Thorns and Berries

Chapter Thirty-Two

Husna

I hit my head several times on the pillow, in frustration. My jotter, laptop and pen lay close and idle by my side of the bed. I had been lying on the bed for hours, brainstorming and scribbling down ideas for the competition and yet, I couldn't come up with anything exhilarating that could make me win the contest.

For sure, I had written down lots of uncountable ideas but none had sounded so intriguing to me. Aunt Basma was back from work and had tried to assist but my ideas were better off than hers. Aunt Basma had instead made me a hot mug of coffee and blueberries pancake which I had consumed a quarter portion of it and abandoned on the small table close to my bed.
     
Even in my state of frustration, I was certain that giving up would be the last thing in my mind. My phone suddenly buzzed and gave a muffled vibration from the table. I had mute the phone hours ago, to avoid distractions and I crawled my sluggishly from the bed and closer to the table and picked the receiver, placing the phone close to my ears.
        
"Hi, girlfriend." My voice came and a large smile lit up my face. I felt suddenly light headed as though his voice had magically lifted my spirit.
         
"Hey, boyfriend."
         
"I have a little surprise for you."
   
I giggled and rolled on my back, feeling like a teenager in love.
           
"Okay..., what is it?"
            
"Look outside your window."
    
My brows furrowed slightly. What was he trying to say?
             
"Why?"
             
"Just...look outside your window."
    
I managed to haul myself out of bed and padded to the window, still clutching the phone to my ear. When I pulled aside the curtains to take a proper view of the outside, I saw his hunky statuesque in the dim lights, standing immobile with a small charming smile plastered on his face, his hands hidden behind his back. He had a simple pair of blue jeans on, and a casual black Armani T-shirt that clung tight to his body and exposed his hard muscles and abs and once again, I felt the sweet tickles all over my body, just by his presence.
   
I gasped in awe to see him and he gestured that I come down. Quickly and without wasting an extra second, I slipped into my flip-flops and raced downstairs and out of the house to see him still waiting patiently in the compound.
          
"You really did surprise me, you know. Who even let you in?" I said with a gentle laugh, hugging my body a bit timidly, conscious of my almost see-through pajamas and how shabby and disorganized I looked.
         
"It doesn't matter. Besides, who would deny me the chance to see my beautiful girl whenever I like?" He said and I felt my face flush red. I looked down, my toes curling up in my flip-flops. My heart tripled in its beat race and I loved the way he called me beautiful.

I hoped, deep within, that he wasn't merely teasing me this time around.
           
"I got this for you. Guessed you'd love it." He freed his hands from behind to reveal a bunch of rose flowers. I looked at him and at the flower, surprised again at his unexpected action. I gently accepted it from him, perceiving the sweet scent of the flowers, feeling very loved and special at that very moment.

He was truly treating me like a true girlfriend and I wouldn't want any of it to end anytime soon.
        
"Thank you. I love them." I appreciated with a smile.
         
"It's nothing. Have you had something to eat?"
         
"Not really. But I still have an unfinished plate of pancakes and a mug of coffee, up in my room."
         
"I bought us dinner. Let's go have it in my car. It's parked outside the gate."
        
"Sure." I agreed, struggling not to smile too widely. I felt like a queen and loved that he was treating me just that way.

I gave the flowers to Maria, who was watering the plants close to us, and I asked her to keep it in my room. I followed him to his car, a dark Peugeot parked in front of the gate.