Chapter 16: Chapter 16

Hayfah was the one that mustered the courage to yank off her eyes from his. She wanted to hug him, tell him how she missed him, how he kept erupting in her dreams, how his voice could revive a tingling sensation in her heart.

"I missed you," was all Adyan could utter, his eyes emoting how sincere he was, trying so hard to suppress the feeling beneath his yearning heart.

Hayfah looked up at him, she wanted to say more, add more words to his, but couldn't. He has this aura of charisma, She couldn't tell him the words.

"Let's seat there please," Adyan said, as he slowly moved towards the bench he saw beside them.

Hayfah followed him and sat close to him, she couldn't argue with him. Even if she wants to, her heart wouldn't concurr, as it yearns for his presence, craves for his voice, it needs everything about him.

"I want to know your home, Hayfah. I really want to," came Adyan's glum voice, he was directly looking into her eyes. Hayfah couldn't miss the scintilla of love, plea, and affection in his hazel orbs.

"It's you I want to know more about__in my own instincts," came Hayfah's husky voice. As she fight the urge, the yearn, and pleadings of her heart; and take her eyes off his forever sensational face.

"Don't hide it from me, I really need to know, please, Hayfah. It hurts, I've always wanted to see, but didn't know how I will find you," Adyan pleaded, as he strolled through his gallery.

"Okay, I'll tell you when you're leaving, besides__what brought you here?" Hayfah asked, she didn't know what had been holding her from telling him her address. Haven't she needs him? Wasn't he the one in her dreams? Wasn't his voice the monotone sound to her ears? She wondered why she couldn't tell him.

"Here__our pictures. As promised," Adyan said with an endearing smile plastered on his lips. He thrusted her the phone, it was the pictures they snapped on her graduation day. She was smiling, her eyes on his face, while he was looking at her eyes through the camera.

"God!" She gasped, palming her mouth. She wasn't expecting him to keep those pictures. Her expression suddenly changed, the new found jovial Hayfah taking over the old forlorn Hayfah.

"God! I wasn't expecting you to keep these picture__seriously. We looked cute. Could you please send it to me? I really need a memory on that day, as you've said," Hayfah marveled, her sparkling dentition gleaming, as she laughed at a picture; where Adyan screwed up his face, at somethimg she had said.

Adyan could only look at her, how her eyes would widen when she looks at a picture, how she smiled, how she laughed, everything was worth embedding, he wished he had a camera in his brain, he would've capture all these gestures.

"Oh my god! You look dashingly handsome, How I wish... just send all to me please," she said, as she thrusted back his phone to him.

"Can we please take some picture? So I could send them all?" He asked haltingly, afraid of what would be her answer.

"Yes! It would be a pleasure. I've found my long lost friend-brother-and everything," Hayfah marveled, as she composed herself for the picture, not noticing how her words pierced directly through Adyan's heart. Is he truly her everything? He wished he could know the answer.

They snapped numerous pictures. Hayfah would smile, grinned, poked out her tongue, looked at Adyan, and many more poses, which made Adyan falls more, yearns more of her, craves more of her. He was sure he wasn't just smitten by this lady, he's surely in love with her. It's more than an obsession, more like an infatuation. How he wished he could take her away with him? He loves her with every fibre in his being.

"Oya! Send," Hayfah smiled genuinely at him. Upon seeing him; a serene feeling awakened her soul, uplifted her spirit. What would she have done without this angel-like guy in her world? His thoughts alone could fill her heart.

"Give me your digits first, I couldn't trust you anymore. You can swiftly vanish into a thin air," he spoke and chuckled at her facial expression.

"Can someone tell me who's talking about someone vanishing? I cannot fathom this. Let's drop this issue, for it's supposed to be a topic of discussion for a whole day," Hayfah playfully rolled her eyes at him, which nearly makes Adyan to hug her, cup her face, and give her the most endearing kiss of her life.

They exchanged their digits, shared the pictures, and were silently starring at the students passing by. The warmth of each other gliding through their souls, sealing their etched wounds. Their eyes capturing their faces, bindering them into unscathed areas. The hearts were having a soul-to-soul talk. They couldn't get enough of each other.

"Hayfah, I think I shouldn't be obscuring this anymore. My heart urges, it pains me for concealing it's secret, of which it badly wants to erupt," he paused, taking a glimpse of Hayfah; whose attention was completely on him.

Before Adyan could utter a word, Hayfah's phone rang, it was Abba. She picked the phone, beckoned at Adyan she would be back soon, as she moved towards a tree near them.

Adyan was stiffened in his thoughts, when he felt a tap on his shoulder, he looked up; his gaze falling on infuriated Kassim.

"Let's go," Kassim demanded, glaring at him.

"I'm doing something now, but would be there soon," Adyan informed, as he tried to shrugged off Kassim's hand but couldn't.

"I'm not demanding for your opinion, it was an order given to me too. She wants us in the next 1hour," Kassim roared, glaring Adyan.

Upon hearing 'her', Adyan knew he was talking about their mother, and he couldn't joke with her orders, but this too is crucial to him. "Just five minutes, I really want to do this," Adyan pleaded, his eyes emoting how bad he wanted to tell Hayfah his heart's secret.

"It's an order, don't play with me, Adyan. Now! Move!" Kassim roared, as he dragged Adyan towards their car by his wrist. Adyan turned and looked at Hayfah, before they zoomed off. He heaved a sigh, feeling his hopes, wishes, and something he couldn't fathom gliding out of his soul. He knew there would never be another chance, it was now or never!

Hayfah finished talking with Abba, with a smile on her face; she turned, only for her gaze to fall on an empty bench. He wasn't there anymore, he had left again. He had left__without a good bye, without her saying thank you.

She slumped on the desk, as she felt all her veins lacerating, her heart rupturing. In a minute, she broke into tears, crying in an excruciating and anguish way. She wanted to tell him she missed him, she wanted to hear what he was trying to tell her. Why would he leave?

She heard her phone's ringtone, with the thought that it was him; she slided the pick button without looking at who the caller was.

"Why would you leave?" Was all she could utter, trying so hard to stiff her sob. She thought it was him.

Fareeha suddenly became apprehensive, what happened to Hayfah? Who has left? "Hayfah, it's me. Where are you? I'd be there now," Fareeha spoke in a tensed tone. She knew it must be something serious, Hayfah seldom cry for things, she was sturdy enough.

She told her where she is and ended the call. Without hesitation, she dailed Adyan's number, but it was unfortunately switched off. Right at that instance, she memorized the number, not knowing how it happened.

Meanwhile; Adyan had been looking at his phone, he wanted to call her, but knowing she was on phone with Abba, made him procrastinated. Kassim realized how tensed he was, he collected the phone, switched it off, and slided it into his jean's pocket.

Hayfah was silently sobbing when Fareeha came, she tapped her shoulder and sat beside her. "What happened? You were normal when we parted, hope it wasn't something at home?" She asked sympathetically, seeing Hayfah like this broke her heart.

"I saw him, we talked here on this bench, we snapped pictures, exchanged numbers, he was trying to tell me something; when Abba called. Before I could come back; he had left," Hayfah informed, as she cried hysterically, it surprisingly pained her, more than she could vocalize.

"He might've had something urgent that comes his way," Fareeha tried coming up with an excuse, not knowing whom she was talking about.

"I wish he stayed, I would've told him how I missed him, how his thoughts became utmost in my usual routine, how he became my dream guy. But he left, without even a goodbye, Fareeha. I could've even agreed to the fact that I love him. I really do, Fareeha," Hayfah could no longer conceal the feeling in her brittle heart. As the words slipped out of her mouth, she felt a part of her; scourgingly gliding out of her soul, leaving an etched wound in her detached soul.

Realization hits Fareeha; they weren't in the hostel, but in the midst of their school. She slowly guided Hayfah, took a tricylcle and headed to their hostel. Where Hayfah cried her heart out, before sleep overtook her, leading her into a dreamful land. He was everywhere.

***

Adyan hadn't utter a single word, since Kassim collected his phone. He wasn't used to arguing with him, and couldn't even find the courage to start now.

Kassim parked in their parking lot, Adyan hopped out of the car in a hushed silence, feeling detached and crest fallen, he knew he had loosed her. That's it.

He entered their living room with a salaam, his gaze falls on his parents, he briskly greeted them and perambulated to his room.

"What happened to him?" Mom asked Kassim, upon seeing Adyan; she knew something crucial went wrong.

"Don't really know, he had being acting strange on our way back," Kassim replied and headed to his room.

Mom entered Adyan's room and found him sprawled on his bed, his head was ducked onto his pillow. Mom sat beside him, as she put her hand on his head; trying to lift his head up.

"It was just an inch close. I've seen her, we talked, snapped pictures, I was close to telling her; when he came and dragged me to the car. I've begged him but he kept mum. I know I've lost my only opportunity," he whimpered, as he placed his head on Mom's thigh. His heart was throbbing in pain, his eyes emoting sheer anguish and distress.

"Who was he? How dare him? Why would you let him? Aren't you a man?" Mom bellowed, suddenly getting frustrated. Who would be this person that hindered her son's happiness?

"It was Ya Kassim," Adyan smiled ruefully at her.

"Ya rabbi! The deed has already been done. And it couldn't be undone. What should we do, son? We shouldn't be cowards, we should go for what we love, no matter how hard it loomed," Said Mom, as she lifting him up, so he could sit upright.

"There's no way, Mom. I've already lost the opportunity, that's why I said I won't come back. For I know destiny would find a way of making us see each other, but it would forever estrange us. I'm tired, Mom," he croaked, pleadingly looking at his mother. He needed her permission, so he could be far away from her__the love of his life.

"Son, please. Can't you see we're happy upon your return?" She whimpered, knowing how hard it would be; to shangai him.

"I've seen you, you're happy, Dad is doing quite alright. Don't let me stay here, please. For I would forever remain detached, down casted, crest fallen, and down hearted," He enunciated, as lone of tears rolled down his cheeks.

Mom couldn't be selfish, his happiness matters to her more than anything. "Okay, you can leave. But we will surely miss you," she hushed.