23~You dont date your friends
"Don't I look overdressed? And isn't the makeup a little too much?" Hanan sighed, turning from side to side as she admired herself in the mirror.
"Not at all." Nanny Ann smiled. "You look beautiful."
"I know." Hanan pouted. "That's the problem. I feel too dressed up. It's not like I'm going on a date or attending some special occasion."
Nanny Ann chuckled.
"Stop making excuses and go already."
"Fine." Hanan sighed. "But I have to wipe this off first."
She picked up a pack of facial wipes and carefully removed her makeup, leaving only a light coat of lip gloss.
"There." She smiled at her reflection. "I feel much better."
"Why would you wipe it off?" Nanny Ann laughed.
"Because this feels more like me."
She grabbed her purse and headed for the door.
"Let me walk you out." Nanny Ann said, following her behind.
As they stepped out of the room, Hanan suddenly stopped.
"Oh... if Abdul comes back and asks where I am, please don't tell him I'm went to meet Faruk."
"Alright." Nanny Ann replied curiously. "But why?"
"I don't want him getting upset. He already looked bothered at the hospital when he saw Faruk and I together."
Nanny Ann smiled. "My lips are sealed then."
"Thank you."
Just then, an Uber pulled into the driveway.
"My ride is here. Bye."
"Don't stay out too late." Nanny Ann waved after her.
"I won't."
Hanan smiled while getting into the back seat.
As the car pulled away, she rested her head against the window, her thoughts drifting back to Faruk.
Why did he suddenly ask me to meet him tonight?
And why at his mother's restaurant of all places?
"I hope he isn't planning to cause another scene." She muttered, reading his text message for what felt like the tenth time.
With a sigh, she rolled down the window, letting the cool evening breeze brush against her face as the glittering city lights passed by.
Then someone caught her attention.
She glanced at the car riding beside hers.
Her breath caught immediately.
It was him.
Najib.
Like her, he sat quietly in the back seat with his window lowered.
His expression remained unreadable.
Cold.
Emotionless.
Yet beneath that blank stare, she could clearly see the exhaustion and pain weighing heavily on him.
Without realizing it, she kept stealing glances in his direction.
Then, as if sensing her gaze, Najib slowly turned to her side.
Her heart nearly stopped.
Instantly, she looked away, ducking her head in panic.
A nervous breath escaped her lips.
Did he see me staring?
She swallowed hard, silently praying for the traffic to let them move.
"But... why do I even care?" She whispered to herself.
At that very moment, the traffic finally eased.
Najib's car pulled away first, disappearing into the road.
Only then did Hanan release the breath she had been holding.
For reasons she couldn't explain, seeing his car disappear filled her with relief.
A few minutes later, her Uber pulled up in front of her destination.
She paid the driver, stepped out, and lifted her gaze toward the restaurant.
She glanced around, immediately sensing that something was different from the last time she visited the restaurant.
"Why are there no cars here except his?" She muttered, scanning the parking lot.
"Are they already closed for the day... or are there simply no customers?"
Only Faruk's car occupied the spacious parking area.
It felt strange.
The last time she came here, the restaurant had been buzzing with people. She heard it was one of the busiest restaurants in the city, yet tonight, the place looked unusually deserted.
Curiosity got the better of her as she hurried inside.
The silence continued.
The dining area was completely empty.
Not a single customer was in sight.
The only person she saw was a waiter standing by the entrance, holding a silver tray with a small envelope resting on it.
"Did I come to the wrong place?" She wondered aloud.
"Excuse me..." She said politely as she approached him. "Is this A Bite and More Restaurant?"
Instead of answering, the waiter smiled and extended the tray toward her.
Hanan frowned in confusion before picking up the envelope.
"What is this?"
She slowly opened it.
Faruk: Find me on the rooftop.
She chuckled.
"Are we playing hide and seek now? What exactly are you up to?"
The waiter merely smiled and pointed toward a nearby staircase.
"Oh... Thank you."
She made her way towards it.
The moment she stepped onto the first stair, she froze.
Every step of the staircase was decorated with warm fairy lights that glowed beautifully.
"What is going on?" She whispered with an amused smile.
As she climbed higher, her curiosity only grew.
At the top of the stairs stood another waiter.
Without saying a word, he respectfully opened the rooftop door for her.
"Where's Faruk?" She asked with a puzzled smile. "And what's all this?"
Again, no reply.
The waiter simply gestured for her to go inside.
Taking a slow breath, Hanan stepped onto the rooftop.
Her eyes widened.
The night sky stretched endlessly above her with countless stars that glittered like tiny diamonds.
For a brief moment, she forgot why she was there.
The view alone stole her breath.
Then she looked down.
Rose petals carpeted the walkway before her, making it almost impossible not to step on them.
Soft candlelights flickered from every corner of the rooftop, while elegant white flowers completed the dreamy decoration.
It looked... Dreamy.
She slowly walked farther in, taking in every little detail until her gaze settled on a single dining table prepared for two.
"Candlelight dinner?" She murmured.
The table was decorated with rose petals, candles, and a bottle of red wine beside two crystal glasses.
A small card rested neatly on the table.
Curious, she picked it up.
You look absolutely breathtaking tonight.
A smile escaped her lips.
She instinctively looked around, searching for him.
"You like what you see?"
His deep voice whispered beside her ear.
Hanan gasped and spun around.
Faruk stood only inches away.
For a second, her heart completely forgot how to beat.
God... Why does he look so handsome tonight?
She had always known Faruk was attractive.
His dimples were just the cherry on the cake.
But tonight...
Tonight was different.
Maybe it was his fresh haircut.
Maybe it was the neatly trimmed beard that perfectly framed his face.
Or maybe it was simply the way he carried himself with effortless confidence.
Whatever it was, he looked unbelievably handsome tonight.
She quickly looked away before he caught her staring.
Unfortunately, her wandering eyes betrayed her once again.
They drifted over his outfit.
He wore a crisp white shirt that was slightly transparent with the first few buttons undone exposing his chest, giving him an effortlessly charming appearance.
Heat instantly crept to her cheeks.
She quickly diverted her eyes away.
Faruk noticed her all the time she was staring.
A smirk appeared on his lips.
Without saying anything, he opened the bottle of wine, poured it into a glass, and turned to face her.
"Here." Faruk smiled, offering her a glass.
"I saw you smiling when you came up here, and for a second I felt relieved. At least my efforts weren't wasted, I managed to impress you." He glanced around the rooftop with quiet satisfaction.
"This is actually my first time planning something like this."
Hanan accepted the glass but placed it back on the table without drinking.
"Why all this?" She asked softly. "I only came because I owed you a favor. Now that I've fulfilled it... may I leave?"
"So soon?" He chuckled. "Not yet."
As she turned toward the exit, he gently stopped her.
"At least sit with me for a while."
Reluctantly, she allowed him to pull out a chair for her before taking the seat opposite him.
Faruk poured himself a drink before nudging her glass toward her.
"I don't drink."
"I know, it's just fruit wine."
After a moment's hesitation, she took a small sip and abruptly stood up to leave.
"We're friends, Faruk. That's all we should ever be."
She headed for the door, but the handle refused to open.
She frowned and tried again.
Locked.
The sound of the jingling keys made her turn.
Faruk held them up with a mischievous smile.
"They're here."
"Faruk..." She sighed. "Stop playing around."
She walked over to take them from him, but before she could reach him, he tossed the keys out of the rooftop.
"Seriously?" She stared at him in disbelief. "What's gotten into you?"
He looked at her quietly.
"I don't know."
He stepped closer.
A small, helpless smile crossed his face.
"I just know that somewhere along the way... I fell in love with you." He whispered closing the gap between them, they stood just an inch apart.
Hanan observed his face closely, the teasing expression on his face had disappeared.
"So many times I've asked myself when and how it happened." He shook his head. "But I don't know. You're my friend. Falling for you was never part of the plan."
Hanan remained silent observing every expression on his face.
"But somehow, every day, you became the first person I thought about when I woke up... and the last person on my mind before I slept."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"I can't seem to imagine my life without you anymore."
Hanan met his eyes.
There was no joke in them.
Only sincerity and hope.
She smiled sadly.
"Faruk..." Hanan called out softly trying to step away but he held her closely.
"I truly appreciate everything you've done for me. Tonight... all of this..."
She glanced around the beautifully decorated rooftop before looking back at him.
"Only you have done this for me."
She paused.
"But I'm sorry."
"I can't accept your feelings."
For a brief moment, disappointment clouded his face.
Then he smiled weakly.
"I wish my heart could accept that answer." He sighed.
Hanan could feel her heart racing as he placed a gentle kiss over her cheek.