Emergency Dentist

(viii)

Babar's pov

After paying for the ice creams, I see Rizwan through the rear-view mirror, licking his ice cream like a toddler. He's cute. And he looks sleepy, too. And there's Naseem, who keeps getting on my last nerve.

"Rizwan, are you sleepy?" After he finished his ice cream, I looked back and asked him. He obviously is sleepy but I want him to relax. Or sleep maybe. Whatever helps him to get comfortable.

"Yeah." His voice is hoarse and sleepy but he looks like he's forcing his eyes to stay opened. He blinks multiple times while answering.

"Well, it's a long way to your house, so, you can relax." I reassure him.

"So, you will wake me up when you reach there?" He asks in his husky voice with evident curiosity.

"Of course."

"Thank you. I'm very tired and I don't have the energy to- wait what about the directions? Do you where my house is?" He was about to sleep when the realization hits him that I probably don't know the location of his house. Well, I've been there many times. To pick Naseem.
It's almost a 50-minute drive. And he can't stay awake like that.

"Yes. I mean I've been there many times, so..." I reply to him.

"Ok." He takes no time to answer and then snuggles into his seat, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. I resist the urge to pinch his cheeks. He's too cute to handle.

I start driving while stealing a few glances at Rizwan from time to time. He looks so peaceful while sleeping. I wonder what he's going through that he feels this peaceful while sleeping. I just hope and pray he can get through it. Or maybe he's just tired after a long day. I would have comforted him with a hug but we're not close at all. We talk normally, but not how close friends do. I've never felt the urge to befriend someone like that but I wanna be his friend so bad. I don't know what is this feeling and how to put it into words. Maybe platonic love?

The drive to his house is silent and quiet. Just the sound of ac. Naseem has slept, too. I yawn when I see them sleeping like that. It's almost 10 at night.

I stop my car in front of his house. I look back. He's still sleeping soundly. I get out of the car and walk over to his seat. I open the door and shake him a little bit.

"Rizwan. Wake up." I try to be as gentle as I can.

"Mhmmm." He mumbles smth under his breath. I couldn't understand it. He then hugs my arm. The one I had used to wake him up. His sudden actions are the reason he's so adorable.

"Rizwan, we've reached your house. Wake up." This time, I'm a little bit more loud. We can't keep doing this all night. He wakes up and looks a little taken aback.

"That's your house." I try explaining because he looks like he just got jumpscared. He immediately leaves my arm, looking a little shy.

"I'm sorry. I jus-" Rizwan starts explaining and he couldn't quite get the words out of his mouth. Just then I cut him off. He never likes to get cut off but this one time, he probably thanked god for this.

"It's okay. It's completely fine."

              Pov ends

Babar's words are quite comforting for Rizwan. He had wanted to hug someone. He's so gentle and kind in contrast to Rizwan's image of dentists.