Chapter 50

She gasped and went back to her bed before she picked up the phone again. "I'm so sorry, I just panicked about the assignment." He could hear the hint of sadness and panick in her voice. "How did you forget that you had an assignment, Dalia?" He asked her. "I wanted to do the assignment at the school cafe because I have to browse when I was done with practicals but then you came and then I got home really tired and sleepy and then it slipped my mind." She knew how to throw a tantrum, he observed. "Oh so now it's my fault?" He asked teasingly. "No, yes, no I just forgot about the assignment and the lecturer is a no nonsense woman, she would not listen to any of my pleads." The tears burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down her face. "Dalia? What's with the tears now? Please calm down. This isn't something to stress yourself about. Just read the questions to me, I will browse using my computer and tell you the answers, is that okay?" He asked and she nodded before speaking up. "Now wipe the tears first." She did as she was told before they started the assignment. She read the first question as he typed it out in his computer. "Get a pen close, I will be telling you the answers and you'd write it down." She quickly stood up from the bed and fetched her pen from her bag. She started writing what he was telling her as she continued to rant about the lecturer. "She is so wicked and selfish. She won't teach the topic, I tell you, that's why she gave the assignment on it and if someone gets it correctly, she'll start telling us to go get it from that person. Giving us assignment and making presentations is what she's good at and also wearing the same shoe for weeks." He threw his head back laughing at her rants. "I'm being serious here," she pouted as though he was there. "Now how did you know she wears the same shoe everyday? So you keep an eye on what people wear huh?" He spoke jokingly. "No I don't by Allah. It's just that hers is too much and very noticeable. I can count the times she had changed her shoes and even her clothes, I can count them." She continued talking throughout the time he was helping her do the assignment. "Okay now read the answers back to me let's go through it and correct some things." She did as he told her and they corrected the mistakes she had done while telling him about her lecturers. "Oh Allah now I feel so relieved all thanks to you. I don't know how to start thanking you for helping me do my assignment." "I could do anything for you after what you've done for me, dalia." She smiled through the phone. They continued talking for a while till she kept throwing tantrums about being sleepy and he refused to allow her go sleep. ** On a Saturday morning, Dalia got ready and daddy's driver dropped her off at Muhsin's house. She rang the doorbell. Several minutes later, Amira opened the door fully dressed for the day. "Make sure everywhere is spotless before I come home." She walked away. Without a back glance, dalia entered the living room as she looked around. She heaved a sigh and dropped her bag on the sofa before she entered the kitchen and brought out the cleaning supplies. She did the usual and used the burning incense from amira's room all around the house. She moved to the living room to pray dhuhur before she starts cooking lunch. After she had prayed, she moved to the kitchen to start cooking. She cooked jolly rice with pan grilled fish and arranged everything in the dining area. She was elated to finish her work early today. She wandered to the backyard and walked around the garden as she observed the colourful flowers and plants there. He stared at her from his window as his lips curved upwards. Seeing her made his heart twirl. What if he hears her voice or better, she smiles at him? He placed his hand on his chest before he inhaled and exhaled deeply. Looking at her gave him peace of mind. And talking to her would make things more better for him. He smiled a little before he moved away from the window and went into his closet to get a shirt. He wore it and stepped out of his room. The nice aroma of food mixed with burning incense hits his nostrils the moment he stepped foot out of the room. He heaved a sigh of relief as he found his way downstairs. Weekends were always the best now. Especially when she cooked for them. He stopped by the dining area first to see what she had cooked before he joined her outside. He stared at her for more than a minute before he spoke up. "I see you're enjoying the view." She turned to look at him, horrified. She exhaled, hand on her chest. "You really scared me," she whined tilting her head. "I am so sorry," he whispered moving closer to her. She gave him the smile he had been wanting to see all day. It felt like liquid adrenaline being injected right into his bloodstream. Just enough to make him excited. "Good afternoon," she greeted him, looking so innocent as ever. He couldn't even return the greetings, instead, he kept smiling at her. His skin tingled when they locked eyes and his heart beat erratically in his chest so hard that he felt as if he would burst. "Are we in some sort of staring contest." She giggled at his goofy smile. He blinked his eyes and looked away for a second then returned his gaze on her. "When did you come? I see you're already done with the house chores." She nodded her excitedly. "I am, but I don't know when daddy's driver is coming back." She let out a desolate sigh and looked down.