Parting Clouds

Chapter 3.

It was not until grade eleven that I met her.

She entered my life when I almost lost myself within the fog of evil.

Her face was white as light, punctured by the red of rose that stained her cheeks, I couldn't see her hair, they were covered with a scarf, but in the moments she raised her head just for a fraction of second to scan the English class for an empty seat. I saw that her eyes were midnight brown, and they shined.

The seat that was left was on my right. I saved it for Seth.

When she gracefully glided towards it, her skirts swishing behind her, and settled herself on it, claiming it for herself. I couldn't tear my eyes away from her.

Let alone speak, and even if I was able to, I would've chose not to. Seth can find himself another seat.

As soon as the first bell rang, fingers snapped in front of my face, I looked up and saw a clearly annoyed Seth standing in front of me. He looked at the girl, and raised his eyebrows. I just shrugged my shoulders. He didn't have to know that I willingly didn't object.

He dragged another chair, and placed it right in front of her. He turned around in his chair, and looked at her for a second.

She didn't seem to notice, or even if she would've, chose to ignore it.

He coughed exaggeratedly. I glared at him.

She didn't raise her head.

"So what may be your name kind lady, who claimed my seat for herself?" Seth asked.

She ignored him, clearly.

He snapped his fingers in front of her face, and she jumped. Startled.

I got the opportunity to deeply examine her eyes. They were rimmed with navy blue.

Winter deciduous trees accentuated by the night blue sky.

She looked at Seth, but quickly averted her gaze, and shifted them to the ground below.

"I am sorry; I didn't know it was your seat. If you want me to move, I can. We could switch seats." She said, her voice teased my sweet tooth. It was that humble and low.

I looked at Seth to gauge his reaction. He looked as if someone has just told him he was not blessed with good looks. But then it was soon replaced with guilt.

"N-n-No-no, I was just joking, you can have it. I was just teasing. Sorry." He stuttered, but covered it with a smile.

She just nodded, and went back to whatever she was writing in her notebook.

Seth just looked at her, but then when he got no response to his apology in the form of words, he shifted his attention over to me.

He asked me the question with his eyes that was nagging my mind.

Why her eyes did not stole another glance of our faces?

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As the semester started to progress I got to know Rabab more and more. That was her name, and when it landed on my ears, it almost brought me to my knees.

It meant White Cloud. She told the teacher when she asked her what it meant. It was mesmerizing.

In order to get to know Rabab, I had to observe her actions because she didn't speak to either me or Seth.

Only when or if it concerned school.

I gave her space, didn't persuade her to speak, or asked her questions that would lead the conversation from subject related to personal life.

But Seth was adamant on getting her to open up, and to talk like every other normal human being. He would keep staring at her, or would stretch his arms far enough so she would think he was about to hit her. She wouldn't even flinch, sometimes would just duck if it got too close.

Those were the times when I just wanted to get away from him. I couldn't show my emotions. I couldn't possibly show that as every second ticked my life away, it was also ticking my emotional distance away from her too.

And my anger towards him would raise warning bells that would be hanging upon questioning boards.

I was falling in love with her. No, I was learning to love her, I was being taught to love her.

Her actions. Her words. They all were focused on tutoring me on how to love her.

The way her eyes would always be on the ground below her feet. Calculating or just examining, I didn't know.

The way her lips would not let that smile slip off of them.

The way she would play dodge ball in the hallways and classrooms. Ducking, dodging, crouching, side-stepping any contact with any male specie.

The way her eyes would light when she would notice a familiar face among the crowd.

Her optimism, which would emerge when consoling her friend.

The way she would stand up and defend every other teacher, no matter if the whole class hated him or her.

How her eyes would snap up, burning with fire when she would catch Seth using foul words.

How being one year younger than the rest of the class, and being two years younger than Seth. She would still bring up a point that would leave the whole class baffled, even the teacher had to stop and ponder upon what she said.

I was finally able to accept these bubbling feelings when Seth showed a side of him to Rabab that was concealed by his pride of breaking down her walls.

Her walls didn't come down, but his pride did, and my emotions sky rocketed.