Falling Innocently

Chapter 25 - Get together

Chapter 25 - Get together

"They are libas (i.e body cover, screen, clothing, garment) for you and you are the same for them."

Surah Baqarah, verse 187

Aahil could tell that Waliya was starting to become restless -he didn't know how he knew, but he could just tell. "Are you sleeping?" he said, somewhat concerned but also teasing.

She turned around and glowered at him. "I can't sleep because I am cold," she said slightly snappily.

He laughed and reached over to take her hand in his. What he wasn't expecting was her hand to be ice cold. "Wow, I didn't think that you would be this cold!" he said somewhat surprised.

"So you thought I was lying?" she asked him.

He looked at her briefly, but wisely shut his mouth. Or so he thought. "You really thought I was lying about being cold? That is low, Aahil!" She huffed at him, then angrily faced the other side.

When she tried to pull her hand away from Aahil's, he held on tightly and refused to let go. "I'm sorry, angel," he said sincerely. "It is just that I had never met anyone who could be so cold, even with the way you are bundled up in your clothing. I'm sorry," he said and leaned over to bump her shoulder with his.

Aahil didn't like it when she was angry with him, but more than that, he didn't want her to be upset and not talking to him. "Lee," he said, calling her by a nickname he had only tried once.

Waliya was forced to wake up by the constant ringing of her phone. She answered it without really looking at the screen. With her voice still filled with sleep and annoyance, she spoke a gruff 'hello'. There was laughter on the other end of the phone. Despite her annoyance and ager, she knew who it was. "Aahil?" she gulped.

His answering laugh was enough for her. "No!" she cried softly and threw herself back onto the pillow.

"It's not that bad," he teased her.

"It is! It's horrible. I need to get used to waiting for your calls," she said feeling ashamed.

"It's okay," he said trying to soothe her distress. "Hey, do you have your laptop with you nearby?" he asked out of the blue.

She got up and switched the nightlight on and looked around. "Jee," said and reached for it, and pressed the 'ON' button.

"Good, now go onto Skype and let's Skype," he said getting giddy. Without thinking much, she got on to Skype and was glad when he sent the invite to video call. She accepted it immediately and smiled. "Assalaamualaikum grumpy," he teased as soon as he saw her face.

She blushed and then when she realized she heard him from the phone too, she cut the call and then replied to his greeting.

"It's adorable when you pout," he told her. Her hand flew to her lips, and she felt even angrier she was pouting. She pulled her lips into a shy smile and looked at him -truly looked at him. He was tired, but yet he managed to make time out his busy day and call her -despite the time in her time zone. The least Waliya could do was be happy. "I'm not pouting," she said with a smile.

"Alhamdulillah!" he said in a teasing tone. "How are you? How was your day?" he asked her as he leaned back into the chair.

"It was good Alhamdulillah. I just miss you," she admitted and avoided looking into the camera when she said that.