Mistress Asthana

CHAPTER TWO: THE NEWSPAPER HEADLINES

Chapter Two ( The Newspaper Headlines)

Fannah

"Salam Alaikum, ummah good morning, please where is Fannah?" Hindu greeted my mom as she came in. There was some hint of urgency in her voice and I wonder what could be up with her this time. She always comes to me whenever she wants me to cover up for her when she does anything at home.

"Wa alaiki assalam Hindu how are you?" My mom asked and she replied fine. I could hear them from the kitchen but I didn't make a move to meet them at the sitting room. "Fannah is in the Kitchen" my mom told her and I heard her footsteps as she approached the kitchen.

"Now what have you done again Hindu? I want you to know that I'm done lying for your sake okay" I said as she appeared in the kitchen.

"Fannah, chill okay I haven't come here to ask you to lie on my behalf" she said with an epic eye roll. " So you've been having an affair with Ahmad Santalma and you didn't even bother to tell me?" She questioned looking a bit disappointed while I stared at her with my mouth wide open. I couldn't comprehend what she was saying. Me? Ahmad Santalma? Affair? I don't understand.

" Well that's not even the big deal here" she continued "Why did it go to the extent of you smooching each other in public Fannah? Why? I'd be lying if I tell you that I'm happy about this, I mean you are the one always preaching to me whenever you see me with any guy and now you're the same person doing this? Haba Fannah. Okay let's even forget the fact that you are having an affair, you could have chosen another person other than Ahmad Santalma, you and I know that he isn't going to marry you, he's only going to use and dump you that's all. Why did you choose to embarrass yourself like this Fannah? I'm disappointed to be honest"

she finally ended her lecture but to be honest I didn't understand a word she was saying. Why does she keep calling my name and Ahmad Santalma in the same sentence? And then she went ahead to say marriage. Forget about me, the whole world knows that Ahmad Santalma will never marry me. I am way below his standard. I couldn't comprehend what she was saying so I kept staring at her in disbelief.

"Come on don't look at me as if I'm speaking gibberish, that's stale news every one knows about your relationship with Ahmad Santalma" she said as she brought out a bunch of Newspapers from under her hijab and began to open them aggressively.

"Fannah these are yesterday's newspapers, come and take a look at the headlines" she beckoned and I moved closer to see what she was talking about.

I looked into the newspaper and right there was a picture of Ahmad Santalma and I in a not so favourable position with the caption " Ahmad Santalma and whose Daughter?" Hindu quickly put that newspaper aside and opened another one. This one also had the same picture and the caption read "A wife or a slut? I didn't hear of Ahmad Santalma's marriage"

We went through all the newspaper and each one carried my photo and that of Ahmad Santalma with different insulting captions. I looked up and I saw Hindu looking at me accusingly.

"Now tell me you know nothing about this Fannah, tell me that's not you in the picture" she said quite angrily.

"Look Hindu, believe me it's not what it looks like, trust me I can explain, yes it's me in the photo but it's not what you think" I said. It really wasn't what it looked like. Now where do I even start explaining from? Will she even believe me?

"Fannah" my dad's voice boomed from the sitting room and he sounded quite angry. I shouted back my reply and rushed to answer his call while Hindu quickly packed up all the newspapers and put them under her hijab.

I entered the sitting room sweating even though the weather wasn't hot. All I could think of was the newspapers and what people would think of me, it's a good thing I wasn't known by anyone but Ahmad was known by everyone in Toure. I just hope my parents don't find out about this because I can't even imagine their reaction to this.