The Storm We Started

04| Summer bummer

Gulnaz wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. The summer was brutal, the sun burning on the skin and an ugly tan forming on her already light brown skin.

She gulped the water from her bottle, finishing it. She was the first one in the class right now. The electricity was out and the top she's wearing is most uncomfortable. She didn't know much about fabrics, but she knew that the one she's wearing is irritating her skin.

The meeting is in the afternoon. It has been a week since she joined. A week went by, and she did nothing for her knowledge for poetry or writing. Only spent time with the group and submitted her article.

She closed her eyes and fanned her face to keep herself cool. After what felt like million years, everyone came inside. Gulnaz was sitting at the last, where she sat the last time. The meeting didn't start yet so she kept herself busy by scrolling through twitter.

She felt a presence beside her. Someone sat beside her and was taking off their bag. She looked up to see shoaib.

He wasn't looking at her as he was doing something with his bag but gulnaz watched her. She felt a little better in this deadly heat of a summer.
And when he finally looked at her, he smiled.

He smiled.

And oh his smile can bring back the dead flowers.

Gulnaz smiled back, "Hey, how have you been?"

He nodded, "Great now,"

Shoaib looked at her face and the back to her hair as he frowned. He didn't say anything for few seconds. Gulnaz looked ahead instead of him, she felt conscious suddenly with his eyes looking at her.

And then he spoke, "Do you not feel uncomfortable with your hair open? I mean it's just...it's too hot in here."

Gulnaz looked at him. She was indeed uncomfortable. There's so much heat in here. She did wanted to tie her up.

"Oh yeah. I'm so used to have my hair open, I didn't realise."

She reached for her bag and searched for a rubber band. After few seconds of more searching she didn't found one. With a disappointment she put her bag down.

"You know what, I'm actually fine. It's not bothering me much." Gulnaz said as she tried to wipe the sweat off from the back of her neck, feeling suffocated now that the heat was becoming unbearable by each second.

She focused ahead when Professor Mahajan walked inside. He was getting ready with his books out and wearing his glasses.

Shoaib could see her discomfort. He wanted to say something. He opened his mouth two times to speak but didn't until he finally decided.

"I have a pencil."

Gulnaz looked at him in confusion to what to do with that information.

She raised her eyebrows, "I have a pen."

Shoaib chuckled lowly at her. Gulnaz noticed the dimples on his cheeks and smile lines with his eyes twinkling. A sudden thought crossed her mind to boop his dimple. Feeling stupid, she came back to reality.

"I mean, I can tie your hair with a pencil. If you want."

She was surprised by that, "really? God, that sounds so cool."

Shoaib grinned at her and picked out his pencil as he motioned her to turn around. Gulnaz turned around and she felt his hands grabbing her hair.

She felt his fingers slightly grazing her back of her neck. A shiver send down her spine and goosebumps all over her body despite the heat in the room.