The Colors Of Love - Episode 7

 

Love...And Its Colors

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I didn't cry after all. I sat on my bed and realised I had no reason to cry. Somebody liked me_has a crush on me. Somebody that is ready to overlook my physical flaws and wants to get to know me.

And that someone is Dr Abdulrahim.

Dr Abdulrahim for Allah's sake. I must be mad to have been trying to cry . I should be happy_Giddy with joy. I should be dancing and hugging my girlfriends. I should be thanking God.

I'm so stupid. Very foolish. And see the way I ran out. Dr Abdulrahim probably thinks what of me now? He must be thinking I'm so dumb or something.

I start giggling like a schoolgirl high on weed, starting slowly till I start to shake from the tremors.

Yap. Your thoughts are on the right track. 
I'm nuts, crazy.  You're shaking your head right?
In my defense, I did warn you.

Ilhaam is giving me the same look you're giving me. She thinks I'm mad.  And Aliyah,  well used to all my mood swings just facepalm herself and mutters what I presume is "Allahu yahdeeki Aarfa".

Aliyah gives me a look that says "Ehen,  start talking" and I jump on them both squealing.

"Girls, guess what happened?"

Ilhaam looks up in thought and smiles looking at me. "You found Nabeel, but he acted rude?"

Now it's my turn to shake my head and palm my face

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/the-colors-of-love

. I turn to her with a disgusting look and snort.

"You just killed all the enthusiasm I just had"

Aliyah clenched and unclenched her fists in frustration. "Well, sorry to inform you Ilee but fortunately for some of us, the world does not revolve around 'Nabeel' axis. There is more to life than boys and least of all your Nabeel" she said through gritted teeth. She was mad_and was trying to keep it under control. Cos, man when Aliyah let's out her anger, its like the volcanic eruption in Jurassic world. No really.

Ilhaam hung her head low, her lips trembling.

Oh boy. Please don't cry.  See even I didn't cry, right? Before hiishah__ will now start asking whether we're mental whackos or something. Mentally rolling my eyes.

"Well that's easy for you to say. You have an amazing boyfriend, who cherishes you like you're the only woman left in the universe. Poor souls like me will never find that kind of love. I know. You don't have to rub it in."

An awkward silence looms over for a few seconds as Aliyah feels bad as Ilhaam intended and I debate on whether to just blurt out my news or let it slide so that I don't hurt Ilhaam's already tender feelings.

"But you both don't you worry, Nabeel's world is at the brink of revolving on my axis" she shrieked, clapping her hands and turning back to me.

Just when I think I'm crazy, I'm proved wrong. My friends are crazier. Dear Lord. Deliver us please.

Ilhaam pokes me on the forehead. "Will you say something or will you let us  wonder and guess till thy kingdom come?"

I ponder for a moment staring at the faded blue carpet covering our holed floor.

I can do this.

"Okay, Guess who's got herself a crush and possible boyfriend?" I question, batting my eyelids and holding back a blush.

They look confusingly at each other and shake their heads in a 'Who could it possibly  be?' motion. My shoulders slump and as if on cue,  they simultaneously ask "MarMus?"

Great. Just great. Like why on earth would I care if MarMus finally finds someone as annoying as her?

I wave my hands exasperatedly and exclaim.
"I'm so done with both of you, I'm getting me some new friends. Why should I give sh-t over MarMus's love life? Oh Puhleez!!"

"I have a boyfriend..well I think I do. I'm not even sure." I add in a small voice.

"What? Where? When? Why? How? Who?" Ilhaam fires. For a moment I'd have said I saw something flash in her eyes but it didn't last as she blinked and I almost thought my  imagination was playing tricks on me. They are stunned_well just so you know, so am I.

I stand up and begin to catwalk, in my imaginary heels "Dr Abdulrahim was on his knees professing love to me earlier today" I say whipping my imaginary long hair away from my face.

Aliyah recovers first. "Get out of here babe... I hate these kind of jokes" she says as she smacks me on the bum, and drags me to a sitting position.

Ilhaam is still stupefied. She's dumbstruck. Like she's been struck with a metal and has lost her balance and memory. Ha.

Aliyah half yells in my ears in excitement "Will you say something or are you going to sit , sighing and smiling for the rest of your life? Explain girl. We want details babe_oya shoot"

Her enthusiasm is infectious and I go on to explain in vivid detail every word and look and pounding of heart that was said, shared and experienced. And how I ran out of the office like a lunatic escaping a mental asylum.

Ilhaam finally speaks after my lengthy non-stop explanation. "So you didn't say anything, you just ran? Are you crazy or something?" Her eyes are bulging out, and she looks ready to rip me off in two.

"Uh... I had no idea what to do. I had to process that he actually really likes me. Like, what do I have worth liking? Just take a look at me? I have nothing worth noticing_ I expect gorgeous and smart guys like Dr Abdulrahim to go for pretty and classy girls like you Ilhaam, what was I supposed to think?" I ranted.

"Well so much for being pretty and classy Aarfa. Sounds like an insult the way you always say it. Well look around babe, You're the one with the hot smart and loaded boyfriend, not me. Little Ilhaam here is all single and miserable and apparently not as goof as you think I am. So thank you for rubbing that little fact in." She yells and grunts. She looks at me for a few seconds before she storms out of the room.

Wow. What just happened?

I turn to look at Aliyah and she's equally as surprised by Ilhaam's outburst as I am. I suddenly feel bad.

"I'm so sorry Aliyah, I didn't mean to hurt her or anything. I was just being me, you know, with my self doubt and all, I just thought...

"Shhh... It's not your fault babe, it's okay. Don't fret. You know how Ilhaam easily misunderstands things. We'll make her understand, okay?"

"...it's just that I never really thoughts guys took notice of me and least of all Dr Abdulrahim, you know? I'm just overwhelmed? Like really, I have nothing pretty or lovable about me. I'm not as pretty as Ilhaam, or as outgoing and witty as you. I can't wear a two inch heel to save my life. I don't even know what contouring means and I'm soo ashamed to ask. The last time I trued googling it, I felt even google was laughing at me. I just feel like an ugly duckling in a pond of swans". Now I really want to cry.

"Oh, c'mon sweetie, this isn't you. The Aarfa I know is a confident woman who has no self doubts, where did you take my Aarfa?" She questions, searching inside my pocket and under the bed. She's such a drama queen and I can't help but chuckle at her theatrics.

I blink back my tears as she hugs me. "Know this darling, you're beautiful, and if anyone says or thinks that you're not, know that they're damn well wrong and foolish, okay?"

I nod as I break free of the hug laughing.

"Repeat after me. I Aarfa, am beautiful."

My laughter intensifies and she straddles me, tickling my tummy. "Get off me, you fat elephant" I yell, trying to push her off.

"Nope. Not until you say it". I concede and repeat after her.

She smiles in victory and sang again. "Say, I aarfa am an amazing human and I deserve a man like Dr Abdulrahim and better."

Ya Rabb. What should I do with this servant of yours. I'm very grateful for her though.

I repeat and finally, she lets go of me. She shows me her tongue and smacks me again. She's wicked this girl.

A few hours later, we're reclining on Aliyah's bed munching Pringles, when I ask. "Now what am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to let him know I want to do this too? I'm confused. Ya Allah this love thingy seems complicated."

"Uh huh... I can see it really isn't. We've already progressed from crush to like and now to love? Hmm.. Interesting"

Now its my turn to straddle or strangle her but I know I'll just be the one to suffer if I tried, so I chuckle and ignore her.

"Silence means affirmative" she sings. My phone shrills, ringing. I love my ringtone. Purpose by Justin Bieber. Has anyone else apart from me noticed how much JB has improved amazingly from a boy to a level headed man? Haha. I'll just get to my phone.

I quickly pick up before it disconnects.

"Hello"

The other side says "Hello Aarfa". The voice sounds familiar and I try to place the owner but i can't. Aliyah nudges me and mouths "I'll just go look for Ilhaam". I nod and she leaves the room.

" Sorry, I didn't get what you said "

"Oh. I actually didn't say anything. Its Nabeel Ahmad Kamba". The person says. And then the familiarity if his voice kicks in.

"Great. Troubling me in class isn't enough for you? You have to stalk me and get my number to ruin whatever peace and quiet I have? I could get you arrested for harassment"

"Woah, easy there fella, I thought we were past that? I just called to apologize again." His voice sounds really pitiful and apologetic.

"Apology not accepted, now can you just excuse me. I have things to do"

"Aarfa don't be like this. We both know you being b-tchy and all is just a farce. You can drop the act. Your secret is safe with me. I don't kiss and tell"

The nerve of this guy. Just when I think I can be civilised and maybe be his 'friend' , he does something that makes me want to wipe off that stupid smirk I'm sure is playing on his lips. Urgh.

"You know what? I forgive you, apology accepted. Now, goodnight Nabeel."

He chuckles, and his voice rumbles. "Goodnight at five? Honey that's too mean. Anyways, I need a favor, now that I'm forgiven."

See how annoying he is?

"I don't owe you any favors Nabeel. F-ck off".

I hang up. I'm seething. He calls me darling, honey. For real. I seriously don't like him. My phone rings again and I pick up without glancing. I'm going to teach this guy a lesson.

"Why don't you understand? I don't want to talk to you. Please. Don't call me. Ever. Again. Please" I yell at the top of  my lungs. I hang up again

I feel good. There's something about hanging up on an a-hole. It's exhilarating I tell you. Try it sometime.

I'm smiling in victory when my phone beeps with a message. I roll my eyes and glance. It reads

'It seems my proposal isn't welcome. I'm really sorry if I inconvenienced you in any way. I really hoped we'd give this a try and see how it goes. I leave in peace. And I promise this won't harm the relationship we share in class.

Bissalaam( with peace)
Abdulrahim.

My jaw hangs. Ya Rabbal aalameen. What have I done? It's over even before it started. Noooo.

I scream into my pillow. "Nabeel. I hate you".

S

ooo.  I didn't die after all. Lol.  Don't mind me. I've been better for a while, but I was just a bit lazy. To all that checked on me Jazaakumullahu khayran. Thank you for your duaas.

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Zeenah