Sometimes I wonder
if your wandering thoughts
wonder about me.
-Perry poetry

________________________________________________________________

The rocky surface of cut mountains blurs as we head up. On the other side distant peaks can be seen. The sun peeks out from behind them as it lowers over the horizon. Headlights illuminate the road in front of us.

Maaz clicks away on his camera. It must have been quite a picture. The subdued ball of orange sinking behind the mountains. The last streaks of its rays painting the sky in pretty shades of orange, red and pink. Then giving way to purple and navy blue and finally black.

'Pretty isn't it?' Maaz turns to me.

'Hmm...' I gaze out the window trying to spot a gazelle, that the signboards warn us about. The absence of street lights and towering peaks on either side give pleasant darkness to the road.

'Are there really gazelle's here?' I ask

'Maybe there were, but now with so many people coming here they've moved.' Replies Maaz.

I keep my nose glued to the window still hoping to find one. I wonder if their long intricate antlers are the same as they are in pictures.

The drop in the temperature as we head up is noticeable. Mountain air rushes in through the open windows. I rub my hands over my arms. My sweater has no effect on barring the wind. I feel Maaz's gaze on me in the rearview mirror. I refuse to look up.

'Stop.' I hear him say after some time. Henry stops the car.

I squint to see my surroundings. It is a small stone parking lot made at a relatively flat area off the side of the road. A few other cars are parked as well. Some use their headlights to lighten the area. A group of men sit around in a circle, their voices a low monotone. In front of them, I see small drums, the kind folk singers use.

I almost slip out as my door opens from the outside. Maaz stands beside the door allowing me to step out. He then goes to the boot and pulls out a small mat.

'Follow me.' He commands and goes off towards an unoccupied corner. Henry is reclining his seat, getting ready for a nap. I rub my arms as I follow my husband wondering what he has in mind now. Hopefully, he doesn't plan to freeze me into an icicle.

He stops near the edge of the cliff. Beyond the precipice I can see the cars on the lower levels, climbing. He throws off his shoes motioning me to do the same. He places the mat and from within a blanket unfolds. He motions for me to sit. I fold my arms around my folded legs making myself a small ball to retain body heat.

A sudden thought seems to cross Maaz's mind, he heads to the car, says something to Henry and picks a packet from the back seat. I examine the stones around the mat, hoping no spiders or creatures of the mountain much worse than that pop out. Scorpions, lizards and what not!

I feel Maaz settle down beside me, his eyes on me as I take in the surroundings. There is something about high places that makes one feel high and mighty. I feel him shift, warmth radiating off his body as he comes closer to me. His arm snakes around my waist, where his hand touches me I burn. I focus on keeping my breaths even.

The warmth is replaced by cold once more as his hand moves away. I unknowingly let out a small noise of protest. I hear him chuckle in response. Warmth seeps into my bones as weight is settled on my shoulders. I smile at the jacket, putting my hand through the sleeves. His arm once more finds its place on my waist reaching from under his jacket. A small smile graces my lips at the additional warmth.

A shadow looms over us as Henry parks the car in front of us making a makeshift cover. This is what Maaz had asked him to do, I now deduct. We are now safe from prying eyes.

The beating of the drums reverberates through the air and suddenly the men break into song. Though a foreign language, the music is low and soothing. It gives a cheery atmosphere to the dark mountainside. Maaz's arms tighten around my waist pulling me closer to him. Our bodies touch making my nerves go haywire. His body covers most of mine from the back. He bends down and whispers,

'Look up.'

In a swift motion, he lies down, pulling me down along with him. My head rests on his stretched out arm. He drapes the blanket over us.

'Not at me, look at the sky.' He says with a grin. My cheeks turn red and I turn my gaze towards the sky.

I gape at the scene before me.

The smooth black velvet of the sky isn't plain like in the city or merely dotted with stars. Instead, it is sparkling, shimmering and glittering like jewels strewn across the sky.

As if the angels have dropped open a bag of diamonds! So many stars adorn the sky that only a small part of the black sky peeks out from between the sparkling stars.

Some dazzle brightly while others glow with a soft light brightening the sky. The endless expanse of the sky is covered by countless stars. Everywhere I look a star winks back at me. Amongst these jewels lies the crescent of the moon occupying the center stage.

'It's...' I couldn't find a word apt enough to describe the scene before me.

'Ethereal ?' Maaz supplies his gaze once again fixed on me. Blue eyes penetrating deep into me. His eyes make me feel bare. It is like he isn't looking at me. He is looking into my soul. He seems to see those jagged, broken bits left of me. The shattered pieces of my soul residing in the shell of my body.

Swallowing deeply, I turn away from him to the sky to drink in as much as I can of the beauty before me.

The folk songs die down after an hour, spreading a calm silence. We lay beside each other his body lending me his heat. When I turn he has his eyes closed, long lashes shading his cheeks. His jet black hair is windblown. I control an impulsive urge to run my hand through them and straighten them out. I take my time to admire his sharp jawline. His straight nose and pink lips. His cheek beckons me to come closer and I move subconsciously. Just a little closer and my lips would be on his cheek.

His eyes flash open and I quickly turn my head away.

'My hand,' He murmurs apologetically pulling it out. 'It's become heavy.'

He motions me to lay on his chest. I shake my head rejecting his tempting offer. I get up, folding my hands around my legs, resuming my earlier position.

'Do you want to leave?' He asks.

'No, just a little more time.' I plead.

'As long as you want, love.' He murmurs the endearment so slowly that hadn't it been for the stillness of the night my ears wouldn't have caught it. His eyes shut close once more.

Most cars have left and the parking lot is fairly deserted. It must be late. I lay down beside him, once more tracing patterns in the sky. Connecting stars into constellations.

It is late when we leave after waking up Henry and packing up our spread out. Maaz sits beside me on the backseat. In the pitch dark, with the headlights guiding us, we begin our descent.

As my eyes adjust to the darkness I attempt to trace the peaks I had seen while coming up. The curvy road looms ahead of us snaking between the peaks. Maaz bends forward and pushes open the sunroof and it slides open. I look up at the gaping hole in the roof of the car. Maaz stands up and his head pokes out from the roof.

'Woah! The wind!' He says, bending down.

His hair blows back from the wind. He grins at me, and I'm reminded of those times when he would sneak into my house or when we would sneak out to the beach at night, as kids, or when he would try to steal choco chip cookies from the kitchen. It is a grin promising mischief.

'Come on.' He pulls me up along with him. The wind pushes me backward. My hair flies behind me and my eyes tear up because of the wind. The speed is exhilarating, once we adjust to it.

His hand brushes mine. The small opening only has space for both of us to squeeze through leaving me very close to him. His arm is in touch with mine, the back of our hands almost touching.

Henry slows the car down at a hairpin bend. The brakes make me wobble on my feet. I am steadied by his hand on my waist. My eyes reach up to find him gazing at me. His hand pulls me closer in the already minuscule space. My back is against the roof leaving no space to pull away. His eyes bore deep into mine asking questions I don't want to answer. I find it difficult to look away. His gaze draws me to him, commanding me to keep my eyes on his.

His night blue eyes, framed by thick lashes are an image of the night behind him. The stars continue to sparkle, showering us with their incandescent light. His gaze lowers to my lips.

I take a step back bumping into the edge.

He brings his other hand to my back, rubbing at the spot where I bumped myself. I am encased by his hands, enraptured by his gaze. I tilt my head back and his head bends down. An inch of space is left between our lips. The air between us is charged, magnetic pulling me to him.

On their own accord my lips part, my eyes flutter close finally breaking contact with his as a new kind of tension fills the air. My hands remain at my sides, uncertainly as I wait.

His fingers wind into my hair, further tilting my neck. A shiver passes through me which I blame on the wind. My lips tingle in anticipation but it is my neck that receives the shock. His lips graze the length of my collar bone skimming over it. I lean into him molding my body in line with his.

A sudden jerk jolts us, breaking our blissful bubble.

'Oh!' I hear Maaz exclaim. He is looking at the road ahead of us. I twist in his grasp, which had tightened when the car had jostled, and he loosens his grip so that I can turn towards the road.

A sleek grey donkey blocks our path. Its fur gleams in the headlights. Beautiful almond shaped, brown eyes blink at us, accusingly for disturbing its night stroll. Leaf shaped ears stand erect on its head. It stands still in the middle of the road.

'It is...it....really..' Unlike domesticated donkeys this one seems to have grown in the mountains. The natural atmosphere had given its body shine and a supple figure.

'Majestic?'

I nod.

I didn't realize that was a word I'd use for a donkey. But in that moment standing leisurely in the middle of our way, without a care, as if it owned the road, it seemed nothing less than majestic.

'Camera.' Maaz whispers.

I slide down into the car retrieving it for him. The white flash of the camera startles the donkey into motion. It ambles to the rocks and the car begins to move.

'So where were we?' Maaz whispers in a low voice. His lips explore the edge of my ear. I place my hand on his chest and I feel his heart race beneath my fingers.

His lips continue their journey, they caress the curve of my ear.

'Maaz.' My voice hitches. I gently push him making him straighten up.

'Dina.' He mimics.

'We have company.' I tell him, indicating Henry and carefully distancing myself from him. Deep down I knew it was an excuse to push him away.

'Spoilsport.' He grumbles, mock annoyed.

***

A/N : Since you wanted a happy chapter, here it is!
But can't promise if this happiness is going to last long :P

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