Amina
The thickness of the air increases more as we both stare at each other. My head repeated his words. Why is it that he's giving me more clues to be curious about him? And it makes me think I don't know many things about him which I don't. Apart from his sister and his grandfather. Something at the back of my head mocked me. He also doesn't know anything about me, then why did it bother me to know about him.
"No, you don't" I found myself saying averting my eyes. But by the unmoved action from him tells me he wasn't ready to give up. My face snapped towards him as he stopped the car.
"What are you doing Nabil. Why did you stop the car? I'm exhausted already so please don't add up to my stress" I exclaimed, my voice rising. To make matters worst, the corner of his lips twitched up. My brows raised in question at his actions.
"Believe me when I say I can see right through you. Let's see," He crooked his head sideways. "Right now you're exhausted and also angry"
"That is because I told you and for the anger, who caused it?" I passed him a dirty glare and he shrugged in return.
"I didn't do anything. Just voiced out my thoughts"
"Whatever. Let's get going. I don't want Mr. Ahmad to think negatively about it. To think that I'm spending time with you in his absence" He watched me with his calculating eyes. The smile that was once on his face was replaced with something. Anger. I wanted to ask him about his dislikes towards Ahmad but decided not to. And besides, it's not my place to get involved in his matters when he doesn't want to tell me. To clear out the thick air, I scrolled down the window. The cool breeze of the evening weather made its way through the window, spreading through the car.
"Shall we?" I said seeing as he still didn't start the car.
"Can you accompany me somewhere?" He said instead. My eyes traveled to him once again. For a moment, I saw the sadness in his eyes. And for a weird reason, my heart clenches seeing him like that.
"Why?" I asked. I needed to know why he always involves me in his matters one way or the other. "Or is it part of your plan?" I added. For a split second, his eyes grew big before he masked it up with all seriousness.
"Don't get me wrong. I don't have any bad intentions towards you. I just feel like...." He paused raking his fingers through his low-cut hair. "Feel like what?"
"I don't why but I feel like I could trust you. And maybe because I find you as a different person"
"Different as how?" I asked again.
"Different in many ways. Will you accompany me?" His tone dripped with plead.
"Okay" was the word I could manage to utter out of my mouth. His words render me speechless. I don't know the meaning his words hold but I will just go with the flow for a while.
"But if I'm to accompany you, then you have tell me where first?"
"It's been a while since I last visited my sister. So I want to stop by her school" I couldn't help the smile that resonates out of my lips.
"So you want me to meet your sister. Is that right?"
"Um... Something like that. And it's much like a surprise visit"
"Really?" He nodded in reply.
"Then I can't wait to meet her"
"Trust me you two will click in. Now it's 5:15 pm. We would be able to reach home around Magrib"
"Alright" He ignites the engine and we embark on the journey to his sister's school.
**
The car came to halt in front of a big gate with Nile University written boldly on the upper part.
"Let me call her. I know they're done with the lectures already" He dialed a number and put it on speaker mode. After like two rings, a small muffled voice resonates through the phone.
"Hello, brother Nabil. You finally remember your little sister" Her last statement came out slow. By the looks of it, she must miss her brother.
A chuckle escapes his lips. "I know. That is why I want to compensate you for that. I'm in front of your school" The line went silent for a while before her loud voice revamped again.
"Are you serious brother?" She asked in a cheerful tone.
"You know I don't joke around like this. So meet me outside the school gate"
"Right away" And the line went dead silent. Nabil turned to me, the smile still dangling on his lips. "She'll be here soon"
After sitting for almost ten minutes with few talks exchanged between us, the car was pulled opened followed by the presence of a young girl. She was the same as Nabil showed me her picture. But since the pictures was taken as a selfie, I couldn't make out her height. Looking at her at that moment, she was a bit taller than me.
"Brother Nabil" She called her mouth widening in a smile. Nabil got out of the car and I also did the same trekking to their side. She lunged her body into his for a hug. He hugged her back, patting her back slightly.
"I missed you brother," she said.
"Me too"
Pulling apart, her eyes traveled to me with one of her brows raised. "Who...." She trailed off. Nabil lightly ran his thumb on his forehead. I know he has completely forgotten about me.
"Amina, meet this naughty sister of mine, Fa'iza" He ushered. "And Fa'iza meet Amina" She studies me from head to toe. What I didn't expect is my body she pulled in for a hug.
"Hi, Amina, nice to meet you. As he said I'm Fa'iza but don't take the naughty word to heart" she passed him a look before returning to me.
"Nice meeting you too. Your brother told me a lot about you" Her eyes widened for a mere second. "He did?"
"Um," I nodded in reply.
"Wow. Can I tell you, something Sister?" I couldn't help being taken aback by her sudden word. I've never had a sister before. Hearing her call me sister tug something in my heart.
"Yes," I replied adjusting my standing position. Nabil was standing on the other side making a phone call.
"Brother has never talked to a girl about me. I've been trying to hook him up with some of my good friends but he refused. You must be special to him."
Special on what. I wanted to ask her but she continued again. "I wonder why brother rarely visits home. He's always busy with work."
Is it that she doesn't know about Nabil's work? Or is it also a plan?
"Maybe he has his reasons" I found myself saying without thinking. I don't know why I defended him maybe it's because he trusted me with his secret.
A sigh made it way out of her lips. "I know. But I'm happy he visited me today. Papa-" She didn't complete her statement when Nabil came back, his face held in a frown.
"Let's go. Wait for your driver" he said without once of a joke. Fa'iza's face fell at his statement.
"I want to go with you brother. We can go home together. I know you're missing Papa"
"I won't repeat myself"
"Please Brother"
"I-"
"Let's just drop her off. We still have time before maghrib" I could feel her gaze on us.
He realised out a sigh. "Okay"