Chapter 169 : The ice cream
Ava practically scurried back to her room after Tanin dropped her off infront of the Wongcharee House. Pimpa's skincare launch program had been interesting so far, filled with presentations, product demonstrations, and even a few Thai celebrity appearances. Though it's not over yet, Somchai and Pimpa both were still attending the program. They still had lots of work so they wouldn't be home until late.
And after dropping her, Tanin had already dashed off to a dinner with friends. So, Ava was completely alone in home for few hours.
She was exhausted. A quick shower was all she needed to unwind. After a shower, she emerged, feeling refreshed and ready for some more relaxation. Wrapping her damp hair in a towel, she emerged from the bathroom, clad in a pair of comfortable white pajamas.
As she toweled off her hair, a movement caught her eyes. It was the light bulb above her mirror, pulsating erratically. One moment it bathed the room in a warm glow, the next it plunged it into sudden darkness. The on-and-off was rapid, almost like a strobe light.
"What on earth?" Ava muttered to herself.
Reaching for the switch, she flipped it off and on again, hoping a quick reset would solve the problem. But no such luck. It continued its bizarre flickering even after multiple attempts.
So she gave up on the fight. Flipping the switch off on the troublesome bulb, she switched on the overhead tube light instead. Thankfully, the long, fluorescent tube was working well.
With a sigh of satisfaction, she tossed the damp towel onto the chair by her computer desk. Just as her sigh faded, a sudden brightness pierced the room.
The bulb above the mirror, the one that had been playing its maddening game of on and off, was now glowing steadily.
How could it be on its own? She remembered with a certainty that she had switched the damn thing off only seconds ago. Her eyes darted to the wall switch. It remained firmly in the 'off' position....
Ava got more scared. She didn't dare linger. As she bolted from the room her bare feet slapped against the cool tiles as she raced downstairs.
Reaching the kitchen, she opened the refrigerator door. With a desperate gulp, she grabbed the bottle of a cold water. She chugged down the entire bottle. The icy liquid soothed her.
As she placed the empty bottle back in the fridge, she saw a trio of ice cream cones sat precariously in the egg holder. Who in their right mind would put ice cream cones in an egg holder? Aunty won't do that. And the housekeeper was meticulous, and ice-cream cones in the egg holder wouldn't be her style. Maybe Tanin.
Picking up a strawberry cone, the brightest red amongst the bunch, she plopped down on a chair by the counter.
Despite having eaten earlier at Pimpa's office, the sight of the ice cream was too tempting to resist. Taking a bite of the ice cream cone, she glazed over as the cold sweetness of the ice cream melted on her tongue. Suddenly, she was transported back to that day...
That day when he took her virginity. Back then, he had used the ice cream as a lure too.
She remembered all ..... the way Ibrahim's eyes had locked onto hers, the intensity of his gaze making her heart race. The way his long, cool fingers had intertwined with hers..... The way he took control. His touch were both rough and tender.
Then came the moment she couldn't forget. He'd stood before her. And there, nestled between his legs, was his manhood.
At first, the sight had overwhelmed her, the sheer size and power of him making her shrink back. Yet, beneath the fear, a flicker of something else ignited within her – a primal curiosity, a yearning for something unknown.
She could almost feel the heat of him now, the way his veins pulsed beneath the surface of his skin. A part of her ached for that feeling again... Ava wanted the intensity, the thrill, the way Ibrahim had made her feel like she was the center of his universe, even if it was a terrifying universe.
Stop it, Ava! she commanded herself mentally, slamming the brakes on her runaway thoughts.... Shame burned hot on her cheeks.
"This wasn't the path I want to be on. How could I have let a simple ice cream cone send my spiraling into a fantasy about him? About his… about that. Ah.. what a disgusting battle is going on."
She shoved another bite of ice cream into her mouth in anger, "Can't believe I let my mind wander like that especially when I suppose to hate him. Can't let him win, not even in my mind. Think, Ava. Think."
Think about all the reasons of leaving own country, own land. Don't let this yearning twist into something else. Because of Ibrahim, she was here, an exile in a strange land, living a life of constant fear. The anger, it all came flooding back.
Tanin was right, she thought between her bites, "If Ibrahim charged rent for living in my head, I'd be a millionaire in two days."
She jolted at the sound of a knock on the main door. Stuffing the remaining chocolate-filled end of the ice cream cone into the bin, she hurried over to check the peephole. It was Tanin, his helmet dangling from his arm.
She cracked the door open just enough for him to squeeze through.
"You're not asleep yet? I figured you'd be zonked out after today." Tanin asked while entering.
"I was just about to sleep, but the bulb in my room… it turned on by itself. It scared me, so I came down."
Tanin burst out laughing and tossed his helmet onto a wall hook with a clatter, "Scared of a bulb? That's what got you spooked? A bulb? That's the funniest thing I've heard all week."
"The light was acting strange, okay?"
"Alright. Let's go check that spooky bulb then. Mummy, Papa will be here in about ten minutes, still stuck in traffic. They need some serious directions practice, I swear."
He led the way upstairs. In Ava's room, he quickly unscrewed the offending bulb, replacing it with a new one from a spare pack he found in the bathroom, "There you go. Bulb monster vanquished! Now, try not to let the bedsheets eat you tonight."
Ava mumbled a genuine thanks as Tanin sauntered out of the room. She locked the door and crawled into bed. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was already midnight.
.....
The midday sun beat down as Elara pulled his motorbike to a stop in front of the university entrance. Farah hopped off while adjusting her backpack strap.
"When does your class end?" Elara asked.
Farah checked her schedule in her phone, "I should be done around three."
"Perfect," Elara said, leaning forward to brush a kiss on her forehead, "Just call me when you're finished. Even if I'm swamped, I'll drop everything to pick you up. And remember, stay inside the university grounds until I get here. Okay?"
"Since when did public displays of affection become part of the Elara I know?" She teased him.
Elara scratched the back of his neck thoughtfully, "Maybe it's selfish, but I just can't help myself. Seeing you blush is like a personal reward."
"Okay. I got that." Farah flashed Elara a quick smile and a playful salute before he pulled away on his motorbike. With a sigh, she turned and headed towards the campus building but a familiar figure caught her eye.
Yusuf stood across the way infront of the entrance of the building of English Department. Farah approached him, "You here?"
"Good afternoon, ma'am," Yusuf greeted politely, "I did message you last night, actually."
"I completely forgot to check my messages last night. What happened?"
He shared the news about the explosion that had severely injured both Professor Syed and Rafi two days ago. Now both were admitted to the same hospital.
Farah sighed, "Yusuf, with all due respect, what good can I do? Uncle Rafi chooses his own friends and company. If he wants to keep company with… with people like Professor Syed, then that's his choice. Don't expect me to go visit him. I have classes to attend."
"Of course, as you wish." Yusuf replied, "But… Usama Syed, before the accident… he asked your uncle for your hand in marriage."
And her jaw dropped. "What?! The audacity of that man! How dare he even think about proposing after everything he's done?"
Without another word, she stormed out of the campus building with Yusuf, "Let's go," she muttered, "Let's go see Professor Syed right now."
A fierce glint hardened her gaze. "Today, it's either him or me. Professor Syed is going to regret the day he ever thought he could propose to me!"