The Weight of Silence

Chapter 11

30. September, 1992
London, England

The hallway was buzzing with the usual chatter as students shuffled between classes, but I barely noticed any of it. My mind was preoccupied with the usual jumble of thoughts—homework, family, and of course, Sayjan.

I was walking down the hall, trying to avoid the usual crowd when I felt a hand on my arm, pulling me gently to the side. I turned, startled, only to see Sayjan's familiar face grinning at me with that mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Sayjan, what are you—" I started, but before I could finish, he was already guiding me down a side corridor, away from the hustle and bustle of the other students.

"Come on," he whispered, his voice almost playful as he looked around, ensuring no one was watching. "I need to talk to you."

I raised an eyebrow, slightly confused but intrigued.

"Talk to me? About what?"

He didn't answer, just kept walking with that same determined look, as if he had a plan in mind. We reached an empty classroom at the far end of the hall, and he pulled the door open with a quiet creak, ushering me inside. The room was dim, the blinds closed, and the silence felt oddly intimate.

I stood there for a moment, feeling the shift in the air between us. It was strange—usually, we spoke in more public spaces, around friends, but now it felt like we were hiding away from the world. I couldn't help but feel a little thrill at the secrecy of it all.

"What's going on, Sayjan?" I asked, my voice low, though I had a sinking feeling I knew where this was going.

He stepped closer, his eyes not leaving mine.

"I've been thinking... about tonight," he began, his tone almost hesitant, as though he was unsure of how to approach me. "I want you to come with me. To dinner."

I blinked in surprise. "Dinner?" I repeated, caught off guard. "Where?"

He shrugged casually, but I could see the way his eyes flickered with something more.

"A nice place. Just you and me. I thought it might be... good. You know, to spend some time together."

I swallowed, unsure what to say. The idea of spending more time alone with him made my heart race, but I couldn't deny that the thought of being alone with him—really alone—was exciting. The tension that always seemed to hover around us, the unspoken connection, would finally be allowed to breathe.

"That sounds... nice."

His grin widened at my answer, as though he'd been waiting for me to say it.

"So, you'll come?" he asked, his voice now more confident, like he already knew my answer.

I nodded, a small smile tugging at my lips.

"Yeah. I'll come."

"Good." He stepped even closer, his eyes scanning my face, and for a moment, there was a heavy silence between us. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it was charged, like the air before a storm. "I'll pick you up later," he said, his voice softer now, almost like a promise.

I nodded again, my pulse quickening. "Okay."

Before I could say anything else, he turned to leave, but not without a final glance over his shoulder.

"I'll see you then," he said with that same grin, his eyes lingering on mine for a fraction longer than necessary.

I stood there for a moment, still processing what had just happened. A dinner, just the two of us. It was something I hadn't expected, not like this. But a part of me was already looking forward to it, eager to see where it would lead. Would it be the same as always? Or would tonight be different?

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the fluttering in my chest. As I walked back into the hallway, I couldn't help but wonder what was going through Sayjan's mind. What was he really after? I couldn't shake the feeling that this dinner would be more than just a casual meal.

Later that day, I stood in front of the mirror, my heart pounding in my chest. The emerald green dress clung to my body in all the right places, the fabric flowing down to the floor like something out of a dream. It was long, elegant, and made me feel like I was stepping into a different world—one where I wasn't just Adma, the girl who blended into the background. My hair, usually a tangled mess of waves, was straightened to perfection, falling in sleek waves over my shoulders. I'd added a little extra makeup tonight, just enough to make my eyes pop and my lips look fuller.

A car pulled up outside, and my heart skipped a beat. I glanced at the clock—he was here. I rushed downstairs, my dress swishing around my legs.

"Bye, Mum!" I called out, barely pausing as I grabbed my bag from the table and headed for the door.

My mum was on the couch, engrossed in her show, but I didn't stop to explain. She didn't need to know exactly what was going on tonight. I'd told her I was going out with the girls, but the truth was, this wasn't just a regular night out. It wasn't just any dinner.

I stepped outside, the cool night air hitting me as I squinted toward the sleek black car parked on the street. My breath caught in my throat when I saw him.

Sayjan.

He was leaning casually against the car, wearing a dark jacket that made him look effortlessly cool, his hair tousled just enough to make him look like he'd stepped out of a magazine. His eyes met mine, and a flicker of something intense passed between us.

"You look... beautiful," he said, his voice low and full of admiration.

I felt my cheeks flush, my heart racing. I smiled, trying to hide the way his words made me feel.

"Thank you," I said, my voice a little breathless.

He opened the car door for me, and I slid into the passenger seat, my pulse quickening. The car smelled like him—something warm and familiar, but also new. The door clicked shut behind me, and for a moment, we were both silent, the air thick with anticipation.

Sayjan started the car, and we pulled away from the curb. The city lights blurred past us, but all I could focus on was him—his hands gripping the wheel with that quiet confidence, his jaw set in a way that made me wonder what was going on in his mind. There was something about him tonight. Something different. And I couldn't figure out if it was the way he was looking at me, or if I was just imagining it.

"So, where are we going?" I asked, trying to break the tension, my voice coming out softer than I intended.

He glanced at me, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"You'll see," he said, his voice teasing. "It's a surprise."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"A surprise? You're good at this, aren't you?"

His smile widened. "I try."

We drove in silence for a while, the tension between us thickening with every mile. I couldn't help but feel like something was shifting, like tonight was the start of something I wasn't quite prepared for. But it felt right. More than right. It felt like I'd been waiting for this moment without even realizing it.

The city passed by in a blur, and I found myself stealing glances at him. He was focused on the road, but every now and then, his eyes would flicker over to me, and I'd catch that look in his eyes—the one that made my heart skip a beat.

When we finally pulled up to the restaurant, I was almost too nervous to move. It was one of those fancy places that looked like it belonged in a movie. The kind of place where you'd expect candles on every table and soft jazz playing in the background.

Sayjan turned off the engine, his eyes meeting mine.

As we stepped out of the car, I felt like the world was suddenly smaller, like it was just the two of us in this moment, and everything else faded into the background. I wasn't sure what would happen next, but I knew one thing: tonight was going to change everything.