HER CRUSH

Chapter17

Zarah
I had devoured all my chocolates and was now pouting at my phone screen like a toddler denied candy.

He let out a chuckle on the other end of the line. "That's cool! What do you want me to do now?"

"I want more!" I shot back, not even bothering to pretend.

"More chocolates or chilies?" He  burst out laughing, and I could almost see his smile through the phone.

I gasped. "Abdul! This isn't fair. Stop it, please."

"Why should I stop? You're the one who confessed that you torture yourself with chilies just because of me. That's free comedy."

I groaned, flopping onto my bed dramatically. "Wallahi, you're wicked."

"And yet, you still like me," he teased, and I quickly rolled my eyes even though my cheeks were heating up.

Our relationship was sliding into dangerous territory. Although Abdul had never once explicitly confessed his love for me, his actions screamed louder than words.

The late-night calls, the way he teased me into jealousy, the sly smiles I caught whenever we met...it was like he was dangling bait, waiting for me to fall into his trap and confess first.

But why should I? Wasn't he supposed to be the man? If he hadn't mustered the courage to say the words himself, I wasn't about to hand him victory on a silver platter.

I sighed, clutching my phone tighter. Abdul would often call me three times a week, sometimes more, always slipping in an excuse...checking on me, sharing something random, or just pretending he was bored. This time, he had called to ask me to pray for him, since he had his final paper tomorrow.

"Oh, and I'm not feeling well," he added pitifully.
"Maybe it's because I haven't seen Asma in months."

My blood pressure skyrocketed. "Ohhh, so Asma is now your paracetamol? Wow. May Allah cure you with her name, then."

He chuckled knowingly. He always did this...poking at my jealousy because he knew I couldn't hide it. And the worst part? He enjoyed it.

"I have to go, Abdul," I snapped, and ended the call before he could reply.

I threw my phone on the bed, huffed loudly, and then realized the house was louder than usual. Music, laughter, and the clatter of plates drifted in from the backyard. Aunty  Ramla's wedding preparations were in full swing.

I remembered telling Abdul that I had broken up with Farouq. Honestly, I had dropped that information like a hot plate, expecting him to at least flinch, show something. But all he said was, "Allah will bless you with someone else."

Can you imagine? Somebody that I'm secretly dying for, telling me, "Don't worry, Allah will give you another man." Which man exactly, Abdul? Which?
And as for his family issues, Abdul was like a locked diary. Anytime I asked about his father or Ummi, he would smoothly change the conversation. That secrecy only made me more curious... and more attached.

"Zarahhh!" My cousin Fauziya's voice rang out from the hallway. "Aunty Sadiya is calling you!"

I muttered under my breath, "Inalillahi... they will never let a person rest in this house."