Notice Me

2

Mahira felt her whole body rise in temperature from head to toe. Immediately, and just as quickly, Mahira readjusted her features to neutral, concealing the surprised look on her face so as not to give herself away.

What was Saif's friend doing here? Mahira had not seen this face in almost four years. He was still the same handsome face as she remembered if not more, but maybe slightly more bulky and muscles around the arm. Mahira kicked herself mentally ashamed of where her thoughts were taking her. She had thought within those 4 years her crush on this boy would have extinguished with time, but here she was standing so awkward and had not said a single word leaving him hanging outside by the door.

It was a long awkward moment and Mahira could not find it in her to meet his deep set of grey eyes again for a second time for the fear of her cheeks heating up again. He stood with a set of keys wrapped around his index finger while Mahira's heart thumped loudly but luckily it was the one thing no one could see or else it was a dead give away.

"Is Saif home?" He asked after some while breaking Mahira out of her reverie.

"Yes." Mahira used this chance to turn her face away as fast as she could in hopes of not being exposed to how awkward she was behaving, all the while concealing just how excited she really was to see him. She was not usually socially awkward, but Mahira felt so much pressure just under his gaze. He had always had an intense gaze from what Mahira could remember, and it just made it all that much harder. Mahira felt she was under a microscope being scrutinized for bacteria.

"Hey your Saif,s little sister aren't you?" Mahira was forced to turn back around. She had not expected he would try to speak to her. But she was very happy he even acknowledged her existence. He remembered her at least. That was a start. With much courage Mahira raised her eyes up to meet his.

There was that same intense look again.

"Rahima right?" At that Mahira's face dropped.

Did he just say Rahima?

Rahima?!!!

After spending so much time in her home in recent years, and encountering each other in the kitchen for snacks and even school, he really was trying hard to remember her name. He really did not remember her after all. Mahira felt disappointed. She had spent days on end fantasizing their epic meeting after he would finish his uni; he would come home and find her all grown up and maybe even really pretty. He would fall for her and won't stop thinking about her all day until he will finally make the life altering decision to marry her and they would live happily ever after.

Never in any one of those fantasies had he ever gotten her name wrong!

Mahira shifted Noah onto her left hip before answering, but before she could correct her name Saif was already behind her coming down the the steps. His deep voice startled her.

"Assalaamu Alaykum bro!"

And just like that Mahira was discarded to the side as the two boys clasped hands and pulled in for an embrace.

"Man! When did you come? You didn't even say?" Saif gushed with happiness. For the first time his thoughts were not wrapped around the game he had been addicted to for the past 3 weeks.

"I thought I'd surprise you."

"Yo bro. Is that your car? That's mad." Saif pulled on some shoes and walked right out, shutting the door behind.

Mahira stood in the hallway blinking. Noah gurgled and then started to squirm out wanting to be let on the floor. He had heard his father's voice from the living room and had already crawled away.

Mahira took a moment to collect herself. She blinked a few times before admitting she was still very much attracted to him. But she did not feel the feelings were mutal on his side. The guy couldn't even remember her name?!

"Mahira." She softly whispers. "It's Mahira." Mahira says with a hefty sigh before swiveling around and into the kitchen for a well needed snack. Why was she feeling so exhausted all of a sudden?

"Did mum and dad come?" Sadia enters the kitchen grabbing Noah's blue plastic bowl and pouring some already sliced bananas on a saucer and then using a spoon to squish it.

"No. It was just Saif's friend." Mahira opens a packet of crisp and begins munching all the while feeling like she had failed at something which she had prepared for.

"Which one?"

"Raheem."

"Is he back?"

"I guess so. It's been 4 years since he left for uni in the United states."

"What did he study?"

"Why you asking me?"

"I don't know. I thought you knew."

The doorbell rings for the third time that day and Mahira sits unmoving, enjoying the salty flavour of her crisps. She did not fancy another horrible encounter with her crush of 5 years. Her crush had literally left her crushed. Literally. He had called her Rahima and thought her as little. Could the day get any worse?

"Aren't you going to get that?" Sadia looks over at her younger sister who was seeming a little off in character this very moment. She had thought the blue dress would have brightened up her day but Mahira was no longer gushing about it. The spark she had seen in her eyes was no longer there. Sadia remained quiet on the topic as she watched her little sister sigh after a moment and drag her feet out the kitchen.

Once the door opens it was instant chatter, laughter and chaos. Her mother and father were back home bringing back the usual liveliness of the home. They both dragged in their luggage's and some bags and some fish and chips of course! Mahira felt her dad kiss her on her head before walking into the living room where he greeted Idris and baby Noah who squealed so loud upon seeing his grandparents.

Seeing her family back together spread ease and happiness through her aching heart. She had missed her mother dearly even if it was just 24 hours they had been away.

She smiled hearing the loud excited talks of their journey and some funny encounters they had faced on their way. Mahira smiled and closed the door but before she could do so, a foot extended out of nowhere, and the door ended up bouncing off it and almost hitting Mahira right in the face.

"Hold up. We're coming in." It was Saif barging in as usual followed by Raheem who treaded in carefully and stopped right besides Mahira who was tucked away neatly behind the door, stomach held in. She glanced up only seeing his side profile and the back of his white t-shirt and got a pretty good view of a prominent vein going along his arm. He had not noticed her and paused to rub his shoes on the welcome mat before following Saif into the living room.

Mahira finally let out her breath when he was completely out of sight and hurriedly shut the door feeling a tingling in her gut from how close she had been to him.

There was a few things she now noticed. She reached upto his jaw bone. He had a wonderful side profile, and he smelled insanely good.

........................

A/N

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