My causal crush

Chapter 26

'Zamin'

"You wanted to see me?" Owais asked taking a seat beside me, "finally after years of asking you.." he said moving his bags away.

"Do you think I made a mistake?" I asked looking down

I felt a tear fall down my cheek. Warm and sweet, "Are you okay?" he asked looking towards m

"Just listen, but don't look at me, I'm fine."

"I thought you were happy about marrying Saleema what's wrong?"

"It's a rebound marriage…after seeing that I was too late to get into her heart. Omar already did that without even trying."

"You know what they say, you only know you love them…when you let them go. Elizah did like you, but always thought that you liked Saleema and you proved her right."

"Sometimes I ignore my heart…" I said wiping my tears away

"Let's go have something to eat, it'll cheer you up."

They say a man who cries over a woman is a man who genuinely loved her. I know how willing I was to give her everything, to give up everything for her. I just did not feel like the time was right...little did I know that destiny had something else planned. Marrying Saleema was wrong, and I had explained to her the reasons...turning our marriage into a contractual one.

She agreed to give us a year to try it out and then she'll officially let go of me...

I, on the other hand, needed to learn how to love myself just as much as I loved Elizah.

Since I've arrived from Australia... I've been planning the engagement event with Saleema, and the rest of my energy was spent inside a court till I couldn't walk anymore…it was a way of relieving my stress. I wasn't happy though, and I think it will take me a while to be happy again. To be honest and fair I'm not sure if I have ever been happy.

On my way out of the court, I saw Omar. He was seated near the lake feeding the ducks, I hesitantly went up to him politely starting a conversation. I wanted to make sure that she wasn't putting herself into a mixed-up situation being with the son of her father's rival.

"You don't talk much do you?" I asked taking a seat beside him

"Depends on who I'm talking to, congratulations by the way... I heard you'll be engaged to your high school sweetheart soon."

"Jazakallah for your blessing….and I've actually never dated my soon-to-be wife."

"I see, treat her well even if she isn't Elizah…" he said getting up and leaving.

How did he know that I liked Elizah?

Maybe I'm just the villain after all.

***

'Omar'

For the last few weeks, Elizahs behaviour has been different. She hardly eats or speaks and isn't as energetic as before. I do admit that I am to blame for her recent sadness, however, I did not want to fall into sin with her anytime soon. I caught myself staring at her lips from time to time, I found myself wanting to open up my arms to receive warm hugs from her…which aren't allowed at all unless we get married.

This is another issue, marriage requires love…and I know nothing about love and sacrifice. More seriously, I know nothing about how to make her happy. It was difficult just dealing with her on her bad days. I, however, caught myself hurting whenever she was in any kind of pain. I found myself sad when she was. Im not sure if that's what happens when you become very attached to someone...or maybe I was just infected by an alien or lustful insect.

Since my conversation with Zamin, I did realize that he genuinely loved Elizah, and loved her enough to give her the happiness he felt he could not provide. The one thing that hurt about our conversation that day was looking into his swollen eyes. He had definitely been crying for days since his arrival. I couldn't account for the sudden disturbance that caused him such pain, after all, I was a part of Elizahs life at some point and being a part of it again is just Destiny's plan. I however can't guarantee that I'll see her again after we split up. I want her to be happy, to move on. Maybe make better friends and find suitors…at this point, I'll just hold her back and give her hope, hope that will hurt her.

"You're so deep into thought, if you're thinking about Elizah then I have a solution for you," he said handing me a lollipop, "just be honest with her it's that easy."

"I am.." I replied opening the up sweet

"This is the last time I bug you, she won't know until you tell her. Even if you guys don't end up together at least she would have known."

"How many times…"

"Yeah, yeah you don't like her…but don't say I didn't warn you."

He left after spitting out his lecture, he should be the last one to give relationship advice…couldn't even confess to a woman he loved and protected all his life.

She walked into the dojo dressed nicely, "Fancy meal for two," she said rushing up to me, "see I can dress nicely too.

I was caught trying to hide my blush and my heart stopped watching her red lips move, "you look like a clown with all that makeup, "I said rushing to the locker room after getting a punch on my shoulder

Do I like her that much, I taught it was just a casual crush. I changed into my jeans, feeling a little underdressed as I followed her to the fancy restaurant, to have the meal she was talking about.

A very formal streak house that had just opened. Her father's place to be exact, aka the only reason she looked like a woman on that night. It was difficult to maintain eye contact with her.

I was trying my best not to make my feelings to obvious. I had been swept off my feet by her in this modest blue dress that made her look like a real Arab princess.

For some reason I could not tell her though…nor could I control my heart..but watching her speak I knew.

I knew that I liked her.