IQRA

We did not talk

at all

it was driving me nuts, it was giving me a headache-

it was annoying and i could not help but think about him or what he said

its been almost 3 days since he returned- and no talking...........

the last thing i wanted was a barrier between my brother and his best friend

"Iqra, are you even listening?!" asked Aleha ma'am and i nodded smiling slightly at her

"Our fashion show needs to be a blast, Iqraar, remember that" she said sternly and i nodded again jotting it down to my idea list

"Did you prepare any designs?" she asked me and i nodded

I handed her my designs and she looked up at me, ashtonished

"These are good..... but-" she said and i raised my eyebrows

"But they need altering, there are somethings that need to be altered- i will do it and we will put it in the waiting list for final designs" she said and i nodded, disappointed

there was no flaw in my design- there couldn't be- i spent too much time rechecking it-

everything was in place-

"Dismissed" she said and i nodded

I walked out of her office to my work area and began work

the main boutique had very few employers- 2 sales girls, 3 designers, excluding me and ma'am- so there was only a total of 7 of us at the main boutique-

i set back on my chair with my pencil and played about it, my thoughts wandering everywhere

"Why did he even say that if he knew things will change-?" i muttered and put my head in my hands

"Miss. Iqraar?" said Tia, the sales assistant, walking into the room

"Hey Tia, its Iqraar only-" i said smiling and she nodded laughing

"Anyways, there is something at the front desk for you-" she said smirking slightly

"What is it?" i asked her and she chuckled lowly

"Check it out yourself-" she winked before strutting out of the room

Shrugging, i took my phone and walked out of the huge room into the reception-

"Hello Iqraar, there is your gift" said Maya, another salesgirl

"Oh thank you!" i said and made my way through the racks of unfinished dresses

I stopped on my tracks when i saw a small but cute bouquet

it had flowers, colorful flowers and they were binded with wires-

I smiled at it and held it up

it seemed delicate but adorable

I shook my head and picked the, most clique thing, a note from it

wow, who does this in 21st century!?!!

"Walk on the terrace on a Friday night,

My mouth hung open-

what?

I stared at it, and then began searching for anyone's name

I should be scared, should be screaming or something stupid but i am smiling when i see his name-

Shumayll Edris- (Chihuahua)

awww he even wrote his nickname!

"Who is it from?" asked Tia excitedly

"uh....... no name" i muttered

"He sure knows how to make you smile!" winked Maya and i chuckled

"Anyways- i am going back to work" I said taking the bouquet with me

once in the closed huge room, i set at my work desk and switched on my phone

hitting on message, i messaged him

"Salaam, why the bouquet?"

his instant reply

"Was salaam, why not?"

i chuckled

of course its Shumayll we talking about

"For real- even the message was nice- thanx"

there was an instant reply

"I meant it- I am sorry, its fine if you don't reciprocate my feelings but i like you- like like you- and trust me, i don't want to have anything more than friendship with you ATM-but i REALLY like you-"

I stared at my phone for a good long minute

another message came form him

"Hey, did i scare you? please tell me i didn't!"

I was still staring at my phone

he likes me?

like likes me?

oh gosh!

"Thats it- i am coming to your work!" he messaged again and i panicked

I ferociously typed in my reply

"No, no, no- its fine- i was just-" my thumbs did a little dance on the screen as i thought of a word

"Thinking- its fine- you did not scare me off" I wrote and hit send

i was hoping for only one thing- please don't come here!!

he replied with a smiley face and i did not reply after that

i did not know what to reply

with a huge smile, i went back to work

designing and other organizing things

by Zuhr, i was starved

"Iqraar, you can go have lunch!" said ma'am Aleya as she walked out of the office

"Okay ma'am-" i replied and she stopped mid way

"Oh and I won't be here in the afternoon after lunch, my husband is coming back from Italy so please ask Tia to lock up before 4-" she said and i nodded

taking my bag and phone, i walked out after her to the local ladies salaat place to offer my Zuhr prayer

I smiled at the muslim ladies, some native Africans while others were part- yet we formed a good bond through religion- as i walked into the salaat premises

the ladies salaat hall was beside the males mosque- there was a barrier, more like a crafted wooden wall that went up about 2.5 to 3 meters high

I took off my sneakers and walked into the salaat hall

it was bright, wth light blue walls, huge windows and a wide space with fans switched on and black rug

The scent of this place was purely amazing

i did my whudhu and stood up for prayers once the adhaan was called out

I finished my prayers and set there for good 5 minutes, reciting the dua's before I stood up to leave

"Iqraar!" i turned around to see Mrs. Yule- she is a reverted muslim and i could not be more proud of her

"Mrs. Yule- As salaamu alaikum!" I said as i hugged her and she smiled warmly at me

"Wa alaikum mus salaam, Dear, how have you been?" she asked me and i chuckled

"Alhamdulillah, good, how have you been? did you see a doctor about your backache?" i asked her and she nodded smiling at me

"Of course I did- she was nice, thanks to you- anyways- hows your mother?" she asked me and i grinned

"Shes great- I called her yesterday- she is having a great time with the family in Fiji" i said and Mrs. Yule smiled down at me

"May you be blessed by Allah, dear- i am taking my leave, Allah hafiz!" she said and once again hugged me before leaving

i took my bag and tied my hijab securely on my head before walking out of the room

yesterday he returned home......... did not speak to me and today he sent me flowers- 4 days ago he told me he liked me and now he sends me flowers?

he freaking sent me flowers!!!

I shook my head and set down on the stairs, outside the ladies salaat hall premises, tying my shoe laces

"I did not know you would be here"

My head snapped up so fast that i was sure the spinal cord will break and I will die then and there-

except it didn't

"As salaam-" i said, trying to keep my cool

what. the. heck. was. he. doing. here?

"Was salaam, Iqraar!" said Armaan

he was a nice guy, but he was a rebel- a rebel i thought i liked until........ well until Shumayll entered-

thats past-

"How are you?" he asked when i did not say anything and continued tying my shoe laces

"Alhamdulillah" i replied and he chuckled

"Still the witty Iqraar- except you have more wit than before" he winked and i felt sick

"Oh god no! Please quit it- I ave places to be" i muttered and he laughed

"Come on, lets have lunch" he said and i shook my head

I never knew a guy would be this pathetic until him-

"No thank you" I muttered standing up, taking my things

"Oh come on, Iqraar!" he said pushing the issue

"No thank you! I'd rather starve" i muttered and walked down the steps only to face an angry looking, adorable, my chihuahua

he had his hands over his chest, his eyes in slits and his eyebrows raised up

okay..........

"uh salaam" i said smiling at him and he looked at me

oh come on!

"Was salaam, shall we leave for lunch?" was his direct question

"Oh C.E.O Shumayll to the rescue!" chuckled Armaan and Shumayll gave him a hard glare before turning to me and smiling tooooo sweetly

"Shall we?" he asked and i nodded

no harm right?

wrong!

The whole ride was silent

music played in his Audi R8 and he was silent

no talking nothing

"What's wrong?" i asked him

"Nothing" he replied

"Really Shumayll?" i asked him sarcastically and he chuckled lowly

"I expected you to flame up when you saw me there but i guess it was the other way around-" he muttered

"Its cool......." i muttered and looked out the window

alright- this was the reason why i never admitted liking him-

coz things will be awkward!

"Okay... this is awkward so...... heres the thing- no matter how much i lo- like you- we will be cool around each other, deal?" he asked me, pulling into a small diner parklot

I turned to him and smiled

"Deal" i chuckled

"Oh and don't expect any of the opening door and other things from me, i like you. period- i will not be a clique romeo- please give me a break!" He said and i stared at him before bursting into fits of laughing

"Ro-romeo? no- thank you but no-" i said once i sobered up

He got off and so did i, taking my phone only

the bills on him-

"I have to be back at work by 2-" i said and he nodded

"Me too- i have to finalize some details about the fashion show and other things-" he said

and just like that, we launched into a carefree talk about everything and anything