HUSNA

Chapter 28

"The successful pilots succeeded because they did not open fire until they were close to the target." – Douglas Bader

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One Year Later...
LIMASSOL DISTRICT, CYPRUS
As the fiery red sun broke through the white clouds, a warm glow spread across the landscape. The morning mist gradually lifted, revealing a serene scene. A blanket flew through the air as he frantically got out of bed, reaching for his MacBook. The alarm blared on the table next to his bed. He barely woke up in time for the daily stand up. He quickly switched off the alarm, booted up his MacBook, and then stood up to brush his teeth. Every second counted.

Gone were the days when he'd wake up at 7:30, complete his morning routine, exercise, have breakfast, and be ready for work. Nowadays, waking up at 10 had become a chore.

As he scrolled through his phone, he landed on Instagram, browsing through stories and skipping some. His face lit up with a smile when he came across her story. A year had passed in the blink of an eye, and he was thrilled to have finally gained her complete trust.

Their bond is special, and he loved her with passion. his only concern was that she still saw him as just a friend. It has been a year since they last met in person, but they remained inseparable over the phone. With each passing day, his feelings for her grew stronger.

Despite his friends' and sister's encouragement to confess his emotions, he hesitated, fearing he might lose her. Just as he was lost in thought, his phone rang, displaying Faisal's name. Faisal had returned to Nigeria the previous week, while Hameed was stuck, unable to escape as his TC kept a close eye on him.

Their conversation flowed effortlessly, covering various topics. After nearly an hour, they exhausted all subjects and reluctantly ended the call. A big smile still adorned his face as he stood up and dialed her number. He was determined to escape again, this time to see her.

As he gazed out the window, the warm rays of sunlight touched his face, and he bit his lip. She answered the call on the third ring. "Assalamu alaikum," she mumbled, her voice laced with sleep.

Hameed's deep voice replied, "Wa'alaikumu salam. Morning. Asma bacci kikeyi?" (Are you sleeping?) he questioned, rubbing his beard.

"No," she replied, a hint of amusement in her voice.

Hameed chuckled, rubbing his beard. "Asma kin manta dani?" (You've forgotten me?)

She laughed, and Hameed could hear the smile in her voice.

"Kinyi shiru," (You're quiet) Bakomai, I'm used to it," I saw your pictures; Faiza posted them. You looked flawless. I bet you girls like fashion a lot."

"Every girl likes fashion...

"Oh, really? That's a new one for me. And why do girls like makeup?"

"I don't know; I'm not a fan.

But I've been curious can a makeup artist do their face?"

"Yes, sure."..

Hameed whistled. "Wow, that's some talent. I like that picture, seriously. It's beautiful.there's something about these pictures that 1 like."10/10."

"What's that?"...

He smiled. "The perfection."how's school and everything?"