I'll Hold On

CHAPTER 36

'You drink coffee with two straws?' Lutfi asks Nahid as he was sipping coffee, 'No. Actually, this is Afina's coffee. She was drinking it and I just took it by adding another straw.' Nahid explains. Lutfi nods his head as intimidating as possible, 'If you wanted coffee, you could have ordered one for yourself?' Lutfi asks with a raised eyebrow, 'Nahid doesn't drink too much coffee. So, it's a waste even if he ordered one. He would take a few sips to satisfy his caffine craving and leave.' Afina butts in to explain, 'but you were drinking it.' Lutfi says, 'It's okay, I ordered another for myself.' Afina informs him.

'It's okay, It's okay...' Lutfi kept repeating it and turned to his friend, '...It's okay, she says, so It's okay.' But Aahil was busy glaring at someone else, '....it was a massive hit, you know.' Omar was speaking to Rayna, 'Damn, I missed it.' Rayna said making a pout, 'Missed what?' Aahil enquires and Rayna finally turns to look at her husband, 'Oh, Omar was actually in his college cricket team. During his final match I had my final exams so I was not able to attend it....' Rayna began, '.....and Rayna is a huge cricket fan and she was super disappointed that she missed it. So, I was just telling her how it was the best match in my cricket career.' Omar ended, giving Rayna a teasing look which earned him a pout from Rayna and deadpan glare from Aahil.

Is he the one who said "I love you" to Rayna which caused her to giggle. Why did she giggle? Who the heck does he think he is confessing to a married woman?! And that to my woman!!!

'...Aahil, Aahil!' Aahil jolts out of his thoughts and looks at Rayna who was giving him a concerned look, 'Yeah?' He asked, 'Are you okay?' She asked, 'Yeah, why?' Aahil's features softened, 'You crushed the plastic bottle.' Rayna pointed out and Aahil looked at his hand to see he had actually crushed the bottle and water was seeping out of it onto his hand. He left the bottle shook his hand to shake the water off. He looked back to see everyone looking at him. He didn't know what to reply. Just then, the waiter came by with their orders, 'I'm sorry but would you all like to move to a bigger table?'

The waiter was right. Rayna and Afina were seated on small table fit for two people but later Omar and Nahid had joined them and when Aahil and Lufti dropped by out nowhere, they too grabbed two near by chairs and settled. Currently, six people were hurdled around a tiny table, 'I think he's right.' Afina said, 'Let's shift, if you two are planning to stay. You sure you don't have work to attend to?' Rayna asked the two always busy bussiness men. Aahil and Lutfi looked at eachother and then at the male company their partners were very comfortable with and said in unison, 'Let's shift.' So, they all shifted to a much more bigger and comfortable table for six.

'Hey! Why did you also order a coffee?' Afina asked Nahid annoyed, 'Because I thought you would want yours back, so I did.' Nahid said, 'When have you ever returned back my coffee after hijacking it. Now, you'll drink half of it and make me drink the rest.' Afina said annoyed, 'True, you still know me so well.' Afina was about to speak when, 'It's okay, I will drink the rest.' Lutfi says. Afina blinks a few times before saying, 'But you don't like sweet stuff and, he has ordered a caramel lattè.' Lutfi glances at the sweet drink and back at Afina, 'I'll give it a try.' 'It's okay, dude. Afina is used to drinking my leftover coffees. Whenever we met out in a cafè, she'd always yell at me but end up drinking it.' Nahid jokes, 'But not this time, I will drink it.' Lutfi says sternly, 'Suit yourself.' Nahid says and starts sipping.

'A blueberry cheesecake!' Rayna says excited. Omar chuckles at her reply, 'Still love it, I see.' 'Of course, I do. Give me some.' Rayna picks up a fork and moves forward to dig in when Omar moves it away, 'Hey!' Rayna exclaims, 'What do I get in return?' Omar asks mischievously, 'My fist.' They hear someone say and they look at Aahil, 'What?' Omar asks. Aahil looks in between Rayna and Omar, back and forth before letting out a awkward laugh and said, 'My fritters, I said fritters.' 'But you didn't order any fritters, Aahil.' Rayna points out. Aahil blinks a few times before saying, 'Oh shoot! I thought I ordered fritters. My bad.' Aahil gives a nervous laugh as the go back to the cheesecake.

'How about we share our desserts? You give me the cheesecake and I'll give you my crepe cake. What say?' Rayna negotiates, 'Fair enough.' As they dig into the cheesecake together. Aahil leans back on his chair as he sees his wife sharing a cheesecake with someone else, 'I am this close to killing him.' Aahil hears Lutfi say beside him as he leans back aswell, 'I'll just bury him alive.' Aahil says back, 'Lutfi, here dude. I'm done with the coffee.' Nahid passes the coffee to Lutfi and Lutfi picked up the cup like he was picking a dirty sock of the streets.

Lutfi stared at the liquid inside with an unexplainable expression, 'You don't have to if you don't want to. I can drink it.' Afina tells him, concerned, 'No, I'll drink it later.' Lutfi said and placed the cup back down and smiled a straight line smile at Afina, 'Hey, Afina. Remember the time Rayna was crushing over that cheesecake guy just because he gave her an extra slice for free.' Omar said to Afina and she looked away from Lutfi to Omar and chuckled, 'Of course, I do.'

'Oh please! She is the reason why I despise cheesecakes. She would drag us there everyday, just to see that guy for a month! A month!!' Nahid said, accusing Rayna, 'Who asked you to order cheesecakes? That place had more items other than cheesecakes!' Rayna retorted and Nahid went into thinking, 'True.' 'Damn, she was devastated when she found out he was 11 years elder than her and married with a kid. Her face was priceless.' Omar said and began laughing and Nahid joined in, 'Yeah, girl. I still don't get how you fell for an uncle.' 'He didn't look his age. No one would tell he is that many.' Rayna defended herself, 'Agreed. He surely didn't look his age.' Afina supported.

'Yeah, yeah. You two always come into support eachother.' Nahid said, 'and so do you.' Afina said making faces at him, 'Leave, leave, leave, just leave.' Lutfi was chanting this looking at Nahid and sitting beside Aahil, 'Shut up!' And Aahil was getting annoyed, 'Then ask them to leave. I can't take this any longer, I am this close to flipping.' Lutfi seethes in Aahil ear, 'Don't worry, they'll leave soon.' Aahil replies, staring at Omar who was sharing the crepe cake with Rayna now, 'What do you mean?' Lutfi asked, 'Watch. 3, 2,1.' As Aahil had ended the count down, Nahid and Omar's mobile buzzed. They took them out and looked at eachother and then at the girls.

'Really sorry, but we need to leave immediately. Our leave was just cancelled and they want us back at work.' Omar said, 'Yeah, me too.' Nahid said as they got up, 'but let's meet again next time.' Nahid said as they bid goodbye. Lutfi and Aahil smirked as they left, 'That was sudden. I hope nothing happened at their company.' Rayna said, concerned, 'Yeah, I hope so too.' Afina said, 'You never know.' Aahil said as he sat straight and took a bite of the crepe cake, 'This is really good.' Lutfi also picked up the cup of coffee and drank, 'You are really drinking it?' Afina asked him, 'Yeah, In mood for something sweet.' He replied.

The two friends glanced at eachother and smirked, 'How about a double date?' Lutfi suggested, 'What?' Afina asked, 'I mean, coincidentally, we four met and are at a mall. Let's spend it as a double date.' Lutfi looks at Aahil and he smiles looking at Rayna, 'I don't mind.' 'Great, then. Let's go look around.' Lutfi and Aahil get up as the girls stare at eachother still confused at the turn of events.

Let's enjoy the evening.