The Addiction of Love

II

Moiz checked his watch yet again and sighed in frustration. It was fifteen minutes past five and the girl had still not come. After forcefully calling him to the cafe, she was herself late.

When she had left him in the canteen, he had decided that he'd not go to meet her. But half an hour before five, he had a change of heart. His mother had always taught him to respect women, and he didn't want to stand her up, even if she was nothing but a troublemaker and irritated him to no end. But coming to meet her didn't mean he had given into her stubbornness. He was just there to tell her that he can't teach her and she couldn't force him otherwise.

At 5:22, finally Nausheen entered the small cafe and scanned the place to spot Moiz.

"Hey, I'm so sorry I'm late." She dropped her bag on the table and sat down. "Actually it is my roommate's fault. I was watching this really cute, romantic movie and I'd asked her to tell me when it is 4:30 so that I can get ready and meet you on time. But that girl lost track of time talking to her boyfriend, and when my eyes fell on the clock, it was already 5. Then I had to rush to get ready and come here." She ranted off in a single breath, as Moiz listened to her wondering how her throat was still intact with all the talking she did.

So before she could go on with her endless talks, he stopped her. "It is okay. I don't mind waiting." Lies. He hated waiting and he hated people who made him wait.

"That's so sweet." She smiled, yet again. "Let's order something before we start studying. Their grilled chicken sandwiches are to die for." She said while flipping the menu.

"Um, before that, I need to talk to you." He cleared his throat.

She looked at him expectantly. "Yes?"

Her stare made him nervous and he shifted on his seat. His mind of thinking the best possible words to use. "I.. I can't teach you."

She rolled her eyes. "Are you not done with this discussion already? You agreed to teach me during lunch."

"I did not." He immediately said, "You speak so fast and decided everything on your own and never gave me a chance to speak anything. I never agreed."

She heard him and slowly her expression turned sad. "You're right."

He saw her lower her eyes and play with her fingers, and suddenly he was at a loss of words. He wanted her to shut up so that he could speak, but now that she had finally gone quiet, he didn't like it. He didn't like that he made her sad.

He opened and closed his mouth a few times before finally apologizing again.

She shook her head. "Don't say sorry, it is not your fault. I understand that you don't want to teach me. I guess I'll just have to find another way to pass this subject." Her voice was not chirpy, it was low and stressed.

He knew that his job was done. He could easily get up and walk out of the cafe and get rid of the troublemaker girl who was everything he hated in a person. Talkative, notorious, unpunctual. But he didn't walk out of her leaving her sad, in fact he did the complete opposite of it. He opened his mouth and spoke, "Alright. I'll teach you and help you pass this semester."

Her eyes widened in happiness. "Really?" She said loudly enough to receive stares from other customers.

Moiz passed an apologetic and nervous smile to them before looking at her. "Yeah."

She beamed with joy. "I'll get us chicken sandwiches and then we'll start studying." With that, she rushed to the counter to place the order, leaving a speechless Moiz behind, again.

Wasn't that girl super upset less than a minute ago?

She came back with two plates of sandwich and chips on the side.

"One more thing," He said.

She was tearing a ketchup packet with her teeth. She kept it aside and asked, "Now what? I didn't force you this time. You said yes on your own will."

A smile threatened to leave his lips looking at her innocent face, but he controlled himself. "Not that." He adjusted his spectacles and said, "What is your name?"

Two seconds later, Nausheen's lips curled up as she stared at his slightly uncomfortable face. "Nausheen." She replied. "Nausheen Hashmi."

That name sent some tingles down his spine, but he ignored it. "My name is.."

"I know your name, Moiz." She cut him.

His face held surprise. "How do you know my name?"

"Let's just say, I'm a little more aware of the people around me than you are." She winked at him, making his eyes widen for a second before he looked down. He had always been a very introverted person, especially in front of the opposite sex. So it was quite clear that no girl had even pulled that stunt on him.

Nausheen saw him lower his eyes in shyness and mentally awed him.

Studying with him was going to be fun!

They finished their food with Nausheen speaking continuously, and then Moiz took out the textbook. He was shocked to know that she had absolutely no idea about the subject.

"What do you even do during the lectures?" He asked.

"Daydream, or sleep, or bunk. But mostly I'm too busy trying to think of ideas to irritate Murthy Sir." She shrugged.

He shook his head at her before starting to explain the basics.

About an hour and half later, she begged him to stop saying that if she heard the words oligopoly and monopoly one more time, she might just go crazy. He rolled his eyes at her exaggeration but nonetheless shut the book.

From the cafe, they walked back towards their university campus, since both of them lived in the university hostel. On the way, she informed him that her family consisted of four members, her ammi-abbu and a younger brother, Zubaid. And they all lived in Bhopal. She also asked him about his family, and he told her about his parents, his elder brother, Ashar and twin sister, Mahira.

"I'll see you tomorrow in class?" She asked as they stood in front of the girls hostel.

He nodded. She gave him another one of her smiles. "Goodnight."

As he walked towards the boys hostel after dropping her, he realized that this tutoring thing won't be as bad as he had first thought it'd be.

And as much as it surprised him, he was looking forward to seeing her tomorrow.

"Nausheen," He whispered to himself and smiled at the way her name made him feel. "Nausheen."

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

Moiz! *sigh*

He might be my most loved male protagonist I've ever written. ♥