Chapter 21
21
The study session was more productive than I’d predicted. In three hours, we managed to go through most of the chemistry notes and large chunks of maths. As soon as I decided to move on to biology, my phone buzzed.
A text from Karim. My heart leaped.
I can’t stop thinking about you. If you’re up for it maybe we could meet today? I’m already out. I could drive to East London now if you’re free … I just need an address of where to pick you up
I grabbed Saliha’s arm. ‘Can I speak to you outside, please?’
Imran looked between us for a second and then went back to scrolling on his phone – something he’d been doing on and off for the past hour, in between tapping my shoes with his, throwing glances in my direction and asking me questions about chemistry.
Saliha followed me into the corridor.
‘Karim’s saying he wants to meet.’ I swallowed, showing her the text. ‘We spoke on the phone for ages last night, and I told him to come down to my part of town at some point so I could show him around. I didn’t realize he’d want to come now .’
‘Holy shit! This is insane,’ Saliha squealed, her eyes glued to my phone screen, but I was too busy thinking through the logistics to be excited.
‘My curfew is eight,’ I said. ‘That’s two hours from now. Just about enough time for a date, right?’
‘Do it!’
I gave her a death stare. ‘Wearing this? I sleep in this hoodie sometimes. But if I go back home to get all dressed up, Mum will know something’s up, and she won’t let me out again.’
Sal kissed her teeth comically. ‘Karim Malik really doesn’t understand the struggle for brown girls, does he?’ Her eyes softened as she caught my tense look. ‘Listen, sis, you can go up to my room and borrow whatever clothes and make-up you want.’
I wrung my hands together nervously.
‘Not that you need to change anything,’ Sal added sweetly. ‘You’ve got an effortlessly beautiful look going on. I think he’ll like that you aren’t trying too hard just because you’re meeting him . Text him back and say it’s on! Remember to tell him to pick you up in the street behind ours so no one sees you guys.’
The panic suddenly struck deep. ‘What if someone does see us and tells my parents?’ My heart stopped at the mere thought. ‘What if something happens and my mum suddenly needs me and tells me to come back right away?’
Saliha snorted. ‘No offence but your mum is on the phone so much that she barely knows what’s going on around her. The only thing that woman needs is her gossip buddies. As for the nosy aunties in the neighbourhood, just put your hoodie over your head. You’ll basically look like a boy, which means a free pass to do anything you like, including hopping into a random guy’s car.’
‘Right, OK,’ I replied, slowly registering everything Sal had just said. ‘I could actually get away with this.’
‘You most definitely can. And you will. And I will live every moment vicariously through you. Oh my God, Zara, you’re going on a date with Karim Malik !’
We locked eyes for a second, and then we were squealing, hugging, jumping up and down.
‘Hold on,’ I said, breaking away, serious again. ‘I’ve never been on a date before. What do I even do?’
‘Just think of it as chilling with a friend. Be exactly as you are with me. Well, maybe not exactly because you should defo throw in some flirting.’ When I widened my eyes, she gripped my shoulder soothingly. ‘You’re going to be just fine, sis. Now text him to come and get you already.’
With a grin, she left me in the corridor alone. My hands felt clammy as I texted Karim the street name. He messaged back almost instantly.
I’ll be with you shortly
My stomach clenched nervously.
I went straight up to Sal’s room to refine the natural make-up look I’d done earlier, darkening my mascara and putting some blusher on. By the time I’d finished getting ready, packed my things and said my goodbyes to Mr and Mrs Begum, I heard another ping.
‘I think he’s here,’ I whispered to Sal.
‘You better not keep him waiting then,’ she murmured back mischievously. ‘And send me your live location.’
I nodded, then turned to Imran. ‘Thanks for the notes. They’re really good. I’ll see you later.’
‘Why you leavin’ so soon?’ he asked in a disappointed tone.
‘Something came up,’ I replied, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction that he wanted me to stay.
‘You look nice.’ He winked, then his gaze dropped to my lips. ‘I like the gloss.’
My belly swooped low. Imran Sayyid was noticing me so closely with that dark, unwavering gaze of his and it was making me feel things I didn’t want to feel.
‘Thanks,’ I muttered, looking away quickly.
I could tell from the corner of my eye that he found my shyness amusing. Another excited hug from Sal and I was off into the warm early-evening breeze, my body zinging with nerves.
As I turned into the next street, I stopped dead in my tracks at the sight of a pearly white Ferrari. It was completely out of place among the middle-class terraced houses, with middle-class cars parked out front.
I hugged my hood tighter around my face. People would surely be looking out of their windows at the glorious revving of the luxury sports car. It was so easy to imagine Imran and his friends drooling over it. I practically jogged up to the car, pleased to see that it had tinted windows, and jumped in.
‘Let’s get out of here,’ I said, barely registering Karim’s presence and snapping on my seat belt.
The aroma of rich, leathery oud filled my senses and left my mouth watering. He even smelled rich and famous.
Karim laughed. ‘You’re rather eager. You haven’t even informed me of where you’d like to go.’
Although I’d spoken to him only recently, it suddenly registered with me just how posh he sounded, how different his speech and style was to the people I’d been sitting with minutes ago.
‘Erm,’ I replied nervously, looking out the window. ‘Please just start driving and I’ll tell you on the way.’
‘OK,’ he said gently, and moved out.
‘Turn left now,’ I said, feeling calmer as the distance from home increased.
‘Rather bossy, aren’t you?’
I finally turned to him properly. He was in formal clothes, but he’d shed his blazer and unbuttoned his white shirt, so it revealed a bit of his chest. His sleeves were rolled messily but his hair was slicked into shape neatly.
His side profile was exquisite – his jawline, the slope of his nose, his shapely lips. He was exquisite. And then it hit me like a ton of bricks – I was sitting in a white Ferrari with Karim Malik.
‘Oh, shit.’
He looked at me. ‘What’s wrong?’
I cleared my throat. ‘Nothing.’
Karim glanced at me, and I felt the urge to throw myself out of the car.
‘You look nice.’
I raised my brows at him. ‘Don’t you dare.’
‘What?’ he grinned that heart-stopping grin I’d seen a million times in his videos.
‘I was studying at my friend’s place. You didn’t give me much of a heads-up, so it’s basically your fault I look like a mess.’
He laughed. ‘I was being honest, actually. I’ve never been on a first date with a girl who was dressed so casually. I like it. It looks like something you’d lounge in in your bedroom …’
So, this was definitely a date. I gulped a little.
‘Well, thanks,’ I replied awkwardly. ‘And you look really …’
The words classy , sexy , hot came to mind. That’s where my brain stopped working, and I certainly wasn’t going to blurt any of those out.
‘Aren’t you going to finish that sentence?’
‘Nope – I’ll leave it to your imagination.’
‘All right. Well then, I’ll go with ravishingly handsome.’ We stopped at a traffic light, and he faced me completely. ‘Perhaps even irresistible. I’m close, aren’t I?’
I shook my head but couldn’t help smiling at the same time. We locked eyes and I felt my breath catch.
‘You’re taking me around your London then?’
‘Since I have a curfew, I can only show you a fraction of it today. You’ll have me home by eight, right?’
‘Yes, Cinderella,’ he said with a smirk. ‘I’ll have you home on time. That’s a promise.’
‘Just to be clear, you’re not an arrogant prick, right?’
Karim knocked his head back and laughed loudly. I joined in. It felt good to hear him laugh, and to know that I was the reason.
‘If I was an arrogant prick, do you think I’d own up to it?’
‘I guess you’d be too much of an arrogant prick to admit you’re an arrogant prick. It’ll just be difficult to hang out with you if all you do is this …’ I paused to screw up my face and put on a posh accent. ‘Urgh this place is filthy. Must I really park my darling car next to these common cars owned by common folk?’
Karim laughed loudly again. ‘Wow. You really have a lot to learn about me.’
‘You have a lot to learn about me too.’
‘I’m looking forward to it.’
Something deep inside me that had grown still and silent over the years began to flutter, slowly at first and then with a ferocity that left me breathless.
It felt like hope.