Page 90 of If I Loved You Less
Slowly, the caterpillar passes onto my finger, and as it does, his finger brushes mine, ever so slightly. His touch is softer than the breeze against my hot cheeks, just as caressing, just as sweet.
My breathing stalls, but I do not withdraw.
Instead, I lift my eyes to his. His mouth parts?—
“Thereyou are!” a shrill voice calls.
Dread curdles my stomach.It can’t be.A bright teal dress enters my peripheral vision. Fawad and I both sigh, disappointed.
“Salaams!” Jasmine calls, Emad just behind her.
“What a lovely surprise!” I manage to say, voice saccharine. “How did you?—”
“You must have forgotten to mention it,” Jasmine says, eyes masked behind massive sunglasses. “Luckily, Mamoo mentioned it to Ammi.”
Drat Papa for mentioning it to Mahum Phuppo! Leave it to Emad’s wretched fiancée to invite herself yet again. Honestly, does she have nothing better to do?
I glare at Emad, and he does wither slightly.
“There—oh.” Rizwan appears as well, hands empty of the picnic baskets. He looks from me to Fawad on the ground, then to Jasmine and Emad. He looks confused. “We’re all set up over there,” he finally says.
I stand up, brushing off my dress, and walk ahead with him, wanting to reach Shanzay first to warn her. Behind me, Fawad sighs.
The picnic baskets have been laid out on a large table in the park, beneath the shade of a tree, while a picnic blanket has been set up a little to the side. Asif is feeding Naadia grapes while Shanzay drinks some lemonade. I hurry toward her.
“Shan—” I start, but she looks over my shoulder, spotting Jasmine before I can say another word.
“Don’t worry,” Shanzay says to me, her smile genuine. “I’m perfectly okay. I’ve moved on, remember?”
I smile with relief, squeezing her hand.
As the picnic continues, I see she is truly not bothered by Emad and Jasmine’s appearance in the slightest. Her new crush really must be a balm! Oh, I am so happy for her.
Rizwan sits beside me, just across from her, and we munch on cold turkey sandwiches. Fawad and Asif throw around a football, while Jasmine and Emad harass Naadia, who sends me SOS signals with her eyes.
I consider leaving Shanzay alone with Rizwan, but then he starts regaling us with stories of his old rugby days, and it feels rude to get up just then.
“What is that?” Shanzay asks.
“You don’t know what rugby is?” Rizwan asks, dumbfounded. He proceeds to explain it to her in detail, and Shanzay listens attentively.
“That does sound fun!”
I smile, listening as well. Then, Shanzay gets up to soak in some sun – she must be nervous! – leaving Rizwan and I alone.
“I have visited the States thrice now, so next time, it is you who must visit me,” Rizwan says, giving me a sweet smile. “I can show you around London, and we can go see all the pretty libraries at Oxford.”
“That does sound lovely,” I say, trying to signal to Shanzay to come join us again, but she isn’t paying attention. “But I cannot travel alone.”
Not to mention I scarcely think Papa will approve of such a trip, nor would he accompany me.
“Why not?” he asks, eating his cheese and crackers.
“Papa wouldn’t like it.”
“What do you mean? You are a working adult, surely your father lets you take trips on your own or with friends.”
I laugh. “It isn’t that he stops me, per se, it’s just that he does not wish for me to go.”
