Loved by My Archenemy

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Yara

“Sooooo,” Reena said as we sat down for lunch. She's been looking at me like she expects me to blurt something out the whole day. But I'm not taking the bait. I can't tell them the person I had my first kiss with is acting like I do not exist. So I put out a clueless expression and asked “uhmm what?”, “what do you mean what?” she said looking at me in disbelief, I looked over at Aliana for help but it was of no use, she has been smiling and beaming at her phone the whole morning. I grabbed the bottle of water in front of me and chugged, hoping that will buy me more time until something else distracts her. “I know what you're trying to do Yara, it won't work,” she said shaking her head. That didn't stop me from pumping so much more water into my system like my throat has been dry for a whole year. She scoffed in disbelief but, I didn't care. “What? Nothing happened!” I finally let out after squeezing out the last drop of water in the bottle. “What didn't happen?” Aliana chipped in. Finally, my help is here. “Our friend here is acting as though Mr. Malik didn't pay her a visit on Sunday”. Reena blurted, her voice still in disbelief. “Oh, Yesss! What happened at the Makhthum castle that beautiful day?” Aliana joined, smiling and obviously waiting on a reply. I was hoping she’d back me up so Reena would just leave me alone but it turned out she likes gossip way more than Reena does. “Nothing happened I pro...” “oh hey Asad!” Reena interrupted, why is it so easy for her to just halt my speech all the time? And wait! Who did she call? “Hey ladies” I heard him say from behind me, he had on the same annoying voice from last week, “what's up?” Aliana and Reena chorused. I felt my heart beating out of my chest with every step he took to get close to us. What is this uncomfortable comfortable feeling? The thudding sounds of his shoe on the wooden floor made a melody with my beating heart, I closed my eyes tight hoping to savor this moment. “I'm hanging out with some of the guys at that new restaurant a little far off school,” he said as he made a halt at our table standing right next to me. I bet he did that deliberately, so I can long for that which I don't have, him. He leaned so close I could feel the hots of his breath on my face and whispered “the food here sucks” finally! Someone who gets it. Now that's the bad boy I want, skipping school for a great meal. I could hear my friends chuckling at his comments as though they didn't worship the crusty pudding served here, but I don't care for it, all I care for, is watching him laugh, and smirk and if I get lucky, his eyes might fall on me. Who am I kidding? He hasn't taken one glance at me since he got here. why is he being extra nice with the girls today? How is all of this not annoying me? How is It making me want him to just look at me? For a second? “Okay ladies! Got to go, see you tomorrow at the food drive!” he waved as he made his way out of the cafeteria. Oh! How could I have forgotten the food drive?.

“Uhmmm what was that?” Reena said with her eyes wide open. “Yes! What was that?” Aliana joined? They are both looking at me with their eyes wide open and an expression that says “tell us! And leave no stone unturned!” I tried to keep a straight face and act as though I didn't notice that he ignored me and didn't at all acknowledge that I was there, just as I opened my mouth to deny the vivid element that just happened, Aliana and Reena chorused “don't you dare say nothing!”. I heaved a sigh and then started. “He has been like that since after he left on Sunday,” there was silence and I could tell I haven't said enough to get a reaction, so I continued “he hasn't been answering my calls or replying to my texts...” “what did you do?” easy for Reena to think I did something. “I didn't do anything” I mumbled in defense. “Wait!” Aliana started, “why not start from the very beginning,”. “Okay, fine” I started. “He texted when I got home that night and informed me he was coming in the next day to return my car” I looked across at my friends and to no surprise, they were both so attentive not even a loud siren would break their attention. I took a chug of Aliana’s water and then continued. “He came in earlier than I expected and it was fine because I was all ready to see him,” I told them about how we spent an eternity staring right at each other and how he pimped up my baby. “You guys need to see how my Mazda looks now! So beautiful and full of light! And its color just popped!” I said with so much excitement as I handed them my phone to show them photos I took of my now new Mazda. They know how much I love my cars so they smiled in awe “wow! It looks so new and look! The dent on the driver’s side has disappeared” they said still smiling. “Okay, it looks like you guys started at a good place, what changed it?” Aliana asked as she gave my phone back to me. “Well. It was serene and beautiful. I couldn't hold my excitement about my baby so I gave him the warmest hug...” “ouuuuuuu” they interrupted. “Stop it wasn't all that.” I replied. I continued to tell them about how I didn't want to let go of him and how his scent made me feel safe until we got caught by baba. “I know Baba Basit didn't like the sight of his little Amira growing up” Reena teased. “Tell me he pulled the classic go to your room penalty at you!” Aliana said sounding just as excited as Reena. “What? No!” I laughed. “He was pretty cool” they looked at me with their mouth and eyes wide open in disbelief, and I let out a chuckle. I was a little surprised when Baba was cool with seeing Asad and me hugging, he's very protective of me and I know he probably said nothing cause we caught him In a good mood. He did speak to me when he got back after he had filled me in on the company's business meeting he handled that day. But all he really said about Asad was he seemed like a smart kid. And that made my heart smile, cause I felt he approved of him. I continued to tell them about how baba had suggested I gave Asad a tour of the mansion and how it went very well. I described our tour as happy, passionate, and beautiful as when gatsby was giving a tour of his mansion to daisy. They giggled a little at my lame great gatsby reference but I'm sure they got the gist. Then I started to talk about how we both share the same love for ibn Laz's art. I was startled as I heard my friends chorused “He loves ibn Laz too?” “that's it! You art freaks are a match made by mother luna!” Reena blurted clapping her hands together. “I agree there is no better match” Aliana joined. My face began to flush a familiar pink color, I had also felt the same when we swung our hands together on our way to the main house after our magical kiss before it all turned black. Yes, the kiss. I thought about the most casual way to talk about our moment and the kiss in the throne room, but I guess it didn't work... “What?! You kissed?!” they chorused again. “You had your first ever kiss Yara!” Aliana exclaimed with her palms on her face and her eyes lighting up. “My baby is no longer a baby anymore” Reena teased holding up her hands to clean her invisible tears with her invisible cotton pad. “Stop it you guys it wasn't all that” I mumbled with my hand hanging from my neck trying to hide my face in it. “So wait!” Aliana said. “From all, you said it was as though you both had the best time that day,” “why are you both acting as though you live in different universes” Reena added. “Well...” I started but then paused almost abruptly, I didn't know how to open up to them about what really transpired. I was dreading this conversation. I didn't want them to look at me like I was some freak again. So I tried to think about something else, but I couldn't “what's the delay? Spill” Reena said. I was left with no other choice. So I told them everything, how he reacted when I denied seeing the mystery woman and how I hoped he didn't just leave me there, standing. I finished by saying “well, I guess that's it,” there was a long silence after I finished. I started to wish I didn't tell them everything in detail. I started to feel very weird, I felt my stomach knot together when I Heard Reena take a long deep breath. “Uhmm wow!” Aliana muttered. “Uhmm about the mystery woman” Reena started. Oh no! I feel another scold coming. “I know what I saw!” I said in defense! “yes you did, and I'm sorry I made you feel weird by playing it around like that” wait! What? Is Reena batt really apologizing? “Yh, I'm sorry too” Aliana followed. Okay who are these people and what did they do to my friends. My mouth went open, no, I wasn't trying to say anything, I was in disbelief.“Okayyy what is going on?” I said, Reena took another long breath and started “uhmm Yara, I spoke to my mom about it, I gave her the description you gave us.. And yes you did see something alright” “you saw a witch!” Aliana let out. As though impatient at how Reena waited to tell me. “A witch” I mumbled, Aliana continued “yes! A witch, I spoke to my father about it too. And apparently they lived among us many years ago”. “Yes, they are harmless, at least that's what my mom said”, “B.. But how is it possible that she appeared to only me and not everyone,”i said finally. I looked over at them for answers. Aliana looked as clueless as I did, she didn't have an answer. So we both looked over at Reena hoping she had an answer. My heart fell with relief when she made to talk. “Well, my mom said it could mean that she, the witch had a message to pass, a message to pass to only you probably”. My face sank by the words she told me. “Dont worry Yara, it's nothing. At all. Father said it's nothing you should worry about.” Aliana said rubbing my hands in an attempt to soothe me. “If you need to talk, if you need more answers, my mom can help, she had asked me tell you she's open to talk to. “ I thought about how close their parents are to mine, I'm not sure I'm ready to have them know what I went through. So I said “but.. My parents, I don't want them...” “oh don't worry!” Reena blurted. “She is not going to mention it to anyone. At least not until you want her to.” “And father won't tell either he had actually suggested we not talk about it with anyone else” Aliana finished. I felt so light by what they had said. We almost immediately went on to talk about what happened with Asad. “Just give him time,” Aliana said still trying go soothe me with her rubs. “Did you think maybe he saw the witch too. maybe That was why he just got a little weird after you lied?” Reena added. And then it hit me, he looked a little disappointed when I lied. “But I didn't want to take the risk, I didn't want him looking at me weirdly or worse, I didn't want him running away from me.” I became sad. “Maybe you need to talk to him?” Aliana said. “I guess I do”.

I'm happy I opened up to them about this, I feel so much better already. And I have strong hopes that things will get better from today. And at least, I do not have to carry this burden alone. I think I will agree with Reena and talk to her mother about this, she's the pack’s healer, i bet she knows all the answers to my questions.