And He Created Them In Pairs

C H A P T E R 12

"Hello?" I answer, picking up my mom's call. 

"Salam beta. How is University going?" She replies. Where do I start? Do I even tell her about Ahmed? She would kill me if she knew he stayed the night here. I decide to leave it alone and we chat for an hour about our life instead. 

After ending the call with my mom, My finger hovers over Ahmed's contact. 

"Heyyyyyyy" I hear on the other line. That's unexpected. I expected him to sound more upset. 

"Hey...Ahmed? listen-"

"Heyyy Laila I'm having soo much fun" I hear him slur as something crashes by him. Is he...drunk? 

"Ahmed have you been drinking?" I ask him. 

"Maaybeee" He says dragging out the word. "Where are you." I ask him as I grab my keys. There's no way he's going to be safe in the state he's in right now. 

"None of your business." He says but I hear Ali's muffled voice near him. I call Ali and ask for their location. 

___________________________

Ali's Apartment 

I ring the doorbell and Ali opens up. "Why would you let him drink?" I ask furiously. 

"Laila he drank before he got here. I didn't know."

I find Ahmed sprawled on the ground entranced by the red living room carpet. 

"Ahmed you need to come with me right now." I say dragging his heavy body up. 

"Wait where are you taking him?" Ali asks. "I'll take care of him, we have some things we need to discuss" I reply.

Ahmed stumbles around as we make our way back to my car. I drive back to my house and put his arm around my shoulder trying to get him inside before he passes out. As soon as I unlock the door,  he jolts to the couch and throws himself onto it smiling like a child. 

"So now you have the energy to walk by yourself" I mutter. He looks like he's about to fall asleep any second so I decide to discuss today's events with him in the morning. As I'm making my way down the hall I hear him mumbling. 

"Laila" he mumbles. "What Ahmed." I say, my patience thinning. He mumbles something again with his eyes closed and I lean in to listen. He grabs my waist and pulls me against him nuzzling his face into my neck. He smells so strongly of alcohol. I try to push him off but he pulls me in closed. "Stay with me" he mumbles into my neck. 

I try to get up again but it's no use with his heavy arm tightly pulling me in. This is so wrong. I finally sigh and give up. 

"Can you rub my back" He asks quietly. I don't bother putting up a fight. He won't remember tonight anyway. I run my hand up and down his back as he sighs and smiles into my neck. He whispers a thank you and his hot breath on my neck sends shivers down my spine. 

I continue rubbing his back as we both doze off.