Shayba's P.O.V.

Tring.... Tring..... Tring.... Tring....

The alarm continued to ring on beside my pillow. Ugghhhh!!! I got up and arduously switched it off.

As soon as I was out of the bed, all the incidents from previous night decided to have a playback in my mind. Ya Allah! It was so embarrassing!

The dinner was sent to my room by my kind hearted friends last night. I ate it with due gratitude trying in vain to brush off Siam's activities from my head.

After getting up for Fazar, I poured my heart out to Allah the Exalted.

Oh Allah, please show me the right path. I am terribly confused about what I should do. If there is blessing for me in this proposal, then let my mind go along with it. And if it is unpropitious for me,then please help me and my family get over it soon......

We all came down with our luggage in the morning. Today is the last day of our trip. We are going to spend the whole day in this beautiful beach, shop till we drop and then start for our home in the evening.

So as planned, we all got out of our rooms, locked the doors and then headed to the lift.

It was jam-packed. People were pushing each other endeavouring to get into the lift before anyone else. Waiting for five minutes, I decided to give up and use the stairs instead. It's vain to wait anymore. Moreover, I only need to descend two floors. It shouldn't matter to carry my heavy luggage then.

As soon as I descended from the last step of the stair with great hardship as my hand was already sore, it got seized by someone as a voice came instantly,

"Let me take this. It's heavy."

I raised my head only to find Siam smiling at me. All dressed up and hair brushed aside so early in the morning. WHAT THE HECK IS HE UPTO NOW????

Making my face as berserk as possible, I replied,"You don't need to. I can carry it by my own. Give it back."

Without replying to me, he headed out. What the...!

"HEY!!! Where are you going with my bag?!?!" yelling at the top of my voice, I ran after him and as usual, to make this even more embarrassing, tripped over my abaya a little bit. I quickly got hold of the railing to save myself when Siam already had walked out of the door. Oh my Allah, Everyone is looking again!!! Why on earth did I even come to this trip????? To lose all my dignity in front of everyone??? Argh!!!!

He put my luggage in the bus chamber and jolting his hands, smilingly said, "Here you go. It's safe and sound."

How awkward! What should I say??? Thank you?????

"Well... thanks for that."clumsily my response went.

"Shayba!!"

I turned my face back and found Zawad bhai looking at us, to be more specific, glaring at us.

"Get on the bus right now!"ordered he making a infuriated face.

"Yes, Bhaiya." I rushed to take my seat. We are gonna have our breakfast packets in the bus while we head towards today's destination so that we can save time for both. The last day of the tour must not be wasted for breakfast or lunch time. Each moment must be counted.

Opening the window by my side, I smilingly inhaled a deep breath and the next moment, seized with horror.

Wait.... What the!!!!!! Nooooooo!!

My jaw dropped and eyes widened in horror when I found Siam in a bike following our bus trying to cope with my position! Where the hell did he manage this bike from??? Is he going to come with us???? NO FREAKING WAYYYY!!!

I barely resisted myself from shouting to avoid people's glances once again.
Ya Allah, I'll probably start sobbing again if he does something like yesterday night.

Praying heart and soul, I put my earphones on and played Surah Yunus. Ya Allah shower your mercy on me!!! Please don't let him interfere in my life at least today! But little did I know that my prayer was going to be unanswered.

We reached in fifteen minutes as our hotel was not very far from the beach side.

Getting down from the bus, my eyes surreptitiously took a circular glance around me but found that guy no where. A sigh of relief was let out of my chest immediately as I was almost sure to espy him somewhere near. But the fact is I don't think he has gone back to Dhaka though he should have by now. The evening yesterday was completely a disaster. I had shooed him away as much as I could and reproached him for staying in the same hotel as mine. But what can I do if he wanders around the beach alone? I don't own the beach, do I?

"Shayba come quick! Look it's a crab!" Nadia's happy exclamation made me turn to the beach as I smilingly followed her.

"It's so beautiful you see!"

I stared down only to find two beautiful red crabs indulging into the sandy beach. SubhanAllah!

Roaming around with the girls, it was obligatory to take pictures, buy some snail key rings and local jewelries. Wearing a floral crown over each of our heads, we finally sat on the beach chairs to give us some rest.

"Hey! I wanna drink that."I pleaded pointing at the little boy who was selling coconut milk nearby."I'm thirsty!"

"Yeah me too."Farhana whined,"Nads grab us some!"

"Yeah yeah, definitely your majesty. Always I'm the one who has to run your errands."saying this, she went away as we focused on the pictures I took today in my camera.

"That's cute!"Shelly pointed at one of Nadia's photos.

"Yeah that one too."

"Oh look! How funny Biva is looking in the background! What was she up to?" we all burst into laughter teasing Biva with her awkward position in the photo background when Nadia arrived with three big coconuts hardly handling with her forearms as she pressed them against her chest.

"Here you go."she handed me one.

"Oh can't thank you enough for this Nads!"I exclaimed as I swallowed up one mouthful, "Yum! It's so sweet!"

She smirked as I took another sip of it and then uttered, "Don't thank me. Thank your fiance for the treat."

I got struck with a bolt as I heard her, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"

She answered sneering, "When he heard it was you who wanted to drink this, he forcefully paid the bill. No, trust me. I really refused to take it but he coerced."

My jaw dropped and breathe accelerated as the circumstances got on my nerves now.

"I'm not drinking this. I'm sorry. Shelly take that." I momentarily handed it over.

"Oh come on Shayba! It's just a coconut! What's wrong with him paying the bill?"

"There's no way I'm going to take his offerings. Why don't you understand that Nadia? It's not like we are related in any way."

"Yeah. But even so he is trying so hard to impress you! Give him a chance..."

"Enough."I cut her off raising my palm, "You all do whatever you want. But don't drag me in this! PLEASE!!"

She sighed.

This topic was covered up until it was lunch time. Rashed bhai handed us all our food coupons. We stood in the line to collect our packets from Zawad bhai. When it was my turn, he was going to extend his hand with the food parcel when all on a sudden he glanced behind me and stopped in the midway as his jaw abruptly clenched and eyes shone in anger.

What happened? I followed his eyes and..... What the.....!

I saw Siam for the very first time in this beach. There he is, walking along and coming directly towards me!
Why man? Just why?????

To my utter surprise, Siam smilingly produced a spoon and a fork from nowhere and held them in front of me, "Take this. I know you can't eat without spoon."

Well hell I can!!! Why did Allah give me these hands then stupid??? And where on earth did you bring these from in this Sandy beach? I wanted to scream out so many things but couldn't utter a single word. He makes me so frustrated!

"Shayba, your food." Zawad bhai enounced glaring at him.

"Shayba, your spoon." Siam said with his smile making me turn to him again.

"Shayba, your drink." Zawad bhai averred.

"Shayba, your fork."

Huh?

"Shayba, Pepsi or Mountain Dew?"

"Shayba, do you need a knife too?"

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!?!? Give me a break you two!!!!" I yelled out finally.

Both of them shared a fierce glare for a while and then uttered the same thing at the same time, "I asked you first Shayba."

WHATTTTT??

I huffed, "Are you two kids??!"

"Shayba you are making me late. Look at the queue behind you." said Zawad bhai.

I turned back and.... Ya Allah! He is right. Everyone's looking at me vexed as I was standing too long here. Therefore I hurriedly snatched up my meal from him and moved aside.

"Go there and eat." he spoke in his stern voice indicating at an empty chair behind him in the volunteers' seating area abaft the food counter, still louring both at me and Siam. But hey! I wanna sit with my friends!

I gazed at him pleadingly but his fierce look and eyebrows sprang up in return. "Go." Then he turned to Siam clenching his jaw,"And you. I'll deal with you later."

WHAT?? How are you going to deal with him?

I immediately wheeled around.

Why does it seem that he is more agitated at Siam's appearance than me?

Brushing all the thoughts off, I quickly acted as ordered without asking a question leaving a despondent Siam behind. The place is good in one way. He won't be able to intervene anymore.

In the afternoon, we all went on shopping again chewing on weird topics as well as cracking up all the time and then for the third time in the day, to bugger up my picnic, Siam appeared.

I was observing the ring display when suddenly I found a blue stone curved ring in the mall that I instantly fell in love with. So while bargaining hard with the vendor for this who persistently refused to deduct the price, Siam emerged from nowhere and joined me, "What 300? It's 150 in Dhaka! Stop it now and give it to us in 150, else we are going."

Huh???? What 'we' Mr.???? There is no we.

I frowned at him in disbelief. "Listen, I don't need you to bargain for me."I mumbled but he seemed to completely ignore me as he continued, "180 final. Pack this up."

"No Sir. Just have a look. It's genuinely from Korea. I can't give you that below 300."the counterman insisted.

"Here you go. 300 paid. Take this bag and move! You are getting me late Shayba." all on a sudden that familiar voice spoke behind me as my jaw dropped.

I turned around in utter astonishment only to find Zawad bhai putting his wallet back to his pocket. WHAT THE HECK.....! DID HE JUST PAY FOR THIS RING???? I can't believe this!!!

"I'm sorry, did...did you just pay for that??" I stammered.

"Yeah. Hurry. Move. We are getting late." he brushed me aside and kept calling others,"Guys make it quick. We are leaving in five minutes." Instantly there was a rush. And in the middle of that, I stood there flabbergasted."Za....Zawad bhai! Wait!!"I couldn't even mumble properly.

"He is a stupid. No one would have bought that for three hundred. Huh! He thinks you would be impressed that way."my suitor from aside commented bringing me back to the reality as I threw a glare at him. This time he really got on my nerves. WHAT HAVE THESE TWO STARTED? Is it some kind of competition??? To embarrass me in front of everyone!?!

I snatched away the shopping bag and shouted, "Zawad bhai take this back right now! By no means, I'm accepting this!!" But he was already out of this store as the rest of the mass gave me a weird stare as if thinking,"Why is that woman in abaya screaming?"

I quickly bit my tongue as well as lowered my gaze. Argh!!! I got to return this anyhow! There is no way I'm gonna accept his nonsensical favours.

Coming out of the mall after paying for my due items, I searched for him as far as my eyes roamed but he was spotted nowhere. Neither he, nor Siam. I heartily hoped that Siam has permanently been disappeared from my sight but who knows? Maybe he will follow me to the way back too, attempting in vain to draw my attention.

Leaving the hope of finding out this famous duo and mounting on the bus, I took my seat beside Nadia.

"Hey! Where've you been? I was looking for you!"

"Huh? Ugh forget it. Again in the same labyrinth." I said gazing out of the window.

"What?"

"Nothing." There he is!
I leapt up. I spotted Zawad bhai out there calling on people loud to get on the bus in time. Well I guess this is not the right time. I'll have to return the bag tomorrow then. I huffed and leaned back on my seat closing my eyes. This... was a very tiring day.

I could feel some loud honking and heavy jolts sometime when my eyes refused to open up.

"Shayba! Get up! You slept the whole way!"

"Huh?"I jerked off from my seat squinting my eyes. "We reached already?"

"Yes stupid. Get up! You slept for about 8 hours!"

"Shut up. It wasn't a sound sleep though."I huffed and got down from the bus. Our impediments were being unloaded. So I took out my phone and dialed in mom's number. No matter what kind of drama she directs, I still need her help.

"Hello?"
"Ma I'm in U.o.E. campus now. Have you sent the car?"
"What? How come so early? I thought you'd reach an hour later!"
"Argh I told you that we'd reach at 10!"
"No you didn't. How dare you blame me?? And why didn't you call me an hour before reaching? I'd have sent it then!"
"Forget it! I'll manage somehow."
"What do you mean? Wait I'm sending the car now."
"No need ma. Allah Hafiz."I dropped the call.

"How are you going home?"that abrupt male voice jerked me again.

"Bhaiya I'll take a cab."
"Huh? Are you crazy? It's already 10 o' clock!
"Yeah. No problem. I'll call an uber."
"You're freaking kidding me! Do you even know the full way home? You've always travelled in your own car!""

Before I could deny such false assumptions and give a report about my own road sense, a third person spoke,"Get in my car Shayba. I'll drop you off."
Heh????? I pivoted around even though I already knew who it was. He reached already?

"Siam, I'm glad for your concern but no thanks. I can manage."
"At least don't try to be modest now Shayba. Look what time it is! Dropping you off will do no harm, will it?"

Zawad bhai paced forward and murmured behind me, "You aren't going in his car, are you?"

Why does that matter to YOU???? You go ahead! Pleeeease!!!

I narrowed my eyes on him vexed, my brows squinting with annoyance, "No I'm not. You can go Zawad bhai. You don't have to worry about me." Then I whirled to Siam,"Umm I guess I'll better spend the night at hostel tonight. You can leave now. Thanks for your offer anyway."

Without waiting for his response, I started to walk inside my campus to the way to my hall. Thank God I had a shelter here! Ugh!

Zawad's P.O.V.

I watched Shayba walk onto the pavement and gradually disappeared from my sight.

Good decision indeed! I couldn't stop smiling at her ready wit. Impressive one Shayba.

"Don't you think you should better cast those eyes on some other girls of your team now? They need help too!"

I turned around to the voice and noticed Siam leaning against his black Audi as he shrugged his shoulders. I walked forward and stopped two feet afore.

"Nope. I think we should better get some things crystal clear now." I gritted as my jaw clenched.

_______________________________________

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