RIDE OF A LIFETIME [COMPLETED✅]

Chapter 18

Ziyad

Zahra somehow convinced us to move to the quiet side of the parking lot that had a few tables and chairs so we could all talk.

I didn't want to talk. I wanted to snap his neck. I clearly told him to stay away from her but he clearly doesn't listen so why talk again?

"Jamil has been meaning to talk to you but I told him not to, at least not with me there" Zahra begins.

Has been meaning to talk to her? Even after my warning?

"She's good!" I stated.

"It's okay" Hidaya looks at me reassuring with her eyes and I feel my self ease up a bit.

"I'm listening, what do you have to say?" She asks looking at both of them sitting opposite us.

"My fault was not listening to you Hidaya, not hearing you out and then ignoring your messages. Saying sorry won't make up for my mistakes but it's a start. I wronged you and I truly am sorry." Zahra reaches out to hold her hand.

"And you?" I ask looking at the sorry excuse of a man sitting opposite me.

"I was stupid Hidaya.." I cringe at the sound of her name coming from his mouth.

"I never thought keeping bad company would have an effect on me but it did...I didn't even realize it until after what I did to you. That is not me Hidaya I promise. I'm not like that, akwai sharrin shaydan but also nima da laifi na. That was why it was hard for Zahra to believe because she knows I've always been respectful to women." He pauses. "It dawned on me the day after Ziyad and I met at his boutique, his words really got to me and I sat down to think about it. I realized how wrong my actions were and I confessed what had happened between us to Zahra."

'Us' there is no 'us' when it comes to him and Hidaya. Heck I don't even want to mention her name in the same sentence with his.

"And Ziyad" he turns to me "I don't know the relationship between you and Hidaya but it's obvious that you care about her and that means I owe you too an apology. I'm really sorry."

I maintain the unimpressed look on my face, that was until he turned to Hidaya again.

"Hidaya I'm really sorry what I did. Not necessarily now, but I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me someday, for the chaos I caused between the two of you too." He says referring to her and Zahra.

I look at her beside me and she heaves a sigh massaging her temple with her fingers.

"It's okay Jamil, Allah ma muna mishi laifi ya yafe mana, if Allah can forgive millions of our sins who am i to not forgive a fellow Muslim brother?" She smiles.

She smiled at him. After all that had happened she not only forgave but smiled at him.

I didn't know when the corners of my mouth also lifted into a smile, but I was smiling at her. I was smiling at her kind heart, her kind sould, her forgiveness. I was smiling at her.

"Thank you so much." He says but my gaze was still fixed on her.

"Ziyad you too, thank you." He says and that was when my gaze turned to him. My smile fading a little.

"Like she said, it's okay." I say.

"Okay then, we're gonna give you some space." Zahra gets up pulling her brother with her "I'll wait for you in front of our class okay?" She tells Hidaya to which she nods in reply.

We get up too and she looks at me.

"You guys met?" She asks.

"Uh yeah, a few weeks back he came to the boutique with someone. I almost immediately recognized him so I...talked to him." I say.

I didn't talk to him, I warned him not to breathe near her again.

"Okay..." she trails off "...thank you" she gave a tight lipped smile.

"You're welcome...always" I say wholeheartedly.

"Why did you come back tho?" She asks and I look at her confused.

"Right now, you came back after dropping me, why?" She repeats.

"Oh you forgot your laptop, I think it somehow slipped." I say.

"Well...where is it?" She looks at my two empty hands.

"Good question...see I.." I try to recall. "...oh yeah, I saw your friend and her brother talking to you so i got out without the laptop." I say scratching the back of my head.

"You came to return something I forgot but forgot it too?" She says and bursts into fits of laughter.

The sound of her laugh erased every bit of anger I thought I had in me and somehow I found myself laughing too.

Together we walk to the car, I open the passenger seat door and take out the laptop handing it to her.

"Thank you" she takes it still giggling.

I rest my arm on the roof of the car smiling at her.

"Do you need anything else?" I look down at her small self, her height the same as the car.

"Im good don't worry." She flashes a smile hugging her laptop.

"Okay then, I'm gonna get going" I close the passenger door and make my way to the driver's side.

"Call me if you need anything okay? And please...take care" I say the last part internally referring to her friend's brother.

He has apologized I know but she still needed to stay on alert just in case.

"I will, you too" she smiles.

I get into the car and she stays there as I drive off and disappears from the from the rear view mirror.

I'm gonna do everything in my power to protect her from any pests. Whatever it takes.