episode 9:one coffee ☕ one lie
827 Words
The morning sun was coming through the windows of the canteen and falling on Ali Khan's face. He was sitting in a corner waiting for Saba. He had two cups in his hands. One cappuccino, one tea. The cappuccino was for Saba.
When Saba entered, her eyes immediately fell on Ali Khan. A small smile appeared on her lips. "Good morning, Ali Khan."
Today Saba was wearing a black suit and it looked very beautiful on her fair skin. Ali Khan was lost in looking at her for a moment but then he quickly controlled himself.
"Good morning, Saba." Ali Khan stood up to welcome her. "I ordered cappuccino for you."
Saba sat down. "How did you know that I like cappuccino?"
"Last time you said that you drank cappuccino at a coffee shop. I remembered it."
It was a small thing. But it touched Saba's heart. "Thank you."
"Tell me, did you study yesterday? Yesterday's topic was quite difficult."
Saba lowered her eyes. "I... I could not study properly. After the job I get very tired."
Worry immediately appeared in Ali Khan's eyes. "You should take care of yourself. If you want, I can give you notes from class. I write down every topic."
Saba looked at him in surprise. "You... why do you do this for me?"
The question surprised Ali Khan a little. The answer he had ready in his mind was: "So that you depend on me." But when he looked into Saba's innocent eyes, the answer changed on its own. "Because... I care about you."
Silence spread. Both kept looking into each other's eyes. The sounds of the canteen, the laughter, the talking all went to the background. There was only them. And a silent conversation was going on between their eyes.
Saba looked away from Ali Khan. Her face turned red. "I... I have to go to class."
"Yes. And Saba?" Ali Khan was still looking at her.
"Yes?"
"Shall we meet in the canteen in the afternoon? I have to show you some important notes."
Saba nodded with a smile. "Okay."
She got up. Took one step. Then stopped. Turned back. "And Ali Khan?"
"Yes Saba?"
"Thank you."
And then she left. Ali Khan kept sitting there. He took out his phone. Started typing a message to Sami. "Today's first step is complete. She..."
He stopped. His fingers paused on the screen. Saba's smile started floating in front of his eyes. He deleted the message. Turned off the phone. Picked up the cup. The cup from which Saba had drunk.
A strange conflict. A war. And Ali Khan himself did not know which side he was on.
During class Saba's attention was not there. Whatever the professor was teaching was not reaching her heart from her ears. Her mind was in the canteen. In Ali Khan's eyes.
Sofia put a light hand on her shoulder. "Saba, are you listening?"
Saba got startled. "Yes... yes I am listening."
"Your attention is somewhere else. With Ali Khan?"
Saba's face immediately turned red. "No... nothing like that."
"Saba, don't lie to me." There was worry in Sofia's voice. "I can see you. You have changed completely."
"I have not changed."
"You have. And dangerously." Sofia held her hand. "Where were you yesterday evening? I did not see you in the hostel."
Her heart beat faster. Saba pulled her hand back. "I... I was in the library. Studying."
A lie. The first lie. And that too to Sofia. Her throat went dry.
Sofia looked at her with deep eyes. "Really?"
"Yes. Really." Saba lowered her eyes.
"Okay." Sofia said. "Then it's fine."
But there was no belief on Sofia's face. And there was shame in Saba's heart.
Class ended. Saba quickly went out. She had to meet Ali Khan. In the canteen.
Sofia kept watching her go. There were tears in her eyes. "I pray that I am wrong. I pray that he has really changed."
But her heart knew. A leopard does not change its spots.
In the canteen there was a crowd. But Saba saw Ali Khan immediately. He was sitting at a table waiting for her. Books were open in front of him.
"Sorry, I am a little late."
"No problem." Ali Khan said with a smile. "I have ordered food for you."
There were two plates on the table. "How did you know what I like?"
"You ate biryani last time." Ali Khan said. "I thought maybe you like it."
Every small thing. Every small detail. Ali Khan remembered.
"Thank you. You... you are very good."
The word 'good' touched Ali Khan's heart. A strange pain.
"No." He said. "I am not good."
"You are." Saba insisted. "You see me. You listen to me. You care for me. That is what being good is."
Ali Khan started eating. In silence. Voices started echoing in his mind.
'Tell her. Tell her that you are not good.'
But he could not tell.
- Writer
