LOVE'S DECEPTION - @Basheerababy

Like any beautiful morning, with a gleam of hope in her eyes, Lauren woke up to the lovely bird singing in her ears. She hurriedly jumped out of bed and went straight to the shower. Feeling hungry but lacking appetite, she quickly fixed a bowl of cereal. She had just an hour to get to the airport and catch her flight. She was excited as she was about going to see her parents after a long tiring year. She hurriedly packed and called a cab. The driver helped with her luggage. Standing by the car door, she turned to look at her house which brought back a lot of memories. During the drive to the airport, Lauren kept herself busy with her phone, listening to music trying hard to ignore the series of thoughts going through her head...."Life is not fair" she whispered to herself.

Millions of thoughts ran through her mind; from her first date with Khalid to the last time she saw him. She couldn't get him out of her head. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t erase the memory; she was stuck with it for life. Recently she made a promise to herself that she would try hard to forget everything no matter what, as difficult as it may be. She would move on. Apparently, he will be happily married soon, and she would also try to make herself happy some way.

While she waited to depart, all she could think about was Khalid and how she was never going to feel the same way ever again, or so she thought. She wasn't just leaving Arkansas for a month, but she was leaving Khalid forever....very hot tears ran down her cheeks. Everyone in this airport had their own story, their own regrets she thought. She wondered if there was anyone who could relate to her story, if anyone had gone through her kind of heart break.

She sat amidst hundreds of travelers or maybe thousands... She couldn’t really tell coz her mind was in too much of a wander-about. Besides she was too bored to count... Even if she did count, 'it'd be a silly thing to do', she thought, mentally spanking herself.

Just a few months ago she had met Khalid, an Asian-American from a Pakistan immigrant parents and he was an amazing guy. He was the best thing that had ever happened to her. He was, in a way, just like her with the same dreams and hopes. He was handsome, admirably tall and brown in color. He was well built had a pointed nose fit to his oval shaped face with plush sexy lips that was enticing and succulent to kiss. He had the sexiest voice ever. His side burns and his warm eyes that exuded kindness made him a near-perfect man. And for the fact that he had an exquisite taste for fashion and always wore a killing smile on his face.

Ever since she set her eyes on him, she couldn’t get him out of her head. She thought they were meant to be. They spent hours after work together in her house...they had a memorable time together full of love and warmth. His warm touch that melted her heart; his kind and sweet words which stirred the emotions in her. His generous and caring nature that gave her what she called "peace of mind". The only obstacle they encountered at first was that of her religion, but Lauren made up her mind to convert to his religion (Islam). I would sacrifice anything to be with you Khalid, she always told him.                                                

After two months of being with him, Lauren had already told her parents and friends about her intention to convert to Islam and marry Khalid. Her parents didn't bother at all, but she lost her friends as they were against it. They stopped associating with her, mocked her saying she would be a 'terrorist'. But she never bothered because she had Khalid 'the love of her life'. They planned on getting married in a couple of month’s time and had a checklist for keeping track all that was needed to be done. Khalid promised to take her to his parents two weeks before the wedding and she waited for that day in anticipation.

A week before the planned visit to his parents, Khalid paid her an unexpected visit. She was so delighted when she saw him but the look on his face gave her goose bumps. He sat down on the couch and stared directly into her eyes. “Lauren” he called out her name in a very cold manner, “I'm sorry to inform you that I can't marry you. I'm getting married to my Pakistani relative on the same day we planned our wedding. Here is the invitation card” he brought it out from his pocket and dropped it on her table. Moving her hand was like lifting rock with a finger at that moment, she couldn't move it. He left without a word, no explanation whatsoever. Her heart stopped beating for a while. He left her devastated, her heart shattered, she was emotionally wrecked. The hottest tears dropped down from her eyes.                                                         

Billions of questions raced through her mind over the days. Could it be because his parents were not down with the idea? Had he been cheating on her? Did he use her? Had she offended him in any way? Late into the night some days later, while seated on the edge of her bed, she composed her thoughts into a message and sent it to him. But she never got a reply. He never picked her calls again. Khalid destroyed her, he had completely murdered her emotions and she had no one to talk to because she had lost her friends on his account. She thought they were perfect soul mates and they were going to live the perfect life, but it was just wishful thinking. She cried her heart out to sleep every night. Food became like medicine in her mouth. Her life was ruined. As much as she managed to smile, people could see the pains in her eyes and behind her smiles. Lauren tried hard to forget about Khalid, but her efforts were in vain as that was the most difficult thing she could ever do. She declared a war on herself to do that because it was necessary, yet she felt and believed it was impossible. And that was why she took a month off work to visit her parents in the country, that would help...she thought. "Love is wicked and it is indeed a mere illusion that makes one delusional."....she thought!