Incandescence

Chapter 36

As soon as I reached my office, I was bombarded with questions related to various projects. Although, I was in contact with Sarah via emails but my absence from here had affected my business a lot. Some of the coworkers also presented me with flowers, which was kind of sweet. I worked through lunch hour, without any breaks. Most of the projects were nearing completion.

I emailed Sarah the details she had requested and was just lounging back on my seat when my phone buzzed.

Coffee, Tea, Coke, Milkshake, anything?

It was Anis's text. I smiled at the screen and typed my response.

Coke will do.

Two minutes later, the phone buzzed again.

Your wish is my command, Mademoiselle!

I laughed at his response and then typed my response.

You are such a charmer, Anis.

My office door opened and Sadaf stepped in. Laughter still sparkled in my eyes as I looked up at her and my smile broadened.

"Well, look who's smiling and cheery today." Sadaf commented and dropped in a seat in front of my desk.

"Who?" I feigned ignorance and looked all around.

"You, stupid!" she grinned at me. I grinned back.

"So, what has you smiling like that?" She asked.

"Nothing much. Anis was texting me and that made me laugh." I responded, while shuffling the papers that littered my desk in order and replaced them in a file.

"Thank you God! You listened to my prayers FINALLY! Alisha is smiling and all because of Anis. Finally, I lived to this day to tell the others." Sadaf said dramatically. I threw a pencil at her.

"Shut up Sadaf!" We both laughed at that.

"So, did you tell your mom and dad about Anis yet?" Sadaf asked, sobering up.

"No! I don't know how to approach the topic with them and before that I need to talk this over with Anis. So, I'll wait until his father is well then I will talk this out with him."

"Well, you should talk to him soon then, Alisha. These things don't stay hidden for long, you know that."

"I'm well aware, Sadaf. We just need time to sort things out."

"Well, that's good then and I'm so happy for you!" Sadaf said, an exuberant smile lighting her face. I smiled at my best friend, she got more excited than I was. Sadaf was open, a total extrovert and totally loyal towards me. It was the years of friendship that we had, our bond was stronger than any other bond we'd ever made.

"Sarah, I need to tell you something that happened back in Toronto." I said after much thought. We shared everything with each other and she just had to know what had happened.

"Yeah?" I narrated the story of how I'd met Hashim in Toronto, his reaction to my face and how had Anis reacted to his appearance in my life. Then, I told her about my fight with Anis over him, then his invitation to have lunch and Anis finding out that I met him. I told her everything from the start till the end.

"What does he want from you now and where did he get your number from?" Sadaf asked, her brow furrowed as she pondered the questions herself.

"I don't know, Sadaf. I thought maybe you could tell me how he got my number because I never gave it to him and the only other person who knows my whereabouts is you." I replied, more confused than before now, as to who had given him my number.