AFTER DARK

Chapter 21

A dream woke me up in the middle of the night. It was a strange dream. I found myself stuck in a dark pit, only to be rescued by a stranger.

Gathering my wits, I made my way to the kitchen counter, where I sat down and sipped some water from the bottle. The only thought that ran across my mind was the thought of one man: Rehan. In my dark messed up mind, Rehan was like a shooting star, sent from heaven. 

While I was thinking about him, he dropped a message, checking to see how I was doing. I smiled. To know that he was thinking about me made me feel good inside.

I replied and soon we started talking again.

"Hey! Where are you?" He asked.

"Hotel room, why?"

"Ah' in a world so bright and beautiful, why do you always stay locked up in a room?"

"It's all dark for me anyway."

"That's alright -- the stars shine in darkness."

I smiled. How could two minds be so well connected yet the hearts be at a distance?

"You seem to be out somewhere ..." I said, moving on with the conversation.

"I'm sitting by the sea-side, listening to the crashing of the waves. Come join me."

"No thanks ... I'm sure you've got better company than me."

"You underestimate yourself, dear. Come' on, grab a taxi and meet me here. It's just me and the sea ... oh' and a sky full of stars."

"Why do you bother? I'm not worth your time."

"Ya Allah – silly girl, who tells you all this?"

"I know it."

"Then the 'I' is your enemy."

"Just let me be ..."

"Alright," he said, respecting my space. "But when your heart is ready, come join me by the sea."

"Like you're gonna spend the night there, eh?"

"I intend to stay here till the sunrise. It's a beautiful sight, my friend. Beautiful!"

His words touched my heart like musical notes. Every word sounded like poetry when he said it.

An interlude of silence followed. Rehan listened to the crashing of the waves, while I quietly listened to the sound of his breathing.

"You know ... this all feels like a dream to me," I murmured, in a low hushed voice. "I never thought I'd ever get to meet a guy like you ... not after everything that happened to me. And somewhere in my mind, I still have that fear – what if this is not real ..."

There was a small gap of silence, after which Rehan expressed his thoughts.

"Before meeting you ... I used to think that I'd never meet someone with whom I could share my heart and soul. Yes, I've talked to many people along the way, but I always longed to find someone with whom I could really open up to. And you know what – I've realized that you don't find such people – rather, they appear in your life ... just like you did in mine."

I listened. There was so much that I wanted to say to him, but I was too afraid to express myself. I didn't want to open my heart, only for it to be broken again. I couldn't bear another setback in my life. It would end me.

"Hey listen ... I have to go, okay?" I said, unable to cope with the pressure building up inside.

"Go means 'I'll be seeing you shortly?'"

"I don't know ... I don't think I'll be able to leave the hotel like this ... what will Daria think of me?"

"You know you could just drop a note on your pillow, saying 'my beautiful sister, I'm at the sea-side, watching the sunrise with – umm – with my ... soul friend ...?"

"Soul friend, haha! And like she'll ever believe it ..."

"But that's the truth ... she has to believe it."

"Daria only believes what she wants to believe."

"Hmm – well, I'll be here till morning ... so feel free to drop by at any time."

"You'll be up the whole night?"

"It's a special night."

"And why is that?" I asked, poorly hiding my inquisitive nature.

"You'll have to meet me to find out," he replied, with a soft chuckle.

"Alright, I'm going back to sleep," I said, not even entertaining the thought of leaving the hotel room in the middle of the night.

"Good night then," he said. "Sweet dreams."

I put the phone down and went back to bed. I couldn't sleep though. I kept turning sides, but sleep wouldn't touch me. With my mind constantly thinking about him, I eventually decided to crush down my fears.

I realized the only way I could get back up on my feet was if I gave strength to my own heart, rather than falling down at the mercy of other people.

Quietly, I dropped a note on my pillow saying: 'I'll be back early morning.' It was just in case Daria woke up and freaked out. But I prayed that she'd sleep through the night, and never find the note.

With my conscience clear and my heart empty of any decadent desire, I opened the door and travelled to the shores where Rehan was sitting.