FROM DARE TO LOVE (Editing)✔

CHAPTER 43

'I am going to check on the carters' I hear Ruchi's voice and snap out from my trance. As I snap back into reality the sudden bright light and the loud sound pierced my eyes and ears. I nod my head and Ruchi leaves. I look front and find Hanan dancing with Riad, beside them is Liqa and her mother.

Riad and Hanan are dancing too closely for my comfort. I am reminded of that night at the pub, when I had met Riad for the first-time after fifteen years. We were so close that night, I had felt his abs and looked into his eyes. I smile reminiscing that day, but my smile fades when I remember how his eyes had turned dark when I had mentioned my name. I look again at him happily dance with Hanan, then I recollected my conversation with Hanan. I look at them again, Riad is too happy and lost in dancing while Hanan time to time is glancing at him longily. Riad doesn't notice her.

I bite my lower-lip, I feel bad for Hanan. I decide I will talk with Riad, it's time for the confrontation that should have happened long time ago. Riad has to move on, he has to accept Hanan.

*

I wait for Ruchi to sleep, she is exhausted from all the running around and the dancing, so she slept off early. Slowly I get down from the bed, wrapping a shawl around my shoulder I tip-toed out of the room.

I feel nervous as I stand outside Riad's room, I look around and am relieved to see there is no one around. At first I knocked the door softly, there is no response so I knocked again, this time harder. Within five minutes the door opens and Riad comes from behind the door dressed in his night clothes. He didn't look like he had been sleeping, perhaps he was working. He frowns at me.

'You are lost again' he rolls his eyes. I didn't answer him and pushed past him entering the room.

'What are you...'

'Riad, we need to talk' I cut his sentence mid-way. He looks at me confused, he then changes his expression and frowns at me

'What are you...'

'Why aren't you marrying Hanan? She loves you so much but you...' I say directly. I didn't want to beat around the bush, as it is its getting late and I don't want to waste more time.

'Excuse me?' Riad asks.

I narrate everything that Hanan had said me that night on the terrace. Riad glares at me.

'Whatever Hanan said was out of naivety. She knows nothing' Riad says, I can sense he is getting angry.

'But I know everything. Then tell me, Riad...I know I have wronged you...but now I want to help you...please tell me what can I do to help you move on from the incident...'I say

He takes a step closer and held my arm 'No one can help me' he says darkly.

I must admit I am scared looking at him, but I didn't let it show on my face instead I kept a determined face.

'Dude, if you don't tell me then how will I be able to help you...' I try to reason with him. He pulls me closer looking into my eyes 'Then return me back that night...' he says and I shivered with his tone.

'Riad...I wronged you...so...so...much...if you wanted...you could have exposed me in front of Adnan that night.... but...why didn't you?' I asked going completely off track. This question had been haunting me for fifteen years, eventually with sands of time the curiously died down but now recollecting that night again and talking about it I feel this is the right time to clear my doubt.

He simply stares at me, I noticed him clenching his jaws. I guess yet again I opened the old wounds from that night.

'Get out!' he says after a while

I shake my head and stand my ground, he held my arm again and drags me towards the door

'I won't go...until you tell me...tell me why you didn't expose me then...tell me why can't you move on from me.... why do I bother you...? why why why?' I say struggling to stand my ground, my voice getting louder with each word.

He turns around and grabs my arms tightly pinning me against the door, 'Because I loved you.' He says over me, and I shut up on hearing his confession. My heart skips a beat.