#zahid && samara 01

[zchidavci]

closed starter @samaraxkhanna

It was the weekend, and he’d spend the last hour exploring the shops at The Walking Strip—popping into several stores that caught his interest. A bookstore, men's clothing boutique, and home goods shop had all gotten a bit of his money as he picked up a couple new reads, a sharp blazer, and some accent pillows for his place. With bags in hand, he was making his way back to his car when one of the handles slipped, sending the contents of the bag scattering across the sidewalk. 

"Crap," he muttered, before kneeling to gather the spilled items. As he reached for one of the books, his hand bumped into someone’s shoe. Looking up, he saw the beauty standing before him. "Oh hell, I'm so sorry about that," he apologized before standing straighter, his gaze meeting hers. She was striking, with delicate features and warm brown eyes. He hadn't seen her around before. Then again, he was new to town and have yet to meet everyone. "I really appreciate you stopping to help me with that mess. I'm Zahid, by the way. I don't think we've met?" He extended his hand in greeting, giving her a friendly once-over. He had to admit, she was just his type. Beautiful women was always his type, however…

[zchidavci]

Since Zahid was new in town, he didn’t know much of anything. He figured there were a few other spot, he just hadn’t checked it out yet. "Noted. I'll have to check those places out sometime. But for now, The Sipping Cup it is." He appreciated her reassurance that she wouldn't be rejecting him after just one meeting. It was a relief to know they were on the same page about keeping things friendly. 

Antalya was considered a vacation spot in Turkey, therefore he didn’t mind the slower pace of life. A part of him wouldn’t even know what he would do with himself in a huge city. He’d be lost. "Yeah, New York City is definitely a whole different ballgame," he agreed. "But hey, sometimes a change of pace can be nice, right? And Covington seems to have a lot to offer, even if it's not quite as lively as the Big Apple. But don’t take my word for it, I’ve always liked the more chilled vibes."

He felt sheepish as he thought about his first meeting with Ahalya. She hated him for good reason. He wasn’t exactly gentlemanly that night. "I did. I wish I hadn’t been so drunk that night.” The fact that she still agreed to let him rent a room at her place blew his mind. Then again, other than their interactions that night, he had a clean background. He listened as Samara talked about her favorite aspects of owning the bar, smiling at her remark about the free alcohol. "Meeting all sorts of people does sound like a pretty cool perk. Although I can imagine it gets a bit rowdy at times. Good thing you've got security to handle the rough stuff." They moved up in line and for a moment, he looked up at the board containing the list of drinks. "So, what's the craziest thing that's ever happened at Heavy Hitters?" 

“Not exactly true,” she told Zahid with a grin before shrugging, “you can get some great coffee at Bread & Butter, along with Brunch and Barrel too. Granted it doesn’t quite hit the spot the same way The Sipping Cup does, but they're still good.” Still she nodded at his declaration and spoke up, “a mind reader would be very impressive and please—I won’t be rejecting you in one meeting, besides this is just coffee.” She listened as he spoke about Covington and how he was enjoying residing here so far, it was always nice to hear that type of praise for her hometown.

Of course if she was happy to hear it for her own hometown, perhaps she shouldn’t have been so quick to be rude about Little Rock, after all—it might have it’s own perks to the place. “Hmm—yeah I’m not a fan of sleepy towns myself,” she chuckled softly before explaining a little more, “I went to college in New York City so—I’m used to much more lively places, but Covington was always home so coming back here wasn’t nearly as difficult as it might be for others who were just moving to Covington. “Oh wow you met your roommate there? That’s not normally a place people have those initial meetings, but hey—maybe alcohol makes it easier to ask those awkward questions,” she grinned back at him before thinking thoughtfully about his question.”My favorite thing about owning the bar is the free alcohol,” she said with a glint in her eyes before chuckling softly as they got into line at the coffee place. “I’m kidding—um, my favorite thing would probably be the different types of people I get to meet. Some good, and some bad…but luckily I have my security for breaking up the fights. I feel like if I tried—I’d end up getting hit and don’t really think that would be good, so—hiring security was definitely the way to go.” | @zchidavci

[zchidavci]

Samara seemed sharper than the average girl, and that was refreshing to see. He on the other hand was easy at giving out compliments. Bebe taught him to be kind to everyone, especially the opposite sex. “To be fair, there’s only The Sipping Cup. But we’ll just go with me being a great mind reader. And it might be that too. No one likes to be rejected.” He teased, laughter bubbling over. "From what I’m seeing. It’s been great here.” Of course, he knew of the history of the south. It wasn’t pretty. He was grateful Covington was a melting pot, though. 

He couldn’t exactly say he blamed her for not wanting to visit Arkansas. Given the choice to go anywhere to study, he wouldn’t have gone there. Still, he was grateful to have been accepted to college there and for the life he was able to build after. "No offense taken. I can't disagree it's not the most exciting place. Gets a bit sleepy there." As she shared more about herself, he felt a genuine curiosity to learn what made this woman tick. Running her father's bar sounded like an interesting career path. He personally wouldn’t do it. Then again, running a business never intrigued him. “I have. I met my roommate there." What he didn’t elaborate was that he’d fucked things up by flirting with Ahalya. "It’s pretty nice.—So tell me, what's your favorite thing about owning Heavy Hitters? I imagine you have to break up a fight or two on busy nights." 

Samara could tell he was used to flirting with woman and maybe even having the women fall for his charm and while she could see how it was flattering, she was a little more tough to crack than with a few sweet words. “I appreciate that you can tell my tastes already, in what—20 minutes of talking, but I guess that comes from me agreeing to the coffee, doesn’t it?” She grinned at him as they continued their walk towards the coffee shop. She listened to him speak about what he did for work and found herself nodding along, “that’s impressive for sure. So you’ll be on our television screens every evening,” she mused before looking back at him. “The south can definitely take some getting used to, especially depending on where you’re moving from.” 

“Little Rock, wow…I can actually believe that. Arkansas is definitely not one of the states I’d love to live in��or visit,” she said with a grimace, “I’m sorry if that’s offensive,” she said with a smile before looking back at him. It was flattering of course when someone wanted to learn everything about you and could sometimes be nice because you’d end up connecting on things you’d never even thought about. Which was precisely why she felt comfortable telling him some of the things he’d asked. “I was born here and moved away for college and a couple years after,” she mused before shrugging as they arrived at the coffee place and held open the door for him to enter. “But I came back about eight or nine years ago to take over my father’s bar. Heavy Hitters over in the Sterling Lake area. Have you heard of it? Something tells me that if you haven’t, you might enjoy the vibe of it.” | @zchidavci

[zchidavci]

He grinned as she agreed with him. Her smile was contagious. This fascinating woman just kept getting more interesting by the minute. Moving to America had exposed him to so many people from walks of life, and he loved immersing himself around such interesting people. Since moving for university, Zahid had met people from all walks of life. He appreciated the diversity and chance for cultural exchange. Back home in Turkey, things had been more insular.

"Too true," he chuckled. Skincare was no joking matter for someone in the public eye. A breakout could be disastrous. Though he took pride in his polished appearance, it wasn't just about vanity. There was a professional expectation he aimed to meet. Still, he hoped she didn't think him vain. Her complimentary words made his smile grow. He aimed to return the gesture sincerely, not just flirt shamelessly. It was easy to be charming when the woman was so receptive to it, but he didn't want to come on too bold either. At her acceptance of the coffee, he flashed her a charming smile. "Excellent." This small victory felt almost as big as landing the Anchor job here in Covington. "Oh, I know just the place. You can’t go anywhere else. Only The Sipping cup." he said to her confidently. “Are you busy now? We could get a cup now if you’re free?”

“I can agree with that sentiment,” she told him with a smile because she often found that while she’d been here in Covington, she hadn’t been as exposed to different cultures save for her own and a few others but when she went to New York City—she was given the chance to learn so much about so many different people and the worlds they all came from. “They wouldn’t be good for you, that’s for sure,” she remarked with a soft laugh, surprised at him admitting that when most men she knew weren’t so visibly careful about their skincare. “Thank you again,” she told him with a grin, clearly aware at this point that he was flirting with her but honestly she didn’t mind. Sometimes a woman liked to be given that type of attention and Samara was on exception to that.

“Honestly Zahid, you don’t need to,” she refuted once more before chuckling at his insistence. He clearly was not someone who liked to hear no as an answer. In this case, that was okay but otherwise she could tell that it wasn’t a great trait to have. But this was harmless and she managed to nod with a smile, “alright one coffee…as long as you pick the right place for it.” Everyone knew that while a couple establishments in Covington made coffee, the best came from one place in particular and if he knew that, maybe she’d have that coffee with him.  | @zchidavci

[zchidavci]

"Cultures colliding and intertwining, it's what makes the world so interesting in my eyes" Samara just got a lot more interesting. The woman wasn’t only beautiful, but cultured as well. As an immigrant, he tended to relate better with people of unique backgrounds. “Yeah, I wouldn’t want to chance having pimples sprout out.” That would be a nightmare, not only for vanity reasons, but because his appearance was important for his job. He took pride in looking sharp and polished for the cameras. A skin breakout was the last thing he needed. “Please do. You should be proud to have such a lovely name.” There he went flirting again. It was like he couldn’t help himself… Truthfully, he was just admiring her natural beauty. She intrigued him. He hoped he wasn’t coming on too strong, but even if he was, he’d wasn’t the kind of man to back down from a challenge.

As she held out the bag, he placed the pillows inside, then slung it over his shoulder. "I insist on the coffee," he said smoothly. "I know you were just being nice, and that's exactly why I want to thank you properly." He flashed her a charming smile, hoping she would agree. Her kindness deserved recognition. Plus, he wasn't ready for their encounter to end just yet. There was more he wanted to learn about this fascinating woman. "It's just a coffee. Come on, don't leave me hanging here." His dark eyes gleamed playfully as he tried to persuade her. Coffee was a harmless way to spend a bit more time in her company.

Samara didn’t often go around sprouting tidbits about her culture but the moment had just called for it, but of course when he replied with something about his culture she found that quite interesting before she nodded, “I like that—it’s crazy isn’t it, how so many cultures have somewhat similar traditions?” She didn’t miss the way his fingers brushed against hers for a slight second while he took the pillows from her. It was a tactic a lot of people used in the bar as well when they were trying to pull a fast one on her by handing their glass to her instead of placing it on the counter.

But she’d give him a pass for this one moment since she didn’t think he meant anything by it. “Oh no problem, they’re not that dirty but you have no idea what was on the sidewalk, you know?” She said with a smile before introducing herself and lowering her gaze at his compliment before retorting, “I’ll have to let my parents know that you approve of their choice of my name.” Samara waved away his words before shaking her head. “I feel like most people in Covington are helpful, unless they’re having a bad day…so if not me, then someone else would’ve stopped to give you a hand.” 

With a smile she moved towards her car and got the tote bag out for him. But when she turned around, she’d noticed the look on his face and was about to say something before she held her tongue. He was new to the city, maybe she could try to give him the benefit of doubt.  Samara held out the bag for him to put his items in before she heard his words and wondered for a moment if this was a tactic Zahid utilized or if he was being earnest. Asides from the few moments, she had no reason to doubt him yet. “The coffee is definitely amazing there, but you really don’t owe me anything as a thank you,” she told him with a shrug. “I was really just being nice.” And maybe, just maybe, she was eager to see if he was the type to accept her refusal or if he was the type to try again.| @zchidavci

[zchidavci]

He straightened up, brushing off his hands, and let out a laugh at her explanation. Zahid hadn’t thought too much about her laughter. Everyone laughed at him. Hell, even he laughed at himself. "Don’t worry about it. That's interesting about your culture. Where I'm from, you kiss your elders hand and let it touch your forehead as a sign of respect." He accepted the pillow from her. When his fingers brushed against hers, he couldn't help but notice the softness of her touch that sent a spark through him.

"I'll definitely give these a wash. Thanks for the heads-up." He shook her hand, his grip firm yet gentle. Her skin was so soft, he found himself reluctant to let go. "The pleasure is all mine, Samara. Beautiful name by the way.” he added casually, letting his eyes linger on her face. She really was lovely. No need to try too hard, he reminded himself. “It's not every day you get to meet someone who's quick to lend a hand." His gaze lingered on her for a moment with a spark of intrigue. He was used to being the one who helped others, not the other way around, but southern towns did have a reputation of being friendly. And he was definitely feeling friendly towards this particular southern belle.

When she offered an extra bag, he nodded. "You're a lifesaver. I'd be grateful for the bag." He followed her gesture toward her car, his eyes lighting up with a playful glint as he admired the view. "And maybe, as a thank you, I could buy you a coffee sometime? I’ve tried The Sipping Cup and I swear it’s the best coffee I’ve ever had." He wasn’t just saying that either. Seeing as he’d been traveling far and wide for years, he was majorly impressed by the coffee here. Of course, he might also be trying to win points with Samara.

Often when it was the weekend Samara would try to stay away from the bar during the day--aware that while there was work to be done, she could easily do it in the evenings when she stopped by to check in on the place. That was pretty much why she'd opted to go out shopping on this particular day, deciding that she was in need of a wardrobe update. She'd just been heading towards her parked car on the street when she'd seen a stranger's bag fall--everything spilling out which was probably one of the the worst feelings--she'd had it happen in the grocery store but it had still been embarrassing.

Samara hurried in their direction wanting to help when she felt his hand touch her shoe, an action that made her laugh--only because in her culture, anyone touching your feet was a sign of respect with them asking for a blessing and while this was not that situation, it still amused her. But quickly she pushed aside that feeling and knelt down to pick up some of the items, dusting off the accent pillows. "No need to apologize, I'm sorry for laughing. It's just, in my culture people normally ask for blessings when they touch another's foot so--I just couldn't help it." She explained before holding out the pillow towards him. "You might need to wash the covers when you get home..." she pointed out before giving him a smile and shaking his hand. "I don't think we have, it's nice to meet you Zahid. I'm Samara."

It wasn't like she hadn't seen anyone look at her the way Zahid was right now--but more often than not it was when she was behind the counter at the bar and people were making eyes at her to convince her to give them a little extra liquor in whatever their drink was. This was a little more than she was used to but she still ignored it for the time being, deciding maybe he was just being friendly. "I have an extra bag in my car right over there, if you need it?" | @zchidavci

[zchidavci]

Zahid let out a chuckle, feeling the ease of the conversation with Samara. "You've got great taste, I can tell," he teased. As they walked towards The Sipping Cup, he was careful to match her pace. The weather was nice enough for a stroll and he was grateful that spring was finally here. It was the perfect kind of day for a stroll in his opinion. "I actually moved here for work. I'm the new evening anchor for the local ABC affiliate. It's my first time living in the South, so I'm still getting used to the pace of life here," he explained. He glanced at her, his smile still bright on his face. Although he'd only been in Covington a short while, the Southern hospitality and charm had already won him over. 

"To be honest, things in Little Rock were a lot slower than here. Can you believe that?" He chuckled at the thought. Who would have thought a place like this could seem fast-paced to someone like him? Little Rock might be considered a city, but its pace was far slower than Covington. “But tell me about yourself." he continued, genuinely interested in learning more about her. "Have you lived here your whole life? What do you do for a living?" He was intrigued by this vivacious woman and wanted to peel back the layers to discover what made her tick.

Samara could not remember the last time she’d indulged in such a conversation with a stranger on the sidewalk. It was a rarity, that was for sure. Still—she found herself enjoying it for the time being especially since the man seemed to be quite charming even if she could pretty much tell that there was more to him than perhaps met the eye. But it was definitely too early in their meeting to figure that out and so she kept the conversation light and easy. 

When she’d put forth the simple challenge of him picking the right place to get coffee, she wasn’t sure how new to the city he was that he’d pick the right spot. But clearly he knew his way around certain parts of Covington already. “That is definitely the best place for coffee,” she said with a smile before glancing down at her watch when she asked if she had time right now. It was still pretty early in the day and she didn’t need to be at the bar for awhile so she could spare some time. “Lucky for you—I’m definitely free for a bit so yeah—why not?” She walked alongside with him towards the coffee place, filling the time with more questions. “So—what brings you to Covington?” | @zchidavci