"Don't I look overdressed, and isn't the makeup too much?" She sighed turning side to side while checking out her dress in the mirror, Nanny Ann replied.
"You're not overdressed, you look beautiful."
"I know, and it makes me feel too glam up, it's not as if I'm going on a date or any special occasion."
"Stop with the excuses and go already."
"Fine, but I have to wipe this off first." She says picking out a few face wipes, she wiped out her entire face clean leaving only her lipgloss on.
"Why?" Nanny Ann chuckled.
"I feel better now." She smiled and picked up her purse to leave.
"Let me escort you." Nanny Ann replied and they both walked out of her room.
"In case Abdul returns and he asks of me please don't tell him I went out to meet Faruk."
"Okay, but Why?"
"I don't want him to get upset, coz he seemed so earlier when Faruk and I were together at the hospital."
"Hmm, my lips are sealed on that then."
"Thanks, well, my Uber is here, bye." Hanan waves while getting into the car.
"Don't stay out too late." Nanny Ann waves back.
"I won't." Hanan smiled and shortly her journey began.
She sat amid her thoughts wondering what exactly could Faruk invite her this late for. And at his mother's restaurant?
"I hope he isn't trying to stir another trouble." She sighed after reading his text message all over, she lowered her window down to relish the cool breeze and also enjoy the night view, but behold, she saw him.
She raised her gaze to see who the occupant of the car next to her was but she was shocked.
He was also sitting in the back seat with his window lowered and for some odd reason, she kept glancing at him unconsciously.
Just as earlier his face was cold and emotionless, even though it was clear to her that he was in pain.
She didn't realize that she had been staring till he turned to her side and instantly she dodged, quickly lowering her head down.
She swallowed hard while wishing the traffic allowed them to move as she felt nervous that he might see her.
"But why do I even bother?" She mumbled and just then their car moved.
She raised her head back to see his car fast ahead of theirs and it gave her a sense of relief.
Her journey ended once they arrived at her destination.
She stepped out of the car observing around the restaurant looking strangely different.
"Ma'am, I'm waiting you haven't paid?" The driver calls waving in her direction.
"Sorry, take your money." She smiled handing it over and then she continued to look around.
"Why are there no cars around except his?" She mumbled staring away.
"Are they closed for the day? Or are there no customers?" She muttered recognizing only Faruk's car was parked in the entire space which seemed odd.
It was the same popular restaurant that she visited weeks ago which she heard was a very busy place and it was never free from customers but why does it seem so hollow today? She wondered while she hurried into the restaurant.
She got inside to observe the whole place was also empty, there wasn't anyone in sight except for a waiter waiting at the door with a plate which has a card on it.
"Did I come to the wrong address?" She sighed in thought.
"Let me ask, maybe I'm confused." She walks to the waiter.
"Good evening sir, please is this A Bite and more restaurant?" She asked but he didn't reply, he just smiled handing her the card on the plate.
"What is this?" She mutters while opening the card.
"Faruk; find me on the rooftop." She reads out and chuckles.
"Are we playing a hide-and-seek game? What is he up to?"
But the waiter didn't speak again he just nodded his head and smiled while pointing at a staircase that leads to the rooftop.
"Okay, thanks." She smiled and headed off to the staircase which made her jaw drop.
The entire staircase hall was decorated with bright lights.
"What is going on?" She muttered and couldn't help but smile.
She continued to take turns on the stairs in surprise and just at the end of the stairs, another waiter was waiting at the door of the rooftop, and once she approached the waiter, he opened the door.
"Where is he and what are all these?" She asks but the waiter ignores her question pointing at the door, she walks in and the first thing she sight and admired was the beautiful night sky filled with bright stars.
When she walked in, she couldn't
help but feel like the main character of a hopeless romantic movie as her smile continues to broaden on her face.
White and red colors were the theme of the decorations as everything she could lay her eyes on was the two colors.
Red rose petals were scattered all over the floor which made it difficult for her to avoid stepping on them as she walked further into the space.
Candle lights could also be seen at every corner of the room, white rose flowers were also not left out in the decorations.
She stared around till she got to the only table and chair in the room.
"Candle night dinner?" She muttered seeing the table covered in white clothes and also rose petals.
A bottle of red wine accompanied by two glasses was kept on the table with a "You look breathtaking tonight " card facing at her, she picked it up while dropping her purse, and she smiled looking around to find him when he appeared leaning behind her.
He whispered into her ears making her quickly swallow her smile.
"You like what you see?" He grinned and she turned to face him.
"Goddamit!" A voice in her head screamed once their gaze met.
Yeah, she always knew Faruk was no less an attractive young dude, but tonight, why does look way different?
Her gaze travelled around him and she was surprisingly stunned.
Maybe it was his new shave and haircut that made him look entirely different, but in a freaking good way that she could say that he was no less a fictional hot character from an intense movie. She affirmed moving her gaze away to his outfit.
He was wearing a transparent white shirt that was barely buttoned exposing his chest which made her nervous, she quickly looks away but he caught her and smirked while shifting away from her, he took his time opening the bottle of wine, then poured its contents into a glass cup and he turned to face her with it.
"Have it." He smiled handing the glass over to her.
"I saw you smile and I was glad that at least my efforts weren't futile, I was able to impress you though this is my first time doing this." He says glancing around in satisfaction.
"Hmm." She hummed and dropped the cup back to the table to face him.
"Why all these? I only came because I owe you a favor, so now that I am here, may I take my leave?" She sighed.
"So quickly? No, not yet." He grinned while taking slow steps towards her, she tried to leave but he held her hand.
"At least, have a seat." He says pulling out a chair, he sits her on it while he takes the opposite chair.
He poured another for himself and gestured for her to drink hers, but she refused.
"I don't drink."
"It's non-alcoholic, have a sip." He urged her and she did.
She took the whole wine in a single gulp and abruptly stood up.
"We are friends, we should remain so." She sighed and hurriedly reached for the door but it wasn't opening, the door was locked.
She bangs on the door severally before Faruk jingles the keys at her.
"Here they are, come and have it." He smirked.
"Stop messing with me." She moaned going to collect it but once she got to him he tossed the key out of the rooftop.
"Why! Faruk seriously? What has gotten into you?" She scowled.
"I don't know, lately, I just have the desire to love you." He sighed closing the gap between them, they stood just an inch apart.
"This is my first time falling in love, and it was never my intention to fall for my friend, I don't know how but I swear Hanan, you are always on my mind hovering over my thoughts...
"Faruk," Hanan calls cutting him shut, she stepped away while fumbling for what to say.
She looked at him in the eye and they testified that he wasn't lying. He does love her but is she ready to accept love again?
She smiled before speaking.
"I sincerely appreciate your effort tonight, and also your love for me, but I'm sorry, I can't accept it."
"And I'm also sorry, but Hanan I can't accept that, my heart just can't, please give me a chance." He replied his eyes pleading.
He steps closer, pulling her to him, he holds her close.
"I want my mind to be filled with the thoughts of you, I want my jealousy to be justified that I don't feel guilty for punching anyone for just glancing at you, I want you to accept me, be my first and last." He says.
"I'm scared." She whispered feeling her emotions rile up.
"I don't wanna get hurt again, and neither do I wanna hurt you." She murmured while her voice broke, she could feel her eyes getting moist and her heart racing.
"We are friends, you don't date your friends." She says.
"You're not my friend, Hanan."
"Then what I'm I?" She sighed.
"You were, but now you are more than a friend." He says making Hanan feel tense.
"We can't." She murmured shaking her head, she smiled while trying to free herself from his hold but he pulled her closer, and once her nose brushed his, it made her feel some sort of weird butterflies.
Her muscles felt tensed once he continued to beg her to love him back.
"Please Hanan, I promise to love you till my last breath, give me a chance to prove that." He pleads and he slowly gets to the floor kneeling on one knee, he pulls out a jewelry box.
Was he proposing marriage? Hanan's mind flew as she gasped at him.
"I love you, please be mine." He says and just then flying drones could be seen assembling themselves in the night sky.
Hanan was dumbstruck and speechless as she gaped at the drones spelling out "Will you be mine, forever?"
"Wait, what?!" Hanan whispered. "Faruk?" She turned to him with a lingering smile.
"Please Hanan, okay let's do this." Faruk sighed his voice full of desperation.
"Let's make a deal, after a week and If I'm unable to make you love me back then I promise to back off like I never exist, so please accept me."
"Hmm!" She groaned turning away from him for a minute before facing him again.
"Okay, deal accepted." She smiled.
"What really?!" Faruk gasped quickly getting off the floor to glare at her.
"Yes, you heard me so you better learn how to make me love you within seven days." She laughs and that makes Faruk incredibly happy, he lifts her in the air twirling her around in circles.
He screamed out. "Yes!, she's mine!"
"Hey!" She laughs. "Put me down, I'm dizzy."
And he quickly obeys making sure to sit her on her seat, he goes back on his knees squatting before her, he opens the jewelry box and pulls out a silver heart-shaped necklace designed with their name initials on it.
"Thanks for making me the happiest man on earth." He smiled locking the necklace around her neck.
She admired it while staring at the piece, she held the heart shape. "It's beautiful." She smiled.
"Just like you, and I also have the rings." He says picking out her index finger, he inserts it onto her and it perfectly fits, gently he places a soft kiss on her hands before reaching her gaze.
"I promise, I will never be the reason why your mascara gets smudged, but I promise to always be the reason your lipstick gets smudged." He smiled staring deep at her.
"What?" She chuckled turning her face away. "Where did you learn these crazy lines from?"
"Hmm, I read somewhere that when one is in love that person tends to say and do crazy stuff, I'm just crazy for you."
"Oh, please." She smiled, picking up his glass, she took little sips of his wine while she watched him tune on a sound speaker.
"What are you doing?" She asks.
"Let's dance." He replied.
"Dance?" She laughs "No please, I'm afraid I'm not much of a dancer and you know it."
"I will teach you, just follow my steps, I have much confidence that you are a quick learner." He smiled.
"I'm afraid I'm not, I'll only end up stepping on your toes and making them sore, can we just skip the dance?" She pouts.
"Of course not." He grinned taking her hands gently, he pulled her out of her seat.
Bad Dancer by Johnny Drille.. now plays in the background as he leads her to the dance floor, the lights suddenly dim out leaving only the candle lights on.
"Shall we dance?" He says taking a quick bow.
"Yes." She smiled nodding her head.
And at once, he twirled her into his arms pulling her close to his chest while her arms wrapped around his neck, his rested his around her slim waist.
It was just the two of them, they fell in step letting the music control their movement.
Little by little, they were now going in circles.
Hanan maintained her smile throughout while not sparing him a glance, I guess she was nervous as her heartbeat was going rapid, while, he just made sure to hold her close.
They continued to dance in silence, turning and twirling over the smooth hard floor, they seemed to be lost in their worlds until Faruk released her waist taking her hand for a spin in slow motions till he spun her back to his arms, And she heaved a sigh.
"You're surely a good dancer." She whispered, one hand lightly placed at the back of his neck while the other now entangled with his hand, and he replied.
"And I'm certain you would be a better dancer by the end of the dance."
"I hope so." She laughed and briefly, he turned away, spinning her away from him again but in haste he spun her back, her hand finding his once more, she pressed lightly against him and he inhaled the scent of her skin.
His lips went to her ears and he whispered very softly in a low hoarse voice. "You smell good."
Her eyes glistened at his words as she spread a broader smile across her face she mutters. "Thanks." while closing her eyes briefly.
Soon their silence resumes as the night air warms them up, they continue to dance too lost in the music to stop.
Time passed and he broke their silence again.
"Promise never to unlove me once you love me." He says and it makes her feel tensed, quickly she stares at him, her eyes searching his face.
"You're only privileged to such promises once you're capable of making me love you." She sighed.
"I promise I will." He smiled and drew her so close that her lips almost grazed his ear, they continued to dance cheek against cheek.
***