Chapter 7: Sue & Rayan- Part 1

It was 10:30 Sunday morning when Jasmine woke up to her phone ringing. She answered half-asleep. “Sue, I am still sleeping. I will call you when I am up.”

“Ah, ok,” Sue answered, and her voice sounded troubled.

Jasmine noticed that Sue did not sound well. She got up from her bed and said, “What is it, Sue? Are you ok?” Jasmine asked.

“Nothing important. Go back to sleep, darling. I wish you were here,” Sue paused and then told Jasmine, “I miss you so much.”

“Sue, it is ok. I am awake. Tell me.” Jasmine said.

“We can talk later; it is nothing really. Go back to sleep.” Sue hung up the call, and she was trying to hold her tears.

It had been almost a week now, and Rayan did not call Sue. For the first time, he missed her art gallery that was held last week.

Since Sue was a kid, she had a great affection for arts, and her father encouraged her to keep this hobby and develop it. He sent her to an art summer school when she was a schoolgirl to enhance her skills, and she excelled at it. Then she started to participate in art events and galleries with her father’s support. Whenever an art event was held in the city or nearby provinces, she participated. She even had to travel abroad for art competitions and galleries.

It was in one of these art events; she met Rayan.

His mother was an artist, and she was taking part in the same art exhibition where Sue was a participant artist. Rayan, who never showed an interest in art, had to visit his mom at her exhibition. On this day, he met Sue.

It was the day preceding the opening when all participants were busy preparing their display areas. Rayan entered the exhibition. He was in a hurry, looking for his mother to give her the artworks she asked him to bring.

While he was on the phone trying to reach his mom, he accidentally hit a girl's back, “Sorry.” Rayan said and looked at the girl he hit. When he looked at her, he stood still. he was taken by her innocent features. “Sorry, I did not see you standing here.” He apologized again.

Sue looked at him and smiled, “There is no need to apologize twice. It is ok.” She continued unpacking her artwork. She noticed that he was still standing and looking at her.

“I guess the person you are calling has answered you.” Sue pointed at his phone.

“Oh, yea.” Rayan answered, “Mom, where are you?” Rayan spoke to his mom and kept looking at Sue. “Ok, I will leave them at the reception then.” He hung up the phone and then came closer to Sue and asked. “Are you an artist?”

“Yes,” Sue answered.

“I believe you are an art student, right?” Rayan asked.

“Not really. I love art, and that is what I do in my free time,” Sue replied. “What about you?”

“My mom is an artist.” He answered.

“Who is she?” Sue asked.

“Melody White, do you know her?” Rayan asked.

“Mrs. White, yea, for sure I know her. She is my guru.” Sue said so with sparkling eyes, as she always wanted to meet Mrs. White. She kept looking at Rayan as if she wanted to ask for something.

“I guess you don’t know her in person,” Rayan said.

“Unfortunately,” Sue said so, and she fixed her eyes on his, hoping he would understand what she wanted to ask for.

Rayan read her face. “I guess you would like me to introduce you to her…” Rayan asked, and before completing his sentence, Sue immediately said, “Yes.”

Rayan smiled. “Tomorrow, at the exhibition, I will introduce you to her. You will be here, right? And your name is? He asked.

“Sue, yours?”

“Rayan. So, we will meet at your stand?” He wondered.

“Sue, will you please come here? I need your help.” One of her friends called out for her help. Sue looked at Rayan and said, “Well, I have to go now, till tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow it is.” He kept looking at Sue till she disappeared into the crowd.

From that day onward, Rayan grew a considerable interest in art and his favorite artist, Sue. When he was still at university, it was easier for them to meet. His college was on the same street as the law faculty was where Sue was studying.

When he graduated, he moved to a nearby city for his new job. Yet this did not prevent him from meeting Sue. He managed to spend weekends in his hometown to meet Sue. If Sue were outside the town for an art event, he would not hesitate to travel wherever she was.

For him, Sue meant everything in life. He woke up every morning hoping to meet Sue. He counted the days for the weekend to meet her. Whenever he got a vacation, it was for meeting Sue. As long as Sue was in his life, his life was meaningful and pleasant. Sue, for Rayan, was the reason to live.

However, in the last two months, Rayan did not meet Sue as he used to. They met only a few times, and these visits were very short. The last time they met was during her spring exhibition.

Whenever she asked him when they could meet again, he found a way to avoid answering. He called her every day. And day by day, she felt there was something different. She felt that Rayan was either hiding something or he simply changed.

Till last week, something weird happened. Sue woke up to Rayan’s call.

“Hello, are you here?” Sue answered happily, assuming that Rayan was in town and calling to meet her.

“Sue, I love you. Last months were like hell for me. I cannot stand this anymore. The idea of being without you kills me. Will you marry me?”