Chapter 3 - Fashion Show

Sara and Neha arrive at the fashion show and they see that the show is already started. Sara couldn't find any blank spot for her car. They were already late and now she couldn't find a blank parking spot. She gets really angry and finally sees an empty spot.

Neha points to a parking place, “common, park it there. Hurry or else somebody will park it there. Common, hurry up. There's a car coming.”

Sara tells Neha, “stop, I can't drive above the speed limit. If I get a ticket, then my mom will kill me. Just wait, nobody will park it there because if somebody's gonna come, they will come behind us, not in front of us.”

Suddenly, somebody comes from the front and parks the car, where Sara was gonna park. Sara gets really angry and presses the horn till she left that line. She got so mad that now her mood was spoiled and still is cussing the person in that car. She didn't feel like going to the show.

Sara said, “why don't you go inside because it's my fault that I didn't speed, and I don't want you to miss the show. I'll find a parking spot and then I'll call you.”

Neha still standing, “No, I'll wait for you.”

Sara nodding, “No, please go. I'm fine and I don't want you to make sacrifice anything for me. You already sacrificed so many things for your parents and I don't want you to make any more for me. Just go” Opens the door for Neha to leave.

She leaves Neha at the hallway door and goes to find a parking spot. She drives around like 15 minutes and finally finds a blank spot. She parks the car and runs to watch the show. While running, she drops her cell phone and breaks it. Now, there's no way that she could contact Neha.

Sara talking to herself, “Shit man. Shit man. One of my bad nights. God, please help me. This night was supposed to be my best night ever and now this. I can't believe that this is happening to me.”

She thought, why not go inside and ask somebody for a cell phone, so she could call Neha and be with her. She had her phone broken in her hand and she didn't want to hold it while looking for Neha. So, she goes back to the car and puts her phone in the car. This time, she forgets to lock the car doors and runs inside. She looks at the clock inside and sees that there are only 30 minutes left for the show to end. She was really desperate to watch the show but already had missed it for 30 minutes. First, when they came, they were already late by about 15 minutes, and then it took her 15 minutes to find a parking spot. She got really mad because the show is only for an hour and she already missed a half hour. Now, when she has 30 minutes to watch the show, she can't watch it because she has to find her friend. If both of them don't reach on before her parents get home, then they'll be in trouble. So, she has to find Neha. She asks the person sitting next to her for a phone.

Sara nodding on the shoulder, “Excuse me, Can I use your phone? I need to call my friend. I broke my phone when I was coming inside. Please, please can you let me use your phone? Please, don't say no. I really need to use it.” She begs the lady next to her.

The Lady replied, “Okay.”

The lady hands her the phone and Sara dials Neha's number. It Rings.

Sara waiting, “Common, pick it up.” Neha picks it up, “Thank God.”

Neha answering, “Hello?”

Sara said, “Hey, where are you? It's me, Sara.”

Neha putting pressure on her ears, “I can't hear you well, please speak up.”

Sara regrets calling her in the crowd, “Please, don't say that. Where are you?” Speaks so loud that the lady next to her gets scared.

Neha answering, “I'm in the corner of the hall; close to the door, where you dropped me off.” Sara looks at every corner of the hall and sees Neha.

Sara waves at her, “I see you, wait there. I'm coming.” hang up. To the Lady, “Thank you so much for letting me use your phone. I am really grateful to you. Thank you once again.”

The Lady replied, “you're most welcome.”

Sara gets up and runs toward the door to find Neha. Finally, she reaches there and finds Neha. She hugs her when she sees her.

Sara relieved, “Thank God. I thought that if don't find you today, then I'll be in big trouble.”

Neha telling her, “I called you so many times, why aren't you picking up the phone?”

Sara spoke, “I broke my phone when I was coming in. Just forget everything; let's watch the show. I'm relaxed now.”

There isn't much left to watch because there are only 10 minutes left for the show to end, but Sara's still happy because at least she has ten minutes to watch the show. She could do anything to watch even one minute of the show. Both of them watch the show quietly and enjoy the show.

Neha stated, “I thought that there was going to be a big party after the show ends.”

Sara excitedly, “Of course, what do you think, we dressed for?”

Neha thinking of John, “Really, I wish that Johnathan was with us.”

Sara replied, “Please, if he was here, then we could never watch this show. He talks too much.” Both of them laugh.

Neha asking, “So, when is the party going to start?”

Sara looking at the models, “Pretty soon.”

Sara watches the show and looks at the clothes that the models are wearing. Now, the designers come on stage and also their models. The announcer announces that the show has ended, and the party is going to be in the big hall next to this hall. So, he asks everybody to leave this hall and go to the party hall. Sara and Neha leave too with everybody else.

Sara holding Neha’s hand, and asking, “Hey, do I look okay?”

Neha asked the same thing, “Yeah, what about me?”

Sara smiling, “you look great.”

When they enter the hall and see that the hall looks like a club. All the lights were dim, and it was really dark in there. At first, they got afraid and thought of leaving the hall, but Sara insisted that they should stay and see because they never went to a club before or any parties like this one.

Neha looking around, “I'm afraid and it's very crowded.”

Sara comforting her, “Nothing is gonna happen, okay. Just Chill, baby.”

Sara takes Neha's hand and takes her to the dance floor. They start dancing, but Neha was still afraid because she didn't want her parents to know that she's at a party like this one. Everybody's drinking alcohol and enjoying their lives.

Neha tells her, “Hey, I'm thirsty, I want to drink something. Look, everybody's drinking and why don't we get a drink from there?” Sara starts laughing, “What happened? Why are you laughing?”

Sara hits on her forehead, “Stupid, they're drinking wine and we can't drink that. I'll go ask them if they serve soft drinks like cola or something else?”

Neha said, “please, do because I'm very thirsty right now. I'll come with you too.”

They go to the bartender and ask him that if they serve any soft drinks, but in a party like this don't serve soft drinks. Both of them get sad and make sad faces. They sit there for a while and suddenly something catches Neha's eyes.

Sara asked, “What happened? What are you looking for?”

Neha points the finger at a guy, “There's a guy over there looking over here. I think, he likes you.”

Sara rolls her eyes, “Just shut up. Why are you always trying to hook me up with guys? I don't want to be with somebody, I'm happy to be alone.”

She always lies to everybody that she doesn't want to be with somebody, but inside her, she was waiting for her prince charming. She didn't want to tell anybody, not even her best friend Neha because she thinks that they will make fun of her and say that she believes in such things nowadays.

Neha irritating her, “No, I'm serious. We've been sitting here for like 5 minutes or so and I was watching; that guy's looking over here for so long. I think, he really likes you.” Sara didn't even look at the guy. “Look, he's coming here.”

Sara asked, “Did you tell him to come here?” Her face turned away, in the other direction.

Neha gets excited, “he's so hot. Oh my god, everybody's watching him. I'm telling you, he's really hot and he will suit you. You guys will make a good couple.”

Sara puts her hand on her forehead, “Oh God, what should I do now?”

She hears a voice.

The Guy speaks behind her, “Hello, I'm Aaron Lawson.” Sara still doesn't turn around.”

Neha extends her hand, “Hello, I'm Neha Kareem” Both shake hands.

Aaron smile, “Nice to meet you.” He turns to look at Sara, who wasn't looking at him

Neha turns her face toward Aaron, “And this is my friend Sara Khan.”

Aaron very politely, “Hello, how are you doing tonight?”

Sara shakes hand with him, “Hmm... Great.”

She got shocked when she saw the guy because she never saw anybody that handsome. He has incredible looks and a fabulous, lean, toned, and muscular body. He has blue eyes, six pegs, tall, light golden-brown hair, and looks very handsome. Everybody's looking at him and most of the teenage girls in the hall wanted to dance with him, but he didn't pay attention to any of the girls in the hall not because there weren’t any beautiful girls in the hall. Sara looked so pretty and attractive to him that he came to talk to her.

Aaron asks, “May I have the pleasure to dance with the most beautiful lady?” Raises his right hand for Sara to accept his invitation, but Sara still thinking. Neha pushes her off the chair and tells her with her eyes to dance with the guy.

Neha gives a bad look, “Yeah, of course. Go ahead, Sara.”

Aaron asking for her hand again, “May I?”

Sara bites her lips, “Sure.”

She got really nervous because she never went out with a guy or danced before. She didn't know how to dance. She was really scared because she didn't want to make a fool out of herself. Aaron and Sara walk only a few feet ahead.

Sara tells him, “I'm so sorry, but I don't know how to dance.”

Aaron stops, “Hmm... I think you just don't want to dance with me, that's why you're saying this.”

Sara bites her lips again, “No, I'm serious. I don't know how to dance and if you don't believe me, then you can ask my friend, Neha.”

Aaron rubbed his chin, “Well, in that case, we can go outside for some fresh air; if that's okay with you.” Points his hands toward the outside.

Sara makes an excuse, “I wish I could go outside with you, but my friend is here inside, and I can't leave her here by herself.”

She was actually making excuses because she was scared to have any kind of relationship with anybody. Her parents had scared her so much that she didn't believe anybody. They told her not to believe any guys, especially American guys because they don't like to be with one person and they're not trustworthy. Also, she knew that she's not allowed to have a boyfriend and she didn't want to against her parents. She believes that her parents raised her all their lives and how can she betray them for someone she doesn't know. In actuality, she doesn't believe in love because she thinks that how somebody can love somebody else so much and they can give their life up for their love. She was raised in America, but her parents had given their values and principles that stopped her from getting into a relationship. Even if she was in love with somebody, they would never let her get married to him or even let her see him because they think that it's against their religion especially having a relationship outside the religion.

Aaron smiles, “are you afraid of me? I won’t bite you.”

Sara not thinking for once, “maybe you will.” She was very afraid because he was just a stranger and especially very handsome, so she was afraid of herself because what if something happens between them.

That was true; she was afraid of herself because she was desperately waiting for her prince charming and she doesn't know when she will meet him. She didn't know that if he was her prince charming and if he was, then she doesn't want to see him because she loved her prince charming in her dreams and was waiting eagerly to meet him and she could do anything to even betray her parents for him. That's the reason, she doesn't even want to give a try to make a new relationship with anybody and doesn't care how handsome or beautiful he is. She loves her parents so much that she doesn't want to betray them for anybody.

Aaron looking confused at her, “Can I ask you why you are afraid?”

Sara told him, “you’re a stranger and I’ve never seen you around here.”

They were still standing at the bar a few feet away from Neha. After a few minutes later, they started walking.

Sara tells Neha, “I'll be outside the hall and if you're ready to go home, then come outside. Alright?”

Neha waves at them and Aaron smiles, “Okay.”

He had a really beautiful smile. When he smiles, it feels like the sky is smiling with him and all the dead flowers are alive again. It seems like when he smiles; the whole world smiles with him. They walk out of the hall and started walking toward the parking lot.

“You know, it's so funny” half smiling, and Sara looks at him, which makes her smile too and her dimple appeared. He stopped talking when he saw her dimple, he loved it and then he completed his sentence, “that you broke your phone while running inside.”

She was confused now because she wanted to know how he knows about her phone, “How do you know that I broke my phone?”

“Do you remember that parking spot?“ Points at the parking spot, where she wanted to park her car, but somebody came from the wrong way and parked it there.

“Yeah” Sara thinking... and then, “No way. Don't tell me that it was you?”

Aaron replied, “Yep, it was me and I wanted to say sorry to you, but you parked at the other side.” Sara looked upset now because she wanted to kill this guy like an hour ago. “I was gonna come to you at that time, but I was in hurry too like you were.” Still listening to him carefully and interrupts him.

“Even if you were in a hurry, it doesn't mean that you can park at somebody else spot. I mean, I was late too, but I drove for like 20 minutes and that was the only spot nearby the stadium.” Very upset with him now and didn't care that he was interested in her.

Aaron apologizing, “I'm really sorry again, but I had to be there because it was really important …” interrupts him again.

“If it was important to you, then it was important to me too because this was the only chance that I got to watch this fashion show, and thanks to you, I missed like half an hour. All because of you.” Now, she tries to leave him and turn around to go in to get Neha to go home.

Aaron came after her, “wait, I'm really sorry because I think you weren't paying attention when...” She doesn't listen to him because she already walked away from him and he runs after her, “Look, please listen to me. I just want to say that I'm really sorry.” They were at the door already.

Sara told him, “I have to go. It was nice meeting you and I hope you don't do any of this to anybody else.”

She walks inside to get Neha and he goes inside after her. She looks for Neha and gives her a signal with her hand to come outside and Neha comes running to her. Aaron was standing beside her and wanted to talk to her, but she doesn't want to listen to him.

Neha looking confused, “What happened? You look upset, Is everything alright?”

Sara didn’t tell her straight, “Yes, of course; everything is alright.”

Aaron telling Neha, “No, nothing is alright. She won't let me explain myself. I was telling...” Cuts him again and holds Neha's hand walks toward to door. He runs after her, “Neha, can you please listen to me.”

Neha told her, “Wait, Sara. I want to know what happened?” They stand there and Neha looks at Aaron to explain himself.

Aaron asking Neha, “Did you watch the whole show?”

Neha stating, “hmm, I only missed like 10- or 15-minutes beginning of the show. Why?”

Aaron tells her, “Then you must have seen me on stage?” Neha was still confused.

Neha then remembers, “Yeah, you handed the award to the winner.”

Aaron telling Sara, “See, I was invited as a chief guest to hand in the awards and it was important for me to find a place as soon as possible because I was late already. That's why I had to park my car at your spot. I know that you waited so much for this day and I ruined it for you. I'm extremely sorry and I really mean it from the bottom of my heart.” Sara rolling her eyes.

Neha finally gets it, “Oh, I get it now. So, you're still mad because of that. I already forgot about it.”

Sara now yelling at Neha, “How can I forget about it? I missed almost the whole show and I broke my phone and all thanks to him. By the way, why are you taking his side? When you should be taking my side.” Now Aaron laughs aloud, Sara to him, “What's so funny?”

Aaron still smiling, “You because you are taking this very seriously. Do you take everything seriously? If you do, then you'll take me seriously too.” Sara's eyes popped open and her mouth fell open.

Sara asks him again, “What are you saying? I don't even know you and we've just met.”

Aaron hands her the card, “You can get to know me, this is my card.”

Sara hands back the card, “I don't want your card and once again it was nice meeting you. Shall we?” Asks Neha to leave from there and she starts walking toward her car.

Neha asks Aaron, “Do you have a pen?”

Aaron takes out a pen from his coat and hands it to her, “Yeah, here.”

Neha writes down Sara's number, “This is her number, and please don't tell her that I gave you her number cuz she's a little tempered girl.” Sara horns at her and Neha runs to the car.

Aaron saying at loud and waving at Sara, “Bye.”

Neha drove so fast that he couldn't look at her anymore. She didn't want to see him ever again because this was the only time that she wanted to have fun and her night was ruin. First, she was late, then somebody parks at her spot, and third her phone got broken. She was really mad now and hope that the rest of the night would be in peace, but it didn't happen because they got home, Neha's parents were waiting outside the house for her. They were in trouble and it was a bad night for her. She blamed that all of these bad things happened because of Aaron. He was so nice to her that she didn't want to see his good side when Neha was explaining to her in the car before they got home and faced her parents.

Neha asking her, “Why are you so upset? He was so nice to you and I think you should have not treated him the way you were treating him. I think you were being mean to him and he was not at fault at all.”

Sara responded, “Please, stop justifying him because all the bad things that happened to me is all because of him. I don't like him at all and he's not even good looking.”

“If he wasn't handsome enough for you, then why did you went outside with him?” Neha questioned her.

Sara was thinking what to tell Neha about that, “He asked me and I didn't want to be rude to him, so I said yes. But when he told me whatever he did, I got really upset, and I couldn't control myself. You know me; I get very angry for little things.” They didn't realize in their chat that they reached home and Neha's parents were waiting for her outside the house.

“Oh, shit.” Both at the same time.

Sara parking, “Crap. What time is it?”

Neha looked at the clock, “It's midnight.“

Sara surprised by the time, “What? We didn't even realize that it's midnight and don't say anything; I will handle this, okay.” Neha nods and Sara cuts the engine. “Hello, Mr. And Mrs. Kareem.”

Mr. Kareem orders, “I want both of you girls inside the house right now.” Both of them run into the house in a hassle.

Sara tries to explain, “I can explain this, please. We had our Biology project, and we were at the...” Neha's father cuts her.

Mr. Kareem said, “I know where you girls were” Neha and Sara looked at each other in confusion. “When we got home you girls weren't here, so Afsa told me that you guys suppose to go to the University for your project.”

Neha in confusion asked her father again, “Who told you that?” Sara pushes her elbow to Neha and tells her to stop asking questions through eye connection.

“Sara's mother told me when she came to ask me if Sara could stay here with us. That's how I know. Your father was worried about you and he was about to go to University if you were not here in about 10 minutes or so.” Told Naha’s mother to them. Both of them thanking God that they returned home before Neha's father went to the University.

Sara closing her hands, “We're home safely, Mr. Kareem, and don't worry your daughter will always be safe with me. I promise you that.”

Mr. Kareem patting her shoulder, “Thank you so much. That's why I like you because you teach my daughter lots of good things.”

Afsa telling her husband, “I think they're tired now.” Asking the girls, “Did you girls eat something?”

Sara and Neha at the same time, “Yeah, we did.”

They both run to the room and Sara says, “Thank you and Goodnight”