We push and pull like a magnet do

Chapter 1

“Hana are you ready? We have to go to the airport now” I heard my aunt yell from downstairs, just as I finished writing my first real diary entry. Recently I had decided to keep a diary of my feelings, to keep track of them, hopefully.

“I’m coming, just give me five minutes” I yell back as I zip my last bag up, adding my diary to the rest of my hand luggage. Tonight I was flying back home to Stockholm, although I had a long 7-hour stopover in Qatar, before getting home. I sighed and got up, looking at myself in the mirror briefly. My big dark brown eyes stared back at me as I coated my eyelashes clumsily with some mascara, giving my complexion some life. Lastly, I adjusted the headscarf I had to wear because of the laws in Iran, put some lipgloss on and went downstairs, where my aunt was waiting, an annoyed expression on her face.

“Are you all ready now?” she asked again and I just nodded. We left the house and got into the taxi that was waiting for us outside. The usual busy street was quiet and it was pitch black outside. The driver immediately started his engine and we were on our way to the airport here in Mashhad. On our way there we were both quiet, and I just spent the following half-hour, listening to music and looking out the window. I closed my eyes as the soothing voice of Ed Sheeran filled my ears and I found myself releasing a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I had been listening to his music for years, way before he became as famous as he is now. He always calmed me down, and I could always relate to his music, even the painful ones.

“Stop daydreaming Hana, we are here now,” my aunt said, and pulled my earpods out of my ears. I just blinked and got out of the car, grabbing my suitcase and my hand luggage from the driver. I kept silent as we walked up to the terminal. As we got to the point where my aunt had to leave me, I turned around and gave her a hug.

“Thank you for everything these past two months auntie, I’ve had a really good time” I said and she gave me a small smile.

“Anytime Hana, please make sure to call when you get home, Inshallah (God Willing)” she said and I nodded.

“Don’t worry I will call you as soon as I’m home, Inshallah” I said and gave her one last hug before I left her. I walked towards the check-in and consciously wrapped my headscarf tighter around my hair. I always got nervous at the check-in at this airport, they looked at your headscarf with critical eyes. Thankfully I got through check-in and security smoothly and now I was at my gate, waiting for my first flight. It was currently 4:30 am, and we should be boarding anytime now. I sit myself down and sure enough, about 10 minutes later its time to board. Soon enough, I’m in my seat and I close my eyes and put on music as the air hostess goes through security and the plane starts moving.

Approximately 2,5 hours later

Before I knew it, we had reached Doha, and I was exhausted. I walked towards the airport transit part and sighed as I looked at the clock and realised that I had a full 7 hours to spend here. I walked around until I found an empty row of chairs. I sat myself down at the very edge, giving myself four seats so I could lay down. I took my diary out and started to write a little as I listened to music. About an hour or so later, I noticed a guy approaching this row and my eyes followed him, hoping he would avoid my row. Unfortunately, he sat down at the other end of my row. I sighed and took a look at him. He looked odd. He sported a navy oversized hoodie, baggy jeans and converses. He had the hood up and these big sunglasses on. His luggage purely consisted of this old rucksack and a guitar. I found myself getting curious about him, and why he was hiding his face. After a while I shrugged and returned to my writing, he didn’t seem interested in me anyway.  

Soon I found myself engrossed in my writing and I completely forgot that he was sitting there. I was writing about my deepest feelings and confessions, things I had never told anyone. Halfway through I realised that I still was wearing my headscarf, so I put my pen down, and put my diary on one of the empty seats, as I took off my headscarf. I pulled my hair out of the tight bun I had put it in and I could smell my shampoo as my hair fell down, reaching my waist.  I ran my fingers through my hair, smiling slightly as I finally felt like myself again. Somewhere along the lines, I felt like someone was watching me, so I took my ear pods out of my ears and took a look around. Sure enough, the guy had now moved to one of the seats closer to me and was looking at me with a small smile on his face. I blushed and looked away, why was he being so weird?

Ed’s Pov (briefly)

Damn airports. They’re so cold and empty, especially at this hour. And on top of it all every shop is closed as well. My original flight from Tokyo had been delayed so I was already in a bad mood as I entered the airport of Doha, on a stopover for three hours until I could finally get on my plane home to London. I have been on a break from everything for a year, travelling, relaxing and just finding myself again, not been on any social media either. It’s been refreshing, but I have to admit, towards the end it’s been lonely and boring. I couldn’t wait to get back into writing and performing now, it had almost been like an itch needed to be scratched after a while.

I shook my head, walking through the transit area. Damn airports, you can never find a place to relax. As I reach the end of the transit area, I sigh as I spot an empty row of chairs. Well, almost empty, there was this girl sat at the very end of the row, and she had her bags on two of the chairs, assumingly so she could lay down. There was something different about her. She was wearing this coat that looked too big on her, hiding her body from peoples view, and she had her hair covered under a tightly wrapped headscarf, a tiny strand of hair peeked through from underneath and I could see her hair was a rich dark brown colour. I was instantly fascinated by her. She had her earpods in so she couldn’t hear me as I approached the row of chairs, and she had this journal type thing that she was writing in. I decided I’d let her be, she seemed busy and from the way she was dressed, I assumed I shouldn’t approach her.

As I sat down, her eyes suddenly snapped up and I could see how she stared at me, well at what she could see of me as I was wearing clothes that would cover my face and my hair up. For a moment she looked at me, but I couldn’t tell what went through her mind before she sighed and went back to her journal and her writing. I looked the other way, figuring out that she wasn’t interested. After a while, I was getting bored so I took my phone out, logging into Instagram for the first time in a good few months. After a while, I was bored again, so I decided to look over to her side again. She seemed completely engrossed in whatever it was she was writing, her hands were moving fast and her brows were furrowed, and I could almost see her eyes glistening with tears. I wondered what she was writing about, and I couldn’t help but want to reach out and give her a hug.

I don’t know how long I spent looking at her before she suddenly put her pen down, and put her journal on the empty seat next to her. I quickly looked away, I didn’t want her to think I was some kind of freak. Suddenly I could smell this lovely scent, I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was but it smelled nice, so I looked up and there she was. She had taken the scarf off and let her hair out. And she looked absolutely beautiful. She had long, thick hair, in that same shade of dark brown as that tiny piece of hair I had seen before. Her eyes were big and they were this rich shade of dark brown, almost black, but if you looked close enough you’d see that they were brown. Her lips were full and pink and her hands were tiny, as she ran her finger through her hair. I could feel myself smiling as I observed her. Suddenly she looked up and she saw me and I looked into her eyes for the first time and I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. She took my breath away.

Hana’s Pov

I cleared my throat and he took his sunglasses off. His eyes were piercing blue, and framed by these long blond eyelashes. From what I could see of his eyebrows, they looked ginger. He looked really familiar and I had this weird feeling.

“Uhmm sorry sir, can I help you?” I said quietly, the last thing I wanted was to talk to this guy, he made me feel really uncomfortable. He blinked and cleared his throat before he smiled.

“Uhmm no sorry, I promise I’m not a creep I was just curious that’s all.” He said in a thick british accent and I raised an eyebrow. I think he could tell that I wanted to leave the conversation at that because he suddenly took his hand out.

“I should probably tell you my name, I’m Ed” he said, and I looked at him again before slowly grabbing his hand and shaking it. He smiled at me again.

“Uhmm I’m Hana.” I mumbled and let go of his hand quickly. I tried getting back to my journal, grabbing my pen and making myself comfortable, but he moved to the closest seat next to me and I rolled my eyes.

“So, Hana, where are you headed?” he asked and I could tell he was being careful with what he was saying.

“I’m going back home, to Sweden.” I said, deciding to not be too specific.

“Oh wicked, I’ve been in Sweden a few times, it's lovely there, whereabouts do you live if you don’t mind me asking?” he said and I shook my head.

“I’m sorry I don’t feel comfortable letting you know where I live,” I said slowly and his face dropped. We sat there for a while, in an awkward silence before I sighed and took a look at the time, I still had over 4 hours to go.

“That’s okay, how long until your flight comes?” he said suddenly and I looked up at him again, blinking. This guy really didn’t seem to get it. Why was he so interested in me?

“In over four hours,” I said and I couldn’t help but groan. He laughed at my expression and shook his head.

“Mine goes in about an hour, it’s a pity I can't stay here for long,” he said and for some reason, I felt sad, it was weird but I felt empty at the thought of him leaving me.

“You on your way to London?” I found myself asking without thinking and he nodded.

“Lucky, I love London” I said and he smiled. After that, he didn’t say anything, and I didn’t either. After a while I took out my phone and he looked over to me.

“Uhmm I was wondering if I could have your number?” he asked shyly and I could tell he had been thinking of asking me for a while. I blushed and looked down, but for some reason, I didn’t say no. I handed him my phone and he put his number in and then he handed his to me and I put mine in.

“Well Hana, it was lovely spending time with you, I’ll contact you once I land, and can you make sure you just pop me a text whenever you’re home?” he said and I just nodded. He smiled and said goodbye, grabbing his things, and putting his sunglasses on before he left. He gave me one last look as he walked away and I was filled with the same sad, empty feeling as before.

Who was he? And why did he care?