Truly Madly Deeply

Chapter 7

I hesitated before clicking the unblock option. I felt like someone had just placed a heavy rock on my shoulders and heart. I felt the invisible pressure pulling me down making it hard to think sanely. I had done the deed now. I needed to think of my next move. I glared at my laptop screen, fearing for the worst. And as expected, it hadn't even been ten minutes, when my laptop made a ping sound indicating a message. I made a mental note to turn my laptop silent, dreading the outcome if my brothers barge in from the excessive tone and catch me red handed talking to a guy. Just the thought of it made me shudder.

I sighed deeply as I glanced at the laptop screen and popped open the inbox tab. Here goes nothing.

That was fast. I read the message he had sent me and swallowed my spit before typing out a reply. What do I say? Hello? No, why would I say that? It's not like I am talking to a long lost friend of mine. I had one question that had been bothering me for a while and decided to go with it.

How did you find out my name? I inquired, I recall not mentioning my name to him when I first talked to him. I also recall that my student council jacket did not have my name on it. This was extremely creepy. I wanted no part in this.

I have my ways. Uh, okay? What even? This was like the cherry topping on the creepy sundae. I had wanted to face palm. This conversation wasn't really going to go anyway if he is going to continue to be all mysterious and weird.

What do you want? I licked my dry lips as I sent the reply and waited in anticipation for the response. I was genuinely curious but I wasn't looking forward to it either. Life is complicated like that.

Same thing I said before. Be mine. Be my girlfriend. Well, that was direct, not that I mind. I appreciate the fact that he didn't throw some bizarre riddles to make me guess whatever absurd idea he had in mind.

I am sorry, I will have to refuse. I had to be polite. There was no telling what this guy could do if he gets angry again since he did drop by my school just to give me a fair warning.

What's your excuse? His question surprised me a bit. I had expected him to be stubborn and reject my rejection, kinda like a double rejection. I pondered over his message for a while and it looked like his patience was wearing thin because he dropped another message.

What? Can't think of any? His mocking tone pressed the wrong button in my mind and I started typing. I decided to be brutally honest with him so we both knew that whatever he wanted was not happening, right now or ever.

Listen here, pal. I am NOT going to become your girlfriend, now or later. Let me tell you why. It's not that I couldn't think of any excuses but rather that THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY REASONS TO REFUSE YOU. One, my family condemns this kind of thing. I am not allowed to have guy friends, let alone a boyfriend so there is that. Plus, don't think I am being oppressed, I, myself do not like the idea of this bf gf stupidity. It's immature, reckless and indecent. I like my peaceful single life so go away, go bother someone else.

I was proud of my sassy reply. I reclined back against the headboard of my bed as I smiled in triumph. This ought to teach him not to pester me again. I crossed my arms over my chest as I waited for the reply with a smug look on my face.

Ibraheem Narejo is typing...

Well he can type all he wants, there is no way he can convince me.

Oh, so you are one of those girls. It took him so long just to write this?

What do you mean by 'those girls'? I don't why but his reply sort of pissed me off. I didn't like the label or whatever it was.

The shareef (decent) hard to get type of girl. Oh? So there is something like that, huh? I think I fell more in the impossible to get type though. But I didn't feel the need to clear that with him. It would imply that I am willing to play whatever game he was insinuating.

Oh, I didn't know we had categories in girls as well. But that doesn't change anything. My answer is still no. I wasn't going to budge. No matter what type he put me in. The only type I could see is my parents and brothers whooping my ass if they find out about this and I was no rebellious spirit. I loved my peace.

You are the first girl to say no to me. Back in Karachi, girls loved to throw themselves at me. Did I just hurt his man pride? I could almost hear the sound of shattering. The sound of ego breaking. I didn't know anyone in Karachi but I am pretty sure he was exaggerating about this. Sure, he is good looking but looks are not everything to a man. Plus I am sure there are 'decent hard to get type of girls' in Karachi as well.

Well, that is wonderful for you. How about taking a trip back to Karachi then? Sarcasm dripped in my words. Did it look like I cared if women fell for him or whatever?

No. The more you refuse, the more it makes me want to chase you down. Talk about persistent. I scratched the back of my head. How do I get this guy to stop bothering me?

Well, that is disturbing but like I said I am not going to change my response. Please get that through your head. I am not going to go against my parent's wishes. You look like a grown up man, this shouldn't be hard to understand. Maybe I ended up roasting him a little too much. But he should have seen this coming.

So, you are going to keep refusing no matter what? I think he was finally getting my drift now. I felt as though we were finally on the same pace.

Yes, no matter what. I replied immediately. About time, he took the hint.

Even if I stand outside your house and ring your doorbell? Wait, what? WHAT? Oh my God. He wouldn't dare to do something like that. Would he? Anxiety came rushing into me as my heart beat started to go on a streak. When I didn't reply, he sent me another message.

What room are you in? Is it the one with golden curtains? I snapped my head to the window and carefully walked towards it. My legs were slightly trembling. I brought my shivering hands to the window and carefully pulled the curtain back just enough to peak outside and I let out a shriek as I saw him standing infront of our house. His pearl white Audi was shining under the street lights. He looked up from his phone and saw me, he smirked as he waved at me and I fell back on my ass as I pulled the curtains back. I had forgotten how to breathe. I had lost any color from my face. I felt like death was standing at the door of my house in the form of a man. A man wearing black shalwar kameez with rolled up sleeves and a shawl draped over his shoulders. This was the look I had first seen him in. What do I do now? I had lost strength in my legs and it was hard to get up.

So shall I ring the doorbell and tell your brothers I am here to meet you?