Deciphering Love

CHAPTER 25.

Chapter 25: I have someone in my mind?

*

"Oh no. Don't smile. 

You'll kill me. 

I stop breathing when you smile."

-Tessa Dare: A Lady of Persuasion-

* 

Yusra looked around her, anywhere but Islah Reza-Ibrahim. A thin coat of blush tinted her usual light colored skin, left from the encounter with his mother. Her heart raced a mile a minute making her gasp and struggle for breath as she did so. Islah. Please go.

"Hi?" she jumped slightly when he spoke. He was closer to her than she had anticipated. Damn that oh-so-beautiful scent. 

Islah raised an eyebrow at her anxious movements. He observed her fingers linked with each other and the thumb of her right hand was digging into the index finger of her left.

"Yusra, what's wrong?" he asked her, stepping up to lessen the space between them. Arabic party songs blared around them as people danced at the dance floor while the rest of the crowd watched. He was pretty sure other than his family, no one was actually paying attention to him or Yusra.

"Yusra?" Yusra turned her attention from the dance floor of people doing Dabke towards Islah.

Green eyes clashed with blue-gray and they found themselves (again) in a bubble of their own. The entire world dissolved around them; the music, cheers, shouts and mixed scents. All that matter to her was how his scent; rich fruity with a hint of woods. So forest like, like summer. 

"You like it?" Islah all but whispered as white dots of lights danced around them. The background quietened down and the music changed to a slow one. Can't help falling in love with you by Elvis Presley (though Islah was sure this was a cover) began playing in the back-ground.

Yusra tilted her head slightly with the corners of her lips turning up.

"Like what?" That was when the two snapped out of their reverie, looking into two different directions. Iravat let out a laugh and Rabail rolled her eyes at him. Umm ground? Now is the right time to swallow me as a whole. Take me anywhere! Even hell would do. Iravat patted Islah's back and pulled Rabail with him towards the buffet.

Islah shifted on his feet, rubbing his neck and glancing at Yusra shyly. The latter was no different though.

A few tables away, Lila and Ahmad facepalmed in sync. They looked at each other, shook their heads and grinned slyly.

-

By the end of the wedding, Yusra was yawning and trying to keep her eyes open (Islah found this irresistibly cute). Lila and Ahmad asked for a family picture with Lila and Nasreen gladly agreed even though Dawud had his doubts. 'Anything to get my daughter married, Dawud!' Nasreen had chastised her husband (By which, Nasreen meant Yusra would get more proposals since Lila happens to know a lot of people) as they made their way to bid goodbye to the host family. By that, Nasreen meant Yusra would get more proposals since Lila happens to know a lot of people. 

Yusra walked a step ahead of Islah as their families made their way to the car park. Ahmad and Dawud were engrossed on some political talk while Lila and Nasreen chatted about motherly things (Children of today followed by dramatic sighs) while the youths trailed behind. Maha had her arms hooked with Yusra as they walked in silence. Rabail was behind them with Islah and Iravat.