If I Take a Chance [Unpublished]

|3| Collision

Noor hated nights like this. She had a strong distaste for the charade, the fakery lying thick in the air beneath fraudulent smiles and pompous conversations as everyone bathed in the same pool of self-importance.

Her fingers curled on the railings as she looked around the room which was buzzing with excitement, trying to find the reason to be as excited as they were but couldn't.

She stood in a corner of the room in her black dress looking as regal and beautiful as she'd always been, isolated but not totally isolated as she turned heads towards her men and women alike.

She didn't notice the stares and if she did, she was trying her best to not look affected by them, her poker face set in place.

"Try not to look so miserable," Nadia teased, nudging Noor's shoulder as she took in the vibrant colors decorating the hall.

"I am miserable," she replied nonchalantly, raising her Chapman flute in mock salute.

"Come on," Nadia's smile deflated a little. "Don't be like this."

"Like what?" she cocked her eyebrow, her gaze firmly set on Nadia.

"Like you're here against your wish."

"I am here against my wish," she rolled her eyes but there was no contempt hiding behind her orbs, just distaste for the event swirling within.

"Oh come on," Nadia groaned. "I'll never hear the end of this, will I?"

"You just answered your question," she smirked, dropping the half-empty flute on the railing.

"Noorul-Huda? Noorul-Huda is that you?" They heard a voice gasp in shock, prompting them to stop their conversation.

They glanced over their shoulders to a gorgeous middle-aged woman, dressed impeccably in a blue lace skirt and blouse, a Prada handbag dangling from her wrist, a veil wrapped round her face.

"It is you." Said voice gasped again, engulfing Noor in a tight embrace. Dafuq? Noor's eyes widened as she went stock still, on the verge of a panic attack. No one has being that close to her except for Nadia, Khaleed and Nadia's siblings.

Being hugged by a stranger brought all the bad memories back and she struggled with her breathing, trying to get out of the woman's embrace. The woman looked slightly familiar to her but for the life of her, she couldn't remember where she had seen that face.

Nadia had also frozen with fear, watching the exchange. As if something clicked in place, she picked up the flute Noor had kept and not-so-accidentally spill the beverage on the woman.

"Oh my God!" she yelped, releasing Noor from her hold.

"I am so sorry," Nadia rasped, dabbing the woman's blouse with her hand. "I am such a klutz, please don't be offended. I'll go and get you some clean towels."

"It's alright." The woman blew out a breath, staring at the red stain the drink had caused on her blouse. It was impossible for her to get angry seeing the lady's face contort with regret. The stain was the least of her problem, she was heading out when lo and behold, she spotted Noor; the daughter of one of her closest friends whom she hadn't set eyes on for eight years.