Lost

Chapter 62: Restraint

Note: I messed up a little in the previous chapter. I had accidentally posted a discarded draft. This chapter straightens that mistake.

Post your reactions as you read ^^

"Alright," Salma chirped happily. "We can now focus on the segmentation of the thoracic region."

"Great!" Zayn said enthusiastically. "Let's get down to doing it!"

He clapped her upper arm, grasping it as he tried to get her to stand up. Salma's shocked eyes flitted between him and his hand before she roughly slapped her fingers away.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Salma snapped.

"Sorry, sorry, it was just --"

"Don't even attempt at a lie!" Salma snarled.

"Right, here we go again . . ." Zayn said in an exasperated sigh. "It was a mistake! I--"

"Repeated enough times, it becomes a habit!" Salma snapped, jerking her stool away to put some distance between the two of them.

"Miss Rahman!"

Professor R.K.'s voice stopped Salma just as she was kicking the stool further down the counter. The kind professor was standing by the door, waiting for her. Salma forwned, curious.

"Yes, professor?"

"Miss Rehman, please follow me to my office," he requested. "I need a quick word with you."

Salma lightened up, seeing it as an opportunity to avoid Zayn, but then her brow furrowed in confusion. She could not think of a reason why the professor would want to see her in private.

"Is everything alright, sir?"

"Oh yes." He smiled. "Nothing to worry about. I just need a little help with something."

"Sure professor. No problem!"Salma sighed in relief. She could feel Zayn's curious eyes on the two of them.

"Ladies first." The professor beamed at her, holding the door open. Salma chuckled as he led the way to his office.

Salma delayed going back to the lab after the meeting. She opted for a coffee break, then left to see Sarah in her dorm. After prayers, she was hoping she had spent enough time for Zayn to get impatient and leave. Yet, much to her dismay, when she stepped back into the lab, Zayn was still there.

He looked up the moment she entered the lab. Salma swiftly avoided his gaze, ignoring him. He sighed his frustrations at that. Salma could almost hear his thoughts as he mentally struggled to choose the right words. However, the silence stretched a bit longer than she had anticipated. It unnerved her. A quiet Zayn could only mean more trouble before the incoming storm. Salma risked a quick side glance. To her surprise, she found him pouting like a child as he worked on the illustrations.

Salma swallowed a snort. Such a kid!

She was sifting through the identification keys when a boy with reddish brown curls and freckles entered the lab and nervously made his way towards her.

"Um, excuse me," he said timidly. "Professor R.K. send me here - are you, err, he said to show you this note."

Salma took the folded piece of paper from the boy.

"Oh, yes," she replied with a smile. "Professor R.K. told me about you."

The boy grinned with relief. In her periphery, Salma noticed Zayn had stopped working. He was suddenly very interested in everything other than his drawings.

"You must be Miss Rahman." The boy smiled at her. Salma hopped off her stool. Zayn scowled.

"Call me Salma," she replied. Zayn's scowl turned darker.