''Senior, you sure can joke too?'', she said while laughing.
''Why, can't I?'', he said while looking at her.
''No, it isn't like that...Ahem! Well... it's nice''. she smiled it off and looked at the sand. Saad didn't say further and gazed at the scenery.
There were minutes of silence between them.
''May I ask you something?''. Saad asked.
''...hmm?''. ''You...if you count, you must be my junior my year but you seemed to be two years late. You are good at your studies, did you skip a year?''.
Aiza had a troubled expression. ''What made you think?''.
''No, you were my junior in college, so...''.
''You went to The Rose? Wow, what a coincidence. Wait why didn't I notice you?'', she went into thinking.
''You never gossip or socialise much. Always at your own pace''. Saad said.
Aiza was thinking about how he knows so she tried to remember. ''No wait, you were the one who was among the top list in academics right? I think once I even came to ask your help in my studies. Wow, you are that senior. Sorry for recalling late...''. she was excited to meet her role model senior. She still remembered how nervous she was when asking for help at first.
''Haha, well you were good at memorizing and calculating but in chemistry lessons, you were dead to study''.
''Hehe, right you gave your best to make me understand but at last, I had to memorise all and I still got 18 out of 30''.
They remembered their study times. They in those days only met to study. Aiza was the same, that is stays at her own pace but would open up her thoughts and interact with others now while Saad was still with the 'Don't Approach' aura around him. But after getting along with him, one will know that he's a responsible and reliable person.
A long time passed. ''Guess I should take my leave now, would you like to come with me? My relatives are going out to eat?''.
''Huh! No, thank you...my aunt might come out any time''. They exchanged their greetings. "Well then... see you at Uni?". "Yes senior". they shook each other's hands with smiles and Saad left.
Aiza's had a sad face. She looked as if she was yearning for someone.
''You!", Aiza turned to see Omu walking towards her.
"What's happened?" he asked with a worried face.
"Oh! it's nothing. Has the movie ended, where's aunt?". she asked while looking around.
The movie had finished a while ago and when Omu was sent to call Aiza, he was anxious thinking about how to act. But when he saw her smiling and sending off a man, he stood staring at them.
"Just now and mom's waiting at a restaurant, let's go". Aiza taking her things walked with Omu.
"Had you planned to meet him?".
"Ah! no, it was a pure coincidence". Aiza felt that he misunderstood.
''Then...are you...close to him?...''.
"Close? hmm...not that much but we do know each other since PU. Mmm, Is something wrong?".
Hearing Aiza's answer, Omu felt a strike on his chest.
"IT'S NOTHING, LET'S GO!'', shouting he walked faster ahead.
Aiza confused at his reaction, just walked with him.
''KID! WAIT UP!''.
They both entered a restaurant and saw aunt and Naira sitting at a table near a window and talking to the waiter. After meeting up they all gave their food orders and began talking among themselves.
"Aiza why didn't you come to the theatre with us, the movie Omu selected was really heart-catching. You should have joined". her aunt inquired.
"I'm sorry aunt. It's just that my eyes are uncomfortable when viewing something in extreme darkness and movies and theatres are not my things. I prefer reading books over such activity".
"I see..."
"I'm sorry if I've spoiled your mood".
"Not at all. I know that you are not an outdoor person but still I wanted you to join us. Then how was your beach walk? Let's visit it after eating''.
"It was nice and I even met someone there".