How Love Happens - Chapter 18

 

It was Wednesday evening, three days after her visit to the uninhabited island for the shoot. Haifa had been making a conscious effort to keep her distance from Zishan. She had refrained from replying to any of his random messages, unrelated to her project. Even when he called the previous night to inform her about Khalid's arrangement for her next photography session, she kept the conversation brief.

During the boat ride to the resort, she strategically picked a seat as far away from Zishan as possible. Upon reaching their destination, they barely exchanged words. Haifa was determined to maintain her focus on her project and avoid getting entangled in any personal feelings for Zishan.

Though she tried to keep their interactions friend zone, every moment with him somehow ended up taking on a magical effect. Haifa was unsure if Zishan had a knack for timing them perfectly, or if he was unaware of the impact he had on her. Regardless, an invisible force kept pulling her closer to him, despite her best efforts to resist it.

After exchanging brief pleasantries with Khalid, Haifa redirected her full attention to her work. She focused on shooting the live music show, which was a rehearsal for the main event. These rehearsals were apparently conducted to fine-tune equipment and vocals. However, Haifa suspected that Khalid had arranged the entire performance to give her the opportunity to capture great shots before the actual guests arrived.

When she began Saira had sat there looking somewhat bored, and eventually, she wandered off. Haifa guessed would be on a poolside or beachside chair to relax by now. Meanwhile, Zishan and Khalid occupied the front tables of the hall, engrossed in a deep and animated conversation.

Haifa appreciated the time to herself, finding it quite relaxing. After the island shoot, she had gone home with her heart pounding. Zishan's words had left her breathless. Men in real life didn't usually talk like that; it felt like something out of a romantic movie.

It was as if she were the heroine, and Zishan was her hero. Heroines always fell for their heroes. Haifa didn't Zishan to be the hero of her story; she wanted it to be Aseel. She had a sinking feeling that if she continued to spend time with Zishan, getting swept up in his charm, she might fall for him. She wasn't naive; she had seen it happen before.

Haifa had always been in control of her life, but now it felt like nothing was within her grasp anymore. She needed to regain her focus. She had less than two months left in the competition, and after that, she could avoid Zishan like the plague. For now, though, he was a necessary presence in her life.

She absently ran her fingers over her beaded leather-woven wristband. Haifa had dug through her bags to find it after the last day of her shoot. It was Aseel's wristband, one of the many in his collection. He had been wearing it the first time they met, and she could recall that day vividly - the way he had looked at her, the slow smile that snuck over his face, and the words he had said, "Hello there, gorgeous." It was at that moment that she had fallen for him.

On her birthday, he had asked what she wanted as a gift, and she had asked for the very wristband. And just four days later she discovered he was cheating on her. That was why she had hidden it away, and even after they got back together, she had avoided wearing it due to the memories it carried.

Now she needed it. She had started wearing the wristband from that night forward to remind herself that she belonged to Aseel, and she always would. Every time her thoughts drifted towards Zishan, she would touch the wristband, grounding herself in the memory of Aseel.

"How is it going?" Zishan asked suddenly, appearing at her side. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't heard him approach. "Did you get a nice shot?" he continued, giving her a warm smile that radiated from his eyes and spread across his face. She loved how his face seemed to light up when he looked at her.

Haifa quickly caught herself, wristband!

"Yes," she replied, looking back into her phone in its holder. If she did not look at him and pretended he was someone else she would be fine.

"May I?" Zishan asked. When she nodded hesitantly in agreement, he took a step closer and bent his head a little. She swiped through the photos she had taken and the videos. "This one is really nice," he commented. It was actually a lovely video, she managed to capture the essence of the singer's performance. She felt flustered and joyed at the same time that he had noticed.

Zishan turned to her and spoke softly, "It still surprises me just how talented you are. You are always surprising me," he said.

Haifa swallowed hard when he turned back to her once again. He was so close she could see a small scar just beneath his left eyebrow. She noticed his eye was not as fully black as she had thought; it was a deep, rich brown. She watched as his pupils dilated as they got lost in each other's eye. The band started playing a slow number at just that moment.

Dang it, she thought, the whole universe seemed to conspire to create a romantic atmosphere whenever he got close to her. The corner of her mouth twitched as she nervously tried to break the moment. His smile broadened as his eyes dropped to her cheek, "Look, you have a dimple," he murmured, "A small, cute one, just below the cheek." As warmth crept into Haifa's cheeks, she desperately searched for something to say or do to steer the conversation away from its increasingly intimate undertones.

His gaze on her cheek slowly wandered to her lips. Heart thundering, Haifa turned away quickly and took a step back. "I’m done for pre-shoots, I will pick up again by the end of the event," she said babbled. With a practiced flip, she took her phone off the stand and dismantled her pod. "I should see where Saira went." She stammered as she tried not to look at him.

Haifa hurried off without looking back. She didn't want to see him right now. She gripped the wristband tightly as she moved directly toward the exit. She needed to get far away from him, and had to clear her mind.

***

Haifa found Saira just outside chatting with one of the resort staff. Saira beamed with excitement as Haifa approached. "You won't believe it," Saira exclaimed, "Khalid arranged for us to have a tour of the entire resort."

"Really?" Haifa asked with intrigue.

"Yep, come on!" Saira practically pulled Haifa toward the friendly-looking staff member in the resort uniform. "Haifa, meet Shiyam."

After the introduction, they discovered the inner workings of the resort, exploring the water villas, beach villas, and deluxe beach pool villas, among other accommodations. The staff member also showed them the various dining areas within the resort, aside from the one where they had enjoyed their breakfast.

As they strolled through the resort, Haifa admired the top-notch architecture and the island-style yet posh decor. A fleeting thought crossed her mind – finding a job here would be a dream, waking up to work in such a beautiful place.

After they had another exquisite meal for dinner, they headed over to the main hall to catch the last part of the show. Which was already in full swing with a hall full of guests. She stayed on the side as she took the footage she wanted, careful not to include any guests in her videos.

She had a very productive session, by the time she packed away her equipment it was nearing midnight. Saira yawned while they waited for Zishan to return. Haifa’s mind drifted to the talk she had with Khalid just after the show ended. He had came over to deliver bad news. Apparently, the couple who were scheduled to get their marriage vows renewed had to postpone their trip.

Which meant she would have to wait another three weeks before she could do the shoots she had planned. She had been eagerly anticipating the event, and having to reschedule for a much later date was far from ideal. She didn't want to burden Khalid with more special arrangements just for her; he had already been incredibly accommodating.

Haifa's mood had soured because of the news. Haifa told herself she had time, tried to suppress the disappointment that had settled in her. It wasn't a requirement to include everything in her video, but she had already envisioned the vow renewal event since Khalid had mentioned it. Now it felt like her video would be incomplete without those shots.

Zishan hurried over and said, "I'm sorry for being late, shall we?"

"It's okay, I’m just finishing up." Haifa replied, and she, along with Saira, followed Zishan the same path they always took. On the way back, Zishan's hand accidentally brushed against hers, sending jolts through her system. She quickly adjusted her position to maintain a little distance between them.

Turning his head toward her, Zishan spoke in a low voice, "I have something for you."

"You do?" she replied, struggling to suppress the sudden excitement his words brought. She reminded herself to stay composed to ensure he didn't get the wrong ideas. Additionally, there was Saira to consider, who already believed they were together, no matter how much Haifa denied it.

"Here," he said, pulling something from his pocket. "Give me your hand."

Haifa nervously looked at Saira walking alongside her. Saira didn't seem to notice or maybe was intentionally giving them privacy, Haifa wasn’t sure. Zishan placed something small and cool into her open palm. While the resort's lights provided some illumination, the night kept visibility to a minimum. She had to bring her hand closer to see what he had given her.

Her eyes widened with surprise as she gazed at the small metal charm in her hand. It was a pink and purple camera with delicate gold accents, exquisitely crafted. "It's beautiful. Where did you find this?" she asked, gently turning it in her fingers.

He smiled, his teeth gleaming in the soft night's glow. "At the souvenir shop. I spotted it and thought of you. I know you don't actually use a camera, but it just felt like you."

"Thank you, it's lovely," she said, closing her fingers around the charming little camera. Haifa felt a rush of appreciation for his thoughtful gesture. Part of her was aware that accepting such a gift might send the wrong signal, but another part reminded her that he had not displayed any romantic interest in her. Maybe she was reading too much into his kindness.

She had gone back and forth telling him that she had a boyfriend. She was waiting for the right time to mention it. She did not want to mention it at a time when he did something nice. It felt awkward and she feared she might hurt his feelings. Given how sweet he had treated her, he might think she felt threaten by him. Instead, she thought she should casually introduce her relationship status in a different context, maybe during a casual conversation.

"You are welcome. Have you heard from Rasdhoo?" he asked.

"Yeah, they are willing to do it, but for now, I would only be doing the dive shoots," Haifa said.

"Why?" he inquired.

"The cost is too high, I cannot afford both right now. So we agreed I would do the aerial next month," she elaborated.

"I can loan you the money," he offered.

She shook her head no. "That's okay. I don't mind waiting. I still have time."

"Alright, so have you gone for a dive before?" he asked.

"Oh no, I'm not really going to dive. I've never done that. I hardly think it's the time to start. They would take the videos for me," she replied.

"You know, they won't have the eye for perfection or your style," he said matter-of-factly.

"I know," she replied, "I don't know if I can."

"How about I come with you? It would make you less nervous about it. It's really nothing to be afraid of," he encouraged, "Being underwater is a different kind of tranquility, and the beauty adds to the whole experience. If you go for just one dive, believe me, you won't be the same again."

"You've done diving?" she asked curiously.

"Yes, I did open water when I was in school and a few dives after that. But I haven't had time for one recently," he answered.

"I don't know," she said uncertainly.

"You can always stop if it's too much. Don't give up without giving it a try," he reassured her. He noticed her uncertain expression and continued, "They would never let newcomers go in without giving all the instructions, and they would attach a trained professional to accompany. It's okay if you decide not to give it a try. But think about it, okay?"

"Okay, I will think about it," she told him.

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Have a wonderful day!