"Habiba?" The all too familiar voice called.
Naima could identify the owner of that voice with her eyes closed. She could even feel that specific aura he was surrounded with.
She pivoted herself around.
He was looking at her and so was she.
It wasn't right but she couldn't look away.
Both of them weren't ready to break their eye contact. Not ready to give up first.
Tawfiq looked hurt, somehow betrayed and a bit of anger and disappointment lurking behind his eyes.
"Tawfiq, w-what a-are you d-doing here?"
Naima stuttered when she finally found her voice to speak.
Great question, Naima.
It's his dressing room for crying out loud, 'what are you doing here?' is the question.
"What am I doing here? What are you doing here? Why are you wearing that costume?" He asked through gritted teeth but surprisingly, rather calm.
He ran his hand through his messed up hair showing he was frustrated.
Why was he getting so worked up about it?
It wasn't like she was selling drugs or stealing.
What was the big deal about being a mascot?
She'd admit that she would also be a little angry-more like disappointed and sad-if she found out her friend was keeping something important from her.
But not so angry like Tawfiq was getting.
He needed to get his emotions in check.
Naima decided it was better she apologized for keeping a secret like that and explain herself before this went any further.
"I-I'm sorry, I couldn't tell you. I didn't. . ."Tawfiq stopped her.
"You could have gotten hurt. Do you know the things we do to our mascots after games? I should have guessed when the mascot disappeared every time we played a game." He chuckled in contempt
"After every game, we could throw you in the school pool, hit you with water balloons, kick you and all sorts of other funny things. It's not supposed to hurt to any extent because the mascot is supposed to be a guy."
He glared.
"You should have told me. Why did you even have to become a mascot in the first place? They could have hurt you. I could have hurt you, Naima." he painfully said.
Naima cringed when she heard her name from his lips. He hadn't called her that in ages.
"I needed to keep my scholarship. Joining a club was the only way. This was the only thing I could do." Naima explained to the point.
"To hell with the scholarship. I would have paid your fees anytime if you just asked." Tawfiq gritted out.
"Why didn't you just join any other club? Belinda is in the debate club so why didn't you just join with her? Why? Let me guess, to avoid attention and well everyone as usual." Tawfiq paused and exhaled.
"Naima, why won't you just stop with all these things." he said as contempt laced his voice.
"I don't want anyone's money. And I knew you would get angry if I told you." Naima said, also getting angry.
She didn't know what the big deal was.
"If you told me from the beginning, I would have understood. If you had just explained it to me, we could have found another way. You've been the mascot for the whole school year, Naima. I'm not angry that you are the mascot, I'm just angry that someone, Naima, I could have hurt you thinking you were a boy. You think I would forgive myself for that? You think I'd be able to sleep at night knowing I hurt you?" He asked looked away as he continued to rake his hair.
If he kept that up, he'd end up uprooting all his hair.
"This is why I didn't tell anyone, not even my family know. I knew you'd all make a fuss about it. It's not a big deal. I can take care of myself, you know. I always had, even before I knew you. And I can continue taking care of myself."
Naima was getting angry over this useless topic too.
"You know nothing about me, Naima. If you had told me from the start, all this wouldn't be needed to talk about now." he added.
Why was he intent on making her more angry.
Oh and Naima knew more about him than he might have thought.
She was very observant of the little things. Observant of people close to her.
She let out a frustrated sigh.
"You think, I know nothing about you? Tsk tsk." She clicked her tongue. "Tell me the lie in this. Your favorite color is ash, most of your clothes are ash, you sprayed your car ash last month, you literally live the color ash. You pass your hands through your hair anytime you are frustrated. Sometimes, I think you don't even realize it. There is a scar on your forearm. Yes, noticed it. You have light golden brown eyes. I could go on and on all day, Tawfiq and I still wouldn't get enough time to tell you what I know. So, don't you dare tell me I know nothing about you. I know more than you can imagine. Ask yourself what you know about me apart from what I have told you or given out? Nothing, Tawfiq, nothing." Naima sneered.
She started to walk past him but he held her wrist to hold her back. He didn't turn but began speaking.
"Your favorite color is black-surprisingly hard to notice. You look at your feet when walking as a way to avoid looking anyone in the eye. You avoid attention as best as you can. You scratch your elbow when you have nothing to say and you're nervous. You have a birthmark under your chin. Even though I rarely see it because of your hijab. You have the most beautiful brown eyes I've ever come across. Habiba, you may try to avoid the world, heck avoid every single soul if you want, but you can't avoid me. I won't allow you to avoid me.
I know more than you think too. We both do."He stated calmly still looking ahead of him with one of his hands on her wrist.
How did he know her favorite color? No one knew except for Zain and she rarely had anything with the color black. Her favorite color wasn't as obvious as his.
How did he know she scratched her elbow when she was nervous?
And the birth mark?
He really did know a lot.
"You have two similar bags of different colors. The way you handle the black one showed it was your favorite bag. I take it, it means your favorite color is black?" He asked .
Naima didn't answer.
She just removed her hand from his grip and ran away like she did as usual.
She knew he had good intentions but she didn't need him to get angry at her.
Naima went outside the football pitch area. Most people were still on the field.
She was going to walk home. She was tired.
She just hoped it wouldn't be so far away.
〰️
After more 20 minutes walking and still in her costume, she came to a conclusion.
She was lost.
She had never been to this place before so maybe she should have thought about it before she just started to walk.
She sat on the pavement by the road and hoped a bus would pass by.
She didn't clearly remember when she placed my head on her laps, but she did and she was falling fast asleep.
Well done, Naima. Sleep in the middle of nowhere. I'm sure your death will be quicker.
She opened her eyes and got up from the pavement to continue her journey.
She walked for a longer while and everything was becoming a bit familiar now. She could even see the pinnacles of the Valley View Cathedral from where she stood.
Alhamdulilah.
She was not lost.
She heard a car coming from behind her but she didn't bother to look back. It passed by her but did not look familiar to her.
The glass were all tainted so she couldn't see the driver. It slowed down by her a bit but after a few seconds it moved along.
Weird.
She arrived at the school at almost 4pm and no one was there. She had walked for more than 45 minutes and she was exhausted. Her feet felt numb to the bone.
She saw the car she had seen a while ago parked in the school.
No.
She was in the costume then.
She hadn't thought about it because she didn't think the car was coming to VVH.
Whomever was driving must have seen her face and now everyone in the school would know the mascot of Valley view was a girl for the first time.
No no no.
This wasn't part of the deal.
She slowly entered the school discretely to avoid anyone else from seeing her again.
Two people and maybe by tomorrow the whole community was enough.
"Habiba." She heard from behind.
Guess who it was.
Ding ding ding, Tawfiq!
That boy was everywhere.
"Why did you walk alone to the school? It's dangerous." He said calmly after Naima had turned to face him.
How did he know she walked to the school?
Was he some sort of wizard or what?
Naima furrowed her brows.
"How did. . ." She didn't finish when he answered.
"I was in the car you saw on your way. When you ran out, I decided to follow you. I realized you had left the field. Clearly coming back here. So, I took a friend's car and went to look for you. I wanted to stop when I saw you but I realized you needed space and maybe so did I. Thus, I came to the school." He took a few step closer to her.
"I'm sorry. I know it may seem selfish but I didn't tell anyone not because I was ashamed but because I didn't want anyone to worry about me." Naima frankly cleared up.
Tawfiq's lips curved up in a smile.
"I'm sorry for going Godzilla on you too back at the game." He ended with wide grin.
Naima laughed at his effort to cool the thick atmosphere between them.
"Anyone ever told you, you laugh like a donkey ?" He snickered
"You. . .you. . .argh! I don't laugh like a donkey!I'm going to get you for that Tawfiq." Naima glared angrily.
Zain had said that before.
But she didn't laugh like a donkey.
It wasn't possible.
"But it's the most beautiful donkey laugh ever laughed." He smiled genuinely.
Ya Allah, if Naima could blush, she would be as red as a tomato.
"Sure, whatever you say. I better get going before I fall for your smooth words then." Naima muttered sarcastically.
"Do you need a ride? I could give you a ride home." He offered.
"Umm. . .no . . .my dad er. . .will be umm home this week but I don't know exactly when. But thank you."
He just gave her an understanding nod.
"I won't be comfortable with you sitting in a bus alone at this time though." He informed her.
"It's not even 5pm, Tawfiq. Nothing will happen to me. In Shaa Allah." Shevreassured him.
"I know but. . .let me just call you a cab?" He asked.
"No. Thank you but I'm good." Naima shook her head.
"Good evening, Tawfiq. See you on Monday." Naima said and was about walking away when Tawfiq started to snicker.
"What!?" She frowned.
"Is it that urgent to get away from me that you don't realize you are still in the costume, Habiba?" He questioned with a smirk.
Naima's eyes went wide as she groaned and walked passed him again to the Principal's office. He didn't follow her though so she went alone.
Her bag was in the office with extra clothing like always. The secretary had given her a key so incase she needed her costume so she could grab it anytime.
After having a quick shower in the girl's locker room and changing from her sweaty clothes, she walked back to the entrance of the school where she left Tawfiq at.
Tawfiq was sitting on the floor with his head on the wall and eyes closed. He looked so peaceful when he slept. Like a baby.
Naima looked at him for awhile quickly wiping away the ever growing smile and before she could scold herself and look away, well because what she was doing was wrong, let alone creepy, Tawfiq's deep voice came through his mouth with his eyes still closed.
"See anything you like, Habiba? Just say the word and I will marry you." He chuckled.
Naima's heart rate spiked.
Foolish heart. Taking everything seriously.
"You've got to be kidding me. I wasn't looking at you. What's there to see? And I wouldn't marry you for anything in the world." Naima said to him and smiled.
"Ouch. . .my self confidence was just killed. You look nice." He complimented and quickly looked away.
"Thanks?" Naima said it more as a question than a statement.
"No problem, we better be going then. I want to make sure you're in the bus before I go." He said and got up in one swift move. Naima couldn't do that if her life depended on it.
Yes, she was that physically unfit.
"Aren't you going to wait for the others?" Naima asked him as they walked together.
"They are on their way. Dean just texted me. They are going out to party but I'm not going because it involves a lot of alcohol as usual." He smiled.
"And you're a good boy."
Naima teased which caused Tawfiq to throw his head back in a stomach rumbling laughter.
They walked to the bus stop by the school. Naima remembered the day he saved her from the thunderstorm.
First day they met. And he had driven back to the school just on a gut feeling she might be stuck there.
"Having deja-vu? I also remember clearly. Tsk tsk tsk. . ." Tawfiq shook his head in disappointment with his arms crossed over his chest. "Habiba, I'm disappointed in you for sitting in a car of someone you barely knew. I could have been a serial killer who has a thing for high school girls." He made a disappointed face.
Naima hit his upper arm and took back her hand quickly. He just smiled and rubbed the part acting like he was in pain.
"I actually thought you could be a serial killer then. Maybe you'd cut off my head and use it for a trophy." They both laughed. "And you know I have a fear of thunder storms. My phobia was worse than any possible serial killer then." She added.
Everyone in their small group now knew she had a phobia of thunder storms, after they got caught in one at the cinema. She didn't want to alarm anyone in case she had a panic attack so she was acting jumpy the whole time to push her fear back. And when the thunder broke out for the first time, she had a panic attack.
Luckily Dean brought a headphone along which he placed on her ears and connected to her phone to listen to some of Maher Zain's songs at high volume.
He smiled at her and looked afar.
"You bus is coming. " he announced.
The bus came to a stop in front of her and Tawfiq did a crazy gesture of opening the door with magic even though they both knew it was automatic.
She laughed at his craziness.
"Goodnight, Habiba, dream of me, okay?" Tawfiq said cheekily.
He could act childish at times but was really a nice person to be around. Naima had gotten used to his presence around her. She was much much more comfortable around him now.
"Goodnight, Tawfiq. I'm not sure I will dream of you though unless I'm winning you in chess." She smirked at him. They had played chess a lot of times since the first time and everytime she had won.
Yet he still believed a day would come when he'd win.
Naima waved at him and he gave her his widest grin. She entered the bus and even after it started to move, he still stood at the same spot. He stood there till the bus got so far away, she couldn't see him anymore.
That boy could act weird at times.
⚜️⚜️⚜️
A/N: please if anyone thinks I'm making Tawfiq and Naima too close and it's haram, trust me, I know. The story isn't fully based on spirituality, even though Naima and Tawfiq are practicing Muslims, not everyone is perfect. If you do read carefully though, you realize I make my characters realize their actions are not good even though they do it and that's what normal humans do. That's what I'm trying to portray here.
I'm a Muslim too if you're thinking.
Jazak Allah ❤️
I hoped you enjoyed this chapter.
#VCS
Byee