Yusra: Don't hurt me in the way I cannot even recover.
Shazal: Do you not realize, there's no one but you for me?
Daniyal: She let the tears fall, but it weren't for me.
Zumar: You fall in love and then, fall out of it.
It's not that big of a deal.
...
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๑ 🥀 ๑
Her composure cracked, panic bubbling up inside her. For a second, her hand slipped, and her phone nearly fell from her grasp. But she managed to catch it at the last second, clutching it tightly as if it were her anchor.
The call had ended, the person on the other end long gone, but she still kept the phone to her ear, murmuring a few words to maintain the illusion that she was too occupied to notice him, though every fibre of her being was acutely aware of his presence drawing closer with each step.
Mehran stood in front of Maria, waiting patiently for her to end the phone call. She could feel his presence even before she fully looked up at him. After a few seconds of pretending to finish the conversation, she finally placed her phone on the table and turned toward him, trying her best to keep her expression composed despite the nervousness tightening her chest.
"Hi," he said simply, his voice carrying an effortless calm.
"Um... you are?" she asked, hoping her sunglasses would hide the fluster she felt. The last thing she needed was for him to see through her façade.
A soft chuckle escaped him, a sound so subtle it made her eyebrows knit together in confusion. "I'm Mehran, Ms. Maria," he explained, his tone gentle yet amused. "We met briefly at your engagement if I recall correctly."
God! Engagement, yes..it hit her like a wave, stirring up memories of that strange, distant evening. She nodded, forcing herself to focus.
"Ah, yes," she replied, deciding to drop the act. It would be ridiculous to pretend any longer. "Yes, I remember you."
Mehran smiled, an easygoing warmth in his eyes. "Good. May I sit here, if you don't mind?"
She hesitated for a brief moment before giving a reluctant nod. Despite the swirl of emotions inside her, she couldn't exactly refuse him now, not without making the situation even more awkward than it already was.
Mehran took the seat opposite her, his posture was relaxed while Maria remained stiff, her nerves on edge. She fiddled with her phone, trying to appear occupied, but her efforts were futile. He wasn't the type to be ignored, and his presence was commanding in a way she couldn't easily dismiss.
"So, how have you been?" he asked, cutting right to the point. "And what brings you here?"
His question was so direct and straightforward that it left her feeling trapped. There was no easy answer to that.
She couldn't possibly admit that she had been coming to the airport multiple times a week, just to catch a glimpse of him. That would be far too absurd, too revealing. No!
Instead, she managed a polite smile, trying to regain her composure, though her mind raced for an answer that made sense. Whatever she said, it had to be enough to mask the truth-enough to keep him from knowing just how deeply she had let herself fall into this unexpected infatuation.
