Time seemed to come to a halt, as Yaseerah slowly turned to face him, praying that it wasn't who she thought it was.
She forced air into her lungs when her eyes met his, absolutely unprepared for the sight that greeted her.
There he was, standing before her, bathed in the soft glow of the hotel's exterior lights, his eyes boring into hers with an intensity that made her feel oddly subconscious, questioning her own composure.
Her makeup was waterproof, so she knew there was no way it'd be running down her cheeks or ruined. But still, the way he was studying her, it made her wonder if something was out of place.
It had only been a handful of days since she met him but somehow clad in casual attire that included well-fitted jeans and a simple, crisp white shirt, he looked every bit as striking as she remembered.
She could feel the weight of his presence, the intensity of his scrutiny pressing down on her, his eyes holding a warmth in them that seemed to draw her into his orbit.
It was as though he could see right through her, as if he knew the chaos of emotions that churned within her, which was absolutely ridiculous because she knew that he wasn't a mind-reader.
“You seem upset, are you okay?”
Upset? Ha! Upset didn't cover what she was feeling.
Yaseerah swallowed hard, unable to trust herself to speak. Her chest tightened with a mix of emotions, the turmoil inside her too great, and self-preservation kept her lips sealed. She wanted to open up, but years of conditioning had taught her to hide her feelings.
He looked back towards the entrance as if he was searching for someone or something. Perhaps he thought she was with someone else?
When he turned back to face her, his gaze was imploring, yet his frown still hadn't disappeared.
“Did something happen?”
Yeah, a lot had happened, but she wasn't about to have a heart-to-heart with him.
“Nothing I can't handle,” she stated, her voice firm as she turned, dismissing his concern and him altogether, though her heart still leapt in her throat.
“Are you sure?” His disbelief was clear in his tone, along with a hint of something she couldn't place. Was it pity?
Did he pity her?
Suddenly annoyed and a bit enraged by the pity she surmised in his tone, Yaseerah paused on her heels, turning around once again to stare him down.
“What do you want?”
“I want you to let me drive you home.”
“Why?”
She couldn't shake the feeling that this meeting was more than just a coincidence, as she glanced at him, trying to decipher his true intentions, but there was something in the way he looked at her that touched a vulnerable part of her heart, making her feel alive and human.
“Because it's getting late?” he arched his brow, staring her down like she was doing him.
“Thank you for stating the obvious but I am quite capable of finding my own way home.”
She fought to maintain a façade of indifference despite feeling the undeniable attraction that simmered beneath the surface between them. His concern was both infuriating and strangely comforting, yet her resolve was firm.
“I don't doubt that.” He stepped closer, and Yaseerah took a step backwards on instinct. “But, I won't feel right letting you leave on your own.
At least let me walk you then, if you won't let me drive you. It's not safe to be out alone at night.”
Yaseerah scoffed, thinking about walking the distance between Maitama to Asokoro. “It's an awfully long distance.”
He flashed her a reassuring smile, revealing his dimples that she couldn't help but admire. “I don't mind the walk. Besides, I've been looking for an excuse to stretch my legs.”
Despite everything she was feeling, Yaseerah couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face, not even bothering to hide it.
This man, whoever he was, had made her smile, an honest to God smile, and he didn't even know it.
Dayum!
How could she say no?
Besides, it was getting late, and approaching her curfew. She hadn't thought far beyond leaving the garden, and now that reality had set in, she knew that Fulan was her best chance at getting home quickly.
Despite the rational part of her that screamed to maintain the distance between them, that nothing good could ever come out of this, she couldn't resist the pull of him. There was longing deep within her, and she wished more than anything that she could act on it, explore whatever it was he stirred inside her.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Yaseerah nodded reluctantly. “Fine, you can drive me home.”
Fulan's expression softened, and a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “Thank you.”
They walked in silence, a palpable tension hanging between them as they moved towards the parking area where he'd left his car.
As they reached Fulan's car, Yaseerah couldn't help but admire the sleek, midnight-blue Porsche 911 that stood before her, glistening under the soft glow of nearby streetlights.
Yaseerah hesitated for a moment as he opened the passenger door for her, before she slid into the plush leather seat, feeling the cool, smooth surface against her skin.
Once they were both settled inside, Fulan started the engine with a subtle roar, and the car purred to life.
The engine's purr filled the space between them as Fulan maneuvered the sleek Porsche through the city's winding streets.
“Is there something on your mind, Yaseerah?”
Yaseerah's gaze remained fixed on the passing cityscape, her thoughts a whirlwind of emotions and memories.
She wanted to respond, to acknowledge him, but her mind was a chaotic mess.
She liked the sound of her name on his lips, the way he rolled the r, and pronounced the h at the end, like a whisper, a gentle caress.
Dayum! She shouldn't be thinking this but his entire presence beside her was overwhelming.
The scent of leather from the car's exterior and his own distinct fragrance, a blend of musk and something uniquely him, enveloped her, making her feel lightheaded and oddly entranced.
“Are you...”
“Please don't ask if I'm okay,” she cut him off, hating how her voice broke at the end. “I don't want to lie to you and I don't want to talk about it, because if I do, then I'll cry and I don't know if I'll be able to stop.”
A heavy silence enveloped them, and though Yaseerah mentally berated herself for saying as much as she did, she couldn't take back what she had just said.
This was one of the reasons why Yaseerah kept her distance. She was an open book, always desperate for the one who would listen to her, despite it going against every training that had been ingrained in her at a young age.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” he asked softly, making Yaseerah's heart squeeze with pain.
What could he do?
Stop her wedding? Prevent her father from hurting her? Prevent Mamu from dying?
“No.”
She wanted to scream out her anguish, to let him see the scars on her soul, but the fear of judgment and rejection held her captive in her silence.
Fulan glanced at her, his features softened by the golden glow of the car's dashboard lights.
“You never called,” he uttered, breaking the silence between them.
“I still haven't changed my mind,” she responded, making him nod, like he'd anticipated that response from her.
“I didn't expect to run into you again so soon,” he continued, unperturbed by her response.
Yaseerah kept her gaze fixed on the passing scenery, her thoughts a tumultuous whirlwind. But she couldn't ignore him forever.
“It's a small world, I guess.”
“Indeed it is. Fate has a funny way of bringing people together, doesn't it?”
Yaseerah couldn't deny the truth in his words. Fate had indeed brought them together again, and she was beginning to wonder if it was a blessing or a curse.
They continued in silence until, unexpectedly, Fulan decided to break the silence.
“So, Yaseerah, I have a question for you.”
“You really don't like silence do you?” she smiled ruefully, her tone playful as she turned around slightly to gaze at his profile.
Her heart skipped a beat when he turned in that moment, hitting her squarely with the force of his smile.
“I can be silent if you want but,” his smile turned into a fullblown grin. “If you don't want to talk about what's bothering you, the least I can do is take your mind off of it.”
His logic seemed plausible, but Yaseerah was skeptical.
“Why do you care?” she hedged, her voice wavering slightly. “You barely know me.”
“What if I do?” His response was earnest and she had no idea what to do with that.
Yaseerah's brows rose, wondering what he meant by that.
“Care about you I mean.”
Yaseerah rolled her eyes, not wanting to get into an argument about how impossible it is to care about someone you didn't know because there was a part of her that cared about what he thought of her. That didn't mean she cared about him, did it?
“What's your question?” she asked instead, trying to dispel the surge of uncomfortable emotions that churned within her.
“Marvel or DC?”
Yaseerah couldn't help the soft laugh that escaped her lips at his question, because of all the things she would have thought he would ask, this question certainly would never have crossed her mind.
“That's an interesting question,” she hummed, tracing a finger over the window of the car. “I'm definitely Team Marvel.”
“Why?”
“The way they explore the humanity of their superheroes, their imperfections,” she blew out a breath, her cheeks turning rosy because once again, Fulan without trying has made her say what was on her mind, without even thinking about it. “It makes me feel closer to them. Ridiculous isn't it?”
“No, not really. So, you're into relatable, flawed heroes?” he teased, but Yaseerah knew there was no malice in his teasing so, despite her cheeks turning more rosy, she settled back into her seat, and turned her attention back onto him.
“Well, they do have their charm.”
“So, would you say that I am charming?” he asked, his response filled with curiosity and a hint of flirtation.
Yaseerah blinked, momentarily taken aback by his flirtatious question, though it made her chuckle softly as she replied, “Well, it's too early to surmise.”
Fulan stared at her for a long moment, and once again, she felt oddly subconscious under his gaze.
The car eased into a halt, and it was only then Yaseerah realized that they'd made it to her house.
Was it ridiculous that a part of her didn't want this, whatever it was to end?
“Are you going to be okay?” His eyes pierced into hers with an intensity that made her avert her gaze.
“Thank you for the ride,” she uttered, her fingers reaching for the door.
“You can always call me, you know. If you need anything that is.”
Yaseerah nodded, but she had no intention of calling him. This conversation had been nice, while it lasted but that was the end of it.
In three weeks, she was going to get married, and that was what she needed to focus on, not these feelings she was harboring for a stranger.
“Goodnight Fulan.”
Yaseerah didn't wait to hear his response, she alighted from the car and walked towards the gate praying that her father wasn't watching the CCTV cameras at the moment.
***
Hi, here's another chapter.
Wattpad decided to mess up with my book yesterday 🥺, even deleted parts of this chapter, I had rewrite it from scratch.
Don't forget to vote, and comment please 🥺
Anyways, see you on Friday.
Xoxo, Jidderh 😘