Chapter 162: No Longer Me

How could I not look? As expected, when I did, I was no longer me.

With quivering lips, when I lifted my blurry gaze, the resonance from my vocal cords vanished as there she was, once mine, the angelic woman with shimmering gray eyes.

Upon her one glimpse, a tear uncontrollably rolled down my cheek as I swallowed hard to create space and utter her name instead of a sob.

“Aalifa…?”

“I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Her voice came velvety, how it was supposed to be.

The liveness which was killed by me and now she had regained it, no less a symphonic sound for me.

Ah, she smiled at me. Now, I could die peacefully.

Me and my world ceased to exist when this night of solitude became my friend and greeted me to my beloved who was there before me as if nothing happened.

“Are you here for the execution?” She whispered slowly so no one could hear.

The smile, the shining gaze, everything had intoxicated me to forget my existence as I couldn’t help but to nod.

“I see. Do you mind if I sit here?”

Nodding again, I gestured to the empty seat, tears coming near my eyes, frozen, devastated, lost.

All the feelings I was determined to never feel again were flared, more passionately than before.

Where had my words gone?

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you, you must be busy. I just didn’t expect to find you here.”

To her nervous and melodious chuckle, I spoke what came from the bottom of my heart sincerely.

“You look beautiful,”

She cracked a joke at my compliment,  “You look as intimidating as ever,”

“Do I?”

I was no longer in grasp of my cognition, expressions, feelings, words were being liberated on their own.

As if they were able to move in her rhythm. Why wouldn’t they? They were all hers after all.

“Mhm. Well, you are the Zaviyaar Sheikh after all.”

Humming, she scanned the hall before taking out her phone as I was compelled to stare intensely at the doll before me.

I had no idea when I would be blessed with such a sight so indulge before I lose it.

“Actually, I was called by a client to discuss a show at table 24… which is apparently this one, did you call me?” She questioned anxiously, showing me a number to ask if it was mine or not.

“What? No.” I shook my head innocently.

I never thought that reacting would be this difficult for me one day. Releasing a normal tone was impossible, it was whispering.

Tightening my grip on the fork, one could visibly notice the tremble in my hand as she was using her phone, confusion plastered on her exquisite features.

“I see. Maybe I should wait then,”

“If it was reserved they would have tagged it. Are you sure-”

I was about to question but my phone rang and it was surprising to find Sebastian calling me out of the blue.

“Hello?”

“You helped me with my tale and I don’t take debts. I am returning the favor. Enjoy your date and don’t meddle in my personal matter again,”

With a cold statement, he obviously hated the fact that I merely guided him as he had no idea what hell he threw on my head.

“I see.”

Cutting the call, I sighed. Should I consider it a sign from above?

Should I take advantage of it?

“Well, if your client isn’t coming then-”

Endeavoring to regain my posture and put my phone back, fulfilling my deepest wish to staring at her. She smiled delicately, placing her attention back to me.

I paused, no, I won’t lie or act this time.

“You should go,” I told her seriously, averting my gaze before it got lost- oh, it already did long ago.

Her mouth gaped, “Why? I can wait, they gave me advance payment-”

“It was a setup, Aalifa. Someone I know did this for me. You should leave. This place is not safe and it’s getting late too,” I spoke gently, curling my lips upward for her reassurance.

Disappointment came but she continued to smile, tugging her hair behind her ear, looking down sadly.

“I see… it has been a while since I performed, no one prefers that kind of dance here so I got excited.”

“I am sorry about that. Shall I book a cab or drop you off?”

I was in no position to provide comforting words so I did what I considered right that took her by surprise.

“Do you want me to leave?”

“I want my heart to remain stable. For my betterment,”

To her bewildered, I flashed a sincere smile and enunciated what would happen if we spent two more minutes in the vicinity.

I was about to pinch her cheek but stopped and raised that hand in the air.

“Ah, sorry about it. I didn’t m-mean to.”

Lowering her gaze, she spoke awkwardly, “It’s alright, I will text someone to pick me up,”

“Okay. Cool. Are you hungry?”

“Yeah,” She nodded as we silently ate food like strangers. My heartbeats were growing wild by each passing second, body losing control as I glanced at her from time to time.

Now, I had started to feel hungry when she was eating.

After dinner we both were sitting silently and the second I thought about asking her about her life, her phone rang.

“Yes? Okay, I am coming,”

“It was nice seeing you but I should go. Take care, Zaviyaar, bye,”

Waving my hands in mesmerization, I found tranquility when I saw her better than she was with me. It provided me with solace as I smiled and as much as I wanted to blow a kiss at her, I stopped.

“Bye,” I whispered sincerely as she hastily left, leaving me once again lost in the city of her heart and forgetting my existence.

A brief meeting, probably meaningless on her side too but it was everything for me and to increase the delight of it, I shifted my gaze when she left and noticed her clutch bag on the table.

“Aalifa, your clutch-”

I tried to go after and give her the clutch bag but she was no longer there.

Now ‘THIS’ was a chance from the heavens to bless me with another meeting.