Fatal Attraction.

5

Rashad's POV.

As I laid on her lap it was like all my problems disappeared slowly, like the strings attached to me were cut off and in that moment all I wished was to stay like this for as long as I can but I can't, she's not my wife.

I wish I could make her my wife. I don't care that it's just been two weeks since I got married, I'd marry her in a heartbeat.

Oddly, it's not that I'm particularly inlove with her, it's just I'd rather be here than be with Ruqayyah.

"Stay the night" Sameera suggests.
I shake my head "I can't"

She huffs "Why not?"
"She's still my wife and it's not safe for me to leave her all alone at home"

"Please stay" she pleads again.
I sit up "I told you that I can't do that"

She nods "You say that I'm more than just a side chick but why doesn't it feel like it?"
I stay quiet.

She wants reassurance and normally I would be open to give her that but—I hoped she asked for something different.

I get to my feet "I should get going, it's almost midnight.
She nods frowning "If that's what you want to do".

I sit next to her and put my arms around her shoulder "You know I would if I could but—at this point I'm even being threatened by my parents, if I do anything against their wish all my hard work will be in vain and I can't let that happen"

"They're your parents, they'll understand"
I shake my head "Not this issue, they wouldn't".

::

Ruqayyah called and told me to get a few things on my way home so now I'm in a bakery buying bread, something I didn't even do before and now my wife is sending me on errands.

How cute.
I mean it sarcastically.

"Can I have the one that tastes like cake?"
"Cake?"

I told her it would sound odd. Apparently, her sister bought her bread while she was coming over and she loved it a lot because it tasted like sponge cake. She doesn't know the name and now I have to go around saying cake bread.

"Yeah, she said it tastes like sponge cake"
She smiles "Your mother?"

"No, my wife"
She giggles "I think I understand the one you're talking about—the ones here are finished, I'll go get them inside" she rushes in.

"Rashad?"
I turn around and see Saif, he was a fellow course mate when I was in the university.

"Saif, long time so see"
He laughs "Since graduation"

I shake my head "No, our last paper. You never showed up for graduation"
He nods "That's true".

"So, how have you been doing?"
"I'm okay, I can see you're now the one running your mum's errands"

I laugh "No, it's my wife"
He laughs "Wow, but that's nice, anyway I should go back before mine starts hassling me. It's her birthday, come say hi".

"Of course"

I went and of course introduced myself to his wife, talked for a bit, exchanged contacts, collected my bread and left.

::

"That's nice. Did you catch up?" Ruqayyah asks.

I shake my head "Nope, I was afraid you'd get angry if your bread gets cold"
She chuckles "Seriously? You should have, I'm not eating it this night anyway and we have a microwave, remember?"

I say nothing as I continued working on my laptop.
"So? I think you should invite him over"

I just stared at her.
"Come on, you two were very close when you were in school and seeing each other after so many years you should catch up"

I shake my head "I'm too busy to meet up"
"You know you can do it at home, right? Maybe for lunch or dinner? Anyone you choose" she suggests.

It didn't seem like a bad idea, at all.
"You're down with doing the cooking?"
She nods "I cook anyway, it's not like we need to hire people for an extra plate"

I roll my eyes at her sarcasm.
"Ah, I just remembered—Haidar brought some documents for you"

Ruqayyah's POV.

I hand it to him.
He opens the envelope and brings out some papers.

"He said I should make sure I give it to you today" I turn to look at him, he looked pissed.

"What's wrong?"
"Why are you giving this to me?!"

"He asked me to, he said you've been asking for them"
He hisses as he tore them up "What's the whole point now anyway! Just get out!"

"If you're angry lash out on Haidar not on me. He's the one who brought it"
He stands, towering over me "Stop pissing me off, Ruqayyah. Can't I spend a day in my home without arguing with you?"

"I should be asking you that, I'm sick and tired of you always blaming everything on me, I'm so tired"
"Then leave"

I smile "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
He looked even more pissed "So you're doing all this intentionally, aren't you?"

I take a deep breath "I'm sure you can clean that up yourself" I say looking at the floor littered with pieces of papers.

I smile and walk out.

::

Zoya and I decided to hang out.
I think both she and I are avoiding going home.

Because instead of meeting in my house or hers, we're meeting at a mutual friend's place.
Zarah.

She got married a few months after Zoya, I made her dress as well so since then the three of us became quite close.

I huff when I lie down on her bed.
I haven't felt this at peace since I got married.
I just wish Rashad would travel.

Yes I want to be with him, I want to love him and for him to love me but I think what he needs is time away. For reality to set in, for him to realize we're married and there's nothing he can do about it.

I love him, so much and I'd do anything for him. I wish he'd understand this, realize that I only want what's best for him but unfortunately for me my husband can be quite stubborn. He's probably the most stubborn person I've met and I've met alot of them.

Zoya falls on the bed next to me and releases a heavy sigh.
"It seems like something is going on with you both" Zarah says standing, staring at us.

"I'm not too sure" I say.
"Might be" Zoya says.

Zarah scoffs "Well—maybe it's because I'm not wearing my glasses, maybe that's why you two look a bit too relived to be here and on that bed"

I nod "Maybe the ride here was hectic"
Zoya nods agreeing with me.

Zarah rolls her eyes "What's going on with you two—especially you Ruqayyah, you've only been married a few weeks and you're already looking fed up"

This got Zoya's attention, it made her sit up abruptly giving me a questionable look "Did my brother do something to you? You know I can report him"

I chuckle "There's no need, everything has just been stressful"
"If not Rashad I don't see anything being stressful, your business is growing day by day and everything else seems fine so—what else could it be?"

I sit up "Can we just hang out today? No marriage conversations or problems? Just three friends hanging out?"

Zarah nods "Yeah, I definitely need something that would keep my mind off the fact that I haven't seen my husband in three months, I shouldn't have married a soldier" she complains.

Zoya nods "Yeah, we should clear our minds today"
"Exactly"

::