The next few days were strange. Maleek started noticing things—things she never thought he would pay attention to. He noticed when she was quieter than usual. He noticed when she hesitated before sitting beside him. And most of all, he noticed when she didn’t look at him the way she used to. One evening, as their group sat at their usual café, Warda felt Maleek’s eyes on her. It was fleeting, but it was there. A moment of hesitation, of something almost like curiosity, before he turned away.
Zainab caught it. “He’s watching you,” she whispered.
Warda shook her head. “No, he’s not.”
But doubt lingered. Later that night, as she walked home alone, a voice stopped her.
“Warda.”
She turned to see Maleek standing under the glow of a streetlamp, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable as always. But there was something different about him—an uncertainty she wasn’t used to.
“ You’re acting strange,” he said. She swallowed. “Am I?”
“Yes.” A pause. “Did I do something?”
Her heart pounded. Did he actually care? Did he notice her enough to realize something had changed? She wanted to say something, to tell him the truth, but the words wouldn’t come.Instead, she just smiled—a sad, tired smile.
“No, Maleek. You didn’t do anything.”
And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving him standing there, watching her go. The days that followed were filled with silence. Maleek didn’t message her again, and Warda didn’t reach out either. But something had shifted. The distance between them had grown, yet she could still feel his presence, lingering in the quiet spaces of her thoughts. Then one night, a knock on her door changed everything.
When she opened it, Maleek stood there, looking at her with an intensity she had never seen before.
“We need to talk.”
Warda’s heart pounded as she stepped aside, letting Maleek in. He hesitated for a moment before walking past her, his presence filling the small space. She closed the door, feeling the weight of the silence between them. Maleek turned to face her, his expression conflicted yet determined. He almost did not breathe because all he felt was love, something so raw, so fresh and calm at the same time.
“I didn’t mean to disappear,” he said, voice low but firm. “I just… needed to sort through some things.”
Warda folded her arms, watching him carefully. “And did you?”
He exhaled, raking a hand through his hair. “Yeah. And the truth is—I don’t want to pretend anymore. I don’t want to act like you don’t matter to me.”
Her breath caught, but she stayed silent, waiting.
“I told myself it was easier to keep my distance,” he continued, his dark eyes searching hers. “But every time I did, it just made things worse. You’re always there, Warda. In my thoughts, in the things I see, in the moments of quiet.”
Warda’s pulse quickened, but she forced herself to stay grounded. “Maleek…”
“I care about you,” he interrupted, stepping closer. “More than I should, more than I ever let myself admit. And I know I might be too late, but I had to tell you. I am in love with you, Warda.” She swallowed, emotions crashing over her like a wave.
“You’re not too late.”
Relief washed over his face, and for the first time in days, the space between them didn’t feel so heavy. It felt like the beginning of something new. Now that, is love.
“I wasn’t expecting you. I didn’t think that we would end up together. The single most extraordinary thing I’ve ever done with my life is fall in love with you. I’ve never been seen so completely, loved so passionately and protected so fiercely.” — This Is Us
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