Against The Tide

Epilogue

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The bus ride back to the office felt shorter than usual. Najah couldn't stop smiling, replaying every detail of their encounter in her mind. Junaid's voice, still echoed in her ears. She recalled the way he listened, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he absorbed her words, a genuine curiosity shining through. His story of rising from humble beginnings had captivated her. And his eyes...those were the hardest to forget. They held a depth of emotional intelligence and kindness that also captivated her.

Getting back to the office, her mind still occupied with junaid's smooth words, a notification popped up on her phone — a text from Junaid.

Junaid: It was a pleasure meeting you, Najah. I'm looking forward to seeing you again.

A blush crept up Najah's face as she read the short but smooth words. She quickly typed a reply.

Najah: It was a pleasure meeting you too, Junaid.

As soon as she sent it, she paused, a wave of doubt washing over her. Maybe she should have reciprocated his eagerness by adding that she was also looking forward to seeing him again, but then, she didn't want to seem desperate. She had to play it cool. Let him work a little for it, let him not take her for granted in the future because he got her without breaking a sweat. 

Najah put the phone on the table and sat down, a surge of anticipation washing over her. This wasn't just a professional connection, she knew.
There was definitely something more because it was the first time in years that she had felt butterflies erupt in her stomach. The first time after Jameel.

Two weeks passed and Junaid hadn't initiated a visit, much to Najah's disappointment, but he called her almost every evening, their conversations mostly about getting to know each other better; their childhood memories and dreams, their struggles in life and the interesting things that happened in the days. Sometimes they tended to delve into work. Junaid was emotionally intelligent and very easy to talk to. Probably the easiest person Najah had ever talked to. He was extremely observant and calculative too. He even offered to volunteer at her NGO, much to her delight.

One evening, during their usual conversation on phone, Junaid asked the question Najah had been dying for him to ask.

"Is it okay for me to visit your office tomorrow?"

Najah's heart leaped. Of course she would want that. If only he knew how eager she was to see him again but just couldn't ask him. He was the man. He had to make the first move. It was only right. "I'll be a little busy," she said, feigning nonchalance. "But of course you can come, it's fine."

"Great!" He exclaimed. "I'll be there before afternoon."

"Okay," Najah replied, suppressing the excitement in her voice. "So how was your day?"

Their conversation continued with giggles and laughter.

The next day, Najah made sure to dress more elegantly, putting in mind that she was meeting Junaid today. She put in extra effort to look presentable but for some reason, every abaya she picked just wasn't it for her. She practically wracked her wardrobe for the perfect fit.

In her office, Najah sat up, waiting for him to walk in.

He did and did she not stop breathing?

Standing in front of her was Junaid, the man whose handsomeness was only an icing on the cake. His presence alone screamed confidence. His charisma was like none Najah had ever felt before.