I'll Hold On

CHAPTER 28

'I kissed her.'

Lutfi slipped in an angle that his fingers where wrapped around the arms of the chair but his body dangling off it. Lutfi immediately adjusted himself and sat on the chair, 'I was not expecting to hear anything from you when I walked in but I hear that.' Lutfi stared at his friend who was staring at his laced fingers on the table. Lutfi couldn't figure what was running in his head so he leaned back nonchalantly and said, 'So what? She is your wife.'

Aahil looked up at his friend who was looking at him with a "So what?" Kind of look, 'You just slipped while you were going to sit on the chair which clearly states that you were clearly caught off guard with what I said but why the question?' Aahil asked, 'Well, I wad surprised but not because you kissed her but because she broke your bubble so fast.' Lutfi said leaning over to grab the bottle of water but Aahil pulled it away from his reach, 'What?', 'I very well knew that your fantasy bubble of "I'm never loving again"....' Lutfi finger quoted, '....was going to pop if not blast, just didn't know it would be so soon.' Lutfi explained.

Aahil stared at his friend trying to register his words but failing miserably, 'What?' He asked again. Lutfi sighed and leaned further more to grab the bottle, 'Just give the bottle.' Lutfi quenched his thirst while Aahil still couldn't piece his friends words together. After half an hour, Aahil was still in deep thought. Lutfi sighed and spoke, 'How do you handle bussiness when you can't piece together few of my words?' 'Because bussiness is not as complicated as feelings.' Aahil retorted.

Lutfi smirked at his friend, 'Means you have feelings for her.' Aahil blinked a few times before speaking, 'Uhm...Ignorance is also a feeling.', 'Oh really. I thought it was just a word used to describe your behaviour towards little Rayna.' Aahil frowned at his friend words, 'Little Rayna?' He asked, 'Yeah,....' Lutfi leaned back in his chair, '....She is so small. I doubt, she can even hurt a fly.' Aahil scoffed at his friends words.

'Can't hurt a fly? Really funny.' Aahil said sarcastically. Lutfi raised and eyebrow and asked, 'You don't agree?', '100% not. The other day, she threatened me to kick me out of my own house, and all I said was that I am not going home for Eid!' Aahil began, 'Oh and before that when we went on that honeymoon, she just barged into my room and went through my luggage. And you think she can't even hurt a fly.' Aahil held a scowl on his face by now, '....If I ain't her husband, she would have just killed me.'

'If you weren't her husband, she wouldn't have to do all this.' Lutfi remarked which caused a few needle pricks in Aahil's chest but he ignored them and looked away, 'Now that I think about it....' Lutfi began, '...Why don't you just divorce her?' Aahil swiftly looked at his friend and asked with a frown, 'What?' 'Yeah, I mean, You don't love her and probably she also doesn't love you. So, just let her go. She would get married to someone who actually wants to be her husband and love her. And she could live a happy life making her own fa...' Aahil banged his hands on the table and abruptly stood up and walked away to stand staring out the floor length glass window.

Lutfi smirked and leaned back as he stared at his friends clenching fist. Lutfi was only trying to spite him and it worked. Aahil stared out the window but his mind was somewhere else. Aahil couldn't more like didn't want to imagine Rayna make a family with someone else, heck, he wanted to bury that man alive, whoever he was, but why? Aahil raked his hand through his hair making a mess and turned back to his friend and asked, 'How do you know that she doesn't love me?'

'What's the point in knowing whether she does or not? You don't want her to, right?' Lutfi stated, 'Yeah but...' Aahil walked over and sat on his seat, '...what if she loves me? It wouldn't be right to hurt her feelings.' 'Like you ain't doing that.' Lutfi retorted, 'But...' Aahil began again but Lutfi sighed, 'If you really want to know whether she loves you or not, just ask her.' Aahil's heartbeat accelerated, 'I...I am not curious, just saying.' Aahil laughed out nervously as he opened a file, 'God, I have so much work.'

'Damn, I had so much work.' Aahil said as he walked up to his front door. Because of the long chat with his friend, Aahil ended up during overtime to get the work done. Aahil entered the house cranking his neck, all the lights were turned off. He had already informed Salma bi he wouldn't make it for dinner and Salma bi had sent it to him, packed, 'No more discussions about Rayna at work.' 'What about me?' Aahil jolted at the voice and held his heart. Amidst the dakrness but due to the light coming from the television, Aahil could make out Rayna's face.

'Why are you still up?' Aahil composed himself, changing the subject, 'Oh, I wasn't sleepy so just decided to make it movie night. Want to join me?' Rayna asked while shoving popcorn in her mouth, 'No, I'm a bit tired.' Aahil excused himself and went up to his room.

How come I couldn't hear the sound from the television?

'I thought you didn't want to join me?' Rayna asked Aahil she passed him the popcorn, 'The movie looked interesting.' Aahil said picking some popcorn, 'It's Emma Watson's Beauty and the Beast.' Rayna said. Aahil bleped before replying, 'I wanted to see her version.' Rayna nodded her head as the protagonists started dancing. Aahil watched the movie with no interest because he was here for just one thing.

Does she love me? I mean, she is here because she does, right?

But why does it matter to me?
It doesn't matter, just curious.

Curiosity killed the cat.
Shut up, conscience.

Lutfi is right. If I am curious, I should just ask.

Aahil looks at Rayna to see her smiling at the screen. The film was reaching it's end while everyone danced in white, 'Rayna?' Aahil called her. She turned to look at him with her beautiful smile intact and Aahil fell in a daze and with no second thoughts asked, 'Do you love me?' Rayna's eyes blinked a few times as her smile fell.

Idiot! You've asked the question, but what answer do you expect!?