Diadem's Birthright

Chapter 5: I am in love with him?!

I stood there in shock looking dumbfounded as I watched his retreating figure as he headed towards the parking lot outside the cafe. I was brought out of my reverie when a customer suddenly entered through the door blocking my view of him. As I hurriedly averted my eyes from the door, I accidentally locked eyes with Ashley. Her eyes were saying "What just happened?" I shook my head in reply before turning to answer the next customer in line.

Since my shift was a three hour shift, it was over in no time at all. After changing out of my uniform, I headed over to where Ashley was sitting at the corner of the cafe working on her laptop. Upon sitting down on the chair in front of her, she looked up at me grinning suggestively.

"So," she closed her laptop before placing it in her bag. "Little miss Mirabel has finally caught the attention of a certified hottie. I always wished for this day to come and it's finally here. Oh God! I am so happy for you my dear friend." She said while reaching over the table to hug me.

"Well, did it really look like I caught his attention?" I asked while wearily placing my head and bag on the table to look at her properly.

"Of course it did. So tell me Mira, what exactly was going on between you guys back there. It seemed as if you were having fun talking to each other."

"Oh that?" He was just asking me to recommend some desserts to buy so I recommended my favourites to him. He bought them and while I was packing up his orders, I suddenly mentioned the accident and me not being able to thank him properly for taking me to the hospital."

"Oh yes, I remember you whining and complaining about not being able to express your gratitude while placing the blame on me." Ashley said, earning her an "is that not true?" look from me.

"Well yeah", I said, "After saying that, he told me how I shouldn't bother with thanking him since it was his fault I got injured in the first place and if anyone was to be grateful it should be him since I didn't make a big deal out of the incident. When he said that, I couldn't help teasing him so I told him that if he was still feeling guilty over it he should treat me to a meal sometime" I said while looking down at the table I was twirling my fingers along the edge.

"Ah!" Ashley gasps out loud suddenly making me look up at her to find her looking at me with a bewildered look on her face and her hands covering her mouth. "Oh no, you didn't Mira." She laughed, "There is no way you could pull off something as daring as that."

"Well, for your information dear Ash, I really did say that to him." I said confidently.

"Are you for real? Wow! Where has my innocent and naive looking Mira gone to and where did this bold vixen come from," she said while grabbing my face and turning it sideways sporadically.

I swatted her hand away from my face. "I am still the one and only Mira who has the guts to be your best friend," I tell her with a pout.

"Oh well, I was just pulling your leg but it sure surprised me to learn that you could utter such a bold remark to a hottie at that without looking away shyly. So what did he say in reply to your proposal?" She asked with enough curiosity to rival a cat's.

"Well, he said okay and that he will take me up on that someday."

"What else?"

"Then he left."

"Ahhhh!!!" Ashley screamed loudly making people nearer to our table look at us with disapproval. I hurriedly covered her mouth with my hands, apologized to them before grabbing our bags and dragging her out of the cafe with me. Once outside, I turned to look at the still giddy Ashley squealing silently.

"Snap out of it Ashley. What's up with this giggling and squealing melee you are engaging in. Are you making fun of me?" I asked dejectedly.

"Oh no no, I am so not making fun of you Mira. I am just excited at the prospect of you finally dating someone. We have to take you shopping for new clothes, shoes and make-up cause girl you sure aren't going on a date in one of those grubby clothing you own. Oh I can't wait, it's gonna be so much fun." She said with a look of excitement lighting up her face.

"Calm down Ash, I know you are excited but it's not a certainty that he really meant it that way, he could have been joking too. Besides, I don't know how I feel about going or not so let's not get ahead of ourselves for now alright?" I said to calm her down.

"Tell me truthfully Mira, how do you feel about Ramzan?"

"I am not sure yet how I feel about him. All I know is that my heart races whenever I see him or feel his presence near me, whenever I hear his voice my stomach tingles weirdly, I always feel like I'm melting under his gaze whenever he so much as looks at me, I even feel happy whenever I look at the scars on my new injury and remember him. I don't know whether it's like, love or something else I am feeling for him. I have had sleepless nights just thinking about it that it's so frustrating." I exclaimed suddenly, pouring out all my worries.

"Oh Mira, I don't blame you for being so ignorant of what you are feeling. You are in love Mira, you know love? L-O-V-E? That's what you are feeling for him."

"Love? How come? That can't be, there is no way that's love. Are you sure it's not just a weird disease I caught accidentally?" I said desperately.

"Silly Mira, all you just mentioned are symptoms of being in love. Aren't you supposed to be happy at the discovery that you have finally developed feelings for someone already."

"It's not that I am not happy. It's just that I am confused since I have never felt something of this magnitude before in my life. It's new and unsettling."

"Awwn, I never thought I would see the day Mira will fall in love with someone never mind a hottie like Ramzan. I am so proud of you my dear." She said playfully.

As I stood there perusing the sudden development in my mind, Ashley suddenly grabbed my hand saying, "Today is a day of celebration, let's go home and order pizza and soda so we can party all night long," and began dragging me with her across the street to our apartment block.