I swear to God, if I had the ability to blush, I would have turned as red as a tomato. But fortunately, God knew that I get embarrassed easily and had a high chance of exploding like an atom bomb, so maybe that's why He didn't grant me this "blessing."
I tried to act cool so Ahad wouldn't realize how shameless his words were... and how much they actually embarrassed me!
Brushing him off, I said, "Look who's talking! Ahad Shah, who can't even tie the string of his pajamas properly, is saying he'll handle me?"
I turned to the bookshelf, pretending to look for a book, though I wasn't even sure which one to pick.
Ahad leaned back in the chair beside cat. "Okay, madam, if I say something else now, you'll call me shameless again."
"Well, of course, I'll call a shameless person shameless. What else should I say?"
"Alright, fine, uff!" He sighed, probably giving up. Good, I wasn't great at comebacks anyway.
"Iman, can I ask you something?" Ahad suddenly asked, but his voice softened as he spoke.
"Hmm? Ask."
Ahad ran his hand over the cat, who was still meowing and busy with her food.
"What else are you passionate about? -Other than novels, ofcourse?"he added when I opened my mouth
"Hmm"
I paused-not because I didn't know the answer, but because I was debating whether I should tell him or not.
But then again, Mr. Shah is my best friend. Why should I hide anything from him?
"Come on, come on, don't be shy," Ahad said casually.
This shameless man has the sharpest eyes in the world.
My head jerked at his sudden remark.
For a second, I wondered if my inner thoughts had become audible.
Either he was insanely observant, or I was just way too transparent.
"Say it. Miss. " Ahad said looking at me like he wasn't taking my words-or this moment-for granted.
I don't know why I spoke, considering how easily I get shy. But... something compelled me to tell him.
"Me?" A smile spread across my face as my hand landed on Twisted Games by Ana Huang, and I started flipping through the pages. My princess.
Though my mind and heart were stuck on this one topic, my fingers kept turning the pages of the book.
"I want to get married."
A silvery laugh filled the room as I saw Ahad's jaw drop, his expression frozen like he couldn't believe what I had just said.
But he didn't say anything, and I continued.
I turned toward the bookshelf, still smiling, my cheeks warming up as I put the book back. My fingers traced over the spines of other books in one direction as I spoke again.
"Someone who... understands me. And whom I understand."
My eyes landed on Twisted Love, and when I saw Alex Volkov's nickname for Ava-Sunshine-a real, wide smile crept onto my face.
"Someone who supports me, who stands by my side in my worst times. And whom I can stand by in his every moment
My gaze fell on another book, Twisted Lies, and I remembered Harper's phrase 'I love you, butterfly.'
"Someone who loves me... and whom I love."
I pulled out The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafaq and started flipping through the pages.
"Someone who... truly loves me, and whom I... can truly love."
I swear I was blushing on the inside.
Whenever people blush on the outside, I feel that same heat burning within my throat. My whole face feels like it's on fire from the inside, yet whenever I ask if I'm blushing, no one gives me a straight answer. Sometimes it frustrates me -why can't I blush properly?
A dead, dry rose slipped from the pages as I was flipping through them. I closed the book and placed it back on the shelf.
Then my eyes landed on another book-King's Wrath. Mei cara, Rusoo's words echoed in my mind.
How do these people love so deeply?
"I've spent too much of my life in books, so maybe I'm saying too much. I know things like this aren't always possible. After all, why would someone love me that much?"
The smile on my face faded into a sad one, and I leaned against the bookshelf. I still hadn't looked into Ahad's eyes.
Finally, I lifted my gaze toward him.
"It's just the kind of love you find in books, sir," I said.
"Meow."
The cat kept meowing nonstop.
"I know, I know. I'm overthinking," I smiled. "But what if
"Meow."
I frowned.
"Meow," again.
"Meow-"
Ahad shot the cat a glare so sharp that it fell completely silent.
"Wow, you're the only person who's ever stopped this cat mid-sentence. You should probably adopt him," I teased.
"Ehh, never," he said.
"Sorry," I murmured, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "I talked too much." My eyes lowered, embarrassment creeping in. I had really said too much.
Ahad got up from his chair and walked toward me.
His eyes screamed,' I'm not taking a single word of yours for granted'.
His steps getting closer.