AFTER DARK

Chapter 12

It's amazing how you can contain a mighty storm inside yourself; of how you keep your anguish, your worries, your regrets, all pent up within -- until someone comes along and opens the floodgates of your being, and all that was locked inside of you, comes gushing out, breaking you free of your past once and for all. Once the storm passes and everything calms down, you feel empty and broken, but at peace.

Sometimes all it takes to is to have a person by your side. When it's dark, the same person serves the purpose of a glimmer of light like the light at the end of the tunnel and that very person holds your hand, gives it a gentle squeeze and walks you through the maze to the light; where a new life is breathed into you.

Lying down on the bed in my hotel room that night, I was encompassed by a strange feeling. Even though Rehan practically had no idea about my life other than that I was coming through a difficult past, for the first time after things ended with my EX, I could actually consider the prospect of confiding in a complete stranger. And oddly enough, this idea didn't haunt me instead it felt like the right time to let go of my past.

The next morning I made a deliberate effort of asking Daria to take me along to her office. She didn't say anything other than flicking her eyebrows once and opening her mouth to speak, but thought better of it.

Once I was in the office, Rayan's secretary showed me to a conference room where I waited for a while. I was standing beside a large window overlooking Burj Khalifa when I heard the door open behind me. I tilted my head to find him sauntering towards the long table. He stopped at the side of the table, a good feet away from me. So I moved my head again to face the glass.

"A view from here is indeed breathtaking ... isn't it?" He said, profoundly as always.

I gave a slight nod still facing the front.
I needed to gather my thoughts before I could start a conversation, so I took my time.

He didn't feel uncomfortable with my long spell of silence. With a patient smile on his face, he stood beside me and gazed out into the open sky.

"Sometimes ... I wish ..." I began in a plain manner. "... I wish I could go so far away from this life ... somewhere where my past doesn't weigh on me ... and I'm at peace ... free from all that holds me back in life...you know?..."

I turned towards him, hoping he gets what I mean. He nodded, slowly blinking his honest eyes.

"That place exists inside you," he said, smiling at me. "It's the chamber in your heart where Allah resides. Doesn't He say to us 'I'm closer to you than your jugular vein'. Surely it is He who puts this longing for love and peace in us humans, so we become nearer to Him."
"I don't know ..." I mumbled, dejectedly. "I don't know anything anymore."

A brief moment of silence followed. Rehan placed his thumb and index finger on his chin and contemplated over something.

"Come' on, let me take you somewhere," he said with a flare of excitement.
"Wh- right now? where?" I asked, totally caught by surprise.
"Let me show you the place where I used to go whenever I felt weighed down by the world."
"Is it the Jumeirah beach?"
"No," he replied, brushing away my guess with a careless chuckle. "You'll love it."
"I'm not going anywhere unless and unt-"
"Shh!" He shushed me. "Do you trust me?"

I fell silent. I only met the guy recently.

Should I really be trusting him? I had known Danial (my Ex) since College -- I didn't trust him ... and forget him ... I've known myself all my life, still I don't trust myself ... so how was I supposed to trust this stranger? But he never felt like a stranger to me. I don't know why but I felt like I've known him all my life.

"Before you say 'I don't know' again," he continued, anticipating my words. "Carefully see what your gut instinct tells you -- it's your primary guide in life."

The minute he said this, it all became clear to me. My instinct about him was strong. I was never repelled by this man, not for a moment. In fact, I felt a positive energy radiating from him. The only reason I hesitated to trust him was because I had severe trust issues, and also because I was afraid what Daria would think of me.

"I trust you," I said, with utmost honesty.
"Great! Let's go then, shall we?"

I sighed, passing a closed-lip smile. I knew I could get into trouble for this - especially with Daria. But Allah knew my intention, so I felt somewhat at ease.