Tale In The Red Sand

Chapter Nineteen

The beckoning words that passed through his rose-pink lips replayed dreamily in Hibaaq's head like a broken cassette with an enticing beginning and no end. She didn't mind the slightest either way, sitting in her place on one of the stretching dining tables, her cheek rested in her palm as the joyous people around her remained drowned out to her regard.

"Mia Cara."  She quietly tested on her tongue, though vaguely understanding what it meant, she knew it was nothing more than an endearment of some sort. She knew 'Bella' meant beautiful because she would always blush helplessly at her given nickname. This time it was a little different, it bundled her neves excitedly and made her stomach flip in a series of butterflies a thousand times more than it normally would. She let out a conflicted breath, her already warm face growing impossibly warmer as the words persisted in the forefront of her brain like dried paint. Hibaaq blamed it on the buzzing environment the hot food that decorated the tables and the hot weather outside despite the fans in operation at every corner of the spacious venue. Her conflict seemed aimless for it was all the doing of the man sitting diagonally across from her, his booming laughter and exultant speaking amusing everybody around him.

She was delighted, nonetheless, with the picture she was viewing, and how well Ercole fit in it. People had stopped throwing him glances full of wary and were now more inclined to speak with him with as much confidence as he radiated. He was like no other she had ever encountered, in simpler words, Ercole was something else. Hibaaq took note of that the very first day she met him.

As if sensing her blatant staring, Ercole peered up from his delicious plate of food and connected eyes with the honey brown of Hibaaq's. She didn't look away in shyness as she thought she would though, instead, she smiled and showed a thumbs up for an indication of how his time went. Ercole chuckled, his brilliant smile widening as he held up his thumb. The butterflies that lived in his own stomach burst at the thought of her watching him from afar all the while he probably acted like a fool. He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, his attention swiftly stolen away by a large brown hand slapping his broad shoulder, and once again, he was sucked into a conversation.

Hibaaq watched on, the pleasant feeling in her stomach only increasing as she did, though her observations had to come to an abrupt and unfortunate pause when an amused giggle sounded from beside her. She froze up, shoulders stiffening as she peered dumbfoundedly at her best friend.

Her kohl-lined eyes squinted slowly at Hibbaq.

'Oh Allah please let her not'- Her train of thought was cut short by the smile that gradually spread out onto Layla's face. A knowing smile, a smile that was so sure of everything, it caused Hibaaq to blush even harder. She worried her umber skin would not be able to hide the absolute heat of this fluster. She felt like a tomato much like the ones on the salad platters.

"Hm." Layla hummed, sipping her coke as she stared at Hibbaq past the foggy rim of her glass cup. Cold vapor from the ice surrounded the angular sides of her face like a misty cloud as she drank. "I knew it." She disclosed after swallowing the liquid down in one swift shot.

Hibbaaq eyed her with an act of unfamiliarity, taking a nervous sip of her own drink. "Knew what?"

"Oh come on Hibaaq, you know I know that you can't lie to save your own life and you know that I know what you know," Layla stated in one breath.

"Are you speaking in riddles"? Hibaaq questioned, slightly concerned.

Layla huffed annoyedly, though careful of nosy eyes and ears as she leaned in over to Hibaaq's seat and lowly whispered the inquiry that left Hibaaq befuddled and excited and curious all through restless evenings. "Do you fancy him"?

If one could blush any harder, for her veins seemed to have exploded from the immense pressure of blood that rushed to her cheeks like a summer torrent. Hibaaq gulped down a large lump in her throat as she shook her head.