Farrah heard the pop of the champagne bottle and felt the confetti that was raining down on her. Holding her palm up she caught a few pieces of the shimmering paper as they gracefully fluttered in the air. Everything felt rather surreal to her in this moment. The unofficial numbers have come in, and it looks like close to 20 million viewers have tuned in tonight to watch the segment. Her segment. They almost beat the viewership of the World Cup finals, almost.
She looked around and everyone was celebrating, even Violet - the intern, had joined the team celebrating. She was smiling ear to ear her eyes bright as she was crushed in a group hug by Mark, Will, and Rachel. Farrah was still in a trance like state when she saw they were all descending on her and pulled her into the group hug. Farrah stood statue still, completely overwhelmed not knowing how to react.
"Okay, okay...everyone clear out. Give the woman some space to breathe," she heard George say. "Farrah, you okay?" George asked, holding on to her elbow gently guiding her out of the screening room.
"Yeah...yeah...I think I am," Farrah said swallowing. "I can't believe that it worked," Farrah said. "And that people liked me," Farrah continued, "Me, a brown Muslim girl on the same screen with royalty...and people sort of accepted it, well a good majority of them anyways." She chuckled nervously playing with her hair.
"Well I never doubted it for a second. You are absolutely made for this," George said proudly. "Once you come back from filming, we will renegotiate your contract again."
"Thanks George," Farrah said smiling softly.
"Whatever for?" He asked.
"For believing in me, for guiding me, for having faith in my idea...the list of things to thank you goes on and on," Farrah said in seriousness.
"Farrah, this was a brilliant idea. I would have to be batshit crazy to look a gift horse in the mouth," he laughed. Farrah just shook her head and smiled at him. "Come lets go back in," he says walking back into the screening room.
"Alright team, well done! It was an absolute nightmare working with you lot, and I will be glad to have you gone for six months. Rachel, remember I want footage every week. Beg, borrow, steal...I don't care how you do it but make sure you get an internet connection and upload the videos into our cloud."
"Now, get out of here and check back in tomorrow with HR before you sign off. Off you go! Shoo! You too Violet," George said shooing everyone out of the screening room.
"George, aren't you coming?" Farrah asked standing at the doorway.
"No, we'll celebrate the next time round," he winked at her.
Farrah walked out into the lobby and saw them all waiting for her. "Come on, you filthy lot. Let's head to Paani; drinks on me," Farrah said with a big bright smile as the rest of them cheered and hooted at her announcement.
***
Farrah walked to the back of the bar and found Dave. Quickly checking in with him, Farrah then headed up to the VIP section and sat down. She watched everyone mingling, some even chatting up the guests from the next table. Susan, one of the waitresses brought them their drinks, and Farrah's mocktail. She sipped gingerly at it when Rachel made a toast to their next adventure.
"You're looking extremely introspective for someone who had a smashing segment," came the familiar voice behind her. Drink still in hand, she turned around and smiled.
"And how would you know that?" she quirked an eyebrow at him.
"I was keeping up with the hashtag on Twitter. It was going crazy up in there," Saif shrugged. He walked up towards her and pulled her close, planting a chaste kiss on her temple. "Congratulations," he murmured in her ear.
"Saif," she said in warning, as she peeled his arm away from her waist and stepped out of his embrace. He bit his lip, mischief clearly shining in his inky black eyes. Farrah shook her head as she brought him into the group. In an all-black ensemble and his hair in soft waves around his face, Farrah was taken aback by how seamlessly he fitted in with her colleagues.
Her phone buzzed in her hands and she saw that Charlotte had sent her two thumbs up emojis. She quickly looked up when she felt someone bumped into her.
"Why are you still on your phone? You can't be still working, can you?" Saif asked, smiling charmingly at her.
"No, it's just Charlotte," Farrah said as she sipped on her mocktail. He was relaxed around her tonight, flirtatious even; unlike the usual guarded man she knew, the boyish-charm coming out in practised precision.
Farrah's phone started ringing and it was Charlie, she knew she wouldn't be able to hear much over all the noise at the table, so she quietly slipped from the group to the fire escape landing. It was less noisy and crowded and by the time she got there, she missed the call. She turned around to head to the table but was blocked by Saif, a very agitated Saif.
"When were you going to tell me?" he demanded. The cords on his neck tense, the veins on his forehead prominent. He looked like he was trying to hold back, but from what?
"Tell you what?" she asked confused, the exhaustion over the last few days finally catching up with her as her brain felt muddled.
"Tell me what? When were you going to tell me that you are leaving for six fucking months?" he almost shouted.
Farrah took a step back as she looked at him. Chest heaving, he was fisting his hair in obvious frustration. She could see some of the passersby's sending curious glances their way.
"Saif, let's go to my office," she said seemingly calm. "We'll talk there."
The two-minute walk to the office was riddled with tension. She could feel the annoyance and anger radiating off of him. The huffing of his breath. The jerky movements with which he fisted his hair.
As soon as Farrah closed the door to her office, Saif rounded on her.
"You're not going," he said with an air of finality. "You are not going for six months. No."
"What are you talking about? My passport and visas are all sorted. Interviews have already been lined up. Flights have been booked weeks ago. Of course, I'm going," she said tersely.
"Weeks ago? You knew this weeks ago, and you didn't bother to tell me?" he said in a deadly quiet voice.
"I...yeah, I was busy Saif. You know how stressful it all got. You were there," she said trying to be calm.
"Busy? How convenient. You were busy, but you got your passport, visas, interviews, and flights sorted," he scoffed at her.
"What are you talking about, I didn't do everything by myself. We have a team, HR, interns...I didn't do it all by myself," she said incredulously.
"No, I said no Farrah. Which part of 'no' do you not understand?" he said roughly, he turned away from her as he fisted his hair with both hands.
Farrah was left speechless, not knowing what to say. She slowly walked up to him and placed her palm on his shoulder blade. She felt him stiffen instantaneously under her palm before he roughly shrugged her hand off and walked away, putting more distance between them.
"Saif, talk to me. What is wrong? What is the real problem here?" Farrah said as calmly as she could muster.
"You're leaving, that's what's wrong," he said still facing away from her.
"I'm just leaving the country, Saif; not the world," she said softly, joking lamely. He pulled her into a hug suddenly squeezing her to him.
"Please don't even joke about that," he whispered in her ears. He felt her nod against his chest and he tightened his hold on her willing her to wrap her limp arms around him. But they didn't, they remained dangling by her side.
"Saif, it's time to let go now," Farrah said in a voice the brook no argument and reluctantly he loosened the grip he had on her.
"Stay," he said softly. His black eyes glittering with unshed tears. "Please stay."
"I can't Saif," Farrah answered equally as softly. "This is going to push forward my career massively. Be happy for me Saif. You know how stuck I've been at my job; how unhappy I was. Be happy for your friend," she said almost pleading.
"I can't, I really can't happy be happy for you," he said squeezing his eyes shut.
"Why?" Farrah whispered hoarsely, she couldn't help but feel a bit hurt that someone she considers a close friend wasn't happy at her success.
"Because I think I am in love with you, and the thought of you leaving for me is fucking crippling me," Saif said thickly looking deeply into Farrah's honey colored eyes.
***
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