In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

‘Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon our beloved Prophet and Master Muhammad (s.a.s), all his blessed descendents and noble companions.’

                                                                                       -Aameen.

Dedicated to xx_smiley  for declaring courage to ace a test based on IYL’s characters  ;)

Chapter Nineteen

Entangled in the throes of Passion…  

The deep carpet muffled the furious thud-thud-thud of the shoes as Alex paced the length of his cabin like a caged predator. On top of the jumbled emotions and feelings that he was vainly trying to sort was the irritation in finding the cabin not large enough to pace and vent his throbbing sensations freely, which was a gross injustice considering how this was one of the Grand suites of Costa Atlantica. Still one could not blame him, for this became nothing when compared to his apartment’s study where he paced during moments of unrest.

Alex could not forget the captioned words of the poster. He tried to forget or at least subdue these new exquisitely fierce emotions of his beating heart. Breathing shakily, he commanded his mind to think, to go back, to see what this is he had now gotten himself into.

Who is this woman who seemed to have the power of swaying him without intending to in the least? For she neither looked at him nor sought him, heck not even cared whether he existed or not! Then what was he, Dr. Alex Montex doing and behaving like a fool about? For God’s sake, he had not even seen her face yet!

But at that moment, his mind immediately seemed to see the large deep brown eyes twinkling with frank laughter making Alex swore and rub his own distressed blue ones in a futile effort to forget them.

Go back, go back he muttered through clenched teeth and again commanded his mind roughly to try to think why the fu** he had first come to this da** ship! For it was not as if he had never seen women in completely covered abayas before. Yet when he had come across them during his travels or when browsing in the net etc, it was only to look at them with curious pity or wonder about them, then promptly forgetting them after that.

Yet it seemed the opposite in her case, he had heard her voice talking, teasing and laughing, the next day he had looked at her, and after that, he thought only about it. Maybe her language had the charm to linger in his mind long after she was gone or maybe her soft voice cast the spell or maybe it was the way she spoke that enchanted him, whatever it was, he could not forget it.

To Alex, this admission of his heart only seemed to infuriate him more as he once again desperately searched the cause of his coming here. It finally rested upon…Wilson! It had been his da** surprise…still no one could have made him go if not for his own decision that restless evening. Suddenly, Alex seemed to remember why he came to Dubai and for the first time in the past ten minutes, he unconsciously paused in his pacing as he saw the scene of his best friend Michael passing away. A shocked surprise went through him when he realized how the ghastly images of Michael haunted him no more. For he realized now, it was because his mind had become interested in learning about Islam (which was what Michael had wished) while as for his heart, it had become interested in learning about her. The restless pacing began again as Alex now surmised he had been behaving foolishly about this woman.

There was no doubt that he like many others had begun dating in school that had gone on even while pursuing his medical degree. Yet none of the affairs had lasted. They just never did for after a while he always got bored or tired of them. Still nobody would accuse him of being a playboy like George and nor was he steady like Wilson who had married his girlfriend of six years. For the girls who had attracted him had never seemed to touch his heart that had always remained cynical about women even during the odd times when he had fancied himself to be in love. Only to end the relationship after some weeks.

Then how was he, The Dr. Alex Montex, behaving like crazy and thinking such thoughts as marriage about a woman whom he had not even seen, nor even once exchanged words with… Alex ran a hand between his hair and tried to control the throbbing of his heart, for he understood now that he was dreaming of impossible things. For she belonged to a family, religiously orthodox, and to a religion of which he was just beginning to learn. Besides, she did not care.

Alex thought of his father, Draco Montex and saw the hard, dark eyes and the usual mocking smile twisting his lips. That was enough to harden Alex’s own heart while he realized that here was something which if he did, Draco would never forgive as long as he lived. For even the mention of Islam was abhorrent to him, just like it had been to Alex ‘till some days ago. Yet the thought of his father’s displeasure didn’t bother him, on the contrary it seemed to give him a strange thrill. He wondered what Draco’s reaction would be if he saw Humaira…

Again, Alex paused and looked around the cabin for something to divert his mind, as it ceased to heed his commands while conjuring images that only increased the mad throbbing of his heart. His glance rested upon the daily information pamphlet issued to all passengers informing about the day’s (or night’s) entertainment provided by the ship. Today’s special seemed to be a masquerade in the two-deck Disco Dante and as usual, all were invited. To get the masks, contact steward so and so etc. Alex skipped it and saw the others were the daily dance and themed deck parties. He could care less about all that, he almost hated those noise and smoke filled Club or bar rooms. Going there only infuriated him more.

When next he checked the time, he saw it was nearing dinner and his thoughts immediately flew towards her wondering whether she would come to the MDR. That stunned him, how his thoughts now naturally centered upon her even in trivial things. This is madness! He chided himself severely and when he left the cabin, deliberately took his steps towards the Costa Restaurant.

Alex didn’t eat much, the live music aggravated his temper while every minute he tried desperately not to think what she was doing or whether she was now there at MDR…With an effort, Alex turned his thoughts upon the women present there.

Deliberately he checked each single one. Some were pretty; none beautiful while others, he thought were not even worth his consideration for what beauty or youth they seemed to possess, it was on display to all. Alex felt his heart turning cynical as his eyes scanned the girls and he almost smiled wryly understanding the familiar state. Yet somewhere the back of the mind whispered whether his heart would have remained the usual cynic if she had been present here in the dress may be like her, Alex’s glance paused upon a woman in a casual tank top and jeans. He could not imagine that. Alex didn’t seem to realize that the more he tried not to think of her, the more he did just that.

He looked at the barely eaten food and then saw the long necked bottle resting in between ice-cubes nearby in a tiny bucket. For a moment, he who rarely drank liquor thought of indulging in it to forget what his sane moments seemed to be powerless to do now. ‘Cause ever since he had read and witnessed the evils of alcohol during his medical course, Alex had developed a deep aversion to it. Yet now his gaze lingered upon it ‘til he swore and wondered what he was turning into. The music seemed to grow louder and the people seemed to become wilder while his thoughts once again thinking about her. Pushing back his chair, Alex got up and left hurriedly.

Much later, he would come to know that True love purifies and elevates both heart and soul, not degrades one leading to vile and immoral acts.

The heavens opened and it began to pour cats and dogs as Alex walked back to his cabin. Racing into the nearest entrance along with some others, Alex paused for a moment wondering where he had come. For almost all were dressed up in strange or fancy costumes and it was their masks, which reminded him that this was Disco Dante.

The masquerade was going on gaily as couples danced to the blasting music while some paused to stare at Alex who seemed to be one of the few without a mask. Heavy smoke curled up from down the Inferno Casino, no doubt living to its name as the most smoke-clogged place on the whole Costa Atlantica. As usual, liquor seemed to flow freely in the corner where the bar was. It is the water that had scarcity.

Alex’s heart stilled as he saw a half-masked woman in a flowing lilac dress look at him. He saw the same dark brown eyes with laughter dancing in them as she glanced frankly back at him. The glance broke and she turned and moved forward in the crowd. Only when she looked back over her shoulder and gave a smile that Alex seemed to wake from his trance. The next moment he sprang after her not caring whom he pushed or jostled aside. His pulse throbbed wildly as he neared the woman and caught her around the waist. Pulling her towards him, he ripped the mask from her eyes. Outraged pale brown eyes stared at him while with a terrible disappointment Alex noticed for the first time, the blonde hair of the woman.

Someone clutched at his arm making him look towards the source. A young man seething with fury glared daggers of jealousy. Then without even looking at her again, Alex loosened the woman and turned away with a sinking feeling in his heart. He looked around the crowded place masking the emotions with a herculean effort that made his eyes turn almost into a freezing shade of violet.          

 Alex felt his heart go numb again as his eyes fell upon a seated woman who was looking curiously in his direction. And her eyes too, also masked, were deep brown bubbling with merry laughter. Running both his hands through his hair, Alex half-clutched his head and commanded his mind not to make a further ass of himself. Then as if wrenching himself, he turned and walked towards the entrance.

As soon as he stepped outside from the glaring lights and sounds, he found himself an easy victim to the lashing rain. Yet instead of moving back, Alex steadily strode in under it. He was furious with himself for having had lost his control in there…

The enraged thud-thud-thud of the shoes was heard on the wooden floor mingled with the slash and lash of the rain as Alex, now completely soaked crossed the decks. The stormy rain seemed to suit his mood as Alex walked on and on without a pause. Unconsciously his mind stopped him and it was then Alex realized where he had come. It was the same place of the deck chairs where he had first heard her speak in the dark.

 Suddenly, Alex rubbed the falling water from his eyes as he peered to check whether what he was seeing was true. For not far from him near the railings stood a slight figure in full abaya, the face upturned towards the dashing rain, towards the weeping heavens. The shoes made no noise as Alex went near, with the telltale throbbing of his heart. Yet when he came close, it was only to realize that she was no more here than she had been in the Disco Dante. For the mind’s illusions, the heart seemed to suffer acutely as it sank once again in terrible disappointment while Alex sat down heavily on the wet deck chair.

The rain seemed to envelop him from all sides as Alex groaned tiredly rubbing his face,

“Oh Michael…wish it was your images that I saw, at least you didn’t torture me so!”         

*****

A/N ;)

Yes the next update would be very soon In Sha Allah…Remember in Du’as (include Alex too, I don’t mind xD) take care!

With Duas and Salaam,

abdurRahman (Gudi ;))