LUCENT

11

TAYYIB

I emailed my team as I waited for Nadira in the car. I was dropping her off at the airport, and she was taking her sweet time coming out. I had gone in and greeted her parents, and the gatemen had put her boxes in the car over half an hour ago. I didn't mind though, as I busied myself with work. With the auction coming up, I was handling twice the work so that I could have time in the coming weeks.

As I read through an email, the door opened, and she got in. She turned and gave me a cheeky smile. "I'm sorry," she muttered. 

"I didn't mind," I replied, glancing back at my phone. 

"Really?" she asked, moving closer to peek at my phone. Our faces were so close that I could smell her mild perfume and feel her breath on my skin. I turned my face to hers, our noses brushing slightly. She held my gaze for a milli second before jumping back. 

I smirked at her stunned state as she cleared her throat. "You work even at the time?" she asks. 

"Yes. I have something to finish up as quickly as possible," I respond, starting the car. 

"May I know what it is?" she questions, her body perking up and curiosity swirling in her eyes.

I nod. "We're rebranding an old product because competition has increased, but its demand has lowered. Market research says this is due to consumers' dissatisfaction with the product quality. With competitors increasing, one company might produce a better product version that might create a surge in demand once more. So as part of the rebranding strategy, we must find a new supplier to raise the quality of our product."

She ponders this for a second before her face lights up, "So better product, more money?" she asks. 

Amusement fills me at her analogy. "If all goes well, then yes, more money will be the outcome," I answer. She makes an oh face and nods. 

"I've never been good with economics and business, and Baba always bothered me about it," she whined, pursing her lips. 

I hummed as she continued, "But I dropped both subjects and switched to sciences. My true calling." 

For someone as optimistic as she was, it was bizarre that she studied something science related. All the scientists I know operate based on facts and logic, not hope and what-ifs. 

"What did you study?" I ask. 

"Geophysics", she answers, and my eyes widen slightly. 

"You must be brilliant," I state. 

She flips her imaginary hair off her shoulders and tilts her head. "Of course! Couldn't you tell from the first day we met?" 

I exhale and glance at her, "Would you really like me to answer that?" 

"No!" she exclaims. "But what did you think of me?" she asks. 

I thought back to the first time we met and how insane I thought she was. No human would propose such a ridiculous plan to a stranger. 

"Are you gonna answer?" she probes, resting her head on the window. 

"I thought you were troubled."

"Rude!"

"I'm being honest, or would you prefer I fib?" 

"No."

She frowns, and I focus on the road for a while before asking my own question, "What about you? What was your first impression of me?"