LUCENT

45

TAYYIB

I studied Ahmad as he arranged the files on my desk. Something about his demeanour had changed. He was avoiding eye contact with me and keeping a safe distance. It was as if he was hiding something. But he hadn't messed up any task I had given him today, so where could the problem lie?

I continued studying him intently, and eventually, he looked up. He looked away as soon as we made eye contact and gulped. I tapped my finger on the desk and tilted my head. Something was going on, and I would find out.

"Why are you walking on eggshells? Scared? Nervous?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No sir," he answered.

"Really? Yet you can't make eye contact with me?" I question. He stayed silent, and I clucked my tongue. "Would you like to confess first or apologise?" I ask, and he whips his head up. "I've given you the choice, don't waste my time."

He stares at me and then lowers his head. "Sir, I would really like to keep my job. I did not do it with the intent to offend you. It was an act of desperation. I'm sorry, sir, it has happened for the first and the last time," he says, and I raise a brow.

I couldn't care less about whatever he is apologising for since I haven't noticed it affecting my work. "I've heard. You may leave," I say.

He looks up with a stunned and confused expression. "Thank you, sir," he says, then turns to leave. He walks over to the door and then stops. Slowly, he turns back around and breathes deeply. "Sir, I hope my actions did not affect your home life. Nadira only came because I insisted," he adds, and realisation sets in.

My fists ball at their own will, and I rise from the chair. "What did you just say?"

NADIRA

I glared at Amna and Laila, feeling irritated by their presence as they guffawed. They both had tears in their eyes as they slid off the couch. "Wrap it up. It isn't funny," I say. They pause for a brief moment, then burst into another fit.

Laila, who's still laughing, grabs my thigh. "Nadira." Laughs. "You're so-" Laughs. She lets go of my thigh, giving up on making her statement, and laughs even harder.

Amna takes a deep breath and wipes her tears. "I cannot believe you are this dumb," she says over Laila's laughter.

"I didn't think he would come home before me," I defend myself.

Laila, who has finally stopped laughing, gets up from the floor and plops beside me. "That was not your mistake. Your mistake was going in the first place. You should have handled it over text," she states, and I roll my eyes.

"I've been asking him to tell me whatever he wanted to say over text, but he insisted on meeting in person for the past three weeks," I reply.

They gape at me and Amna facepalms. "So not only did you meet up with him, you've been texting? Nah, you're finished," she says.

"He doesn't know, and there's no way he'll find out unless Ahmad blabs," I tell them.

"This Ahmad, how smart would you say he is?" Amna asks.

"He's not that bright, but I'd say he's average," I reply.

"Well, you better pray he's good at playing cool," Laila says.