REMARKABLE

15

Ardashir rolled the bag behind him, inside the room as he softly closed the door of their room. His eyes drifted to the sleeping figure on the bed, a small smile lifted his lips as he watched her forehead crease in annoyance, the rays dancing around her shut eyes. Ardashir left the bag at the foot of the bed as he softly walked to the window, pulling the curtains close. He shook his head when Armineh relaxed in her sleep, light snores echoing in the silence of the room.

Armineh woke up when she heard a creak, only to find Ardashir hanging his clothes inside the cupboard as the bag lay open on his side of the bed, his hair still wet from the shower.Armineh had envisioned him to be in a suit but he was dressed casually in a white tee and sweat pants. Hamza had been right about his arrival, after all. Of course Armineh couldn't have known because she hadn't called him neither had he.

'Good Morning.' Ardashir greeted, chirpier than usual.

Ardashir frowned as Armineh gave him a mute nod and rolled on her side, showing him her back.

She woke up a while later, again and sighed with relief when she didn't find Ardashir in the room. If he didn't want to talk to her, fine. Two can play at that game.

Ardashir had been sitting in the lounge when he saw her walk down the spiral staircase, twisting her hair in a bun. Her hands came to cover her mouth as she yawned. Ardashir traipsed to the foot of the stairs, waiting for her to come to him.

He greeted again when Armineh descended the staircase but she ignored him as she walked past him in the kitchen.

'Armineh?'

'Do you need something, Ardashir?' Armineh said, slipping a mask of nonchalance on her face when in reality, her heart was furiously beating in her chest. She had seen him a month ago, he still looked the same despite the slight growth of his hair. Armineh gazed into his eyes and then looked away not missing the glint in his eyes that wasn't there, before and she belatedly realised, his work abroad was his reprieve from his father.

'Let's go out. What do you think?' Ardashir said, rubbing the nape of his neck and a hesitant smile.

'No.' Armineh said as soon as he opened his mouth, derailing his train of thoughts.

It wasn't even an 'I can't'. It was a no!

'Are you done?'

'But I...' Ardashir didn't know what to say. What could he say?

Armineh shrugged her shoulders when she saw him turn on his heels as she made her way to the kitchen to prepare for her mother's visit.

❇❇❇

Ardashir had returned in the afternoon, Armineh had been dying out of curiosity to know about his whereabouts but as usual Ardashir didn't think it was important to tell her.

Armineh had been brushing her hair when Ardashir came into the room and he paused.

'Am I missing something?' Ardashir asked, his eyebrows furrowed together.

Armineh gave him a passing glance, turning her attention back to her hair.

'Are you going somewhere, then?' Ardashir inquired, walking to her.

'No.' Ardashir blew out long breath, never had he thought that her short answers would bother him when not too long ago, he felt like she would eat his ears out even with a few words she uttered, not that she was very talkative to begin with but here he was irked beyond belief and there she was going on about as he wasn't even present.

'Is someone coming?' Armineh nodded, vexing him further and Ardashir gnashed his teeth, together.

He pulled the hairbrush from her hands, keeping it back on the dresser as he turned her around to face him.