Fruit of Passion

Responses

The moment Arsalan pulled out her ear plugs, Wania noticed Arsalan's expressions, his face was laced with concern and something else she couldn't recognize. A realization then drew on her that, even though she didn't expect him to come to her in this moment of vulnerability, she wanted him to come. The realization froze her in her place and all she could do was anticipate his next move. As Arsalan's hand wiped her tear away which had rolled down her face, she felt warmth seeping in to her but as his hand trailed behind her ear, she felt jolts of electricity running down her spine. She looked in to his hazel brown eyes which had turned the color of chocolate and she could see his desire through them which were not much unlike hers. She wondered if he could see her emotions through her eyes too.

Wania found her answer as she watched him slowly moving his head downwards and in that moment she knew that he was going to kiss her and that she was going to let him. As she closed her eyes, the world seemed to have come to a stand still and only Arsalan moved in excruciating slow motion as he drew near her and just as he was about a centimeter away from her lips, his breath already hovering on her face adding to the heady feeling, she heard someone call her name out from a close vicinity. 

Everything happened in a rapid blur then as she opened her eyes and saw Arsalan retreating and then found herself instinctively jumping down from the stool. She landed on Arsalan's foot and he winced in pain as she leaped backwards, offering a sheepish apology,

"I am sorry..."

"It's okay, not your fault." Arsalan didn't know whether he meant it for the jump on the foot or their reckless, hedonistic actions moments ago. Just then a person appeared on the entrance of the green house and both Wania and Arsalan looked at the intruder who was none other than Wania's father, Irfan Raza.

"Baba!" Wania came back to planet earth with a flash. She remembered that she had called her father, the Marketing head of Punjab division for this event as his presence is essential. She had taken a perfunctory permission from Fakhir Abbas too, he didn't looked thrilled about it yet he agreed. 

"Beta, some kid told me he saw you going in to the green house." Irfan explained his presence and then eyed Arsalan suspiciously and saw him scrawling at him.

"Sorry I am late!" Irfan delivered this tag line with not much sincerity and then continued, "My flight got delayed. Anyway, what are you doing here alone. Well not exactly alone but...."Irfan let his question hung in the air and waited for any of them to offer an answer. 

Arsalan, already annoyed for being interrupted, didn't give a shit about what Irfan Raza was thinking of the situation. He didn't owe him any explanation so he shrugged and said,

"We needed to discuss something about the upcoming promotional event and the music was too loud out there." Arsalan's tone was flat and his eyes were challenging, daring Irfan Raza to ask another question. Irfan Raza, however, wasn't a daring man so he accepted his explanation as is. 

"Baba! I need you to see the press briefing for today and then arrange a similar event for our orphanages in Lahore and Multan." Wania was saying, her business voice back and she seemed to have recovered from the stupor much to Arsalan's surprise because he still felt a little unsettled. Arsalan saw Irfan Raza nodding and then leaving the greenhouse and in an instant, Wania moved away from him following her father out. She was just about to exit when Arsalan called out,

"Are you okay?" suddenly remembering that this was what he came here for, to ensure she was okay.

Wania turned around and Arsalan saw a sincere smile on her face that warmed his heart as she answered,

"I am now."

     ****************************************************************************************