The Perfect Girl

40

"He's always going the extra mile,                                                                                                                                                   Hoping to see her smile,"

Khalid's POV

I pulled into our driveway, pausing before opening the car door and walking inside.

I felt a brain-numbing sort of exhaustion begin to set in.  I'd gotten up early to make it to the office in time for a meeting, and now all I really wanted was to sleep.  

"As salaamu alaikum," I called when I came in, more quietly than I usually would have.

"Wa alaikum us salaam!" I heard Hiba call back.

I smiled, just a little, and headed into the kitchen.   She was sitting on the counter, a bowl of ice next to her.

I had slowly become accustomed to Hiba's habit of eating ice.  I didn't really understand it, but she'd been doing it as long as I'd known her.  At some point, I think Jana had picked the habit up from her and begun doing the same.  Our icebox was empty every time her and Hiba got together.

"How was work?" Hiba asked, popping a small piece of ice into her mouth.

"Tiring," I replied.

She gave me a sympathetic smile, offered me the bowl of ice.

"No thanks," I grinned, "I'm not that weird."

"Excuse me!" she exclaimed in mock offense, "Ice is a perfectly acceptable snack."

"Sure," I said, and shook my head.

"You know we have to go to a wedding today, right?" 

"Huh?" I poured myself a glass of water, "Who's?"

"Safa and Laith," she said, "You don't remember?" 

Laith was a mutual family friend of ours.  I was pretty close with him, although I didn't see him much.  We'd grown up together, after all.

"Vaguely," I said, "Oh yeah, Laith called me yesterday to talk about how nervous he is."

"And you said I have a bad memory," she muttered.

I groaned, "I'm so tired."

Hiba swallowed the ice in her mouth before replying, "Do you think we can cancel?"

"No," I said, "Laith will kill me."

"I figured," she said, "We've got a bit of time, though.  Go sleep."

I smirked, "Come with me."

"Nope, I'm not tired."

"That's fine, just come lie with me and snuggle."

She considered, looked at me reluctantly.

"Please, love?"

She grumbled something under her breath and said, "Fine.  I'm coming," but made no move to actually get off the counter.

I picked her up, holding her in a hug and spinning her around.

She squealed, laughed, said, "You don't seem very tired, sweetie."

I pouted in response, carrying her to the couch and putting her down before lying next to her.  I closed my eyes and wrapped an arm around her.  I felt her shift, curling up into a bit of a ball, and then placing a kiss on my pout.  I felt it morph into a smile.

"Sleep, babe," she whispered a few minutes later when I opened my eyes.

"Did you just call me babe?"

I saw her blush, look away.

"Yes, now sleep," she snapped.

"Okay, sweetheart."

***

"Khalid!  Wake up!  We have to leave!" I jolted upright to find a panicked Hiba waiting for me.

"What time is it?" I croaked.

"6:00!  We have 15 minutes to get ready!"

I mumbled a reply, rubbing at my eyes and then getting up.  I walked slowly into our room, finding my suit and slipping it on with a drowsy sort of laziness.  I washed my face, sprayed myself with some cologne, put on shoes, and sat down on a chair, waiting for Hiba.  

She was out a moment later, wearing a long tea-pink dress that suited her well.

"You look really nice," I said.

She nodded absentmindedly, staring at me.  I smirked, glad for the attention.

"Love?" I said.

She looked up at me, embarrassment flooding into her eyes.

"I haven't seen you in a proper suit in a while," she murmured, "That's all.  It looks good on you."

"Thanks," I grinned smugly.

I tried to hug her, but she squirmed away, "I have makeup on, idiot!"

"So?"

"It'll rub off on you!  Please keep your white shirt white, thank you."

I rolled my eyes, "Fine."

"You smell good, though," she commented as we headed towards the car.

"Cologne."

She nodded, stopped.  I stopped with her, and she tiptoed and kissed me quickly.