Za'afar

xxii

He tiredly roll out of bed with no motivation at all.

The past days has been torture and his step siblings didn't make it any better.

But what's bugging him the most is that he didn't see her for almost three days, and maybe things would've been a bit easier.

With little hope, he head to the bathroom for a brand new day.

Dresses in a dark blue kaftan he made his way downstairs to have breakfast.

"Assalamu alaikum, good morning" he greeted.

The only answer he got was his mother's reply of salam and a grunt from his siblings, but he couldn't care less.

With a hasty breakfast he bid his mother good bye and head for the office.

He was deep into work when his phone rang.

The caller ID read zainab.

"Hello zainab" he answered with a little confusion, they haven't talked in weeks.

"Hey, uzair how are you" he could hear her nervousness.

"Am fine, and you?" He casually asked.

"Am fine.....also"

"Good" he answered waiting for her to proceed to the reason of this unexpected call.

"Uhm....I was wondering if.....ahh if we could have lunch today" she asked.

"Uhh...I don't think I can make it, am so sorry I have to be some where else" he rejected recalling that he really has to see his mysterious girl today.

"Oh...." She gave a nervous laugh "OK, it's OK, maybe another time"

He already detect the fall of her voice.

"But what do you say, maybe dinner" he proposed.

"Are you sure....we can leave it till another time, if you're busy that is....or you may be tired, I just don't want to bother you so much but if......

She start to rant

"Zainab"

"Yes"

"Let's have dinner" he concluded.

"OK, I will see you then"

"I will pick you up by 6:30 then, is that OK with you"

"OK, yes it's alright"

"See you later then"

"Yeah, bye"

"Bye" he cut the call.

"Uggghh" he groaned.

What have I got myself into,he thought, he only agreed to have dinner because she seem sad when he said no, but he don't want to give her false ideas, false hope.

He just hope she isn't taking it the wrong way.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°

The last punch he made left the punching bag swinging.

"Arggghhhh" he roared.

His plastered hand was covered in blood, it no longer looked clean and covered.

This is a dead end, he thought

Why is it that whenever he came close, something has to happen leaving him stranded like a traveller in the middle of the desert.

Every time he come close , it all get snatched away.

Firstly, faruq couldn't recognize his face, which was covered with a face mask.