Samaar's POV
We didn't even reach home, and I got a call from Sheath that same night, Aakifah grinned as she walked faster to give me some privacy.
"Assalamualaykum." I said over the phone.
"Wa-Alaykumasalaam. Where are you right now?" Sheath asked. It was cold. Not ice cold, just plain cold. But it felt like all the winter coats I had for winter to come couldn't keep me warm in this weather.
"I'm almost home." I paused, and frowned to myself. Why would he phone? "What's wrong?" I could hear the noise in the background fading and that's when I could tell he found a quiet corner to talk in.
"You know... you never told me you knew Afsar."
"Was it worth mentioning?" I asked.
After a moment of hesitation he sheepishly replied, "No... Not really."
"When did you meet him?" I asked.
"...Before he transferred to your university he was at mine. We became good friends there." I was quiet for a long ten seconds before I asked him more about Afsar.
"Was he always like that?" I asked.
"Like what?" Sheath asked.
"I don't know... quiet? I guess. He barely speaks a word at school but he suddenly asked me to be his lab partner." I stopped really quick. Why? Why was I talking about another man to the man I love? "Oh well, whatever." I brushed the thought off really quick but Sheath didn't let the topic go.
"He... asked you to be his lab partner?" He asked. His voice wasn't as smooth as it was before.
"Yeah.., there was a shortage of girls in my class. So I was glad I didn't have to go searching around for a partner."
"In high school wouldn't you have begged the teacher to give you an independent project if you didn't get a project with a girl?" He asked. I don't even think I could tell if it was him speaking. The change in his voice was a little too much.
"I... would. But this is different. It's a lab...I don't want to risk this for anything. I feel more confident doing with a partner rather than alone. What if I died doing it alone with one of my stupid mistakes. You should know how clumsy I am. I almost dropped a flask last year... Well actually I did. But it was a miracle that it didn't break." The words sprouted out really quickly. It was as if I was trying to give an explanation for mistakes I committed... But the thing is: I don't get what I was trying to explain. Was he mad or was he just always angry. I got scared at this moment. My heart was pounding with confusion.
"Turn around." I heard him whisper. I was already stopped in the middle of the road. I realized Aakifah had already went home which was right around the corner.
When I did, I saw Sheath. I slowly put down the phone. He did too. He started walking over. He took off his glasses and put them in his pocket as he rubbed his eyes.
"Shouldn't you be home yet?" I couldn't speak. Or rather, I didn't know how to. I nodded, seeing that he was right in front of me.
"I'm..." Speaking wasn't really the best thing for me when I wanted to cry. Why did I want to cry? Because I felt dizzy and depressed trying to interpret the truth of our relationship. He waited for me to continue but seeing that I couldn't he began to talk. When he smiled, my heart became heavier.
"You know... I know you're confused... And at some point, I am too." I looked down, trying to not look at Sheath. Why would he be confused? "It's pretty cold. I'll walk you home." I couldn't talk. I couldn't take the risk. I couldn't cry... not in front of him. I wanted to ask him a lot of questions. But I didn't. In fact, I just followed him quietly. "What happened to Aakifah?" I really didn't want to talk. When he looked at me, I shrugged. He got the message that I couldn't talk anymore than the gestures I was doing in reply.
I hate this. A lot. Liking him so much that all I can think of is how long will this last? This was like a never ending dream. When he waved goodbye, I waved back, saying salaam which was the only phrase that skipped out through my lips. After ten seconds, I found Sheath back in front of me.
"When are you going to be free this week?" He asked. I would have said 'never' because my heart beat was always abnormal when he was around. But instead, I said, "Friday."
"Then... see you Friday." I popped my eyes out. What is wrong with him?? He said salaam stiffly and left. When I went inside, Aakifah asked me about my mini phone date. My naive sister...
When we were about to go to sleep with the lights turned off. I turned it on as quick as I could.
"Aakifah!" She uncovered her face and turned to me. "You didn't tell me!"
When she gave me a confused look, she paused, then got up in bed. "Oh... that. Well... uh. Do I have to tell you right now?" She said, getting out of bed and coming onto mine. I nodded enthusiastically. "When I was born... Auntie was pregnant with Sheath. I'm at least seven months older than Sheath. I was born in January and he was born in July. The original plan was for me and Subhee to get married to each other, but when mom found out she was pregnant with you the whole situation changed. Subhee knows this better than anyone.. Because if he weren't the adopted child of that family me and him would be married without a doubt."
Subhee... was adopted? I stared at Aakifah, and she was smiling a little. "Subhee was adopted because he was the son of Uncle's deceased brother and sister-in-law. They died in a car accident three months after he was born. The real reason to marry off one of us to one of them was to make a blood relationship between both families. Trust me, Sheath's dad and our dad are like brothers. They wanted their very own children to get married to each other no matter what." She said, looking right at me. "If they got me and Subhee married, then it wouldn't really be what they hoped for. When you were born, they thought you and Sheath were a match made in heaven."
"You like him, don't you? No, you love him... since day one." Aakifah didn't move.
"I wouldn't even dream of it." She said quietly as she went back to her bed. "That's one of the main reasons's Subhee rebels a lot. He doesn't really feel like he's a part of their family. He goes around doing what he wants and Uncle cleans up after him. With his attitude I'm glad I'm not married to that jerk." She said with confidence seeping into her voice. Or did I mistake the anger for confidence?
Aakifah was difficult to deal with. In this situation she might actually like Subhee or she might actually think of me as the most annoying-est person on earth. It was hard to discover what she truly felt. Sometimes, just sometimes, she reminded me of the rock head I was married to.
I didn't quite get the whole situation but I did feel that there was something wrong with it.
I never would have though Subhee was the adopted son. He was pretty cool. Even I was impressed but I guess there's a limit. When it comes to girls, there isn't even a single day where he's deprived of them. He's just as popular as Sheath or even more. I guess I could understand Sarah's taste in men... even if she's a year old. I guess it runs in the family.
"Man, I wish you would just admit it." I said, sulking.
"I did... but that's all in the past. I can't believe I wasted so many days liking him."
"Don't you think there's a reason he might have done what he did to your friend."
"I doubt that. You can't change my views about him." She said, frowning. Then she scowled at the thought of it. "Anyways, what did Sheath say?"
"Sheath?... Ah! He asked me when I was free. And I said Friday..." Aakifah grinned.
"He asked you out on a date?" She asked in surprise. At the same moment, I received a text. I bent over to grab my cell phone and found that Sheath sent me a message.
Let's sort things out this Friday... is what the message read. Sort things out?
"I wouldn't call this a date." I whispered quietly to myself.
Assalamualaykum wa rehmatullahi wa barakaatuhu and hello to all my wonderful readers. :)
This chapter by far was one of the hardest to write because I didn't exactly know WHAT to write for it. I guess you could say I had writers block =(
I have school and a very busy life at the moment so my updates will be unusual as usual- even more unusual than before though.
As you all know this story will be ending soon. After this story ends, I'll leave it up for one month afterwards, THAN I will take i down permanently!
Jazak'Allah and Thank You to all of you for reading.
If you guys are wondering which jdrama it relates to, it's the recent Playful Kiss- Love in Tokyo. ^_^
Bye-Bye and Assalamualaykum!