When Fire Meets Ice - Completed.

73. P O W E R

I N A Y A

11:27 p.m.

The numbers stared back at me from my phone's lockscreen.

I unlocked it, checking the text for the twentieth time in the last hour.

Ahad-
I'll pick you in ten.
~10:02 p.m.

I had grinned, then dressed into this black salwar suit I was still wearing. The dinner date was supposed to be something special. Us, stars and everything we admired about each other. Not me being here, waiting for him while counting each second that passed by.

By 10:30, I had dialled him in order to ask why he wasn't here yet.

Switched off. I convinced myself his battery might've been dead.

Then dialled again at 10:40. Still switched off.

And ever since, the worry had started lodging itself in my chest. The ticking of the clock was too loud as I paced in the empty hall.

I had dialled Kaif Bhai, who said Ahad was still in the office and had sent him earlier.

I then dialled his assistant, only frowning when he spoke, 'sir sent me away at 10, he told he was leaving too.'

If he had left at 10, why wasn't he here yet?

My palms clamped together, sweat lining them as I unlocked my phone again. Everyone was fine about it, because arriving late had been his normal routine.

But tonight?

He never missed our dates.

And that was what made me more anxious. He'd have informed me if he couldn't make it, or would've simply texted me that he'd be late.

My trance broke when I heard footsteps near the kitchen. I straightened immediately, walking to see who it was.

Asim was near the water purifier, holding his bottle up as he filled the water. His phone was pressed between his shoulder and ear, voice warm and smiling as he spoke, "Haan, I'm listening. Bolo na."
(Yes, say.)

And in the next instant, his gaze landed on me. He smiled out of instinct, but frowned when he took in my appearance, then the worry on my face.

He placed the bottle aside and pulled the phone away as he asked, "Bhabhi? Are you going somewhere?"

I shook my head. "I'm waiting for Ahad."

He checked the time, then looked at me before asking, "It's eleven yet, he'll be..." He trailed off, taking another look at my appearance as it might've clicked for him. "You planned an outing?"

I nodded, my gaze dropping to the floor as I murmured, "He said he'd come around ten."

"Did you call?"

I hummed, then told him the entire story. His brows furrowed in wonder before he spoke something into the phone and hung up.

"I'll go check in his office?"

I looked up immediately, then at the door and the clock. That was the only way now. "I'll come with you." I said, already moving.

He slipped the phone into his pocket, thinking for a moment before saying, "No, you be here in case he returns."

"Oh yes. Please be safe, okay?" I murmured, keeping my gaze fixed on Asim as he grabbed the keys from a nearby key-holder.

He moved to the main door, but before he could open it, someone pushed it open from the outside. Ahad.