Embraced (#2 Natives series) #ProjectNigeria

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

                  WHEN HE'D FIRST SPOTTED HER with the group of ladies as they scrambled out of the elevator, Munir had felt the unmistakable change in his heartbeat as it raced for no apparent reason. Or at least, he'd mused, seeing his sister's best friend shouldn't be enough of a reason to emit such a reaction from him.

He had just finished off his physical interview and was in talks with a few other interviewees as they suggested having lunch when he'd noticed her. At first he couldn't believe his eyes or the fact that he had been hoping to bump into her in the large city of Abuja only to actually end up being in the same hotel as she.

He had been contemplating on how to approach her or whether to approach her when she'd turned to listen to something one of her companions was saying, then she'd laughed and it had felt like time had slowed for a second only to speed back up again. And it was as if he was seeing her for the very first time. His heart had hammered again in his chest and before he knew it, he was excusing himself from the group he was with and walking over to her.

Even as he sat down next to her, he could still see that selfless and unrestrained joy in her dark eyes. He found himself stealing glances at her as the corners of her glossy lips rose in spelled compulsion and all he could think of was how he'd never truly noticed how beautiful she was. Maybe you just didn't want to notice it, a voice mocked in his head.

That taunting tone was enough to get him to divert his gaze before she caught him staring. However, the little voice was replaced with his sister's own. Her words echoed in the depths of his mind frantically, coercing until he was forced to analyze his feelings towards Fatiha. She was his sister's best friend and was practically family. He shouldn't see her as anything other than that; from being her bully to romantically wanting her? If that wasn't considered low, he didn't know what else would. Fatiha wouldn't even want him.

But he had to admit that he'd had a nice time chatting with her the night before. He had been excited. He had never had such a wonderful conversation in a long time. Much less one with Fatiha Hassan since most of their conversations resulted in full blown arguments.

He didn't want to seem like a hopeful fool just because they were now civil with each other, so he had foolishly said that he saw her as a sister. But when she'd mentioned how much she had dreamed of having a brother, he couldn't deny it hadn't hurt somehow. She'd made it clear she didn't see him in the same way he was slowly beginning to see her.

Recently he'd found himself wanting to hear her voice, wanting to see her even if it was only for a short while. He wondered what being with her 24/7 would be like. She wasn't one to talk much but she was always invested in sharing every piece of information she had once she liked something or experienced something new. But the strangest thing was that seeing her always put him at ease and made him smile.

"You're not growing an interest, are you, Mr Royal Architect?" Her teasing voice boomed out to him and he turned to look at her.

She was smiling at him, her eyes soft, her movements void of her usual nerves. He grinned in return as he said, "Maybe." But with you. I'm more interested in finding out the things that make you laugh.

He caught the thought hard at the reins as he turned away from her. Practically family, remember?

She scoffed out a laugh. "Really?"

He nodded without looking her way. "They all seem like interesting people." He said, darting a quick look towards the group of hijabis at the counter before looking back at her. "I'm having fun."

Fatiha sighed wistfully as she placed her left hand on the table then cupped her chin in it. "Me too. I'm having way more fun than I thought I would." She confessed. "I should take a picture."