Can't Escape

Chapter 9

Dumping my bag onto the bench, I take a seat besides it, completely worn out. I can't wait to get home and jump into my fresh sheets. Nothing beats fresh covers after a warm shower. However, I know that this will not be happening due to Maria's cravings which is definitely worse after going for a swim.

I lean my head back against the wall behind me and exhale. My feet begin sway back and forth as I grow impatient with how long my best friend is actually taking to get changed. For some reason, she decided to swim for longer whilst I decided to take a long, hot shower with no-one bothering me.

The heat that lingers on my body makes me begin to feel stuffy, although I still close my eyes as drowsiness begins to envelop me. Before I know it, the bench lowers as someone sits besides me and I sigh in relief.

"Finally!" I croak out and hit the person with my phone. I pick up my bag groggily and stand from my seat as I sling it across my shoulder. "You take so long, let's go!" I groan as I slouch down to grab her hand, a slight headache forming due to the humidity.

"Ew!" A male voice shrieks and I snap my head to face him. My eyes widen when I realise it's Hudayfah and I quickly snatch my hand away before it could reach his hands, albeit his body is leaning away from me now. His face looks disgusted and he turns it away from my view. "Girls have cooties! Don't touch me!"

"Boys have cooties!" I argue back with a huff. He turns back to face me before crossing his arms across his chest and relaxing back into the seat. "I thought you were Maria!"

He pouts his lips and furrows his eyebrows, averting his grey eyes away from mine. "You haven't seen me in so long and you're here worried about Maria!" He scowls at the end of his sentence, before sticking out his tongue as if he feels sick to mention her name.

I shake my head at him and plant the palm of my hand onto my face. "Shut up, I've been waiting for her for ages! And that's your fault that you haven't seen me in so long! Why didn't you come into work?"

He looks back up at me and smiles sheepishly. "I have a lot of Uni work."

I raise an eyebrow at him and cross my arms across my chest, knowing fully well that Hudayfah is not one to sit at home all day and get work done. "More like you napped, ate and wasted time doing nothing."

"Uh-" He quickly says and immediately raises his index finger at me to stop me. "Napped, ate and prayed." He clicks his fingers at me and then flicks his wet hair to the side, splattering little drops onto the floor.

"Anyways," I roll my eyes as he gets up from his seat and picks up his gym bag. "Salaam, Hud."

He chuckles as he slings the bag onto his shoulder. "Walaykum Salaam, Al." He replies with a grin, showing off his pearly whites which I am so jealous of. "How have you been?"

I shrug my shoulders. "Same old, good, what about you?"

"GREAT!" He suddenly yells whilst throwing his arms in the air. I widen my eyes at him in annoyance as the woman at the reception mutters under her breath. "Alhamdulillah, love relaxing all cool at home."

"I bet you do." I reply with a knowing smile and he laughs. He doesn't do much whilst he's at home seen as it's just him and his Dad, although they end up doing nothing together. "So, is he in at the moment?"

He shakes his head, making his hair swish through the air, little droplets of water hitting my face this time. "Nope!" He pops the letter 'p' at the end of the word as he digs his hands into the pockets his navy blue hoodie.