Chapter # 27

Nathaniel stared at his hand deeply, a constriction was suffocating him. De Villiers' words impacted him deeply, they scattered his emotions. They baffled him. Where was he wrong? What was he doing not properly? He wanted to know too. Failing to comprehend his feelings, he grit his teeth from exasperation. ‘I devoted all this life of mine to her. Am I still selfish? Where am I wrong? What is it that I can't see?' He thought worriedly. Questioning himself until he noticed that De Villiers purposely left the door open to show how much of a gallant man he is. 'Amanda, here, wear these shoes, they will be comfortable." 'Sure." She sat on the bed and he placed her foot over his knee and made her wear her shoes with a sweet smile that made him growl. 'Will you wear white, De Villiers?" 'Sure, why not?" 'Tsk. Trying to show off huh? Does he think I can't do this?" Rolling his eyes off, he got up with a frown, gathering his charm, setting his collar to show he could pull off the same game of grace too and went to see Zariah. 'Zari-" 'Hey, how do I look? Is it okay?" He came initially to give his suggestion, like De Villiers did to sound cute, to show he was interested in her likings. But, when he tried to do it. To suggest, he entered and the second his eyes fell on hers, all he was greeted with was… perfection. He paused, eyes affixed on her pretty form for the next few minutes, contemplating her features closely with a sweet thought. ‘What could I say when every color, every style, everything possible suits you?' Resting his one hand in his pocket, he appeared before her, taking her hair between his fingers, observing her body closely. A wide smirk spread across his lips, having no idea what to do yet being stubborn, he arched an eyebrow and suggested it for the first time. 'Do you have a lipstick which is not- what do you call it? Matte? That doesn't transfer, any shade" 'Yes, I do. Here," She nodded, showing him lipstick as he smiled. 'Wear it," She was perplexed but it was something he asked for the first time so she didn't question and wore that lipstick instead. He then unbuttoned his shoulder, pointing right at his heart with a playful smirk. 'Kiss me here," She chuckled and did as he told, imprinting her mark on his heart, also indulging in the sensation and the beautiful sign it left on her. Smirking, he stared at his reflection in the mirror as his other hand snaked around her shoulder, pressing her into him. 'Looks cool, now wear any lipstick you want. Shall I go like this?" 'What's with you?" She laughed a little. 'What should I wear?" 'What?" 'What do you want me to wear? Don't you get bored with the colors I-" 'Dark green. I think it will suit you a lot and match your eyes too." Holding her chin, it was the first thought she got after imagining him in different color combos and to think how good he would look in a green buttoned shirt made her smile. He nodded with a wink to check the closet only to not find it there. '... And I don't have it," 'Just wear anything casual," She giggled, pinching his cheeks. 'This fawn shirt with a black jeans?" 'Cool," And after getting ready, almost challengingly, the two pairs left on their respective dates, to show each other they could spend a memorable time while being underground too. They knew they shouldn't know. It was not safe. Still, the challenge raised the urge to go and not sit back either. 'Nathaniel, look, I saw videos of it, I want to try it, they say it's very spicy," Zariah called gleefully, dragging his arm towards the stall of Panipuri. 'Can you tolerate spice?" 'I want to try it," She grinned, refusing to leave him, indulging in the moment and he couldn't help but to feel mesmerized but also mischievous at the same time. So they went to the stall and when she was scrutinizing the surroundings with a grin, he whispered to the guy so Zariah won't understand. 'Masala tez rakhna. Bohat." (Keep the spice strong. Very.) The man gasped, 'Aapko Hindi aati hai?" (Do you know Hindi?) 'Yes," Because of Zaviyaar and Sufiyan, both originating from here, he had to learn their language to be able to understand what they must be speaking. 'When did you learn Hindi?" Zariah asked, watching the man prepare the panipuri for her. 'Years ago. Work's requirements, you know." 'Yeah, right, right," 'Here you go, Darling. Try it, be careful," He smiled widely, taking her a big bite only to hear her coughing for the next ten minutes. Tapping her chest, tears filled her eyes, her mouth was burning, gasping for air while he was rubbing her back. 'Here, eat this popsicle," He smiled. She took it hastily and ate it, unable to subdue the flaming sensation in her mouth. 'Lord, I knew it was spicy but I had no idea it would be this much," She groaned, holding him desperately with tears glistening in the corner. 'Right? Here, eat this now. It will make you feel better," He tried to suppress his laugh along with the fear that if she came to know he caused this, she might not have pierced that popsicle stick in his heart. 'Ah, this is better now…" She exhaled, leaving her mouth wide open to reduce the taste not leaving her lips, wiping the tears and leaned her head against his chest. 'Your lips are orange now," He smirked, taking the last bite of the popsicle. 'I don't care. Though I like gelato more," She muttered with a pout. 'What do you want to try next?" 'What do you suggest? But, nothing spicy," She warned, earning a laugh from him. 'Let's check out a restaurant. I am hungry," They went to a restaurant, had lunch together, spending a beautiful moment together. The place was local, they weren't there for a vacation, they had to stay low. And the LED in the corner of the restaurant changed to a news channel where the incident at the airport was still going on fiercely. 'An ace killing another is not astonishing. But, our question is why was he hidden in the first? And why emerge here? In a country he had no connections with?" ‘Ah, them and their futile attempts.' Nathaniel thought, leaning back on his seat, resting his one leg over the other. Out of habit, he almost whistled but Zariah slapped his hand to stop him. He chuckled, putting his hand in the air as they continued eating. 'His identity is his mask and his deathly whistle. He left no trace, he is not staying in hotels. We are extending our search to find this bastard from the depth of hells. Police Department is giving its best," 'They will continue to talk high but place bets will gain nothing. In fact, he will make a deal and they will let him go," Someone said from behind, Nathaniel looked over and heard natives talking to each other, widening his smirk. 'Yeah, he is the mastermind. No one can catch him, first of all. He is the mysterious, the deadliest one. Who even knows that this foreigner here is Plague Doctor?" They were talking to each other in Hindi, thinking he wouldn't understand but he did and it almost brought a funny taste in his ear. 'Yeah, right, the biggest criminal will come to a local shop and eat with his lover. Don't be ridiculous, even his hiding place will be dazzling," 'He must be in a luxurious place, with a lot of women and wine," 'A lot of women, Zari," He whispered, furrowing his brows at Zariah who pointed her fork at him. 'Try that and watch me turn into a psycho killer, sweetheart," She whispered with a threatening smile. She knew if it happened, she wouldn't hesitate to become one neither those hands would quiver to slit their throat and tie him. Now when he was hers, he won't be anyone else's. 'Hey, hey, I was kidding," He chuckled anxiously, placing his hand over hers, intertwining their fingers together lovingly, to create a perfect rhythm, easing her. 'I know, I trust you," She chuckled back, having blind faith in him. 'Um, Nathaniel, can I ask you something?" She called him worriedly after a brief pause. 'What, Darling?" 'What.. are you going to do now?" 'Let's talk about it later. We are here on a date, not to discuss these matters, right?" He gave her a glare to not mention it as the people in the vicinity had their eyes already affixed on them. She nodded as they decided to give the time to each other only and not disturb their thoughts with needless ones. 'You know what? I want time to stop, Zari," Humming, she pressed his hand against her cheek and closed her eyes to get lost in him entirely. 'Me too but I believe this will get better and we will be together," 'Yeah."