accidental pick-up

04

Z

I was sipping my drink when Tara suddenly stopped talking. I look at her and she's looking somewhere else. I  turned my head to see what got her attention, what made her stop mid-sentence. It's not a 'what'. It's a 'who' , that got her attention.

Hiroshi Ibrahim.
How do I know him? The woman sitting in front of me is mad for him.  Follows his every social. Is up to date on literally everything he does. What he wears. Where he goes. Vacations. Walks. Exercise. What he eats. She made it her everyday ritual. But is too proud to admit it.

I clear my throat and she gives me her attention. "Chalein?"  Let's go?  She shakes her head.

"He's here, Zainab!" She whisper shouts pretending to drink from her straw but she pokes that into her nose instead. I squint my eyes. But she doesn't seem to care. "So? You see him everyday." I say. "All the time" I whisper. She throws a glare my way and i chuckle. "Fine" she reluctantly stands up like a kid being told he can't get his toy. I shake my head.

We were about to open the door and walk out when a voice stopped us.

"Tara?"

I have never seen her respond so quickly. She turns around and......just stares. I mean.., she should say something. He's waiting for her to say something but she's lost.

"Yeah?" I speak for her. Knowing that I wont hear the end of this for at least the next two weeks.

He looks my way and puts his hand forward. We both look at it. It's our special cookies. I glance at the old lady. She's smiling. I wave at her and take the box from his hand. "Thanks"
I say bagging it. "No worries" he says, winks at Tara and walks away to his group.

I too was too stunned to understand what just happened. "Did that just happen?" I ask her in a low voice. "Umm hmm" she replies. I pull her hand knowing she'd stand here and watch him eat like a stalker if I don't say anything.

"You know? Why not throw him a paper? Old fashioned little note in his locker? A little note to some little kid to give it to him while you stay away? Anything. Babe, I understand you like him, but your stalker tendencies are beginning to grow too much to be comfortable " I say as I'm walking hand in hand with her.

She stops walking. That makes me look at her. "I really like him, Zain." She says in a small voice. Oh. Haven't heard her calling me that in a while now. That means this is serious. I take her palm in my hands, "I know. I see you." But she is not satisfied. "All the 'stalking' I do, I don't want to. But I can't just breathe not knowing where he is and what he's doing. Who he's with "

That gets my attention. "You're scared someone might take him" she nods. We stop walking and sit on a nearby bench. "He doesn't even know I exist. And yet, I know his every detail. Just the thought that he might belong to someone else kills me everytime, Zain"

I put her head on my shoulder and clutch her hands. "This is the last year we stay here, Tara. Two more semesters and..were out. Gone. God knows where. So I tell you, take a chance. Talk to him. Wrote to him. Let him know. You're the sweetest person I know. He'd be lucky to have you by his side. And if he can't see that, I'm sorry but that boy is a blind fool" that gets a laugh out of her.

She sits up straight. Wiping her tears she asks "what do I do?" I smile. "let's go back. I think i have something that might help you". We walk all the way to our apartment munching on cookies.