Scarred (Completed)

Eight

Saqib and Huda both walked into the hotel room from the police station and she just slumped on the bed without a word staring into space. Saqib too food the bed and sat beside her feeling for her hand.

"The world is soo unforgiving, huh Saqib? I never imagined what other's were going through all those years because of me."

"It wasn't your fault." He said caressing her hair.

She shook her head.
"No....it was. You don't even know what kind of horrible, self-centred and self-absorbed person I was. According to my parents, I was the most beautiful girl in the world and that's how they treated me. They looked down on everyone else's children and considered me superior even though there was nothing I was good at. Eventually, I felt the same. I looked down on others and thought that I was the most beautiful girl in the world. Other parents would scold thier kid for having a bad grade or acting rude to thier elders, I was scolded of I got a pimple or didn't work out to keep my body fit and skin flawless. I was like barbie..."

Saqib just listened to her silently.

"I had no friends, no one to talk to about my feelings or what I loved. All I had were people who just loved ne for my beauty... even my parents. They never taught me anytime like cooking or cleaning, heck, even getting periods for the first time was a scary experience because I didn't knew shit about it..." She laughed humor.

"I thought Tania was my best friend but she was the one who held the deepest grudge against me... enough to ...do this to me?!" Her voice was breaking and Saqib pulled her into his arms as he let her cry her heart out.
"Still...." She got back wiping her tears.
"... I'm grateful to her though. Thanks to her I realised who truly love me and who don't. And I met you...."

Saqib smiled.

"Because of you I had forgotten about my ugly face. You made me feel soo beautiful."

"You're not ugly Huda, you never were! It's thier fault to not see the beauty inside you."

"Beauty inside?! Saqib, I'm rotten inside out." She scoffed.

Saqib shook his head and caressed her cheek where the scar was.
"How can that be when you were the one who inspired me to be who I am right now? You were the one who made me realise my dream and work soo hard for it."

Huda tilted her head looking at him confused.
"What do you mean? You know this is the second time you've said something like that and I still cannot comprehend what does that mean. Tell me na....how did I inspire you? The day you and mom came to see me was the first time we met right?"

Saqib smiled mysteriously.

"Saqib?"

"It's a secret." He smiled placing a finger over her lips.

She frowned biting his finger.

"Ow!" He laughed.

"Tell me!"

"Nope!" He popped his lips to annoy her.

"Saqib~~"

"Nope!"

"Come on.... the suspense is killing me!" She whined and pushed him back on the bed stitting on top of him as he kept laughing.

"Nope."

"Urgh! Fine!" She got off of him much to his dismay.
"I'm going to take a shower."

His smile was back again.
"So....is that an invitation?"

She slammed the bathroom door shut behind him.
"Nope!"

"Oh come on.... Huda~~"

"Nope!" She yelled from inside.

"Huda please...."

"Nope!"

She was smiling to herself and was in awe of how this man was capable of turning her worst situations and her huge tears into a huge smile on her face at the end everytime.

∆∆∆∆
"So you made a complaint against her? My friend knows a very good lawyer. Don't worry Huda, we'll put that ungrateful friend of yours behind the bars. How dare she ruin my beautiful daughter's life like that?" Huda's mother said almost in tears.

Huda just shook her head.
"I didn't?"

"What?!"

"Mumma, I didn't make any complaint nor do I want to sue her for it." She said simply.

"Have you....gone insane? We finally found the person who attacked you and you don't want to take any action?" Her mother's voice raised.

"Yes."

"Why? Have you forgotten what she did to you? Look at your face in the mirror if you can't remember. This..." She pointed at Huda's cheek.
"This ugly scar that will be with you for life, because of which no one will ever appreciate you. She made your beauty useless! How can you forget that huh?"

Huda swallowed the lump in her throat. That's right! She had forgotten where she had gotten that arrogance from and how her confidence in herself was lost. It was because of such words from her own mother.

"Am I that useless to you? Are you soo ashamed of me?"

"Yes! I couldn't even show my face to anyone!"

Huda gripped her fist trying to stop her tears as she blinked her prickly eyes.
"Why mumma? What was my fault? Did you only love me because I was beautiful?"

Her mother was dumbfounded now.

"Tell me na Mumma, was I nothing but a beautiful doll for you that you showed around proudly?"

Feeling the sudden storm of guilt her mother tried to hold her.
"Huda .....that's not what I...."

Huda stepped back immediately.
"Then what is it mumma? All my life you treated me like a trophy. Beauty beauty beauty it's all that mattered to you. Not my studies, no talents, no hobbies, nothing! Everyday I woke up scared thinking you won't love me anymore if someone else was more beautiful than me. So I kept on trying to be better than everyone not caring what effect if was having on the people around me because you never cared about what kind of effect your actions were having on me. Mumma.... you ruined your daughter by burdening your expectations on me. You said no one would love me now that I was ugly...But....just because of this scar, have I really become ugly? Do you really not love me anymore....huh?"

Her mother sobbed shaking her head.

"Saqib loves me ... even though he can't see me, he loves me soo much and I love him too. We're happy together Mumma....he accepted me for how I am without a complaint and I've accepted him. Not for his money or status....but for who he is. Why can't you do the same? Why can't you love me mumma? Am I that worthless to you now? Atleast I'm married and out of this house. Still, can't you accept me for who I am. You don't even have to see me everyday.... Mumma...." She was crying by now as she said the last part and her mother threw her arms around her as both the woman cried on eachother's shoulders. 

"I'm soo sorry my baby...my Huda.... I've wronged you beta.... I'm soo sorry. Please forgive me. I was blinded. I thought...for a girl her beauty was everything and in that process I corrupted your innocent heart. Please forgive your mother....and no matter what happens, my Huda will always be beautiful to me....my sweet daughter..."

That day, both the women learnt a valuable lesson...