Thorns

Thorns [8]

The kiss didn't really last because Arwa pushed him away before any one of them could react to it. She simply stared at him with a look of horror and disdain. She didn't notice the look on his face when she whirled around looking for a possible way to escape from her embarrassment. She wasn't expecting a kiss from him, certainly not from him. The elevator had shut and was already moving down, she didn't know whether she should look at him again or stay put facing against him. It felt more real and less embarrassing.

She felt a large palm touch the curve of her shoulder, she gasped, flinching a little. A hand tightened on her and moved her a little until she could feel the heat of his body against her. She gulped down a bile and waited for something to happen. But nothing did. They stayed that way until she heard a little shuffling and the elevator halting with a jerk.

"Its fine, its my doing," Sohail told her.

"What do you want Sohail, I'm done playing games with you," she mumbled, feeling hot tears run down her cheek.

"Just hear me out, okay?" He pressed a little closer to her until she could feel his breath just a few meters away from her ear and nape.

"Fine."

"I don't want you to think anything further than the fact that what I had confessed about my heart belonging to you was undoubtedly true. It's just I have a lot that's been hopping around, I'm not blaming that for my behaviour, but It's a part of it. Listen, I have priorities when it comes to business,  my family, and myself. Principles I follow, I just need time, to figure out what I want and who I want in my life, could I ask for that much?" He said, his voice low as if it felt like burden talking about it, in fact he felt embarrassed to sound this desperate as it made him feel desperate. 

"No!"

"What?"

Arwa whirled around to face him,her face red and eyes swollen, she was still crying, but she needed to be strong for herself and  him. She stared at him dead in the eye and raised her head high and took a courageous breath and said.

"Those are your priorities,  your principles,  your business not mine. I have a right to myself and if you wish I can have in your  life, but not when I'm shoved aside while you make the perfect decisions. No." She shook her head,"I don't want to be someone's burden, I already was when my parents pushed me aside to make their priorities right, wasn't I one? Will I never be one? Don't I have a right on someone? Sohail I need you to make number one I your life, not put me in the queue and embrace me when the first one to reach it," she sighed feeling a headache hitting her skull.

"Arwa," Sohail stepped forward, but she held out a hand to stop him.

"No, I'm not yet done, I know I'm asking for too much, but am I? If you can't give me what I want, there is no way I'm going to spend the rest of my life waiting for you to make good use of my love, but can you?" She asked seriously,  knowing somehow his answer was not going to be pleasant. She knew he was a man about his business and family, not love and romance. To him all that was a waste of time.

"No, I can't and I won't!" Sohail shook his head."I need you to do me a favour though, before you disappear from my life. I need you to marry Aahil for me!" He announced and she collapsed back words stumbling against the metal wall of the elevator.

Sohail watched her crumble in front of him, his heart to cold enough not feel anything anymore. She was hurting and so was he,  but he needed to do this, he knew he couldn't sacrifice himself and his business for her, not yet. But he loved her, so much it hurt to even feel it, despite the bliss it bought for him. But he needed to for  Aahil because he might have loved her more and maybe just maybe Aahil will keep her more happier than he himself ever could.

The hurt of his own words spread through his body, numbing him in the process. Her sobbing had gone excessive and he couldn't handle any more of it. Because he knew he was going to crash on the floor next to her, feeling every emotion she was feeling at the moment.

"Will you do it?" He asked again, his voice hoarse.

"Is this my worth? Where I get kicked between two brothers like their dribbling a ball to each other?" She asked, her voice now thick and gruff.

"It will always be him and not me," Sohail replied stoically.

"Then we know where we stand," she said before getting up on shaky leg, and pressed every button of the damned elevator until resumed moving. Once it stopped, she fixed her hijab, wiped her face, put on a smile and left, not sparing a glance at the man who stood next to her.

But she didn't notice the tears that filled the eyes of the man who loved her more she loved herself.

••••

"What the fuck did you say to her?" Aahil barged into Sohail's office not bothering to knock as he slammed his fist onto the paper littered mahogany desk.

"Nothing, just a few words, trust she left on her own," Sohail's reply was calm and untouched.

"I won't repeat myself, Sohail!" His brother gritted his teeth in anger.

"I told her to marry you, that's all," Sohail ground out.

"What? Are you fucking crazy?" Aahil yelled at the top of his lungs not believing the idiot of a brother in front of him.

"You love her don't you?" Sohail asked, now a little confused at his brother's angry reaction.

"In a brotherly way, you idiot. Not as a lover," he clarified, feeling pity for his brother, imagining what he went through. Cause he knew Sohail had hots for Arwa way before the idiot realized it himself.

"W,what?"

"You screwed up man,"Aahil sighed.

"I need to see her, where is she?" Sohail asked in panic.

"She's gone man, she left the country this morning in a private jet, she's nearly disappeared from the face of the earth. There's not a trace of which country she flew to." Aahil said and watched Sohail break down in front of him for the first time...

•••