CHAPTER FOUR

Tomorrow came. Honestly, I wasn't the least bit eager to go work. But I had to. And I took my time doing so. I was sparsely late to work, so it came as a surprise. "You're late. What happened? Slept in cause you had had too much fun last night?" Rowland teased. He never ate at home, so at the moment, he was having his breakfast.

"I think I blew it," I blurted out.

Rowland spat out his drink. "You what?" Rowland yelled. The death gazes from our other colleagues made him lower his head. "You what?" he whispered.

"Blew it. Told her I liked her and she didn't say anything. She just went home."

Rowland stared at me, unable to mutter a word. "Well, she checked on you this morning, so I thought everything went well," he said, after recovering from his shock.

I was quite surprised to hear that. I was already of the opinion that she would try to avoid me. But she didn't. We met up later that day and neither of us spoke about what had happened the previous day. Was probably for the best, I thought. The rest of the week followed in the same manner. Rowland kept trying to give me the push, but I was more worried about rushing things, in turn pushing her away. Until the following week.

***

It was a Tuesday morning. Later that day, there was to be a match between Chelsea and Liverpool. It was the first leg of the Champions league semi-finals. Want to know the best part? I'm a Chelsea fan and she's a Liverpool fan. I relished in the thought of watching a match together, especially one where our teams were pitted against each other. I had already invited her, to which she agreed. But Rowland wasn't taking it so calmly. We usually watched matches together and since he was betting that we'd lose to Liverpool, he wanted to be by my side if and when it happened. After all, football banter was everything.

"You're really not going to invite me bro?" Rowland asked.

"You're a Manchester United fan, yeah?" I retorted.

"Yes. What does that have to do with anything?"

"I think you should just wait till Thursday night." Maryam couldn't contain her laughter anymore. She already saw it coming but it hits different when you actually hear it. Even though it sounded like banter, Rowland understood the underlying meaning that I wanted the space, so he didn't push it.

We went to a viewing centre not too far from my place. It turned out to be a good game, even though I have to admit that I probably spent more time staring at her via my peripheral vision than actually watching the match. But it was fun nonetheless. We lost the match by two goals but we did manage to get an away goal, which was some sort of consolation. But Maryam was so in my face that you'd think the match was the finals.

"There's still the second leg. You know that, right?"

"But you lost. That's what matters," she riposted.

"Well, I refuse to give up. We still have a chance."

"I wish you thought the same about everything else," she said, with the same expression she had when I told her I fancied her. I could feel the intensity of her gaze as she stared deep into my soul. The noise around us faded and in that moment, the only things that existed were the two of us.

"Maryam, will you be my girlfriend?" I said, taking hold of her hand. Not letting her out of my gaze.

Her fingers began to move till she cupped my hand. "Took you long enough… I fancy you too."