The crisp morning air hit Ali's face as he ran, slowing down as he got out of breath at the end of his fourth mile. He needed a run or at least a distraction. His mind hadn't stopped running since last night. He felt like a teenage boy who just received his first touch from an actual girl. He hated that feeling, or at least, he thought he hated it. The gentlest touch from Anaya twisted his mind. It sent chills throughout his body, and he craved more.

He had never felt such tenderness from a woman, or anyone. He had done so many things with women, things that wouldn't even cross a common man's mind. Yet, such a simple, brief touch sent him into a frenzy- took over his mind for the next eight hours.

Ali finally stopped at the front of his place, taking the towel and water the maid held at the front door. He walked inside and into his gym, taking a seat at the bench as gulped down the water. He took off his shirt, and stretched his shoulder, before putting on 50lbs weight bars on the barbell, he laid down and lifted the weights in sets of five- ten times.

He groaned as he finished the last set, and dropped the barbell back into place. His chest heaving up and down, and his body glimmering in sweat. He laid there in silence, before he heard a knock, he opened his eyes slowly looking at the door.

"Hey baby," Erika said, walking towards him and hovering over him.

"Such a sexy view that I walked into." She said.

"What do you want?" Ali asked, standing up to get his water, before she bend down and grabbed the water herself.

"Uh! What do you mean what do I want?" She scoffed.

"I just miss you," She said clutching on to his waist, and sliding her index finger down his chest.

"I need to go take a shower," He said, taking her hand off of him.

"Ali! we haven't been together in days! You're always so busy, with your projects, and then now this dumb chick. I even tried looking for you last night at the end of the party, you were'nt-"

"Enough! I already have a lot on my mind right now, I don't need this."

"I don't care! I'm your fucking girlfriend."

"Erika. I told you this before and I'll tell you again. I don't like relationships, and you bringing this bullshit up at 8:30 in the morning is exactly why."

"I know! Okay. I have needs too Ali. I am always there when you need me, why can't you do the same for me?"

"What do you want me to do?" He asked, massaging his forehead with his right hand.

"Just a night with a you. Let's have dinner tonight."

"Okay...fine."

"Great, I'll see you later babe." She said giving him a deep kiss on his mouth before walking away.

-

Anaya sat on the edge of her bed, fully dressed. Just thinking of all the possibilities of how Jameela could know Ali. Then finally, the closet door opened, and out came Jameela.

"I need to know." Anaya said, right off the bat.

"Need to know what?"

"What do you mean? The bomb your dropped on me yesterday? How do you know my kidpnapper?"

"Oh..." Jameela said, taking a seat on the bed next to Anaya.

"Well. I used to work for his father, for about a year. Then, your dad played a move against Ali's father and they lost a lot of money. So much money, they laid off half their staff both in their home and in the business. I was one of them. I didn't have anywhere to go, because my family was in Yemen. It was terribly hard for me, I made so many prayers- and right that day. I ran into your mother. She took me in, after I told her how helpless I was, and then I met you." Jameela said, taking a hold of Anaya's chin lovingly.

"I never meant to hide anything from you. It was your mother's wish, to keep you safe from this nasty business. But I failed you."

"No, No! Amee. You didn't do anything. This must be Allah's plan, just like it was his plan to brinf you to me. The most important person in my life. I promise, I'm going to find a way out of this." Anaya said, kissing Amee's hand.

The brief silence got cut as the door opened to their room.

"Hello! I'm Martha."

"Hello. I'm Jameela."

"Well I was just informed you came in last night, and it is very nice to meet you- regardless of the circumstances." Martha chuckled.

"I have prepared another room for you, but first, why don't you both come enjoy a meal?" She added.

"Come! follow me." She said, turning around and leaving the room leading them both to the kitchen.

"Please sit, and eat well." Martha said, as she sat Anaya and Jameela down to a full breakfast table, leaving to go get something from the kitchen.

"Wow. She's so nice." Jameela whispered.

"Hahaha, I know. She's the only positive thing in this house." Anaya said.

They both ate some toast, and drank their juice. Finishing as quick as they started.

Anaya stood up and went to go wash her hands in the kitchen, and as she rinsed off the soap, the barstool in front of her shifted. The scent of cologne reaching her nostrils, she didn't even have to look up to know who it was.

She decided to keep her eyes down, and leave quickly but before she could leave he stopped her.

"Wait."

Anaya paused, and looked up at him. Noticing his neatly done hair, and his classy suit.

"I would like some avocado toast, with freshly brewed black coffee." He said.

"On it," Martha replied.

"uh uh uh- made by Anaya." He smirked, laying back in his chair, staring her down.

Anaya clenched her jaw, and glared at him. She wanted to throw water at his face, to wipe the smirk off.

Taking a deep breath, Anaya harshly grabbed the bread from the counter and put it into the toaster, then cut the avocado and smashed it down, seasoning it. All while he watched her every move. She put the avocado and smeared it on the bread, and served him the now brewed coffee.

He took the coffee cup and took a sip, still looking at her.

"Not bad." He said.

Anaya controlled the urge to scoff and walked away quickly, before he got anymore ideas. As Ali smiled.

"I saw that." Martha stated,

"What?"

"The smile, the looks. I know what you're doing." Martha said,

"Oh really? And what am I doing?"

"You like her. You're acting like a schoolboy teasing his crush." She said, washing the dishes.

"Yeah, yeah. I don't have anything better to do. OR anyone better to 'like'" He scoffed.

"Umhmm." She said.

"I'm going to work." He said, getting up and walking out.

Ali got into his car, and started it. He knew what he was doing. He was totally teasing her. It was a side of him he wasn't familiar with, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to hold on to this version of himself. A version that she had brought out.

He shook his head to get rid of his useless thoughts, and drove down the road to the actual love of his life- his job.

Hours and hours passed by, and the clock hit 9:30, Anaya finished praying Isha and also read two juz's of Quran, she had nothing else to do so she roamed in the empty house.

She stood at the end of the staircase wondering if she should go up, so she took a look around and made sure no one was there, and then she took the first step up. She slowly went up and look around bit by bit.

She went down the long hallway and looked at all the elegant paintings that were place around. The house and it's decor was very appealing, but it didn't feel homely. She started to look around, and in her head began to think of things that she could replace to make it feel more like a home, maybe a splash of color, or some flowers and garlands.

At the middle of the hallway she arrived at this tall double doors, she pried it open and immediately the lights came on inside, it was a library or at least it looked like one, so she went inside, leaving the door open.

It was definitely a library, bigger than the one her elementary school had. It was odd. Not in a million years would she, or anyone think Ali read books. She look at the different books and didn't recognize a single one of them. Anaya wasn't the biggest fan of books- because no matter how hard she tried she'd get lost in her mind and forget where she was last reading.

Anaya looked at a book that caught her eye. It had no label, neither did it have a color, and it sat on the third shelf. Anaya reached up to grab the book but as her fingers touched the tip, another hand took hold of the whole book and took it out.

Ali!- Anaya thought.

Her body went into full panic mode, as her face turned hot and her heart began to pace, maybe if she sprinted out as fast as she could, it would avoid confrontation.

Yeah!

Run. Anything is better than the embarrassment of getting caught snooping around! Run Anaya! She thought.

So she turned around and hurriedly tried to walk past him, but her wrist was grabbed by his hand as he pulled her to him and pushed her to the book shelf. Their eyes met, as he stared at her hovering over her short frame pushed against the shelf by him.

"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come up- here a-a," She tried to reason with him, but he took a hold of her chin and brought his face closer to hers.

There was no way to explain Anaya's state. Panic, shyness, weakness? She felt like putty, not being able to move, her body paralyzed against his delicate touch and his killing stare.

"What are you doing to me Anaya?" He asked, his voice dangerously low.

Anaya sensed the distinct scent that came from him, and she knew it was alcohol. He was definitely drunk, but what she thought about more was how her name out of his mouth gave her shivers.

Ali began to come closer and Anaya's breath began to get caught in her own chest, they stood so close that their toes met, and the tips of their noses were inches from colliding, but then the intense silence was broken by the banging of an door.