Part 1

“Class, warmly welcome your new classmate from Iraq. Please do take care of him, I’m counting on you.” said Miss Sebastian with a gentle smile. She directed the dark brown skin, jet black hair teenager with a shy smile to the empty seat near the back of the class.

“He does not speak much English, that does not mean any of you can press him with anything hard, is that clear?” warned Miss Sebastian sternly.

A group of guys sitting at the side eyed the silent handsome teenager as he walked to his seat.

“I wonder if he has been too much of a ‘terrorist’ until he was banned from Iraq” whispered Yusef, the so-called hunk in the class.

All his faithful followers snickered just a little too loud, earning a swift glare by Miss Sebastian. Instant silence swept the whole class as he sat in the empty seat.

“Hello, my name is Nasim. What is your name?” asked a pretty dark head sitting beside the new guy.

“Hello, I am Riyaz.” replied the shy teenager.

“Why did you come to Ecuador?” asked Nasim as she took out her textbook.

Riyaz’s face seemed to darkened all of a sudden. Without giving an answer he forced a little smile and turned to the front facing Miss Sebastian, leaving Nasim with the question hanging unanswered.

Prologue

Absent mindedly, Nasim started to play with the silver pendant hanging on the necklace she was wearing. The pendant reflected her face as images of the past rush through her like flowing water. In her heart and mind, each drop and trickle of memory played itself. Like an illness that never fully healed, her heart started to ache again. She loved him, or was it the other way round? There was no point lying to herself about how she felt, how she never really did forget him.

“I love you.” His words echoing inside her head, like it was yesterday.

“But you know I cannot be in this relationship, it’ll just be a fantasy that’ll never come true.” She exclaimed, as her heart seemed to stop beating.

“I understand, I will wait for you. No matter how long it takes. Wherever you go, whatever you do, I’ll be right here waiting for you.” He whispered into the phone, as tears welled up threatening to fall.

That happened just 2 months ago, where his words had left her speechless. She loves him with all her heart. Fantasy and dreams are always better than reality. She of all people knew that for she knew she was drawn into a fantasy of love. He was all she ever asked for, but how can she ever know if her heart will not waver in his absence? Distance is an unseen obstacle, bringing about hardships and heart breaks. She was still young, with numerous pathways and challenges to face.