and I could see myself from three different angles. My hair was all messed up, some of it sticking at the end of my head. It had fallen off my face as I could see my broken skin clearly.

Anis had never even flinched even for a second when he saw the destroyed side of my body. He hadn't even said one single thing about something that was such an important part of me now. It defined me, as a human, who I was and who I am now so why didn't it matter to him? He had seen me when I was my own gloriously beautiful self. His attitude sometimes freaked me out so much that I was scared: scared of the future that was unknown to me. I wished I could be whole again so that I could give in to the feelings that Anis evoked in me but I couldn't. I would be flawed forever, even if I have the surgery, which wasn't really a remedy for my problems. I was a social outcast now.

I quickly brushed my hair to hide my flawed skin. Sometimes, even I got scared of looking at myself in the mirror. I was no longer the beauty who won everyone's heart. I was a beast now and will always be like this. I quickly went about my business in the washroom and then washed my face. Dabbing a towel over it, I unlocked the door and stepped outside. Anis has gone back outside as the room was empty. I walked over to the dressing table and picked up his hairbrush. His scent lingered in the room, even to the hairbrush, and I breathed deeply. I had come to like his scent whenever he was around. I brushed my hair, parting it into two portions and then, switching off the lights, I came out. He was back in his seat, working on his laptop.