CHAPTER TWELVE
point of view | yasmine alaoui
...
i scooted into the booth next to zayne. our thighs were touching because my mom thought it was a good idea to take up most of the seat. both fathers and zaynes mom sat across from us. they thought it would be an amazing idea if we all went out to get dinner. they were all talking with one another, my mom was using egyptian arabic to talk to mrs. aisha while both fathers were using moroccan. i only understood the moroccan.
zayne was silent not saying a word. simply staring at the table with a blank expression on his face. i was shamelessly looking at him hoping he would look back at me. i nudged him and he slowly took his gaze from the table to look at me.
i smiled shyly at him and he sighed quietly, saying, "your flashlights on."
i looked down at my phone slightly embarrassed and pressed the button on my screen shutting it off. a waitress walked over to our booth and everyone began giving their orders. zayne and i were left.
"ill take a plate of fries with ketchup, please." i requested and the waitress nodded her head, "and a dr. pepper, please."
she then looked at zayne whos expression was slightly nervous.
"um," he began slowly. i felt his leg his mine as his mom kicked him under the table before he mumbled quickly, "... a c-chicken sandwich please."
"a beef sandwich and what to drink?" she stated and questioned and i furrowed my brows looking at zayne.
he looked defeated, "a coke."
"he said a chicken sandwich," i corrected automatically. the waitress paused her writing and zayne shifted in his seat, "he asked for a chicken sandwich." i repeated politely.
"oh my apologizes." she said erasing her notepad before writing something and looking up, "anything else?"
i glanced at all parents who shook their heads no, the waitress replied, "alright! your food should be ready shortly."
she walked off the adults continuing their conversations. i glanced at zayne who was staring directly at me. i blushed and laughed shyly. his expression softened slightly and he smiled lightly at me. i scooted closer to him, our thighs fully touching now. i reached for his hand again, grabbing his phone again, pausing his music. his deep chuckle echoed quietly and i smiled up at him.
"you never let me listen to my music." he said quietly.
i gave him a smile, replying with, "i want to talk to you thats why."
"thank you." he stated, his expression slightly serious.
my head tilted a little, before understanding what he meant, and i began waving my hand at him, "its fine. really. i'll do it every time if i have to."
his smile dropped and he looked away from me. his cold hands tensed slowly. i watched his brows furrow as he sat in silence, clearing arguing with himself, overthinking something.
i placed his phone on the table and he looked at me after i dropped his hand, his face relaxed once i held it again, interlocking our fingers under the table. his cheeks went a shade of pink. and i beamed at him. his hand got less tense as i rubbed my thumb along the back of his cold hand. his fingers relaxed slowly but surely and i felt content with the fact he was holding my hand back this time.
...
"bye mr. hussian!" i said giving him a hug. he patted my head lightly as i pulled away from the hug.
"make sure you keep them grades up." he said sternly and i smiled at him.
"dont worry, i got it." i reassured him, "i should have a 4.2 by the end of the year."
he smiled proudly before mrs. aisha stood in front of him, ending our conversation as she began speaking to me, "you are so beautiful." she pulled me into a hug and squeezed me very tightly.
"thank you." i mumbled with the last breath i had inhaled into my lungs. she released me and i gave her a smile. she smiled back and walked over to my mom who was standing by the door.
i glanced at zayne, blushing slighting noticing he was already looking at me. i smiled at him and he looked mentally drained for a long moment before it washed away when he sent me a small smile.
"see you on monday." i said waving my hand at him. his smile widened slightly.
"yea," he said quietly. his tongue brushed against his bottom lip, "ill see you."
he turned away from me and followed him mom out the door, after my parents hugged him goodbye. i watched him step out the house and walk down my stairs of my porch. his hands in his pockets again. i could jus tell his music was loud again. he walked up the driveway to his parents parked car. he pulled on the handle and sat in the seat and shut the door. his head resting on the back of the front passenger seat. i smiled waving at the car as it circled out cul de sac and drove off.
...
my blankets engulfed me in their warmth as i snuggled my body towards the wall where my bed was pressed against. my cheek pressed against the pillow; my eyes shut. my mind couldnt and wouldnt get zayne out of my brain.
"i wonder if he enojoyed today as much as i did," i thought to myself, "did he feel the same things i felt today? was he even interested in anything about me? did he like me like i liked him? why was he so hard to read. why did he doubt himself so often? "
question after questions began filling my head. answers upon answers were being assumed and it was beginning to drive me crazy. thoughts of a terrible mental health crossed my mind, being insecure, having no relationship with his parents. comparing my situation to his to see if i could properly guess the reason for his lack of interest. thinking like this proved that i was beginning to have REAL actual feelings for zayne ali.
...
authors note: im watching the dark knight again.
