Deji removed all his clothes and slipped under the duvet with only his briefs on. The rain cascaded heavily outside, the thunder and lightning crashing intensely at intervals. It was a bit scary in all honesty but he had been through several thunderstorms before and knew they often lasted about an hour or so before letting up. He lay on his back with his hands behind his head and stared at the dark ceiling above. Sleep eluded him and his thoughts drifted to the events of the evening that had just passed.
Najima wasn't such a bad girl once one got to know her well. She only needed to be encouraged to loosen up and have fun. He had caught subtle glimpses of parts of her that she wanted suppressed as the evening progressed; an adventurous side lurking beneath all the formality and serious demeanor she normally exuded. A part of her that had, with patient prodding and gentle encouragement, started to emerge after they had addressed the issue that had made him invite her out in the first place.
Several days after the events of
An Unexpected Late Evening Gesture
, Deji had observed a rather cold, somewhat hostile demeanor whenever he met her. Her once warm, calm, and sweet demeanor had been replaced with a dark, almost hostile look. The polite greetings and mild conversations that had previously flowed effortlessly between them became wooden, filled with short, curt responses. He also noticed she went out of her way to avoid him. If they happened to cross paths, she would find an excuse to leave quickly. It was as if she had decided to build a wall around herself. He believed she might have thought over and regretted her actions of that night, and after several days of mulling it over, he decided to confront her about it to clear the air. He reached out and invited her to join him for dinner and a movie whenever she was free. Though she declined the first few times he asked, she begrudgingly accepted several weeks later.
The coldness from her was obvious right from the start. Deji tried to ease the dark atmosphere with some light conversation, but her responses were brief, almost dismissive - like she was being forced against her will and was trying to end the evening early. She avoided eye contact, her gaze darting between her rarely touched biryani and the surrounding décor of the restaurant. After several attempts to lighten the mood, he finally decided to go straight to the point. He set his fork down and for the next fifteen minutes, politely but firmly reminded her of what led to the circumstances they found themselves in that night. He reminded her how it had been
she
, not him, that had initiated contact and the subsequent sequence of events, emphasizing that it was her actions that had set everything in motion. He spoke without any form of judgment, and hoped she could see he was not trying to place any blame on her. The only action he would own up to, he admitted, was encouraging her to continue when she had clearly felt uncomfortable and embarrassed at being caught. He had only done that to put her at ease.
Najima shifted uncomfortably as he spoke. Her gaze dropped to her hands resting on her laps, and when he finally finished, she took a deep breath and looked up, her eyes met his gaze for the first time that night. Her voice was hesitant but steady, and she finally acknowledged her role in the events of that evening. She apologized for the cold demeanor and hostile attitude she had presented him for the past several weeks, admitting that she didn't anticipate the amount of guilt and regret she felt afterwards and had been struggling to process it since. She confessed that she still didn't understand what had gotten into her that night and why she had acted without thinking. Her voice trembled slightly and Deji could detect she was still grappling with the guilt. He tried to reassure her with a gentle smile that things like that could happen to anyone under similar circumstances. His warm words finally helped her feel less burdened by the situation.
They walked around a bit after dinner and enjoyed the sights of the mall where the movie theater was located. Najima seemed very interested in so many things she saw. Deji observed how her face lit up and as the hostile demeanor she came with finally melted away, he concluded that she hardly did anything fun, and as this might be the first time going out with anyone, her youthful spirit was eager to explore.
"I should take you out more often," he told her as she gazed in fascination at a couple of store displays, "I like how your face lights up."
Najima looked at him. "My face?"
"Yes," he responded, "from the excited look on your face, I can deduce you don't go out much."
"No, I don't. I spend most of my time inside at home."
"You should go out once in a while, y'know, let yourself explore. There's more to life than just being cooped up in your room or library all day."
He glanced at his wristwatch and noticed it was almost time for the movie to start.
"It's almost time for the movie," he stated as he began to lead her to the theater. To his mild delight, Najima wrapped her arm around his and pressed her body into him.
"Thank you for bringing me out tonight," she said gratefully.
--------------------------------------------------------
The movie ended around midnight. They made their way out of the theater and to the bus terminal.
"Did you enjoy it?" Deji asked.
Najima looked up and nodded. "Yes," she replied, "I didn't understand the story too much though. It was a little bit scary, to be honest."
"Yeah, just a bit. That's what thrillers are," he replied.
There was a slight chill in the air, a sign of the impending rain. A sudden gust of wind made Najima shudder. Deji paused a moment, but another colder gust and longer shudder from her wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer to him. She didn't protest. He could feel she wasn't wearing anything under the light tunic she had on.
"Here, put this on," he said, taking off his jacket and wrapping it around her shoulders, "it will keep you warm."
"Thanks." She looked at the sky at the gathering dark clouds. "It is going to rain. I hope we get home before it does," she remarked.
The city bus arrived not quite long after. They found a pair of empty seats at the back. He felt her shiver again.
"You're shivering," Deji remarked.
