Foolish Games.. (4)

How does he do that?! I’m a smart person, I really am. I’m more than confident with my speaking skills, what I would like to know is, how on earth does he manage to turn me into a stuttering, blithering idiot every time he looks at me?! I furrowed my eyebrows while thinking of an appropriate response, every thing I wanted to say died on my lips before I had the chance to get it out! This is not happening again, words! Anything! Where’s a black hole when you need one?

“Yes, nemesis,” I replied as I rolled my eyes, “now if you’ll excuse me, Catwoman has to leave now, I’ll see you in the next issue.”

I heard his bark-like laughter, “Come on now, Catwoman doesn’t give up that easily, does she?” He said teasingly, “Stay a while, sharpen those claws on me if you want to, I’m more than happy to act as your temporary scratching post.”

La walla? Did he really just say that? Did he just give me permission to tear his shirt off? Cuz that’s what it sounded like to me. Easy now, down girl. Metaphorically, he means metaphorically. Too bad.

I could see his smile widening and eyebrows lifting almost as if he heard the trail of my inappropriate thoughts at his suggestive words. Oh my God, CAN he read my mind? Never mind, too much twilight!

“You wish.” I replied in a very desperate attempt at damage control, “What are you even doing here?” I can’t believe I almost forgot to ask!

“Your powers of deduction amaze me,” he replied with the same flirtatious tone, “I’m Joori’s cousin, and that makes you.. Ritaj?”

As if on cue, Ritaj came out of nowhere saying, “No, I’M Ritaj! ANA!!” while jabbing her thumb in her direction and accidentally poking herself. “Ow!” she yelped. Karma finally decided to get Ritaj back for all the jokes about my clumsiness.

“Finally! The cosmic justice system is coming to my rescue! Juju, if you keep going at this rate, you’re gonna make me look like a swan by comparison,” I taunted her.

“Ee walla, shiftay shlon? 9ij allah ma yirtha!” She sounded so devastated, I couldn’t stop laughing, she’s such a drama queen.

“I’m enjoying the attitude and the scathing replies but I’m also finding myself drawn to your laughter and smiles,” he said.

Was he flirting with me? I felt my face getting hotter and the blushes reaching all the way down to my toes. There was no use pretending that I wasn’t flattered so I retaliated in kind, “Bas my laughter and smiles?” I used the same teasing tone he seemed to prefer while speaking to me, “I could’ve sworn it was my sparkling personality, twice in one day? Who’re you fooling?”

His laughter again. I had to make a conscious effort to stop myself from sighing.

“What can I say? Seems like the universe is trying to tell us something..” He trailed off suggestively.

“That I should start using regular hair accessories like everyone else? Yeah I got it.” I looked up in the sky and called out theatrically, “You can stop now!”

More laughter.

“Should any of this be making sense to me?” A confused voice asked.

Oh my God! Joori! I can’t believe I forgot about her, “It’s a long story,” I replied, “I’ll tell you later but I’m sure umm.. Your cousin-”

“3abdil3azeez.” He interjected.

“I’m sure 3abdil3azeez can fill you in on the way to your grandfather’s house.” I said, putting emphasis on his name. “I have to get going too, it was great meeting you hun, I’ll see you on Thursday inshalla!”

“Ee definitely, I can’t wait! Sara’s gonna be so surprised!”

We hugged and said our goodbyes as I temporarily faked forgetting about 3abdil3azeez while he consumed my every thought.

“Wait!” He called out as I was making my way to my car.

I looked over my shoulder making sure he was talking to me, “Yeah?”

“You know my name,” he stated.

“Well, thank you, Captain Obvious! I also know the alphabet and all the numbers from 1-10, would you like to hear that too?” I cheekily replied, lifting an eyebrow.

He flashed another dimpled grin, “What I meant was,” he continued, completely unhindered, “you know my full name and knowing how girls are, I’m sure my cousin will supply you with my address and a full biography on me in no time, in the spirit of fairness, shouldn’t I at least get a name? A letter? Anything?”

Why did he have to be so cute? I felt a reluctant smile tugging at my lips, “Ghala. But that’s all you’re getting!” I said teasingly.

“3ashat il asaamy,” he said and proceeded to fake-bow, “Couldn’t ask for more, Your Highness!”

Cute. Disgustingly cute.

To my horror, I heard myself giggling. “3ashat ayaamik.”

“T9b7een 3ala khair, ya Ghala.” He said, deliberately emphasizing my name and with an intense look in his eyes, daring me to move.

It worked, it was as if I was under a spell. My feet were glued to the ground. I couldn’t for the life of me even ATTEMPT to move an inch. I just stood there. Eyes locked, I returned his penetrating gaze. I don’t think my name has ever sounded that good before. Something about the tone of his voice suggested that he knew I’d go back home, throw myself into bed and do nothing but lay down there all night and think of him.

“Winta min ahla..” For some reason, it seemed appropriate for my voice to drop while saying that. You’d think it was pillow talk rather than exchanging a standard “good night” with an (almost) complete stranger.

Now this would be the perfect time for me to give a final smile and walk away, leaving him standing there watching me longingly, right?

Wrong.

Our silent eloquent stares were interrupted by my phone vibrating accompanied by my ring tone blaring loudly in the quiet night. I was irrationally nervous, as if I just got caught red handed committing a crime, I ended up dropping my phone. Again.

He chuckled and I bent down to collect the pieces. Again. Only this time, he got there before me and reassembled it for me.

“Here you go,” he said with a disarming smile, “A fitting ending, don’t you think? We started off the day with your phone falling and now we’re ending it the same way, full circle.”

“More signs, I assume?” I said, picking up what he meant by that.

“Exactly.” He replied, while giving me back my phone.

The intense look was back. I had to get out of there before I made an even bigger idiot out of myself.

I tucked in a wayward strand of hair behind my ears, smiled noncommittally but secretly hopeful and said, “Goodnight.”

“’Night.”

I could feel his stare piercing holes in my back as I walked away. Please don’t trip, I pleaded with myself. I somehow managed to get into the car in one piece and drove away sighing.

Irrational as it may be, I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy before.

Every alarm sounded in my head as I drove home that night, but I couldn’t care less. Something about him drew me to him inexorably like a moth to a flame, the attraction was so intense, the chemistry sizzled, the connection was just so effortless and the thawing of my heart for him.. Inevitable.