Bitter Sweet | (Published) ✔

{14} Nightly Calls

Ibrahim Tarkan

I jolted awake as my phone rang. The room was dark, reminding me that it wasn't morning yet. I noticed the red curtains and drawing desk in the room. I frowned. This wasn't my room. Arms tightened around my torso and I looked down.

Tasneem was sleeping peacefully beside me.

Her head rested on my shoulder, her plump lips were close to my neck, breathing softly against the sensitive skin. My hand tightened around her waist. I used my other hand to brush away the loose hair from her delicate face. My finger wrapped around the soft strand, tucking it behind her ear as I relished in her beauty.

Her eyes were closed as she breathed in a soothing rhythm. We were so close that I could feel her heartbeat against her chest. I brought my lips to her forehead, unable to resist myself. She wouldn't notice.

She was too deep in her slumber to even feel the faint press of my lips against her smooth silky skin. Although it was still night out, the moonlight coming from the window was still illuminating the ridges of her beautiful face.

My phone rang again, disrupting my thoughts. Groaning, I reached over to the nightstand besides Tasneem's bed. After a couple seconds of fumbling, I finally found it. I squinted my eyes at the bright screen as Damon's grinning picture was plastered on the screen. I slid my finger to the green 'answer' button when the inconsistent ringing didn't stop.

"Why the hell did you think it was a good idea to call me at three in the morning?" I whisper-yelled at him.

Damon snorted, "Well Assalamualaikum to you too, friend."

"If waking up at this ungodly hour is a part of our friendship, I'd like to terminate it."

"Harsh. Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" he asked in a light tone.

"I'm hanging up."

Instantly, Damon started yelling, "No! I was kidding! Don't leave me!"

"Don't you have a wife to be bothering, Damon? I don't know about you, but most normal people like to spend their nights sleeping," I retorted.

"Sleep is for the weak."

"Great, so let me be weak and sleep," I said.

Damon let out an exasperated sigh. "Why are you so rude?"

"Because you get on my nerves."

"Tsk tsk, Ibrahim. I'm going to tell your wife that you're bullying me."

My eyes drifted to Tasneem's sleeping form. I had been trying to keep my voice as low as possible so I wouldn't disturb her slumber. She was so scared last night.

I had another nightmare, so I decided to get a drink of water, but I heard Tasneem whimpering. In fear of her safety, I ran to her room. I didn't have the intention to stay the night with her, but the pleading look in her brown eyes made me stay.

"Ibrahim?" questioned Damon.

"Yeah, Damon."

"Thought you passed out on me for a second," he joked.

I considered the idea. "That sounds very tempting, I will admit."

"Asshat," he muttered.

I ignored his comment and asked, "Why did you call?"

"Oh right. I called because I was bored and couldn't sleep."

"Why?"

"Amira is staying at her parent's place," he said. "So I've been deprived of teasing her for a whole day."