A Match Made In Jannah

Chapter 32

MAARIAH'S POV

She never did have an inkling about my true feelings, or my true intentions. I knew that Husna was under the impression that I was going to smoke hookah, and she was partially right. The only difference was that I wasn't going to smoke it alone. Nabeel was going to be with me. I had come go accept that he would never be mine. He would never marry me and he would never think of me the same way I did. He would never want me the way I longed for him. Yet, I decided that it would be my little throwback tonight. I would have what I wanted for just one night. Just one. And Nabeel could do nothing about it.

Everyone knew about a spiked drink, yet most people didn't suspect hookah to be spiked. I grinned slyly as I emptied the drug into the hookah, and ignored my racing heart. I just wanted one more look from him, one more touch. Just one more time before he left.

He was alone in his room when I went there. After knocking a few times, I barged in and called his name. He stood there gaping at me in his underwear, otherwise stark naked.

"What do you want, Maariah?" he growled. "Don't you have the decency to wait?"

"I'm sorry Nabeel. I was just a little worried when you didn't answer. Anyways, I need to talk to you. Apologise and stuff. Husna knows," I said, putting on my best puppy dog voice.

He narrowed his eyes and asked me suspiciously, "How does Husna know? Why would she let you talk to me again? Oh wait, she's naive no? Anyways, there is no need to apologise. I... We... Husna and I have forgiven you."

"Nabeel, it isn't about you forgiving me. It's about me finding peace. I can't do that if you're always going to be suspicious of me and not talk to me. If Layyah had to walk in now, you'd talk to her hey? Well it's the same thing. I already had a one-on-one with Husna, which is why she agreed to let me speak to you."

"Fine. Talk," he grumbled.

"No. Let's talk over a hookah. I haven't had one the entire evening. It would calm me down."

He agreed and we walked outside. I seated myself on a toadstool and he did the same. The night was quiet, almost too quiet. You could hear the crickets chirp softly in the distance, and the occasional hoot of an owl. The wind blew noiselessly and caused a shiver to run up my spine. I suspected, however, that the weather had nothing to do with how cold I felt. My insides tingled and I was almost certain that you could hear the heavy thumping of my heart against my ribcage.

NABEEL'S POV

I was slightly afraid. Maariah had had such a sudden change of heart that it was rather suspicious. Yet, being Muslim, I knew that we shouldn't suspect anyone of anything, and that's why I followed her blindly. I was stupid enough not to remember the hadith that, something to the effect, "When a boy and a girl are alone in one room, the third person is Shaytaan." I smiled and seated myself next to Maariah. She handed me the hookah pipe first and told me to take one puff.

"Why don't you have it first?" I asked.

"Nope, I'll wait until I can catch my breath again before I have it. It may cause congestion for me, if I don't, because I'm asthmatic," she grinned.

I inhaled, then glanced at her. She told me that she still wasn't ready. Every time I puffed, I was greeted with the same response. After 10 puffs, I felt a little drowsy, and couldn't even ask her if she wanted it.

"I have my own hookah pipe, Nabeel," she smiled and puffed on her own.

"You need a little rest. Come on Nabeel," she said.

I slurred an inaudible "Yes ma'am" and laughed out loud. I didn't know what had come over me.

Then she stood up, took me by my hand and dragged me to my room.

MAARIAH'S POV

The drug wasn't strong. It would just make him do what I wanted. He would kiss me, tell me he loved me, hold me, and then I would leave. I wouldn't dare venture further than that.

I didn't want to be drugged when I had the best experience of my life, and I also didn't want Nabeel to be in a drunken stupor so that he would make it less romantic. Instead, the drug was just seductive. It made him want me. After ten minutes the slurring would stop and he would be perfectly normal and healthy. Correction, he would be healthy besides having an unhealthy desire for me. Just one kiss. That's all I sought.