The Awakening

2.

My eyes blink as the sunrays penetrate through the glass of my window and threaten to destroy my sleep, how I wish the night was longer  and could last as long as I want. Alas, all wishes aren't granted. Seems like I have to get up. Sad life!

Just as I am about to wear my leather jacket to give my attire a final look, I realise I never went down yesterday evening to meet the driver. Ugh!!
Why do I have to forget things that are important and remember trivial details?

Cursing myself, I rush downstairs in hopes of seeing Papa's beaming face which I swear is my lucky charm. I dash towards the dining table only to find it empty and Suman Aunty setting the table. "Khala, where is Papa? And is that eggs I smell, thanks for cooking my favourite."  "Nikkhu, your Papa left early this morning telling me specifically to inform you your assigned driver shall escort you to your college today and also added he will come back soon. He asked to make sure his daughter is cheerful this bright morning and not sulking owing to his absence. Hence, the eggs" she smiles. Aww, Papa made sure I am taken care of. He always does. But I still miss you Papa. But let's do as he says. I finish breakfast and peck Khala's cheeks before going towards my car. She is the mother figure I never had. Mama is an emotional subject, one I don't wish to talk about this early in the  morning.

As I am strolling towards the garage, I spot a known figure. My eyebrows scrunch as my brain tries to interpret where I have seen this muscly guy before. And there it is, he looks like the Mr.Illegal we encountered yesterday but that can't be possible, can it?

Just as I am about to rebuke my brain to have remembered him which wasn't even essential, I see him turning around hearing my footsteps and bam. He takes my breath away with his coal black eyes piercing into my brown ones with an intensity that can only be imagined. I almost fail to gather myself before I reach the car from the trance that he has put me into. But this is Nikhat Jahan we are talking about. I believe I can deal with anything, a certain black-eyed Mr.Illegal is nothing.

So I put the infamous Nikhat poker face and eye him with judgement when he finally says, "Noaman Ahmed, your assigned driver for the forthcoming days Miss". So he has a name. Dear brain- upgrade name from Mr.Illegal to Noaman. His deep voice reverberates across the garage and has me thinking it is one of the deepest I have encountered. I nod my head and get in the backseat. If he was offended I didn't reply back with words, he didn't show it.

He sits behind the wheel and begins driving. I have nothing better to do so I scroll through my Insta and when I am bored I settle on scrutinising the boy before me. He has a sharp jawline   and a perfectly shaved beard which seems enough to be called panty-dropping. His eyes are the highlight and eyelashes long enough to make any girl jealous. Before I could notice more, I see us entering the college premises. I gather my bag preparing to get out. Just as he stops, he swivels his neck just enough that I can see his face without an eye contact and says, "I will be parked outside until you are done, just in case you need me I am around the corner."
I am confused as to why would he wait here until afternoon when he can make something productive out of that time but that's none of my business. Maybe he likes idling the time away. I simply nod and get out. All the while I can feel his gaze burning into my back and surprisingly it's not uncomfortable.

As break time arrives I decide I don't want to have canteen food so I call Uncle Sam to get the driver's number which I forgot to collect in the morning from his employment  papers.
I ring Noaman and he picks almost instantly which means he had my number saved. "Come, pick me up from the entrance" I command and before he could reply, I hang up. Rida and Anjum who is another friend tag along and the moment my car arrives, we hop in. I notice Anjum eyeing Noaman which makes me clench my jaw and I decide to engage her into a conversation to distract her. "Anjum, where do you think we should go?"  "The usual place Nicks, let's go to Biggie's Burger and grab one."
I nod and Noaman redirects the car towards the highway leading to Biggie's.

As we are getting down, Anjum asks Noaman to join us and I am quick in denying, " That's unnecessary, since when are drivers joining us for meals?" He smiles towards her and politely says "It's fine miss, I would prefer staying in the car" and gives her that charming smile I wish wasn't directed at her. It hurt but that's what you get for being a bitch girl. I shrug it off and get in for my burger treat.

As we settle in a spacious table for three, I can see Noaman from this angle and catch him giving me a cold look. Oops, looks like Mr.Illegal is offended! Let's rile him up more, shall we?

I don't pay any attention to my friends discussing politics as I keep watching him while enjoying my burger. As we are finished, I decide to buy one take-away burger and ask Rida to give it to him. " Don't tell him I bought it Ridu" I say and she just shakes her head at my stubbornness.

As we are climing into the car I see Anjum trying to get into the front passenger seat, so I slightly rush and settle there myself. No idea why I did that but I just don't want him to notice her. She frowns slightly and gets into the backseat. Just as I am buckling Rida passes the burger to him and says she got it for him. He was reluctant at first but took it anyway on insisting. He thanks her politely and Rida winks at me. I just pretend I didn't hear the exchange.

I am tired so I just decide to drop them at college and go home myself.
" Drive back home, I am not attending anymore classes " I tell him without lifting my head from my phone. Once they get out, he seems enraged with something and before I could ask him, he bursts at me saying " Listen here you spoilt brat, I am not your maid that you can order about. I report only to Mr.Patel who is my sole employer and I am following my schedule which is to pick you up when the college finishes so you better get going" I am shocked would be an understatement!! Nobody, I repeat nobody has ever spoken to me in that tone. Tears threatened to spill out of my eyes. Before I could lose my calm completely, " Who do you think you are to shout at me like that? You are just a bloody driver. All you poor people know is to idle their time away and behave as if they own the world if you by chance land a job as ludicrous as this." I shout and get out of the car banging the door I rush towards the ladies restroom.

Once I reach there, I can't stop the tears, I so badly wish Mama was here. I'll see to it that he is fired by the end of the day.

Just as college finishes, I ask Rida to drop me home from the back of the college because I don't want to face that  moron. I don't care about him not finding me. Once I get home, I decide to freshen up before calling dad.
I come out half an hour later and before I can take my cell, it starts blaring with a special ringtone reserved for Papa and I am worried knowing that he won't call me during working hours unless it's an emergency. I pick up hesitantly and can hear his worried voice, " Nikkhu, where are you beta? Tell me you are safe. Nothing happened to you right?" He sounds beyond worried ,almost desperate. That makes me feel guilty,  " Yes, Papa! I am completely fine. Infact I am in the mansion right now. I just came back from college."

"Why would you ditch the driver, Nikhat?" He called me by my full name which means this is serious.

"I am sorry to have worried you Papa, I got into an argument with him. So I didn't want to ride with him. Papa please fire him, he isn't suitable for the post. Please!" I plead.

"Stop being a kid Nikkhu, he has been appointed after several tests. I trust him with your safety. Don't annoy him and  for god's sake don't ditch him again. I need to get going. Talk to you later." He hung up on me. I am so hurt right now. Papa never spoke to me like that. All because of whom? A driver? What has life come to? I hate you so much Noaman Ahmed. I hate you!!!!

I was sulking as I walk downstairs and I see Noaman rushing into the house looking for something and when he finally spots me, he heaves a sigh of relief. Suddenly, his eyes become dark with anger, "Why would you get out without informing me? I had to call Mr.Sumit to locate you and had your father worried for nothing. Can't you stop being a spoilt princess for once?" Before he could continue, I run out of the hall and go into worker quarters. When I see Khala, I hug her and just sleep in her lap. She runs her hand through my hair, "What happened, Nikkhu?" I just shake my head.

I couldn't care less about what he had to go through. Serves him right for being an A-hole. How dare he call me a spoilt princess. I am more broken than he could ever imagine. I hate him. And just like that sleep consumes me.