Guys I've got two tests tomorrow. Include me in your prayers please.
Abuwi had been brainwashed.
That has to be it. Else, explain to Amina, how he, who spoke big about how he'll never accept Aahil Tafida nor even entertain any member of his family ever suddenly ended up chatting away with the man, and laughing in the living room of his hotel room after cancelling their plans for the day.
Curious, aren't you?
Well, it all started when the next day came. Since it was Saturday, Amina, whose room is beside her father's decided to go over and breakfast with him in a café nearby that has some good reviews. She thought, what's a better way to start the morning than with good food and some lovely moment with her Abuwi?
She giddily got dressed, tucking away the memories of the night before, fully prepared to spend the weekend with her father to the fullest. Upon standing in front of his room, she tapped the bell button, then waited light on her feet with her hands intertwined behind her.
She tapped her feet restlessly, sporting a wide grin while counting the seconds as she waited for the door to swing open. And, it did, a few seconds after. Only instead of the older looking man she adores and hoped to see, she saw a young man that she least-scratch that-didn't expect to see there even in her wildest dreams.
Her grin instantly disappeared, her eyes slowly dilating as she blinked, wondering if she was still dreaming. Perhaps, she's hallucinating. It has to be, because no way is her eyes actually seeing the man there.
She's gone nuts, she concluded. He had not only infiltrated her dreams the night before thanks to his words that refused to leave her brain even for a second, but he managed to make her see him in places as well.
Good one, Aahil Tafida. Good one.
If she thought she was thinking things, then his words that followed certified she was not only seeing things, but hearing it as well. Because how is it that his lips curled upwards into that has imprinted itself in her brain, as he stepped aside.
"Come in. We've been anticipating you." He gave her way to pass, gesturing for her to come in like a homeowner welcoming his guest.
Amina stared at him warily, like she's seeing a ghost. Still stunned, she extended her hand that held her phone, using it to poke his arm to make sure she wasn't imagining stuff, and that he was actually there.
The phone didn't go through him, meaning he's real.
If anything, his eyes followed her action, before he met her gaze again, that amused smile still there.
She took a few steps back, checking the number plate beside the door to be certain she didn't ring the wrong room.
292C.
That's the room indeed. Hers is 291C, just the door to the right.
Her head tilted to the side, her eyes slowly moving to meet his again, suddenly hit with that feeling as though she'd been in that position before. She got déjà vu.
It felt like when they first met in Seoul. The room mix-up accident.
She wasn't sure how long she stood there, staring at him as if she'd suddenly wake up from the dream, till a familiar voice came, putting a screeching halt to those thoughts of hers.
"Son." Called out a very familiar voice fondly. She could, and would recognize that voice even in her sleep. "Who is there?"
Son? Yup, she's definitely hearing stuff.
Aahil, with his audacity that she's till yet to know where he got it from turned around, looking at the man whose voice just came. "It's my wife, Abuwi."
Wife? Abuwi? Oh, hell nah.
Is she missing something here?
The sound of something, no doubt Abuwi tsking from the other end of the room came. "See this shameless child. I'm yet to hand her over to you."
"But, we both know it's only a matter of time." Aahil chuckled softly, the sound deep, sending shivers down her spine.
Amina was quick to chase those thoughts away. Wrong time.
The culprit turned around to look at her, before gesturing with a gentle nudge of his head. "Come in, will you? Unless you want to keep standing there." He's still the same Aahil she knows then, good to know. It sounds like something the old Aahil would say.
Meaning, she is not dreaming. It's real. A weird, and abnormal dream.
Pushing past her initial shock, Amina stepped into the room after muttering the Taslim. Shrugging off her satchel bag, before she was able to toss it away on the couch like she was planning to do, it was casually taken out of her hold.
She whipped her head around just in time to see Aahil hanging it on the coat hanger, acting as if he hadn't done anything that would make her heart skip a beat, he went on further to roll the sleeves of his grey button up shirt, it was then that Amina noticed what he was wearing exactly.
A damn apron, a pink one for that matter.
She folded her lips in to hold back her laughter, because she knew there were more pressing issues on ground, like figuring out what is going on than laughing at his fit. She sniffed, putting on her stern face even when she was dying of laughter internally.
He seemed unbothered by it though, instead, gesturing for her to take a seat on the couch. "Breakfast will be served in a few. Just sit back and rest. I'll be done soon." He said to her, his lips now slanted into a small smile before he turned to Abuwi, whom remained seated on the couch opposite the TV, flipping through the channels. "Prepare to be stunned, Abuwi."
The addressed man scoffed lightly, though amusement laced his expression despite trying to pull that serious face of his. "I've been hearing that for the past thirty minutes, and yet, I'm yet to testify to it myself."
"The good things always take time to get, isn't that what you said?"
Abuwi nodded his head slowly, tipping the remote at Aahil. "You learn fast, son. Good to know."
"I learnt from the best anyway." With that said and another smile flashed in their direction, he turned around and disappeared into the area that's the kitchen, leaving her alone with her old man.
She could only stare at the place he'd disappeared to, then back at father while she cautiously approached him, all with one question in mind.
What the hell is going on?
She settled down beside her father, reaching her hand out and placing it on his forehead, to check his temperature. She placed her free hand on her forehead, taking note of the difference.
"You're fine." She mumbled, ignoring the look he gave her, as if asking is she is okay.
Shouldn't she be the one asking that?
She sighed, dropping her hands by her side. She fully faced him, her faced marred with so many questions which she couldn't hold back. "What's going on, Abuwi? Were you brainwashed or something? Tell me, he didn't blackmail you, did he? Why are you suddenly friends with him? And what's with the endearment? And most importantly, why is he calling you Abuwi? That's my name, exclusively mine." She whined the last part, her lips forming a pout.
She is confused, yes. But, she is not curious as to how her father allowed him to call him with that name that's hers exclusively. What gave Aahil the right, regardless of what he must've done to get on her father's good side, to call him with that name?
Abuwi reached out to pat her shoulder comfortingly. "You need to learn to share sometimes, hmm? Aahil now is my son, but you'll always be my Princess, you know that." Is that supposed to be comforting?
It wasn't. Not in the slightest.
She shook her head, keeping that worry aside for the meantime because she can tell, there's no talking those two both out of this. She scratched the space above her brow, "What's going on here? Since when did you two become this...close!" She couldn't hold it in, she thought she would be able to, but she simply can't wrap her head around it.
Abuwi held her gaze, before he shrugged. "We spoke, and we ironed out our differences. That's it." He stated simply, unwilling to share the information that she without a doubt know there's more of.
Her lips parted, her head tilted to the side. Further prodding his is a hopeless case, she knows that much as his kid. If he wants to hoard information to himself, he would. Nothing would make him crack, not even her.
And he seemed to want to hoard that one, much to her anguish.
Still, she couldn't help but blink, looking away for a second. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips, before she met his gaze again. "I thought we're in this together, you said not to get near him ever again." She would have more confidence in what she's planning to do if he were to have her back.
Now that he's suddenly switched sides, what is she supposed to do?
"I take it back, he's a good child." Yup, definitely brainwashed. He then gestured with his hands for her to come closer, and when she did, he whispered. "But, between you and I, give him hell. He deserves it. Kar ki raga masa in the slightest." Okay so maybe, he wasn't completely brainwashed, but still.
Amina playfully narrowed her eyes at him, nearly cracking at the mischievous smile he was pulling when she doesn't find the situation amusing in the slightest. She feels as though he has betrayed her, though she doesn't get for what reason exactly and yet, he was still supporting her in his own way.
Sometimes, she finds her Abuwi hard to understand really. But, she's certain of one thing. He isn't like most fathers, that much she's grateful for.
And to think she was planning on introducing Hamoud to him because she was sure he'd like him, then this happened. He caught the Aahil fever, and liking Hamoud enough to approve of him proves to be a formidable task.
She kissed her teeth, slouching on the couch upon realizing Aahil's sudden return just screwed everything for her. If she wasn't aware of just what he's capable of and what his influence is on people, she wouldn't have been worried.
But, she knows, and she could see how this would end.
Hamoud is a good guy, an extremely good one. However, when put beside Aahil on a scale in front of everyone-with the exception of her--, he is nothing but mere dust. So, this is a losing battle for him if the people around them are considered, and they are.
Another sigh escaped her lips, for the nth time as she sat down through the breakfast Aahil prepared for the three of them. The two men devoured it, talking about practically everything and nothing, bonding away like she isn't even there to begin with.
The food tasted bland on her taste buds, not because it wasn't good, but because she has a lot going through in her mind thanks to a certain someone. Not to mention, she was still finding it hard to digest the sight in front of her.
She thought it was just her that found the situation odd and ridiculous. However, when she stood by the entrance of the living room with her arms crossed over her torso, while she leaned against the wall staring at the two carry on their conversation, oblivious to the people around them, she was hit by a tut from the person standing beside her.
"I thought I've seen enough weird sights in my life but this..." Taheera tutted, shaking her head as she stared at the sight of the two men together, under the same shade and conversing casually. "...this is as weird as it could get it."
Amina could only nod, wordlessly. For the first time, she and the woman are actually agreeing to something peacefully.
At first, she wasn't sure if she was to be more stressed or relieved when she saw Taheera step into the apartment, pulling along her suitcase, having just arrived from Seoul where she has been staying since she and Abuwi came over a week ago. However, when even the woman's presence, which somehow always managed to get the older man's attention hit a wall, leaving no impact, Amina felt relieved.
At least, she wasn't the only one that was ousted. Good to know.
"Tell me about it." Amina could only mumble, her shoulders slumping. It's supposed to be a father-and-daughter weekend, and yet, it somehow turned out to be a father-and-son weekend.
She wouldn't even lie, it pained her. And yes, she's jealous. How could she not be?
"Well, since crazy things are already happening," Taheera pushed the suitcase away, clasping her hands together as she resigned. "do you want to spend the day with me, instead? I can be a good company sometimes."
'No thanks. I'll pass. I'd rather sit all alone and whine all day.' Was at the tip of Amina's tongue, but she decided against it at the last second.
"Sure." She agreed instead, pushing herself off the wall. "The world's already upside down anyway." She spared the two one last glance, still obvious of she and Taheera before she rolled her eyes, turning around and stepping out with the woman following suit.
The two ended up improvising their activities for the day, since they hadn't planned beforehand it's not like either of them expected to spend time with the other. Still, weirdly enough, they both enjoyed it-forgetting about the men at one point.
They wouldn't admit it, but spending time together as girls' only day, getting spa treatment that they were both certain they wouldn't get anywhere else aside from Korea for it is that good, getting manicures and pedicures, and shopping -with Abuwi's card of course, and Aahil's too, they had the time of their lives.
How did Amina end up in possession of the man's card?
Well, she simply slipped her hand into her bag when she found the card laying there-he no doubt slipped it in when he retrieved the card from her earlier on in the day along with a note along.
2705.
That's the pin of the card.
Amina thought long and hard, wondering what the pin could mean but nothing came to mind so she ignored it. She didn't pretend as though the card didn't exist, he knew what he was doing when he gave it to her, and she was no saint to form big girl.
He gave her a card, so she used it.
She may or may not have caused a dent on it, but she'll take it as payment for stealing, or brainwashing, her father away from her and for the mental stress he'd made her go through.
By time she and Taheera returned back to the hotel after calling it a day, it was night time already. Though neither of them would admit it, they actually had fun and enjoyed each other's company. Perhaps, they'd always been misunderstandings between them that need to be eliminated. If so happens, then they might have a good relationship.
It would take time, but they would reach there one day. Perhaps, they won't have a mother and daughter relationship, but they could be good friends that aren't on each other throats constantly.
Taheera got into their place first, while Amina decided to get into hers. She's speak to Abuwi the next day, for she wasn't sure if he was still with his precious child and she doesn't want to interrupt.
Yes, she's still upset.
Dropping the numerous shopping bags aside, she tried to fish out her room card out of the satchel bag. Engrossed in the action, she didn't hear the sound of footsteps approaching her nor did she realize his presence till his voice came, startling her.
"Had fun, shortcake?"
She jumped slightly, her hand instantly going to where her heart is before she whipped her head around to look at him. "God, Aahil. You gave me a scare." She glared at him, still trying to calm her racing heart.
He flashed her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."
She ignored him, turning around after grasping the card she's been looking for. She unlocked the door, then leaned down to struggle to pack up the shopping bags.
"Need help?"
She sighed, straightening her spine. Stepping aside, she gave him room to pick it up, every single one of it, and take it inside. He dropped them in the living room, before going out, where she remained rooted by the door with an annoyed expression, waiting for him.
The minute he stepped out, she handed him back his card, muttering a small "thank you" under her breath. "I may have spent a lot, but you deserve it."
He chuckled lightly, finding solace in knowing he aided in a way. "Spend every last bit of it, I'll be sure to earn more so you can live comfortably with me."
Amina's eyes instantly narrowed at him, despite her heart skipping a beat the minute he said that. She did well to shield it though. She wouldn't allow him to get to her, no way. Unfolding her crossed arms, she sighed. "I'm heading in."
He nodded, offering her a soft smile. "You've had a long day. You should rest early." He didn't try to hold her back.
She wordlessly turned around and stepped inside the room. Before closing the room, she turned around. "Aahil." She called out, for he was still standing in the exact position he was.
He hummed. "Yes, shortcake?"
"I don't know how you managed to win my father over, but it won't work on me." She stated earnestly, meaning every word of hers. There was no trace of lark in her expression, she was being honest. "Don't even have any thoughts of rekindling anything between us."
And yet, her words and expression did nothing to keep him back. Instead, his answer came almost instantly. "I'll make those walls of your crumble, shortcake, I will. I will make up for lost time no matter how long it takes." He sounded so certain of himself. "And when I do, there will no longer be any barrier between us." He promised.
She remained unmoved. "Goodnight, Aahil." She didn't wait for his response, as she closed the door to his face.
He stood there, staring at the door that stared right back at him. His lips tilted upwards into the faintest smiles. "Goodnight, shortcake." He muttered.