WHO IS TO BLAME?

Chapter four

When she returns home, her mother and her siblings were on the dining table having their lunch. She entered without saying a word. They were all speechless because it's unusual for her to enter house without saying anything so they wondered what happened to her that made her to react in such way. Just then, they noticed that she's crying. Seema dropped the serving spoon she's holding in her hands unintentionally. Isha on the other side ran into her room and locked it up. She sprawled on the bed and close her eyes while tears are rushing down her ears. Her life was in great danger now. Trouble at home every time, now at school too. What could she do then? All that happened between she and the lecturer came back to her.
   "I think you are matured enough to know that nothing can be done without something in return."
   "And I want to you to know that I am ready to help you as long as you are ready to help yourself."
   "I want you to give it to me once and I will give you your full marks. You don't need to even sit for the exam and this should be confidential."
   "I'm sure you know what I mean 'cause you are not a kid."
   "When you come, you will see what I meant."
   "I want you to come and meet me at mashar hotel located at sabon gari  tomorrow  at 5 o'clock in the evening."
I never thought this man Is heartless. I don't know that he's a lecher. She thought.
   All those people that are saying most lecturers asked to sleep with you in one way or the other before they make you pass their exams, she thought it's all a rumor or a joke but now she believed it was real.
She kept on crying and thinking of what will happen if she did not cooperate. This means she's not going to graduate together with her colleagues. It means that she has to keep repeating the exam every year until a time when she's fortunate that he's no longer the lecturer that will take the course in her department.
   In the midst of her thought, she heard the ringing of her phone. She can't answer any phone call right now so she ignored it, But it was disturbing. The call kept coming one after the other for ten times. She managed to raise her hand and picked the phone up. She tries to look at the screen but she couldn't see who the caller is. She cleared her eyes with the handkerchief and behold it was Amal. She don't want to pick the call but Amal kept on calling. Therefore, she finally answered it.
   "Hello! Hello! Isha... Isha."
Isha can't speak up so she broke into cry with painful tears.
   "Please Isha, talk to me. What's wrong? You're acting strange please tell me what is going on. You are scaring me even more."
Isha tried to calm herself down but she failed. She keep on crying. Amal, from the other side, was trying her best to make her speak up but all in vain so she burst into tears too. She doesn't wants to see her friend in trouble because she loves her not only as a friend but a blood sister.
   "Amal i'm in hot water." Amal heard isha spoke after some minutes.
   "What? What happened? Please tell me."
   "He is devil. He is insane............."
Isha told her everything that happened between herself and Mr Hamid. Amal was so devastated.
   "Are You sure what you are saying is true?"
   "It's true. Even me it takes time before I believed what i heard from him."
   "I know you are a good girl and i know you will make a good decision. Please don't let anybody deceives you no matter who the person is. Your virginity is your pride. Please Isha keep praying and i will pray for you too." Amal advised her.
   "Yes Amal but I really don't know what to do please help me." Said Isha in a weak voice.
   "Okay Isha." She hesitated thinking of what to do but couldn't find the right solution. "Give me some time Isha okay?  I will think of how to handle the situation."
   "Ok sis, I will be waiting for you."
   " yes sis, just calm yourself down okay? And don't tell anybody about this okay? We'll find a good plan to deal with him."
   "Thank You so much Amal. I really appreciated your advice. You are my good friend." She ended the call.
Just then, she heard a loud knock on the door as if the door is going to break. "Will You open the damn door?" It was her mother.
She quickly went to the door and opened it.
   "What's wrong with you? I was knocking on the door for long time but you refused to open the door for me why?" Said seema angrily.
   "No mum, actually i..... I.....well..... Yes I was in the toilet so I didn't hear you knock." She lied.
Seema looked at her for sometimes before she entered the room and sat down on the bed. Isha came and sat down next to her shivering. She was thinking of what to say if her mother asked her what is wrong."
   "Tell me my child, what is wrong with you today. I saw something unusual in you." Said seema while pulling isha towards her body and snuggled her tightly.
Isha started shedding tears. She quickly wiped them off before her mother could notice. She was quite for sometimes. Seema held her in her arms and stared at her. Isha hung her head down. "Tell me what happened." Seema asked her again.
   "No, no mum actually it is nothing mum. I am just suffering from abdominal cramp that's why I think my period is around the corner." She lied again.
   "Are you sure?" Her mother said after heaven a sigh of relief.
   "Yes mum, I am sure." She assured her with a smile on her face.
   "Okay take care of yourself my daughter okay?  May Allah bless you abundantly. May you become successful person in the world. May you have good children that you will be proud of." Said her mother while pecking her on the forehead. Isha was extremely excited, she hugged her mother tightly, tears of joy busy rushing down her cheeks.
   "Thank you so much mum. I love you."
That's what keep Isha happy for the whole of that day. She had supper with her siblings and mum. Everyone was so happy. She played with her siblings so much that day. They were all happy and they had a good and sound sleep.