THE DEGREE OF HAPPINESS

4

I am not a very brave person. 

Really,  I am not. I don't speak unless absolutely necessary.  A total introvert who loved reading romances way too  much (Secret of my success in spelling bee contests: Read a lot).

If you looked at me that day,  shouting Soroush's name at the top of my lungs,  you wouldn't believe I was even an introvert.

But that's what I did.

"Soroush Hakeem! " I called, " Soroush Hakeem! "

"Ooh,  you're into this,  aren't you?"  Shezwa said next to me,  giggling.

I wanted to box her ears and send her down to the fictional pit of Tartarus.  Instead,  I began to walk towards,  Soroush,  calling him.

"Soroush Hakeem!  Soroush Hakeem!  Soroush Khalid Hakeem! "

"Yes,  ma'am?"  said Soroush Hakeem.

I took a step back,  realizing that I had walked right inside the racing track.  I was standing right in front of Soroush's bike,  whilst he stared at me with raised eyebrows. 

"Soroush Hakeem.... " I called again.

"Er,  do I know you?"  he asked,  with a little frown. 

I stomped my foot,  "Elizha.  Elizha Hashmi."

"Oh,"  he said.  Then,  he grinned,  "Here to support an older brother,  are you?"

"No.  Don't get your hopes up,  Soroush Hakeem!  I... "

"Roush..."

"Huh?"

"Roush," he said,  "That is what you little ones used to call me. What happened now?"

"Don't change the topic.  Why are you here? You're supposed to be... "

"Supposed to be...what?" he asked,  eyebrows raised even higher.

"A good boy!  Who cares about his life?"

Soroush laughed,  "Just because I love motorbikes and am participating in a race,  does not make me bad,  Elizhapedia.  It makes me interesting,  though."

"Stop this! Don't you care for your life?  Your health?"

"You certainly didn't care about my health when you put salt instead of sugar in the cakes," he said. "My grandmother was lucky because she had diabetes but I,  don't have that disease.  So,  naturally,  I was expected to finish all the cakes since wasting food is not allowed in Islam."

"That was different.  And,  I did not force you to eat those cakes,  Soroush Hakeem.  This.....this motorbike thing..... People die from motorbike accidents almost every single day. "

Soroush licked his lower lip.  "Then pray for me. Pray that I return to my grandmother and to you in one piece."

I wanted to remind Soroush Hakeem that he was nothing to me but before I could,  one guy grabbed my arm and lead me back inside the stadium.

"Hey!" Soroush and I both screamed.

"Do not touch her like that!" Soroush asked,  his jaw clenched.

"The race is about to start," the man said,  "She isn't supposed to be on the track anyway.  How did she get out?"

Honestly,  even I wish I had an answer.

I did not,  though.  There are some incidents where you don't know how exactly you got into and this was one of them.

A total knee jerk reaction.