6 Chapter 5

After a few minutes of walking, Aayat broke the silence and asked "So Asher tell me something about yourself?"

Mitch kept his head down, hands in his pockets and asked, "What do you want to know?"

"Do you have a girlfriend?" Aayat asked looking at him

Mitch instantly looked up towards her and a pained expression flashed across his face for a second as his mind went to Mary, his high school sweetheart.

He replied grimly "No I don't"

Aayat noticed his expression and asked "Nasty breakup?"

Mitch replied with the same grim tone "She died"

"Oh I'm so sorry, I—" Mitch interrupted her "Its fine"

Aayat took that as her cue to not question it any further and decided to change the topic "So which city are you from in America?"

Mitch looked at her, his expression now softening, "I'm from Washington D.C"

Aayat smiled and excitedly said clapping her hands together, "Oh my god really! I've always wanted to see the White House"

Mitch gave a small chuckle before saying "Its not that great really. I think it's pretty overrated"

Aayat widened her eyes at him said "It is not overrated! Come on its where the President lives, it should be cool. You're just saying that because you've been seeing it since childhood so you don't appreciate it."

Mitch snorted and said "Yeah whatever, if you say so"

Soon they reached a café and they sat down at a table with their donuts and coffee.

Mitch's phone buzzed and saw a text from Rupert asking "How's it going?"

He simply sent a thumbs up emoticon to Rupert, put his phone back in his pocket and took a sip from his coffee before asking

"So tell me something about yourself Aayat"

Aayat took a bite from her donut before beginning her detailed introduction "Okay so I'm Aayat Sadik, but you already knew that. I am 21 years old, majoring in forensics and minoring in biochemistry . I play piano, born and brought up in Istanbul"

Other than her piano talent, Mitch already knew all that about her, he asked her few things that weren't there in her file.

"What about your family?" He asked curiously

For a micro-second Mitch swore he saw some kind of nervousness across her face, but soon she had a sad expression on her face so Mitch wasn't sure whether it was just a fiction of his imagination or not.

She answered his question in a low sad tone "Well my mom died when I was born and my dad died few years ago. He had a heart attack"

Mitch offered his sympathy "I'm sorry for your loss"

"It's fine, I never really knew my mom so I don't really miss her, but yeah I was really close to my dad" said Aayat

There was an awkward silence for a few minutes before Aayat asked him "What about your parents?"

Mitch took a bite from his donut and answered, "My mom and brother are in Washington and my dad died when I was in high school"

Aayat also offered him a sympathetic look "I guess we both lost our loved ones didn't we"

"Yeah I guess" Mitch shrugged

The conversation was getting too sad and sappy for Mitch so he decided to ease the tension and asked, "So do you have a boyfriend?"

She looked at him and gave a small smile before replying "Nope I don't, forever alone" she said jokingly

Mitch was actually surprised at that. He assumed that a pretty girl like her wouldn't be single "Really? You don't?"

"Yeah, the guys I like wanted something else from life and the guys that liked me, weren't my type" she explained

Mitch who was now suddenly interested in this conversation, he sat up straight and looked at her intensely and asked, "What are you looking for in a guy Ms. Sadik"

Aayat stared at her coffee cup and said slowly, as if she were trying to emphasis on every word she was saying "Nothing much, just someone who is willing to fight the world for me"

Mitch's features softened at her words and teased lightly "That's not nothing much"

Aayat gave a small chuckle before saying "Yeah I guess, its what anyone would expect from the person they love.

He snorted and gave a sarcastic reply "Yeah which is why love is overrated"

She gave him a warm smile and said "one day, you will understand what I'm saying"

Their conversation was interrupted by Rupert' call.

Mitch took out his phone from his pocket and answered "What?"

"Rapp where are you? It's been hours since you've left, I messaged you and all you gave is a thumbs up emoticon like what the hell man"

Mitch rolled his eyes and looked at his watch. He was shocked. Rupert was right, it had been 2 and a half hours. He didn't even realize where the time had gone.

Aayat noticed his expression and asked "Is everything okay?"

Mitch looked at her and told Rupert on the phone "I'm coming" and ended the call.

He turned to her and said "Yeah it's just my colleague calling. Aayat, my colleague and I really need to talk to Mr. Shaikh, we need information about forensics from his point of view. He is a CSI after all. Can you somehow get him to talk to us?"

"Umm sure. You know what, you and your colleague can come to the police department tomorrow morning and you guys can meet him and interview him or whatever it is you need to do. I'll talk to Mr. Shaikh about it" Aayat replied

Perfect. Mitch thought. Finally some real intel

"Okay great, we'll be there tomorrow morning. By the way I really need to get going so I'll see you tomorrow" Mitch said as he got up, ready to leave

Aayat also got up and said "Yeah sure, even I should get going. I have some assignments to complete as well. See you tomorrow Asher"

"Yeah see you tomorrow Aayat" Mitch said one last time before they both departed their separate ways.