The midday sunlight streamed through the studio's large windows. Anisa sat at her desk, revising an art design on her laptop. Even as she adjusted colors based on client feedback, her mind was, as usual, not fully present. 🌞
The sounds of the studio; staff chatter, the noise from canvases, all blended together.
Then, her phone vibrated softly. She glanced at it. 📳
Unknown Number.
She paused for a moment, even considered rejecting the call. But her parents' conversation suddenly resurfaced in her mind. She accepted.
"Hello?" she said calmly. ✔
"Hello… Anisa?"
The voice on the other end was unfamiliar, yet trustworthy and masculine.
"Yes… who is this?" she asked, a little curious. 🙄
"It's Hasan. Your father gave me your number. Sorry if I'm disturbing you…"
He spoke in a very calm, respectful tone. Anisa's heart beat a little faster for a moment.
"Ah… I see. No problem," she replied, choosing her words. 😑
"I thought you might be busy. But your dad said it would be okay to talk this afternoon," Hasan continued.
Anisa moved a little away from her desk and walked to a quieter corner of the studio. "Yes, I'm working. But we can talk," she said.
"Good… I didn't call for any special reason. I just thought this might be a bit of an awkward situation for both of us… I just called to introduce myself," Hasan said. 🙂
His voice held no pressure or urgency, which unintentionally gave Anisa some relief.
"Dad mentioned you have a busy life. That you manage a studio," Hasan continued. 🗣
"Yes… the AZ Art Studio," Anisa replied briefly.
"Nice. Creative people are usually honest people," he said with a gentle smile in his voice. 😊
A soft smile formed on Anisa's lips. It came more naturally than she had anticipated.
"Anisa, I want to make one thing very clear to you. You shouldn't feel any pressure at all. If you're not interested, or not ready… that's perfectly fine," Hasan said with deep understanding. 🤩
Those words struck Anisa's heart directly.
"Thank you… it's good to hear that," she said sincerely. ☺
"We can think about it, take it slow, and proceed as we feel. We can also meet on a day that suits you," Hasan suggested.
"Hmm… I'll think about it," Anisa replied calmly. 😌
"Alright. Sorry again if I disturbed your work. Take care, Anisa," Hasan concluded the call.
After the call ended, Anisa stood holding her phone in silence for a few seconds.
Hasan isn't a bad person… she thought. 🤯
But along with that thought, unnecessary things also surfaced in her mind.
Anisa took a deep breath, placed her phone on the desk, and turned back to her work.
But she knew; this afternoon, the different paths of her life had clearly intersected. ✊