MILK & WINE

CHAPTER 25: WHEN THE SPRING FINALLY CAME

PAST

FATIMA'S POV:

The chilly November gave way to the frosty December. I saw less of Ahmed. Sometimes I would sit on the chair by my study table, in the coziness of my room and wonder did I actually get engaged, the ring on my finger would testify that I did but the lack of communication made me feel otherwise. I knew that he must be busy. He was taking his business in an entirely new continent. 

Not that I was not busy. My room was crammed with books that I had to study, the lectures that I had to attend but I still missed him. I sound infatuated, don't I? That's because I was infatuated. I was head over heels for him. 

It was the coldest December, the December of anticipation. 

The December thirty first came at an agonizing pace but it came. I was staying in my room as didn't have any parties to attend. I was staring at the ceiling when my phone rang. I reached out for it and picked up without checking the caller ID. 

"Hello?" I said in a dead tone. 
"Hi, Fatima," His voice reached to me through the phone. 

The time stopped as I laid on the bed. I quickly sat up and checked the caller ID. "Mushtaq". 

"Hello?" His voice came as a question. 
"Ahmed," I whispered as a drop of tear fell from eyes on my cheek. I couldn't believe we were talking. 
"How are you?" He asked. 
"I am good, Alhumdulilah. How are you?" I asked as I wiped my cheeks. 
"Are you crying?" He asked.

What the frick? 

"No, why do you ask?" I sniffed. 
"your voice sounds nasal." He said. 
"No, I just caught the flu, it's just that." I let out a small laugh. "Where are you?" I asked before he could further question me. 
"I am in Montreal." He said then paused, "Why are you asking?" He said. 
"No reason," I said.
"What were you doing?" He asked. 

Missing you. 

"I was laying on the bed trying to sleep," I said. 
"You were sleeping on new year's eve?" He asked with shock. 
"Yes, and I have been doing this since ever." I rolled my eyes yet another tear fell. 
"What are you doing?" I asked. 
"I am talking to you," He said. 

A small laugh left my lips. 

"Why did you laugh?" He asked. 
"Nothing," I said trying to stifle another laugh. 

I heard loud noises from the phone. 

"Hello?" I said. "Hello, Ahmed!" I said loudly as I bolted up from the bed. "Ahmed." 

I was about to open the door and run downstairs to Dad when I caught his voice. 

"Turn on the camera." His voice came through. 
"Are you okay?" I asked. 
"I am okay, just turn on the camera." He said. 

I quickly stole a glance at the mirror. I looked terrible,

 but I'll just turn the back camera on. I thought. 

I turned on the camera and waited for him to turn his on as well. 

"I look so hideous," I whispered as I looked at my face before turning the back camera on. 

Ahmed turned on his camera and my imagination went to the bottom left of the screen in miniature size. 

My screen was filled with multichrome sparks that were lightning up the sky. Each one was released from a lower point and exploded into a thousand sparks in the sky. I watched them as my eyes went wide. 

"Turn your front camera on." Ahmed's voice reached me. "You don't look hideous," he added. 

Did he hear that?