Dove
"What are you doing?" Zahi came into the living room and kicked my foot as I laid down on the couch like a partial starfish with my phone on my chest. He had just come back from work. He was a small time real estate agent who did pretty good for himself.
"Did you get a buyer for that house in the suburbs?"
He shrugged, "they seemed serious enough but we'll see within a few days." He let out a sigh then sat down on his recliner. He pulled off his tie and kicked off his shiny shoes. "Back to you. Why are you lying on my couch looking depressed?"
"Remember the cute cowboy I told you about?"
"The one you texted a few days ago?"
I nodded, "well he never responded."
"I think it's a good thing," he sighed and pulled the foot rest so he was lying down.
"How could it possibly be a good thing?" I sat up feeling awfully betrayed. "He's everything and more."
"He might be stalking you and marking down his next prey. Did you even see the mysterious brother he was going to pick up?"
"They were in for a meeting and I was in a hurry to catch the bus. He seemed surprised to see me," I ran my fingers through my hair. "If he was stalking me to murder me he would have known I was there."
"Maybe he's a really good actor, Dove," he yawned. "You shouldn't trust so easily."
"That's why I'm trying to get to know him so I can know if I can trust easily," I huffed. "But he read my text and never answered."
"Let me see." I went to the text then handed him my phone. He frowned as he read it. "You said he looked rich?" I nodded. "Then do you think he'll answer your whatsapp? Don't they use some fancy whatsapp?"
"iMessage?" I pouted, "Well I can't afford an iPhone anytime soon therefore whatsapp will have to do for now and if he has it, it means he knows people who use it."
He hummed, "well I wouldn't answer you too."
"Why!"
"You just said 'Hi'. I wouldn't know who you were either," he laughed, "at least introduce yourself, Dove. You're whatsapp doesn't even have a display name."
I felt my cheeks heat up when I realized he was right. What a creep Bucky must have thought I was. I slapped my forehead in embarrassment. I didn't even have a profile picture. I quickly changed it with a picture of me before I texted him.
Me
Sorry, it's me Dove. 🐦
"Do you think this is better?" I handed Zahi the phone once again.
He let out an even louder laugh, "that's a pigeon emoji."
I stood up then went next to him. "It's a dove!"
"Doves are white! That's a pigeon. You'd think since you're named after a bird you'd know better," he wiped away his tears, "you make a great first impression."
"Leave me," I threw my phone on the coffee table in defeat before I headed to the kitchen to make myself a cup of coffee before I started studying for the night. "Even if he doesn't respond, it's fine. At least I'll have peace knowing that I've once talked to someone that handsome you know. It's not often that you meet someone like that. I know he doesn't see anything in me but I can hope."
Zahi kept quiet for a few seconds before he could sigh. "Dove you're a kind soul and beautiful. I think any guy will be happy to talk to you. You've fought a long battle to get here. I wanted you to be here so you could experience things like other people. Love and heartbreak. I'm sorry if I seem a little harsh."
"You're not being harsh," I smiled as I looked back at him before continuing with my coffee. "You're being realistic and you're just worried for me. I didn't get any evil vibe from him. I think he's the purest I've met. You can tell he has money but he dresses like he doesn't. The fact he drove me home past 3am says a lot. He didn't have to but he felt like I couldn't be left alone.
"I know I'm fantasizing but my Zahi. He's beautiful."
We both shared a cup of coffee together before I went back to my room and Zahi went out to mow the lawn. Gardening was always his way to relieve stress no matter how tired he was.
It took me an hour to make my room look like a tornado had come through it before I could finally work. I had research on some of the top designers in Asia then I had to start working on my essay for the end of the week. It was a lot of work but I was happy it took my mind off things.
After dinner I went back to my room and noticed that the light on my phone was flickering. At first I thought it would be my service provider until I saw I had a new WhatsApp message.
"Zahi! Zahi! It's him," I ran out of my room as I held my phone high in the air. Zahi opened up his bedroom door looking panicked. I grabbed him and pulled him to the couch so we were seated next to one another.
"Open it," he urged. Also on the edge of his seat even though he believed Bucky was some crazed stalker.
I took a deep breath in before I tapped the app and true to my excitement it was him! My hands shook as I tapped out chat.
Sexy Cowboy
Dove, sorry I didn't answer. I didn't know who it was.
I swooned so hard I almost died but Zahi held me up.
Sexy Cowboy
You do realize that's a pigeon right?
I let out a loud laugh, "he's so funny!"
"When I said it was a pigeon-"
"Shh, don't ruin this moment," I beamed.
Now it was the stress of knowing how to answer that.