𝑬𝒏𝒕𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒚

33.

"I would like to have a taste of it, Mrs Sofia Arsalan Abidi"

Something about him calling her name in that way gave rise to millions of butterflies in her stomach. It wasn't the first time he had taken her full name but this one was way different from the one on their wedding night. He hadn't squeezed their entwined hands the way he did it now, not even circled his thumb on the back of her hand, did not have the face that had this small smile playing on his lips, not those beautiful eyes that looked like a living ocean she so wanna drown in.

The way his eyes smiled at her was warming the way they said that he can trust her with the idea of them walking around the mall was doing something crazy to her heart. All this was overwhelming but she didn't want it to stop, not this nor the Arsalan she had spent her day with. She knows it's dangerous to even feel that way, enjoying his company, loving the way he smiles or laughs, his good taste with food, the care, the trust all this can be hazardous for her but she can't stop herself from wanting more.

"Shall we then?" She asked and her excited little smile made Arsalan nod his head even when he did not want to.

Sofia felt his poster go rigid next to her as soon as he entered the mall and saw the huge crowd busy doing whatever they were there for. His jaw clenched tight, eyes turned cold that might freeze anyone who dared to look his way. His throat bobs at the uneasiness he feels due to his surroundings.

"Arsalan" Sofia's soft voice pulls him out of his overthinking and when he sees her the tension in his entire body evaporates into the air just like that.

She looked like those bright stars that shine in the dark, beautiful and full of life. And at that moment he felt Sofia was that bright star in his darkness.

"I wanna win that cute teddy,'' she points towards a game station stall that has lined up teddys of different sizes and colours.

"You want me to win that for you?" He arched his eyebrows at her questionably.

'What are we playing cheesy husband and wife on vacation?' He frowns at the thought.

Sofia rolls her eyes at him "no, I am gonna play and you gonna watch" she walks towards the stall making Arsalan follow behind her. A person who orders around and makes people follow him has no complaints about following her everywhere she goes. A change he surprisingly doesn't mind having.

It's a game where you shoot through a gun at targets set in front of you and if you hit all targets in a go, you win a teddy. It's a childish thing and she knows it but making Arsalan distracted from his discomfort was her main motive so what if she has to act like a kid just for a day?

"Have you ever played this before?" Arsalan asks as he pays for the game to the owner and gets the gun from him.

"No" Sofia shakes her head and takes the gun from him.

"How are you gonna win then?"

"Just gonna try my luck" she shrugs and lifts the gun to point at the target.

She focuses on the small steel containers placed like a pyramid. She will have three chances to get the target and win the teddy. She was going beyond her cool just so she could distract him. Her good heart should be appreciated if only the man next to her would've known. She sighs but regains her focus on the target she set her shoulder and her aim and shoots only for it to miss by the sides.

"What?!"

Arsalan chuckles at her surprised expression.

She turns her head narrowing her eyes at him she said "did you just laugh at me?"

"Who me? No, I won't dare to" he moves his head left to right in a no while pressing his lips together to stop forming a smile.

Giving him a side look she nods "I have two more chances I can still win you know"