Finding Life

Chapter Eight: Give Your Heart A Break

After we left the shopping place, Nyah requested to go to the Palm Island. As we were driving there, Bou tried several times to talk with me, but I would just stare out the window. I just was not in the mood to chat after my mother reminded me this trip was for business, not fun. Eventually, Azlyn started to answer and they continued to discuss something in French. I never took French much to my parents' pleasure. It did not seem necessary as I knew Bangla already, and Spanish. 

We arrive at the Atlantis and stepping out felt like entering a hot burning oven. The heat literally felt like it was melting our skins away. Azlyn starts to fan herself immediately, "My makeup! It's melting!"

Hussain laughs and swings an arm around her shoulders, "That's the heat in Dubai, Miss Azlyn."

"For the love of God, please don't call us 'Miss', it's so weird." Azlyn groans and Hussain chuckles and pushes her towards the entrance, his hands softly massaging her shoulders playfully.

I smile a small smile at the two's bickering and playfulness as I follow them into the building. Syed leads us towards the aquariums. I have never seen as big aquariums in my life. They were like ceiling to floor large glass barriers between the deep blue and us. I drift near to the glass and put my palm against the smooth glass as a hammerhead swims by. I watch a school of clown fish zip into the anemone. 

"Your mom called?" Bou's soft voice startles me yet again. This guy needs to stop sneaking up on me whenever I zone out.

"Yep, she did." I mutter under my breath, but I'm pretty sure he heard.

"And?"

"Nothing really, just orders."I shrug and he looks at me unconvinced but doesn't push me.

"Honey, what else can I service you with?" Syed skips next to me and casually shoves Bou out of the way. Well he tries, but considering he was smaller and weaker, he couldn't do much. 

"Please for the love of God, just stop calling me honey." I say with all seriousness.

"Whatever you say, honey. Oops, I mean Shay... No? Shaybay? No? Okay wait, Shanaya!" I shake my head as he tries different nicknames and just distance myself more from him.

"You are such an idiot." I hear Bou say disapprovingly to Syed who argues back.

I go near Azlyn who opens her long lean arms for me to slump into which I gladly accept. Sighing, I wrap my arms around her curvy waist and close my eyes. Her arms tighten around my shoulders and sway us from side to side.

"You okay, Shybear?" She whispers into my hair and I shake my head.

"Mom is just going crazy and I just can't seem to get out of this stage! And then there's that stupid Syed who follows me around like a lovesick puppy! I just... I need space, ya know?" I burst out and Azlyn only nods and hums against my dark hair.

"Maybe we should head back to the loft now? Get some rest for the party tonight?" Az suggests and I nod gratefully.

She pulls away from me and pecks my cheek before strutting in her designer heels. 

Strange girl she is, how even can she wear that and not fall over? If I wore that, I would tumble around instantly like a tumble weed. Hence the reason why I wear heels as less as I can. Then again, Azlyn was always used to idea of dressing up in the most expensive things possible. I mean back when we were in freshman year of high school, she got bullied for her weight. Now, she looks like a model! That girl has some serious determination.

"Alright well I think everyone is tired now. Plus we have that party tonight, so we should probably head to the loft." Azlyn stands in the center of the group and speaks in a authoritative tone. 

Hussain nods and takes us to the cars to get going. Before getting in, I give Azlyn a small smile as a way of thanks.

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"Shay! Have you gotten ready yet?" Nyah asks as she peeps her brunette head through the door, "Shay, you need to stop moping in bed and get up and dress that pretty little self of yours. Come on, up and at them!"

I roll my eyes at her motherly ways before I feel her tossing the covers off my small body, "Nyah!"

"Well I had to resort to that! Now come on, Missy! Look at the beautiful dress Bou got you! I bet you'll look gorgeous in it!" She smiles fondly at the bag in front of the mirror and I jump up.

"Bou got me a dress?" I whisper in awe and she looks at me funny, "Uh yeah... Didn't you notice? He got it when we were shopping at the store for our business luncheon attires."

"Oh right.. I forgot." I half smile and shoo her out of the room before shutting the door behind me and staring at the bag.

"Bou got me a dress." I repeat to myself to let it set in. 

I walk slowly to the silver bag and carefully and hesitantly unzip it. I gasp as my eyes meet with the black lace shoulders and simple yet elegant torso of the dress. How does he know my style? I grimace thinking about what shoes he got me with this and I look over at the sleek shoe box next to me. I open the lid swiftly, only to grin at his cleverness. There lay probably the most comfortable wedges ever. I think he must've talked to Azlyn about my favorite designer. I smile at the thought of how much he cared and slipped into the bathroom to get ready.

After taking a cold shower and slipping on the fitting dress, I sat down in front of my vanity as I contemplate on what to add. I take out my bag of makeup and flutter through it to find my earthly tones and black eyeliner and my favorite Sephora mascara. I try to remember the tutorial Azlyn gave me on how to do a smokey eye. After attempting my best and succeeding at looking somewhat attractive, I loosely curl my hair. 

"Hey, you ready? Wow... You look.. Hot!" Azlyn smirks from where she was leaning on the door frame.

"Haha thank you, Miss Gorgeous!" I laugh and she smiles happily, "Bou bought that didn't he?"

"Yeah, he did. Did you tell him my favorite designer for shoes as well?" I ask casually as I slip on the comfortable 4 inch wedges.

"Uh no actually..." She says and I look up at her with surprise, "Guess he knows you real well."

"Have you guys actually gotten ready? Oh whoa.. Shay, you look drop dead gorgeous." Nyah flutters her arms to emphasize.

"Bou got her everything." Azlyn smiles a secret smile to Nyah who raises her eyebrows back, "Bou? Hmm."

"Guys, he's just a friend." I roll my eyes and shrug before pushing past them to head downstairs.

"Sure he is." Az giggles as she joins me.

"I'm not ready for a relationship." I point out and Nyah stops me, "You may say you aren't ready and we totally respect that, honey. But you need to give your heart a break. You need to at least open the door to your heart to allow people to explore the vast masterpiece inside of you. Maybe you'll find that your heart just needed that break to heal."

I look at my two friends who stood in front of me with sureness in their eyes.

"Trust us, Shanaya. We know he isn't some ordinary friend." Azlyn adds before leaving me to think about what they said.

Is he really just a friend? Or could what the girls are saying be true?