Incandescence

Chapter 39

I stared at him for the longest time. What did he mean by there's more? I wasn't ready for this talk with him. Since the lunch, I was dreading talking to him. I guess that had to do something with the punch that Anis had sent his way. I took a sip from the coffee mug that I was holding and then set it down on the table. I was giving time to my nerves to settle down before I heard what was coming next. Taking my sweet time to gulp the sip of coffee, I just looked at him, questioningly.

"What?" I asked, tapping my fingers irritably on the desk. I could feel his uncomfort in front of me but I was not going to say anything. To be honest, I was still wondering what he was doing here, back in Pakistan, in my office and in my life. I didn't want him around.

"Alisha! We are not kids anymore." He started. "We've grown up and have stepped in our respective professional lives. I always missed the time you, me and Sadaf spent together in school. I've always loved you Alisha, and I want to marry you."

I gasped as he said the words but before I could reply, someone spoke from near the door.

"You swine! How dare you come near her again?" Sadaf stepped out of the shadows of the door and glared at Hashim. She walked over towards us, her eyes shooting sparks of anger at him.

"Sadaf!" Hashim breathed.

"How dare you come near her and say that you've loved her? You tried to assault her before leaving. Have you forgotten everything, Hashim? Do you want me to remind you what an asshole you are?"

"Sadaf I loved Alisha then and now, all the more. I've always kept a torch for her all these years." Hashim said. I looked at him and could've sworn that there was a pleading look in his eyes.

"Love! My foot! It's better that you get out of here right now, Hashim!" Sadaf's stance was rigid as she stood near the desk, with her arms folded against her chest.

"You heard me, Hashim, LEAVE!" Sadaf glared at him.

"What are you playing at, Hashim? You did enough years back. I don't want anything to do with you." Alisha said. "Whatever bug you have in your mind, get rid of it."

"Alisha, trust me." He pleaded but Alisha shook her head.

"I don't want to trust you and for your information, I'm already engaged to Anis." She wiggled at her ring finger in front of him on which Anis's ring was glimmering.

"When did that happen? You didn't have that ring on you when we met in Toronto?" He said.

"You met him in Toronto, Alisha?" Sadaf look towards me questioningly. Shit! I hadn't told her about that yet.

Hashim smirked at her.

"Yeah, she met me in Toronto and we went on a lunch date." Sadaf looked at me questioningly, but before I could respond, the door to my office swung open again and in came Maira.

"Ops! I didn't you know you were in a meeting!" she stopped in her tracks. "I can wait outside."

"No! Come Maira, Hashim was just leaving." She turned to look at the occupant of the chair and froze. Her lips curved in a small O as she looked at him from his carefully manicured brown hair to his toes.

"Yeah! I'm leaving." Hashim said as he stood up. "I'll see you soon, Alisha." He nodded towards me and then left. Maira broke out of her trance and slumped on a chair in front of my desk.

"What was that all about?" she asked, looking towards the door as if she was expecting him to come back inside.

"Just an old acquaintance, Maira, nothing else." Sadaf said as she took the seat beside Maira. I nodded.