𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬

32

Arsalan POV:

I stare blankly at the coffee cup in front of me, its contents growing colder by the minute. My mind is elsewhere, consumed by thoughts of her—Airah. Her hair, a cascade of dark brown, frames a face that’s forever etched in my memory. But it’s her eyes that haunt me the most, those deep, enigmatic pools of amber that shimmer like the first light of dawn breaking through a forest canopy. They draw me in, rendering me utterly incapable of focusing on anything else.

"Spit it out, man. You've been staring at that poor cup as if you want to murder it." Adam's voice cuts through my reverie, pulling me back to the present. He's sitting across from me, his eyebrows raised in concern. We just got back to my office from a meeting, and ever since I received Airah's call, I've been lost in my head.

I close my eyes and tip my head back, releasing a long, tired exhale. The weight of my distraction feels almost tangible, pressing down on me. "It's Airah," I finally admit, my voice barely above a whisper.

Adam leans forward, his expression softening with understanding. "What did she say?"

I shake my head, opening my eyes to meet his. "It's not what she said. It's just... her. I can't stop thinking about her."

Adam nods slowly, a sympathetic smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah, I get it. Love can do that to you."

Love. The word hangs in the air between us, heavy and potent. I look back at the coffee cup, feeling a pang of frustration. How can I be so proficient at my work, so capable of handling any professional challenge thrown my way, and yet be rendered utterly helpless by the mere thought of a woman with eyes like the sunset's last golden rays?

I look at Adam after exhaling, trying to gather my thoughts. "See, I got a call from Airah a while earlier, and she said that she's going out to shop with Alana, our neighbor, but the problem is she doesn't even like shopping! I told her that I would have taken her, but she said that I'm busy. And I don't know why, but that makes me feel upset like a child. Others might say that I'm fighting for her attention, but I'm not... I just want her to spend more time with me."

Adam looks at me like I might have grown two more heads. "Wait—isn't that the same thing?"

"No, it's not!"

"It is, man!" he says and laughs.

"I didn't ask you that," I say, throwing a file at him.

"Alright, alright... So how about you go check on her before we leave for dinner?" he says, putting the file aside.

Just thinking about the team dinner makes me tired. There's a team dinner held every month where particular doctors and staff are invited, and they discuss some boring stuff to which I barely pay attention. I've skipped the past four dinners because Airah was here, and I didn't want her to feel alone in this foreign place. Even the meetings I've attended before don't matter to me. I just go, zone out, then come back.

I usually avoid eating from any outside places here. Even if I do, I dig into detail about the place to ensure the food is halal. Even if it's something vegetarian, I don't eat it—can't trust them. What if they put cooking wine in it? As usual, I was going to skip today's dinner too, but Adam begged me to come along with him, saying that he feels bored. So I had to.

I stand up quickly, go over to my desk, and grab my keys, phone, and coat. "Where are you going?" Adam asks.

"To check on her," I reply and exit my office.

"Wait, man! I'm coming too," I hear Adam call from behind. Reaching the parking area, I open my car door and look at Adam when he opens the passenger seat door.