An Echoing Race.

Chapter Seven.

Salam readers. Hope you have all been well. 

To make up for the late update, I've made this chapter a tad longer than usual. I was supposed to update it earlier, but I pulled a muscle/nerve at work and my left arm has been in pain today. I finished it off and am updating it now as soon as I finished.  

I'm also back at uni, so updates may be irregular. 

Take care,

booohh

#Chapter Seven#

“Let me ask you a question Salem,” I started, my voice mockingly sweet. “Do you know why I don’t have any friends at this uni, even though I’ve been studying here for almost three years?”

He simply raised one eyebrow at me before continuing to stare icily ahead. 

“See?! That’s why. I mean, you barely talk. You always look intimidating. You’re always behind me. You’re big. Very big. If you just you know, smiled a bit more…” When he gave me a dry look and swiftly continued to scan the area around us, I sighed in resignation and lay my arms on the wooden table I was lounging on.  

I had come to uni early for once and had decided to make productive use of my time by sitting outside on one of the tables, with a decent coffee, studying amidst the simultaneously chaotic and calming environment. I had our mid semester exam today and I knew that if I didn’t do well, Mr Ridwan would just have another marker on me. I wanted to do amazingly, not only because I knew he was a harsh marker and it could ultimately affect my end of year result, but because I wanted to smirk at him sardonically as I took my above ninety graded paper from his hands. 

After a few minutes of silence, Salem spoke up, to my surprise. “You have Mira, isn’t she enough?” he mumbled out.  

Now it was my turn to raise my eyebrow. “If you haven’t yet realised, she doesn’t attend this uni. Plus, what do you mean ‘isn’t she enough?’” I crossed my arms over my chest and waited for his response.

He shuffled uncomfortably, glancing at my expectant face for a second before diverting them. “You know, err, you see her almost everyday and um, with her quirky and all-consuming presence, she could make up for a thousand friends.”  

Woah.

Was Salem stammering?  

‘Quirky and all-consuming presence?!’

A full blown smile made its way onto my face and I squealed loudly. “YOU LIKE HER!” I bellowed out. 

His head snapped towards me, his broad shoulders slouching from their usual stiff posture. “What are you talking about?” 

“Oh this is so good. You don’t know how happy this makes me Salem,” I continued, standing on my feet and jumping a little.  

“Have you gone mad?” 

“I think, maybe just a little!” I laughed, getting excited all over again for my friend.

“I do not ‘like’ her,” he scowled.

“Oh, yes you do!” I cooed.

“Stop being childish Sameena!”

I grinned evilly. He was falling right into my trap. “Salem, I’ve known you since you were eighteen years old. For twelve years, I have barely seen you look in the direction of a woman unless necessary, let alone speak about one. And the fact that you’ve picked up on Mira’s personality is a whole other thing!” I smiled knowingly. “You like her.”