When Stars are Hidden

Chapter 25

Salaam.
Sorry for the cliffhanger I gave in the previous chapter. I know, I'm wicked.
What do you think he said?
Enjoy.
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"Habiba, wait." Tawfiq whispered in a low tone. If it wasn't late and quiet, Naima might not have heard him.

She was almost at Hasia's car when she turned to look at him and raised her eyebrow.

"I wanted to tell you that. . .um. . .err. .." he scratched behind his neck.

Naima chuckled lightly.

"Is the great Tawfiq shy? Or cat got your tongue?" Naima teased.

He shoulders shook as he laughed lowly.

"I want you to promise me something."
He started off.

"Promise me you will always wear the bracelet I gave you except when you are bathing or doing. . .you get what I mean." He mumbled.

Naima eyed him weirdly in confusion.

Before you knew it, everyone would ask her to wear or use what they gave her all the time.

So Naima asked the most logical question.

"Why?"

He flashed his teeth at her.

May Day May Day.

Someone needed to tell him to stop smiling before everyone fell for him. . .including her.

"It's a promise. . .from me to you." He said simply.

"What promise, promise of what?" She asked in confusion.

"Oh would you look at the time." Tawfiq's eyes widened as he looked at his watch.

"It's getting late. You gotta get to uni. Don't want you to sleep late and wake up late. Bye Habiba." He quickly diverted the conversation not leaving any room for Naima to speak.

Without answering her one question, he went towards the driver seat of his car. He smiled and waved at her one more time before sitting in his car. Just like that. Without another word.

Naima was left dumbfounded. She didn't know whether to shout at him to explain himself or forget what he said.

Forgetting was a bit impossible at the moment.

"You ready to go?" Hasia asked from inside the car.

"Yes." She bobbed her head and went to sit in the passenger seat of the car as she drove them to the university.

They made small talk before getting to the University and after climbing up to their room both went straight to bed after they had showered of course.

Naima didn't think she actually slept a wink the whole night.
She was thinking of what Tawfiq meant by what he said.

'It's a promise from me to you' She recalled. What promise?

The first thing her mind went on was a promise ring but that wasn't a ring. . . Promise bracelet?

She and Tawfiq didn't see each other that way. . .right? At least Tawfiq didn't.
She wasn't sure about herself anymore.

So what was his promise then?
That they'd be friends forever?

Highly doubtful. The second he got himself a girlfriend or someone he was fascinated with they'd become strangers again.

Naima fiddled with her new bracelet for a while as she traced her fingers on the Arabic spelling of 'Habibi' It really felt like it was her name now.
She knew it was weird for a friend to call her with such an endearment like that but it sort of made her feel happy and giddy inside.