☆ AMAAN ULLAH ZAMAN ☆
27 year old ex-marine who is now looking for some meaning in his life. After his father remarried he doesn't have a family to call his own. When the opportunity of bodyguarding a spoilt princess comes along he takes it up. But...
Whoa! Some people are blessed with money but some people they are drowning in money. I whistle as I pull up into the driveway which leads towards a huge building. This is not a house, or a mansion this is a palace. There is a huge fountain in front of house and acres of land around it. You ever see a Bollywood movie where Shahrukh Khan or someone comes out of a helicopter and runs into his house, yup this is that house, or maybe it's even bigger. I get out of the car and follow the girls into the house.
I wonder what happened back there. That girl, she was scared to death, I understand there was a guy with a gun and all but the way she freaked out that was something else. I guess rich people fear death more than us poor guys. But something in those hazel orbs of hers, I just couldn't shake that feeling she let off.
I reach to the stairs and stop. The sign reads 'Mansha Palace'. Ahhhh so she is a Mansha, figures. Expensive car, lots of shopping, beautiful girl, whoa, did I just call her beautiful. Okay, lets just agree the girl is beautiful. I walk into the house, the inside is so much better than the outside. The white and gold staircase, the huge shimmering chandelier. My whole flat can easily fit into this hallway and there would be room for more.
"Erm, Sir, who are you here to see?" A guy dressed in a suit comes towards me. My stomach rumbles, "Why am I always hungry?" I say. "Excuse me" The guy looks at me weirdly. I am about to answer when Sophie comes out from a room with huge doors. "Its okay Arfan he is here with me and Laylah" She says coming towards me.
Laylah. So that is her name. As in Laylah Majnu (Laylah and Majnu is a tale of two people who fall in love, much like Romeo and Juliet). I follow Sophia into a huge living room. Honestly this house is as big, if not bigger than the whole building I live in. I look over at the girl, Laylah, who is sitting on a cream colored sofa rocking ever so gently. "This is Amaan" Sophia says looking at me and then back at Sophia. She either doesn't talk very much or is a bit rude because she just looks at me and then looks away, mumbling something. "I'll be in the kitchen Laylah, shout if you need me" Sophia says and gestures at me to follow her.
"Soph, whats going on, who is she and why are you here? Does Mamu know you're here?" I ask as the doors close behind us. "Mani bhai stop!". She breathes a long strtched breathe. "Remember two years ago when you came back from the Marines and I told you about my friend who...." "Who was in some sort of accident and you wanted me to convince Mamu (uncle) to let you stay over at her house for a few days, yea I remember" He cuts me off. "Well" she points towards the door with both hands.
"That's her?! Laylah Mansha! Hmm." I say. "What's her story, the princess lost her shoe or something" I joke. "Mani Bhai, please don't joke, the poor girl went through hell, I wish I could tell you what but I cant" Sophie continues with a sad expression. Maybe I'm pre judging, that'd be a first.
"Laylah" Someone shouts. "Sophia, are you here?".
"Who is that?" I ask with my eyebrows arched. "Umer Bhai, Laylah's Brother, he must have found out" She replies walking towards the living room again. "Found out what?" I look around the kitchen, "Don't think these rich folks will mind if I help myself to some food?" I say to myself. I dismiss the idea and walk into the living room. I need to know what the whole fuss is about. I understand there was a lunatic with a gun, but this is Upton (made up place), things like that happen on a daily basis. Nothing to worry about. Or is there?
My eyes fall on the guy in front of me. Umer Ali Mansha, I've seen him around, Yusuf my friend knows him. He is rich but I've heard he is down to earth. He is on the masjid committee and works with the local asian youth. "You?" he looks at me. "I've seen you around" He walks towards me, trying to remember where from. "I don't think you know me, but for all its worth, I'm a friend of Yusuf's" I say looking back at him. "Yusuf? Yusuf Salman" He asks. "Yea, Yusuf Salman" I say back. "Any friend of Yusuf's is a friend of mine" He says and holds his hand out for me to shake. I smile and shake his hand.
"So what brings you here?" he asks suprised and turn around "Sophie can you please take Simba erm, Laylah upstairs, I'll speak to you later" He says looking between Sophia and his sister. "Jee Bhai (Yes brother)" she says and walks out the door. Simba? Whats that mean? A nickname? I think to myself.
I cant read that girl and trust me I am a really good judge of character. Maybe its because I'm attracted to her.
"Whoa there cowboy" I think to myself. "Yea, sure she is beautiful and her hair is gorgeous and she has those eyes", OMG I sound like Aladdin from that Disney movie. Stop thinking about her, I force my eyes closed. "Ahem, take a seat" Umer offers. "Thank you" I reply and sit opposite him. "Ali Baba, chai le aye please (Ali Baba, please bring some tea)" He says looking towards the door. Finally some food. What? A guy has got to eat.
"So what brings you here, to my house?" he looks up at me, studying me. I can read him. He is trying to connect me with either Sophia or Laylah. I've been trained to do so during my time in the Marines "I bumped into Sophia, she is my sister-like-cousin" I said looking at him directly. He relaxes a little. "Sophie is like a sister to me, what that girl has done for my sister, I can never repay her, I love her like my own sister." He says looking around the house. Now I'm even interested, I want to know more. Of course there is more to the princess than what I saw. "Okay, dude you need to stop calling her princess" I mentally slap myself.
"You bought them home, thank you for that" He continues. "I know all of Sophia's family but have never seen you at their house or around" he continues.
"I came back from the Marines 2 years ago and just try and keep myself busy with my gym, which I no longer have actually" I say with a sad smile. "You were in the Marines" He says looking at me with a weird expression.
"Trust me, there are a lot of Asian guys in the marines or Army, we just never get highlighted or mentioned" I said.
"What happened to your gym" he asks, trying to change the subject. I tell him the unfortunate story of my beloved gym. "Ahh, sorry but that is my fault" He says looking back at me. "I don't follow, how is it your fault?" I ask curiously.
"I bought the building that has your gym in it, going to give it a renovation and open an entertainment centre, fully with everything, shops, restaurants, cinemas, gyms the whole thing" He says. He looks at me weirdly for a few seconds, laughs to himself and then speaks.
An old man brings in a trolley with tea, cakes and other bits of food on it. "Thank you Ali Baba" Umer sayas taking the trolley from him and sitting down, not before hanfing me a cup of tea.
"I have a proposal for you, you don't have a job and I need a guy for a job and I think you'll be perfect for it" He says looking at me intently. This guy is upfront, I like him but can I trust him and what job is he talking about, I think to myself. "What kind of job?" I ask eagerly and sip my tea.
"Are you trained in combat and how good are you with a gun?" He asks me with a seriously straight face.
