shattered souls By Afsheen k.

Dinner and date

Irha

We finally arrived at our destination—still a mystery to me since Zayyan refused to spill the details. As I stepped out of the car, he held the door open like a gentleman. My eyes locked onto the colossal tower before me, glowing with a golden aura that seemed to defy the night itself. It was breathtaking, a modern-day palace rising into the stars.

"So, this is the big surprise?" I asked, my voice tinged with curiosity.

"Not quite," he replied with a sly smile. "For that, we need to take the elevator."

My heart skipped a beat. "Which floor?"

"The very top," he said, his eyes glinting with excitement.

I stared up at the towering structure, feeling like a mouse before a mountain. "Maybe we should take the stairs instead?"

He turned to me, bemused. "Fifty-five floors, and you want to take the stairs? Seriously?"

I tried to laugh it off. "It's just... I prefer the exercise."

"Or is it that you're scared of the elevator?" he teased, his laugh echoing lightly in the night air.

"No! I'm not scared, you idiot. Fine, we'll take the elevator," I huffed, marching toward the entrance, trying to suppress the rising dread.

"As you wish," he chuckled softly, clearly amused.

As the elevator began its ascent, each floor felt like an eternity. By the time we hit the fourth floor, my breathing was shallow, my head starting to spin.

"Hey, look at me," Zayyan said, his voice grounding me as he gently tugged at my sleeve. I forced myself to meet his gaze, his eyes a steady anchor in the chaos of my mind. "Deep breaths. Don’t think about it. Just focus on me and breathe."

I did as he instructed, his fingers never leaving my sleeve, offering silent comfort until we reached the top. The elevator doors slid open, and I bolted out, clutching my chest as Zayyan's laughter filled the air behind me.

"You're definitely scared of elevators. Claustrophobic much?" he grinned.

"I’m not claustrophobic!" I snapped, my voice betraying my embarrassment. "And what’s so funny, anyway?"

"You're adorable when you're angry," he said, his tone softening, leaving me speechless and blushing.

"Come on, let’s go," he added, leading the way.

We walked through a grand lobby, devoid of people except for the staff. The atmosphere was almost surreal as we pushed open the double doors, and the view stole my breath away. The city sprawled beneath us like a sea of diamonds, each light a tiny beacon in the night. And the moon—it was right there, enormous and glowing, a perfect full moon that seemed close enough to touch. It was the most mesmerizing thing I’d ever seen—except for Zayyan, who still topped my list.

"Do you like it?" he asked, his voice pulling me out of my reverie.

"I love it. And you?" I replied, turning to find him standing close behind me, his eyes fixed on me with an intensity that made my heart race.

"The most beautiful sight I've ever seen," he murmured, his gaze never wavering.

Suddenly, the world around us melted away. He was like the moon—captivating, impossible to look away from. But unlike the moon, I wanted to keep him close forever, to lose myself in his presence without ever blinking.

"Mr. Muniz, your table is ready," a waitress interrupted, her voice cutting through the moment. I noticed her lingering stare at Zayyan, and for a brief second, I felt an irrational surge of jealousy.

"Zayyan, isn’t it strange that this place is empty? Do people not come here often?" I asked, trying to ignore the waitress.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I booked the entire restaurant."

"You what?!" I gasped, lowering my voice to a harsh whisper. "Are you crazy? That must’ve cost a fortune!"

He simply smiled as he pulled out a chair for me. "I’d spend ten times that for you. More, if it made you smile."

I stared at him in disbelief. "I'm not the Queen of England! I don’t need this much privacy, Zayyan!"

He chuckled. "You started this by refusing the money for the dress. Now, sit down and enjoy the night."

"Oh my God," I sighed dramatically, grabbing the menu and pretending to scan it, even though I had no clue what any of it meant.

Zayyan smirked as he did the same. When the waitress returned to take our order, his eyes never left mine, as if I were the only thing in the world that mattered.

"Anything else, sir?" she asked, leaning in a bit too close for comfort.

My blood simmered at her audacity.

"No, that's all. And you’re dismissed," Zayyan said, his voice cold and dismissive. The color drained from her face as she hurried away, tail between her legs. It was satisfying, to say the least.

We spent the rest of the evening talking, laughing, and enjoying our food. At one point, Zayyan even snapped some photos of me with the moon as my backdrop, each one capturing a moment of pure magic. I managed to convince him to take a picture with me too, though he pretended to be annoyed about it.

Our conversation turned to my love for novels, which he found amusingly pointless. "Romcoms teach you nothing," he argued. "Psychological books are far more insightful."

"If only you knew," I shot back with a grin. "Okay then, Mr. Muniz. One day, we’ll go to a garden, have a small picnic, and you’ll read a romance novel while I dive into psychology. Deal?"

"Are you planning our second date already, Ms. Ali?" he smirked, clearly enjoying this little challenge.

"More like setting a challenge, Mr. Muniz," I replied, meeting his gaze with equal intensity.

He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a low, inviting tone. "It's a date then."