Interviewer: Fairuz Ananti
ananti19

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I checked out my Wattpad app to see whose turn is next to interview my kids.

“Miss. Fairuz Ananti. You're the last interviewer on the list. Are you ready?”

“I guess I should be. Since I'm the last one.” Fairuz smiled sheepishly.

I motioned for her and carried my camera up. “Please be seated.”

Fairuz stepped slowly. She smoothed down her dress and took her seat next to Akram.

“Okie, guys,” I said, adjusting my video camera. “Aaaand, action!”

“Ahem! Salaam, Akram…” Fairuz grinned “Can we just take a moment to admire that beautiful name of yours? MashaAllah.”

Akram's face colored up. “Uh! Thank you.”

“Now we can start,” Fairuz gave thumbs up enthusiastically. “We all know how you two met… It was so roma--- I mean, so sweet. The care and personality Melody showed then inched your heart closer to hers… actually, it did the same to all of us, but she was then still a stranger to you.”

Akram smiled and nodded, but his eyes narrowed in confusion.

Fairuz paused for a moment, fumbling with her pen. I could notice a sheen of sweat on her forehead.

Oh boy! This girl is more self-conscious than Mel herself!

“I'm sorry. I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable, so, um... Is it okay to ask each one separately? Or… forget it. Maybe I shouldn't be wasting your time.” Fairuz began to stand up, looking uneasy.

“Hey, come on, my friend. It's ok. We can arrange that. Right, guys?” I raised my eyebrows at Akram and Mel.

“Sure!” They both said at once.

Mel stood up, her cheeks turning pink. “I'll just… go to check on Asha.”

I smirked and shook my head. “Of course.”

Mel gave me a fleeting smile and shambled away.

A look of guilt appeared on Fairuz’s face before she turned to Akram. “Sorry… but I didn't want to embarrass her with my questions. If it's too personal, you don't even have to answer.”

“Wow! You make me more curious, dear one.” I tried to lighten up the mood.  “I'm sure they're not that bad.”

“I hope not,” Fairuz murmured.

“My question is, so far your relation with Mel has developed, what was the moment when you decided that you had to be serious with her? Like with true feelings and all? I mean we all notice strangers doing something nice and we respect and sometimes even fall in love with a lil good done or a lil wisdom shared.”

Fairuz took a deep breath and continued fast. “But there has to be some moment when you decided that you HAD TO BE with her? When and where was that?  I completely understand if you say that you've developed feelings gradually over time. Kudos!”

“Wow!” Was my only comment.

She made a face. “Sorry, that was too long?”

“It's okay,” Akram took charge of the conversation. “I honestly haven't thought much why I wanted to be with Mel. I just...uh!” he sighed. “Sometimes, things happen, apparently without a rational reason, but... there was a moment that made it a definite truth for me.” Akram looked down for a moment, his face held an intense expression and his voice softened. “It's that night when I... Found her on the sidewalk. I was going to pieces thinking I lost her, and then she opened her eyes and asked me to take her away and all I thought was; I'm never ever going to leave her side again.”

Akram's throat moved slowly and he rubbed his forehead. It was clear how difficult the memory was for him and how it had affected him. My heart went out for this guy.

“Oh, my God! That was so touching!” Fairuz held her hands firmly across her heart. “WHEN CAN WE USE THE L-WORD AKRAM??!”

Akram's face turned red and his eyebrows flew up. “I'm sorry! What?”

“Oops! Sorry I got carried away! I'm glad Mel isn't here to turn crimson too.” Fairuz giggled. And started looking around. “Can I talk to her now?”

Mel returned to take her seat and Akram got up.  

“I'll be right back.” He winked, gave her an encouraging smile, and walked away.

“Melody, please don't answer if you don't want to, ok?” Fairuz said.

Mel nodded “Okay.”

“What is the extent of your OCD, if you wouldn't mind sharing?”

“Wait! You think I have OCD?” Mel asked, her eyes wide.

“I'm picky about stuff too, you Know. I'd dislike calling that a ‘disease’ but oh world!” Fairuz chuckled.

“You know what?” Mel bit her lip for a second. “I think the world is wrong. I mean you have to be diagnosed with it, right? Have you?”

“No I haven't.”

“I guess you're fine, then. OCD is a serious condition. People just misuse the term a lot.” Mel smiled faintly. “I haven't been diagnosed so, I'll stick to this excuse.”

“Oh, thank you for this answer! Finally someone who understands.” Fairuz placed a hand across her heart.

“What are the 3 things, you reckon, that make you YOU?”

“Um! They're not good things, I'm afraid.” Melody grimaced and stared at her interlocked hands. “Pessimism, anxiety, and... low self-esteem.”

“What is the one thing about Akram that you'd like to change? About Ash? About yourself? By the way, ‘Nothing’ is not acceptable as an answer." Fairuz grinned as she raised a warning finger playfully.

“Um! Ok... I would like Akram to change his unhealthy diet, but… I'll never have the heart to ask him.” Mel turns to smile lightly to the direction where Akram left.

“About Ash… “ Mel frowns as if she's making an effort to find a flaw . “Wow! That's hard. Maybe… I would like her to slow down when she talks?”

A loud giggle sounded in the back. “Oh, come on, Melo! You know I can't do that, don't you? It's just my awesome speaking style,” Asha yelled.

I chuckled, which made the camera shake in my hands. “Yeah, that's my fault.”

“You know it's who I am, Mo, so you can't really change anything about it, huh?” I couldn't see Asha clearly from my seat, but I was sure her hands were placed defiantly on her waist behind the counter.

I'm not gonna lie. She is fierce!

“Sure, ma'am!” I waved my hand in a salute to Asha. She crossed her arms on the front counter and rolled her eyes.

“Hey, Ana!” Asha shouted.

“You mean, Ananti?” I asked.

“Yeah. I'm calling her Ana. You mind?” Asha folded her arms and tilted her head.

Fairuz lifted her hand in the air. “I don't mind.”

“Groovy! So, Ana. I don't mind being interviewed in public cause, you know I don't really get embarrassed of anything,” Asha bounced around the counter and slumped on the chair next to Fairuz. “Shoot, baby!”

Everyone laughed.

“Ok, Asha” Fairuz cleared her throat.  “Favorite food?”

“All the food! Especially traditional Indian dishes. Those are YUMMMMMY!” Asha lifted her chin and arms up and exaggerated a sigh. “I miss my mother's cooking!”

“Comfort food?”

“Chocolate muffins!”

“Comfort clothes?”

“My Superman pajamas, duh!”

“Ok. Next question, I'm not sure I Should say it aloud.” Fairuz twisted the side of her mouth. “What do you think needs to be changed in either Akram or Mel or both for them to have a prosperous and stable romantic relationship?”

“Ohmigosh!” Asha bounced on her seat and went on like a machine. “Those two REALLY need to confess their hearts out to each other! I mean it's obvious they are both head over heels, but they still too chicken to own up! They're going to kill me with their silence! Man, They better sit down and talk their feelings like actual love birds, you know?”

Mel's jaw dropped in shock and she stared blankly at Asha.

“On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you ship the couple? Do you think they're gonna be a success?”

“I'd give them 12 out of 10! Yep! They're gonna make it a success or else I'm gonna make them!” Asha arched an eyebrow and glared at Mel.

Mel slapped her face and covered her eyes. I could see her neck and ears going crimson.

“Well, ahem. Your turn, Mosta,” Fairuz said and then leaned to whisper. “Your children don't have to hear about it”

“I, uh, I'll go find Akram. He needs to have lunch.” Mel got up, brushing a strand of her hair and trying to hide her super deep blush.

“Aw,” Fairuz whispered.

“Wait for me!” Asha chirped and skittered behind her.

Fairuz straightened to face me, her eyebrows furrowed in concern.
“What is up with Mel's eating disorder (anorexia to be specific)? I have been waiting to read more about it since you mentioned that in earlier chapters. When is Akram gonna find about it and what's he gonna do, how's he gonna take it-- are some questions that are cramming my head for a long time now. Please make a mention of it in upcoming chapters or kindly tell me if it wasn't that big of an issue just me overthinking. I really took it for some serious part of the book!"

“Oh, it used to be more serious in the past.” I grimaced and shook my head. “Mel is a complex character and her eating disorder made sense as a part of her anxious personality. She was overweight back in middle school and it affected her body image as she grew up so it turned into an eating disorder.”

“Oh!” Fairuz frowned.

“Melody is not anorexic, by the way. She used to be bulimic. Bulimia is a bit different. It doesn't make you super skinny, but the effect is as bad. She's supposed to be recovering though. Mel is now concerned about her weight, but she has occasional episodes of binging and purging during times of stress. Like, she eats a large amount of junk food once in a while and then she vomits everything. Also that's why she prefer walking all the time. It's her only cheap exercise to shed the calories.”

Fairuz placed her hand over her heart.

“It's not meant to be a severe case, I hope, just a residue from her past... and I can't tell you Akram's reaction, but I'm hoping he'd be supportive as always.” I winked.

“Yes! I'm sure he would.” Fairuz smiled putting her hands together. “I'm glad it's not that serious.”

“Yeah. I really hope she recovers completely.”  I put down my camera and rubbed my eyes.

Fairuz nodded and stood up. “It was a pleasure to have this conversation with everyone.”

Akram and Mel returned to the conference table, looking more at peace than a few minutes ago.

Fairuz shook their hands in a warm greeting before she left.

“What did I miss?” Akram asked, looking around at the almost empty table. I haven't realized that all the readers had left!

“Wow! I guess this is the end of the interviews!” I blinked, cracking my knuckles.

“Oh!” Mel murmured. “So, should we go home now?”

“Unless someone else decides to bring you guys more questions." I shrugged.

“It's been a great day, Most.” Akram smiled “Even though it had a very weird start, but I really enjoyed it.”

“Me too,” Mel added with a faint smile. “Even though I've been a total embarrassment.”  

“Come on, Mel. You were the star today. It was amazing to see how everyone loves you almost as much as…” Akram broke off and sighed.

“Speak up, dude!” Asha shouted as she jumped closer with a couple of coffee mugs in her tiny hands.

“Watch out for the Coffee, ” I warned Asha.

“Yeah? Let's see how much you love your coffee then!” Asha glared at me. She handed Akram one of the mugs, lifted the other one to her lips and spat in it.

Mel made a disgusted face and Akram's eyes went round.

I chuckled and took the mug from her hand. “Yeah I've written that before.”

“Seriously?” Asha sneered.

“You think this will stop me?” I winked and took a huge gulp from the spat-on coffee. “I can drink fictional spit any day. It's harmless.”

“Okay then, Mo. Remind me to up my game the next time. I promise It won't be that harmless!” Asha wiggled her eyebrows.

“Eww!!” Mel twisted her lips.

Akram and I bursted into laughter.

******

Hello, dear ones

I hope you enjoy the interview dear, ananti19  and I'm so sorry it took me so long to write it.

So, guys, this is probably the last interview until further notice. Hopefully , more readers will be interested in asking more questions later, someday. Until then, I hope you enjoy reading and please, if you have any questions, post them inline in chapter 3 to get your own interview with the characters.

Much love

Most_bay