The Segment (Completed)

52. Shades of Blue & Orange

(Unedited)

"I really want to kiss you," she said as she continued watching him as he exhaled harshly.

It felt like her words were a spell that suspended the time. Everything seemed to stand still between them. The air felt heavy, Richard's breath stuck in the expanse of his lungs, the only thing that convinced him that it was real, was the roaring of blood in his ears. His heart was pounding out of control. He looked up at her and gazed into her eyes.

It was pulling him in like it always did and before he knew it, he was inches away from her lips. He studied her face; memorising it again in fear that he might get it wrong when she left. He could feel her heavy breaths, the rise and fall of her chest. Her hair down her back. He lifted his hand and twirled it in her hair marvelling at the contrast of the intense black of her hair against his pale skin.

Farrah's eyes fluttered shut as he gently ran his fingers through her hair. Looking at her with her eyes shut, lips lightly parted; waiting for him. He leaned forward.

Richard closed his eyes, and an image flashed before his eyes. It was of Farrah; kneeling in prostration, hands held out in prayer. And she had prayed for him. Prayed for his strength.

"No," he whispered quietly. He watched as her face hardened; she squeezed her eyes tight and clenched her jaw.

"You placed your trust in me," he said softly as he moved away from her. "No matter how much I want to, how much I need to kiss you...I can't break that trust you have in me." He walked a few steps away from the couch.

Richard saw Farrah open her mouth as though she was about to say something and held up his hand, silencing her. "No, don't say that it's okay because you asked me to. It'll be something that will stay with you, guilting you. And I never want anything to mar our relationship; especially our first kiss."

"...our first kiss?" Farrah echoed his words quietly as she touched her lips.

"Yes, our first kiss. I don't ever want you to be embarrassed or ashamed by it. By the fact it was haraam for us to kiss," the Arabic word rolled off his tongue beautifully.

Farrah averted her gaze in shame. She had never once thought about it being haraam and here he was, the Prince of Wales; more worried about her and the struggles of her faith. Farrah opened her mouth, "Richard, I...-"

"No, don't. Don't say anything. It's okay," he smiles at her softly. "It's getting late, and we should both go to sleep. It's a long day for you tomorrow," Richard continued, a tinge of sadness coloured his words.

Farrah stood up facing Richard, her arms loosely wrapped around her waist as she hugged herself. Nodding she started walking towards the guest bedroom with Richard trailing behind her. They stopped when they reached the door. They stood facing each other, silence cocooning them. Farrah wrapped her arms tighter around herself as though she was bracing herself for a blow.

"Goodnight love," Richard said softly as he took a step closer to her. He had his hands clenched in the pockets of his trousers. He feared that if he touched her now, he wouldn't be able to pull back.

"Goodnight," Farrah said as she took another step closer to Richard. They stood there staring at each other until Richard cleared his throat. Farrah took a step back and paused. She didn't want to leave him. It felt like her heart was shattering. Each step away from him was like a sledge-hammer to her heart. Did it feel like this for him?, she wanted to ask. Will it always be this hard to walk away from him?

She quickly turned away from him and reached the doorknob, her eyes already brimming with tears. "I'll see you tomorrow morning," she heard Richard say softly tomorrow morning. "InsyaAllah," he added, and a chuckle escaped her. He was learning Arabic for her, and the heartache intensified.

"InsyaAllah," she answered without turning back to him she entered the guest room. Richard stood there for a few moments after she closed the door. He threw his head back and massaged his head exhaling a few harsh breaths as he stood there.

All he wanted to do was barge into the room and kiss her into delirium. He wanted fall to his knees and beg her to stay. He wanted to write the promises of his love into her skin, so she would never forget him no matter where she was, who she was with. He kept breathing harshly; in and out, in and out. That was all he could do right now. He knew he would not be able to sleep right now so he headed into the gym instead.

***

Farrah had fallen asleep the moment her head touched the pillow. It was as though her mind completely blanked out, being as exhausted as she was. She woke up early and said her Fajar prayers. Still in her prayer garb, she opened the windows in the room and sat watching as the sun kissed the night a lingering goodbye. Coloring the sky in beautiful oranges, pinks, and then finally a beautiful gentle blue. Like Richard's eyes, the thought came unbidden into her mind. She sat up straighter as her eyes searched the horizon for something.

Will the shades of blues and oranges always remind me of Richard?, she wondered silently. Farrah felt her face flushed as she thought about what happened last night. She was ashamed at her own behaviour. She was practically begging him to kiss her, and he didn't. He didn't because he respected her and her faith. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back. She would have felt humiliated had he not mention the guilt that she would feel had they kissed. He was right. Even though she was the who initiated it, the guilt of it would coil around her slowly suffocating her until she was unable to breathe freely.

She made a move to remove her prayer garbs and the tinkle of the bracelets caught her attention. Looking down at it she watched how it glinted in the sun, how the pink diamonds winked at her as they reflected the morning light. She remembered panicking, thinking that he was going to propose again and smiled at herself. Would I still say 'No'?, and without pausing she knew she what she would have answered him had he proposed.

The was a knock on the room door and she said, "Come in," as she remained seated at the window sill and looked out. She knew it was Richard, coming to collect her for breakfast. He walked in a second later, dressed down in his light wash denims and plain black long sleeved t-shirt. Though there was a smile on his lips, there was heaviness in the air.

"What time is your flight?" he asked as he looked past her to the grounds.

"At 15 to 6 in the evening," she said as she too continued admiring the garden that was spread out before them. "My Dad will be there, and so will Charlie. And of course, the rest of the crew," she said softly. She felt him nod his head behind her.

"Come on, it's time for breakfast," he said lowly, walking out of the room not even once meeting her gaze.

***

How many of you are disappointed that they didn't kiss?? Hahaha

Do let me know, no judgement whatsoever. After all they are my beautiful, precious, but oh-so-fictional babies. ;)

Thanks for reading my lovelies. Please do leave a comment and vote. Show me the love as the book is almost ending and I am a mess. I wonder if I should take a break or just start on to the next?

Also this book needs major editing. Eeeeks. 

Tell me what you think guys!!

Thanks!! xoxo