Your Imperfections

Chapter 6

When Aadian returned a few minutes later, his lip was torn and blood was pooling out of it. I don’t know why, but the vision before my eyes makes my heart thump faster.

“Adian!” I yelled.

He ignored me, and walked around his car towards the driver’s side, while I? I just stood there like a fool, regretting why I even bothered to care for a callous man that doesn’t care for anyone.

Gulping down the anger, I yanked open the door, sliding inside the low seat. To show my annoyance, I yanked the door, shutting it as hard as I could manage.

“You don’t need to feel pity for me,” he finally breaks the silence, clutching the steering wheel, and bowing down his head in a surrendering gesture.

A gesture that seems to say sorry.

“I am not pitying you.” I shrugged. “I don’t care even if you fall of a cliff and break your neck. Actually, that’s quite amusing. You in an awkward position with your tongue hanging out.”

He chuckles. He actually chuckles, but doesn’t raise his head. Instead, he caught me staring at his profile when he turned his head in my direction.

I burned up to cheeks, feeling ashamed for getting caught by him.

“I shouldn’t have betrayed my brother.”

“But if you wouldn’t have told me, then I would’ve married a man who is already married and all my fairy tale expectations would’ve been shattered.”

He seems to be lost in thought, as his gaze fixes on a spot somewhere above my head.

“What’s your story, Adian?”

Deep brown eyes shoot to mine.

“I mean—as In—“

“My story?” I nod. “That’s better left unheard.”

We didn’t talk through the rest of the journey.

I’ve done it.

I’ve confessed everything to Dad, and Mom. But, the big problem is, that they are not believing what I am saying.

“Adian is the witness! Mom! Have I ever lied to you before?” I tried to reason with her, as we all sat at the dining table. Dad, lost in thought, more like daydreaming.

“Okay. Call him over, then.”

So, I did.

A few minutes later, the doorbell dinged and Adian strode through the door inside, and I thought he smiled at me. Who am I even kidding? Adian and smile? Pfft, impossible.

“I knew they’d never believe you,” he said, and stepped aside, revealing a woman—that woman—with a grim expression marring her face. He brought evidence with him. Clever.

I nodded. “OK.” I didn’t know what else to say to him. I hadn’t realized I was looking into his eyes, until my head felt dizzy, and I snapped them shut. Seriously? What was happening to me? Why do I find his eyes so intense? Like they’re a sea of magnet, the more I gaze into them, the greater the force is, and the less the distance is, the greater is the attraction.

“Hey, you alright?”

I nodded, and led them inside the kitchen.

A few days had passed since we found out Aaryan had already married someone. His family, except for Aadian had no idea about any of this situation. What if I had actually married Aaryan? What if Adian never told me about any of this at all?

I just wanted to focus on school now. The monthlies exams were just around the corner, or more like some class tests to test some of our knowledge. Even though I had taken science subjects in O-levels, I was gonna go for less tougher subjects this time. Why keep on studying science when I don’t plan on doing anything in that field?

The matter of marriage was tucked away somewhere in my parents head, and nobody had mentioned anything like that since that incident. I hadn’t seen Adian again. Or heard of him. Not that it matters. I had been remembering him way too much, when it isn’t even necessary, and kept on forcing myself to believe that it was the fault of the age. The attractions etc.

There was a play in Shahdab’s school, and he was participating in it, which if you ask me is very rare, and odd. He hates attention, just like me. And speaking of plays, there was a welcome party in my school too.

“DON’T TELL ME YOU AREN’T COMING,” my best friend yelled down the line. Wincing, I kept the phone a little away from my ear. I might need my ears someday. Or, like, for the rest of my life.

“You know I don’t attend these parties. Being around men makes me nauseous.”

That was the truth. Even with my family, I never went out when they planned on going somewhere for dinner, or ice-cream. I felt safe at home, whereas outside, the stares of people made me want to claw at my face and hide away.

“Ahm,” Maria fake cleared her throat. “You didn’t feel nauseous while sharing those intense moments with Adian.”

I choked.

“Oh, am I lying? Don’t tell me you don’t like him. You always bring him up at least once in our conversation.” I wanted to smack her with the pillow clutched tightly in my hand. Because she was right.

“Speechless,” I muttered back, and she laughed.

We ended up meeting at our favourite pizza restaurant; California Pizza.

“Okay, tell me more about him.”

The waiter, who was placing the menu’s before us was definitely eavesdropping because suddenly he slowed down.

I glared at Maria. She smirked, that beautiful smile that lit up her surroundings and that made me love her even more. Everything about her was extraordinary. She had the most flawless tan skin ever, her eyes a shade of gray that wasn’t any ordinary gray. It was the gray that stood out against her olive skin, and complemented her perfect straight teeth. There were times when I was jealous of her, when I craved to replace my pale white skin with hers, but I just managed to love my own self.

“There’s nothing to tell about him,” I spoke in a low voice, waiting for the too slow waiter to get away from us.

Thankfully, he was gone.

“Okaaayyy.” She braced her arms on the table and scooted closer, her eyes suspicious. She tried to hide her smile with scrunching up her nose. “If we see him today, in this restaurant, that means you would become his. And if we don’t see him, then, uhh, lets say you won’t be his. Then I’d marry him.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at her random theories. “You’re delusional.”

She smiled. “You love me.” But, then she frowned.

I followed her gaze, turning my head to see the sudden change in her emotions.

I don’t know what happened next, but I was scooting lower and lower until I was underneath the table, out of the view.

How did my life turn so full of surprises?

Maria peeked underneath, her evil smile on. “That’s him wasn’t it?”

I slapped her hand. “Tell him I went to the bathroom or something.”

He had seen me, because I saw those cursed doct martins heading in my direction. I held my breath just as he stood inches away from him. His scent reached me, engulfing me. Fresh water and minty. And then I heard that stupid perfect accent.

“Hey, uh, there was a girl sitting here.”

I could almost imagine his creased forehead.

“Well, hello to you too.” Of course she would start her usual chit chatting with him. “She’s underneath this table, hiding from you.”

Oh, that traitor!

Chills take over my body, goosebumps break out on my flesh, as I watch his legs bend, and his long fingers pulling up the table cloth.

Our eyes meet. He smirks, big and goofy.

“We aren’t even married yet, and you’re already hiding away? What a shame.”

Oh God. Why is everyone talking about marriage.

“I would never marry you,” I snap, my back protesting against the awkward position I am in. And, I just lied, because I would marry him.

“Well, too bad, because you will be mine anyways,” he vowed.

I gave him a deadly glare. A smug expression took over his beautiful features, making me more irritated. I hated that I found him beautiful, regretted why I had even looked at him in the first place, knowing it is wrong and knowing he is not my husband.

Self control in Pakistan always seemed easy. Well, not always, but since I turned 15, I just stopped looking at men. Then why had I made a mistake of peeking at Adian? God, I am so stupid.

Suddenly, his eyes turned soft, and his words that left his mouth had mine hanging open in disbelief.

“Marry me, Aaleyah.”