*****
The trip to the Trevi fountain had been a havoc to say the least. The families that were travelling alongside them had a hard time controlling the kids from causing any ruckus especially when there lay a huge pool of water in front of them. Most of them had opted to screeching and crying but Mayza tried her best to zone them all out.
"It's so beautiful..."
She whispered to no one in particular. Her reflection stared back at her from the awfully clean water surface and Mayza couldn't look away. The ripples had her staring at them with an intensity, the marks of white and blue framed the face of her reflection and a small smile tugged at her lips upon seeing how she looked.
"Isn't it? One of my favourite spots if I'm being honest."
Mayza jumped slightly when another voice whispered the words right next to her. Her wide eyes looked at a sheepish looking Humaid and she narrowed hers in return, before giving him a mean look and turned her gaze back to her awaiting reflection.
"Do you know the legend?"
Mayza scrunched her nose at the question. Giving Humaid a part of her attention, she shook her head and he smiled- a smile of mischief.
"Legend has it that if you throw a coin in the fountain, you are bound to return back to Rome someday."
He shrugged lightly and pulled out two coins from his pocket. Today he had opted for something casual and not his suit and Mayza was only now noticing it. He had worn a grey sweatshirt with black denim jeans. The long sleeves were all huddled just below his elbow and Mayza blinked, not really aware of why she was staring shamelessly at him.
"Here.."
Humaid passed a coin to her and watched with amusement when her cheeks coated themselves in light shades of pink. Mayza cleared her throat and looked away, cursing herself for putting her hair in a bun since she could not use them to shield her face.
Breathing in and out a few times, she took hold of the coin from him and inspected it with curiosity. If the legends were true- Mayza shook her head again at the thought.
A part of her had always dreamt of this place as a setting where she'll weave a small part of her fairytale but with the way life was going, she was sure that it would take years before she found that lost piece of hers.
"Do you believe in it?"
Humaid couldn't help but smile at how innocent the question sounded. He stared at her side profile for a few seconds, unsure of what to say. The weather around was pretty pleasant and the warm wind just made him want to close his eyes and relax- albeit, beside a certain someone with whom he'd share his little secrets.
Knowing well that wishes had a bad habit of winding up one's sanity, Humaid was quick enough to move his eyes away from her and into the pond only to find his sane thoughts battling with the strings of his heart.
Through the reflection, he could swear he had caught her staring at him- or was it- no, he was sure she was looking at him, trying to figure things that were better left unsaid between the two.
Wanting to find a safer side, he bit his tongue to not curse out loud and stared at the statues ahead. The coin was still in his palms, though this time, he wasn't sure when his grip had turned so tight.
"Do you?"
She whispered again and Humaid came to a realisation that he was yet to answer her question.
Mayza watched carefully as a rueful smile replaced the laid back ones. The change in his emotions didn't settle well with her nor did the way the air around turned angst.
"Maybe. Believing is an important part of what makes us human, Miss. Bukhari."
The way he said the words, it felt as though it weren't for the question she asked, no, it sounded more like a wish of his that he was waiting to come to life.
The two remained silent after what followed. The bustle around was no less than a sound that Mayza could zone out of and enjoy her own little bubble. Her eyes occasionally strayed to the man beside her and after what felt like ages, she lightly kissed the coin in her hold and tossed it in the fountain with a hopeful smile on her face.
Humaid blinked when the light splash of water ahead of him made a sound. He merely caught onto the coin that soon was taken away by the numerous other splashes around. The coin in his hold urged him to do so too and staring intently at it for a few seconds, he carelessly tossed it in the fountain.
One would think he was not interested but if only they could sense the inner turmoil- the way he refused to take into account his own words.
"Mayza, don't be so aloof!"
Mayza looked to where Qizrah stood with a wide grin on her face. The woman had cheered her in times like these and Mayza couldn't be more grateful to have found someone like her on the trip.
Giving an apologetic smile to Humaid who had returned to staring at her with an indecipherable expression, Mayza skipped from beside him to where Qizrah was, waiting for her with an ice pop in her hands- completely aware of the gaze that made her feel things she wasn't ready to accept.
*****
After a tiring day the crew was now on their way back to the hotel. It was past 7 in the evening and Mayza sat watching the passing scenery from her window seat while Qizrah had laid her head on Mayza's shoulder and seemed to be sound asleep.
She had jumped from one corner to the other like a hyperactive kid and was now fully drained. Mayza had kept her chuckle at bay watching how cute her friend looked.
A smile was constant on her lips unknown to herself.
"Want me to help you?"
Qizrah waved her hand dismissively at Mayza's question. Giving a tired smile to her friend, Qizrah hugged her tightly and stumbled on her way across to her room. Mayza shook her, trying hard not to burst out laughing at how ridiculous she looked and with a sigh, she made way to her own room.
Searching for the keycard in her backpack, she didn't realize when someone called out her name but once the voice became clear, Mayza felt herself losing grip of every rational thought.
"Mayza?"
It was him.
Ahan Ahmed.
Just a few inches away from her.
Mayza took in a shaky breath and with a determined look, turned around. The situation gave off a deja vu vibe and Mayza knew trouble was lurking around the corner, especially when she smelt the stench in air.
She couldn't even say that she was surprised.
The way he slurred his words and the way his eyes drooped, as though trying to find a concentration point but failed to do so. He was still at a good distance from her and that might have been the only reason why Mayza hadn't made a sound to alarm the security yet.
"What do you want?"
Her words were crisp and clear. Though, it felt as though Ahan had heard something funny with the way he burst out laughing. Mayza's grip on the handle of the backpack tightened even more as her eyes glared at him.
"I'm not in the mood to entertain you."
She turned around to unlock her door. The keycard had finally decided that it wasn't the best time to play hide and seek and just as Mayza swiped it, she felt his presence awfully close to herself.
In a reflex action, she sidestepped him and Ahan went banging into the door. The sound was loud but not enough.
"You-"
His eyes were red and if he looked uncontrolled before, he looked furious now. Mayza felt a trickle of fear but she refused to back down.
He was no one to her.
Never was.
"Do not cause unnecessary trouble, Mr. Ahmed."
A humourless laugh was what she got in return to her warning. He was heedless to it and Mayza watched cautiously when he glared at her once again.
"Y-you shameless woman! H-how dare you reject me and spend time with some other man?! Pehle hi s-samajh jana chahiye tha tum aur tumhari ghatiya harkato ko. Paise walo se umeed bhi aur kya ho sakti. Kabhi iske bistar mein toh kabhi-"
A loud slap cut through his belittling words. Mayza could feel the fear taking a backseat and another side of hers- one that loved violence- surfaced through.
Ahan held his cheek that was still ringing with the bruising force. He could feel his jaw hurting but that simple action angered him even more.
"Tumhari toh-"
He lunged forward with a murderous intent and Mayza would've retaliated once again if not for another presence.
Humaid was quick to catch Ahan's collar and pulled him back. The unexpected force made the latter stumble and fall straight on the ground.
"I was never in favour of hurting women."
Humaid tsked in mock reprimand and the sense of protectiveness in him made him kick the man in his stomach, hard enough for him to spit some blood but that might have been courtesy of Mayza's slap.
"Mama didn't teach basic manners, boy?"
Ahan didn't have enough energy to get up from the floor but Huamid's words hit his ego harder than Mayza's slap. With everything in him, he tried to stand up again while Humaid typed away a few things quickly on his phone.
"I-itna kya bhadak rahe ho? That woman didn't let me touch her, then who are-"
Before anyone knew, Humaid had fisted Ahan's neck in a death grip, choking the man enough for his eyes to tear up and face to turn pale.
Mayza watched with a bewildered expression. The once warm, soft brown eyes were nowhere to be seen. Instead, they were replaced by a sheath of blinding rage and frightening cold.
The clash of fire and ice had never looked more beautiful than at that moment.
Mayza almost squealed at her thoughts. Sensing the embarrassing blush trying to mask her face, she cursed the wrong timings and bit the inside of her cheeks.
She didn't feel bad for Ahan, not even in negatives but a part of her was worried if Humaid would get in trouble for this. Ahan was her problem, not his.
"Humaid?"
She gently called out, taking her sweet time. The dark part in her enjoyed the way Ahan crumbled in defeat, the way he clawed Humaid's hand to let himself free.
Humaid felt a warm touch on his shoulder and felt his stiffened muscles relaxing by a bit. His eyes glared holes into the man who was now behaving like what he truly was- a coward.
"Humaid, don't waste your energy on him."
Mayza pressed again. She felt the slightest bit of concern when she saw the way Ahan went limp in Humaid's death grip. The former was slowly losing all the colour from his skin and Mayza pulled Humaid away from him with a gentle yet firm grip on his shoulders.
Humaid took in deep breaths as he let go of Ahan. The man fell on his knees gasping for air while Humaid tried to keep his anger in check. His hands itched to deliver a punch or few on Ahan's face and he did just that.
Mayza shrieked in surprise when Humaid punched Ahan more than twice. Blood trickled down Ahan's nose and he looked on the verge of passing out.
"Much better."
Humaid breathed in satisfaction and rolled up his sleeves, acting as though he didn't just do what he did.
Mayza coughed out in an attempt to hide the amused laugh that had almost made its presence known and met Humaid eyes that were now gleaming with the slightest bit of joy.
The atmosphere though turned more serious when approaching footsteps were heard and Mayza looked past Humaid's shoulder only to find men in uniform being led their way by a panicking Lucien.
"S-Sir! Are you fine?"
Lucien all but yelped in concern and Mayza yet again wanted to laugh. His expressions were comical enough and Humaid breathed out through his nose, as though silently saying that he had had enough.
Giving a light slap to Lucien's forehead, he turned around to greet the officers who looked at Ahan and then at Humaid suspiciously.
"I've given them the details you gave me. They'd like to question both you and Miss. Bukhari separately."
Lucien filled in before Humaid could say something.
The latter frowned, as though not pleased by the piece of information and just as he was about to protest, Mayza jumped in to control any more damage.
"I'm fine with it."
Humaid stared at her for a few seconds. Mayza didn't waver from the eye-to-eye battle and narrowed it when the look of mischief surfaced again in Humaid's eyes.
"If I get to deliver another punch or two, why not?"
**********
That was the end of Ahan's notorious presence...
Anyways, just why did I fall for another one of my characters?
Well, that might be a question we'd never get an answer for...
**********