LOVE IN MY WORLD

CHAPTER 6:A MOMENT OF SERENDIPITY

Chapter 6:

Sultana's Pov

I settled onto the lush, emerald-green grass on the field, seeking solace from the turmoil of campus life. The peaceful atmosphere enveloped me, soothing my frazzled nerves. The harmonious sound of the birds, the bright sky, the resplendent sun, the vibrant flowers surrounded by delicate, sparkling butterflies all blended together in perfect symphony. Oh, Yah Allah, what more serenity could I ask for!! I decided to take a break and indulge in some fresh air after the tedious lecture we just had. It was so mind-numbingly dull, but I think the lecturer's monotonous tone made it even more unbearable. His voice was so soporific, we hardly grasped what he was saying, even with the microphone. It felt like he was merely reciting from a script rather than teaching. It's so incredibly exhausting. Allah knows I almost succumbed to a slumber, which Farha did all through. And immediately he dismissed us, half the class were grinning from ear to ear. Can you just picture it? Huff.

Farha departed for a tutorial, but I wasn't in the mood, so I simply told her to proceed without me. I needed to have some fresh air, and to my surprise, she just nodded without any fuss. I bet she's exhausted too, but Farha being Farha won't just let it slide. I really admire how diligent and dedicated she's always been. I don't know, but that's not the same with me. I prefer studying alone, and I'm not that intense or fervent, but I always managed to achieve top grades. And to tell you more, my grades were even better than Farha's. Shush, it's a secret between us, don't tell her. I can say in our department, we're the ones with the highest grades, but we remained humble, not bragging or showing off, just thanking Allah always. Alhamdulillah ala kulli hal. And yesterday, the  the tree –guy ,oh Sultan – collected my number, but he didn't bother to even say hello, let alone ask if I had reached home safely? Oh, come on, what was I even thinking? Was there anything between us? No, then why bother? Cut it, little heart, don't get yourself into trouble. I closed my eyes, savoring the peaceful atmosphere, and smiling brightly. "Assalamu'alaiiikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh" I heard a deep, husky, yet calming voice that suited my moment whispered.

"Little heart, haven't I warned you? Looks like my mind is backing you up, so you both cut it. I don't like hearing things; just seize it, I'm not buying it," I said, still with my eyes closed, thinking I was just hearing things. A low, smooth chuckle followed, sending shivers down my spine.

I opened my eyes to find him standing in front of me, a gentle smile on his face. "Oh, am really sorry I didn't mean to startle you, am so sorry" he said in one breath with his eyes bulging out of their sockets, like getting startled was such a monumental deal.

"Oh, c'mon, it's fine" I said with a chuckle, hoping he wouldn't get any wrong idea of what he had just heard.

"But what are you doing here all by yourself?" he asked, his curiosity evident.

"Uh, just enjoying the scenery and some fresh air" I replied with a smile.

"You sure know the right spot" he said with a smile, looking at the colorful flowers surrounded by the beautiful butterflies.

"I can see you like it too" came my reply.

"I loved it" he said, his sparkling eyes gazing into mine, filled with admiration. I'm sure I would have been blushing by now, but thankfully, my caramel skin saved me from embarrassment. His gaze was so captivating that I felt my heart skip a beat.

SULTAN'S POV:

I attempted to call her yesterday, scouring everywhere through my call log, but found nothing. Oh, why? But suddenly, I recalled Afra's constant yelling to hurry, which made me forget to save it, and with that, I drifted into a slumber, feeling terrible.