TEMPORARY PLEASURE

CHAPTER 09: HARD TO GET

I swear sometimes women are responsible for their own misfortune. We do all sorts of crazy things from the slight whispers of the devil and then get all worked up.

I left Mustapha on read about three days ago and he hasn't sent another word to me. I began to think I was my own enemy and was condemning myself for doom.

Again, I found myself refreshing my dm every thirty minutes this time, waiting. He sent a follow up message after I ignored his message. I eventually dreamt that we met in reality and he was begging me to love him, to marry him.
I tried to hold on to the memory of that dream for as long as I could.

I was sitting on my desk at work waiting for a patient when my phone. I got excited and hoped it was him. "Oh wait, he doesn't even have my number," I said to myself and let out a deep cry.

"Whats up," I said as I answered Siyama's phone call.

"911," she said.

"Trust me I have my own emergency," I said as I let out a soft cry and placed my right palm on my forehead to massage the veins.

"Where are you?," Siyama asked.

"At work, why?"

"Today is Saturday," she asked seeming surprised.

"Yes Siyama, we save lives everyday. Sickeness and disease don't know weekends. I am on call," I said as I sighed in frustration.

"Okay, I wanted to invite you for dinner at my house, can you make it?," she asked.

"Honestly I don't know. I get off at 5pm and it's just 2pm and I am so exhausted. I have 3 more hours here, that's if one unfortunate trauma case doesn't come in to drag me longer," I said sounding more exhausted than I was.

I was more emotionally exhausted than I was physically.

"That's bad. My husband's friends are coming for dinner, I have two of my other friends coming and I really want you to be here, it will be a chance for you to meet someone may be, Aunty is worried about your single life," Siyama said sincerely.

I jumped out of my seat as she mentioned her husband's friends. Mustapha will probably be there, most probably. I knew I had to make it no matter what, I needed to see him, to talk to him, or at least get him to talk to me.

"I will try to make it, for the food, not for the guys," I said.

"Uhum, if it is food you can order and eat at home," Siyama said and smirked.

"You know me too well," I said and we both laughed hard. Siyama was like the sister I never had, she knew me too well and could read my every move and thought.

"They will be here by 8pm, please come before then," Siyama said and hung up.

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I got home at 6.30pm and quickly jumped in the shower. I had called my mother from work and informed her about the dinner at Siyama's, but she already knew because it was their massive elaborate plan to get me hocked up to one of Siyama's husband's friends.

I wore a black Abaya with white beaded pearls on the sleeves. The sleeves were styled broad at the edge and slim fitted from the elbow up.

I knew I wanted to make a grand entrance and was in no way going to be there before 8pm.

It was quarter past 8pm when I arrived at Siyama's. They were all already seated at the table when I arrived. Siyama and her husband sat close to each other, her other friends sat after Siyama and the other guys on the opposite side of the table close to Sa'eed and the only empty seat was at the edge of the table.

"Her royal majesty has arrived," Siyama joked as I entered the dinning room.

"Assalamualaikum everyone," I said with a smile.

We all exchanged pleasantries and I sat at the only available seat on the table.
I tried not to look, but I kept wondering if Mustapha was there and was probably looking at me.
"You are late," Sa'eed said and smiled.
"I was saving lives, my apologies," I said as I smiled back at him.

"This is Safiyya, my sister. This is Hafsa, Amina, you remember them from the wedding," Siyama said pointing at her friends.

I nodded and smiled at them.

"And these are Ahmad, Salis and Mustapha, my husband's bffs, you might remember them from the wedding as well,"Siyama said.

I froze when she confirmed that the person seated right next to me was actually Mustapha. He looked so much better in real life. His pictures honestly didn't do him any justice.

"Hello," I said to them and smiled.

They began to pass flasks to me so I could serve myself. I was too anxious and self aware to even pour in the right proportion of food unto my plate, and damn I was very hungry.

I ate so little as Mustapha's gaze kept falling on me. I could feel him stare and as much as I wanted to, I couldn't bring myself to stare back at him.

After dinner, Siyama called me to the bedroom to help her out.
I stood up to leave and could feel the guys staring at me.

"What are you doing?," Siyama asked immediately we entered the room.

"What?," I asked, having no idea what she was talking about.

"Those guys are trying to start conversations with you and you keep smiling and not replying," she said sounding angry.

"What guys?," I asked pretending to be Ignorant.

"Ahmad and Salis. My friends are here for the same reason, to meet guys, but obviously those guys are only interested in you I think,"

"Oh you think, you are not even sure," I said as I laughed.

"Come on Soph, lighten up a bit, and follow my lead okay. I will not let my Vulture friends steal the spotlight from you like they did at the wedding," Siyama said and dragged me out of the room.

"Sorry I was having a consultation with Safiyya," Siyama said as we got back to the sitting room.

Sa'eed was seated on the one seater, the two other ladies were seated on the two seater, and the three friends sat on the three seater.
Siyama went over to Sa'eed and sat close to him on the arms of the chair and rested half of her body on him.

"Let's play a game," Sa'eed said.

"You and your games, what game this time around," Salis said.

"Never have I ever," Sa'eed and Siyama said in unison and everyone laughed.

Siyama got up immediately and got an empty wine bottled and dropped it on the center table.

I smiled as I looked at the bottle, because in my heart, I knew I was about to get lucky and Siyama intentionally brought it up to put things in my favour with Sa'eed's friends.

I had my eyes on one of them, Mustapha, only I didn't understand why he hadn't said a word to me.