My Knight In Shining Kaftan (COMPLETE)

Chapter Thirteen

"If you have to question how much they value you, there's your answer."
-Unknown

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The problem Sadiq meant was the fancy china they had rented from Olivia and one of the guests broke a plate by mistake. She sighed of relief and thanked Allah (SWA) that it wasn't a negative feedback about the food they served, besides it was only one plate that was broken she could just settle Olivia if Allah wills.

As much as she tried not to look at the group dancing and cheering on the dance floor, she couldn't fight the urge to peek in between the spaces and spotted Malik whispering something into Hala's ear, when he stared into her eyes, Salma could swear she saw him blush, her heart ached.

Just like that, she felt as invisible as she had always been before he came into her life. He helped her build a castle she thought they would live in together, only for him to shoot blazing cannon balls and broke everything. Every last bit of the memories they shared which she had held onto and that last string of hope that she had held so tight. Thinking that maybe, just maybe, things will be different and Malik will miraculously announce that their breakup was a prank. She had been deceiving herself.

She felt so pathetic.

The dancing, merriment and applauses soon faded because the soon-to-be bride and groom left the event place hand-in-hand to only God knows where. All that while, he had pretended as if she wasn't there, as if she was just another nobody. Maybe he wasn't pretending at all, she was the one that thought she meant something to him. Or he tricked her into thinking that.

She shrank into her Abaya and sat down, tears brewing in her eyes. Gradually, the guests started to leave, leaving only a few teenagers she recognised from the family house still dancing and interacting with one another. Her servers gathered all their stuff and began taking it out to the trunk. Sadiq would occasionally ask if she was alright and she'd nod.

Right when she was thinking of leaving and the table where they exhibit her masterpiece was almost cleared, Salma heard someone say her name. She thought it might be Kande but was met with Safiyya's warm smile, they exchanged a few words and Safiyya left her with a cheque in hand.

She bid Sadiq goodnight at the parking lot, almost everyone that was there for the event had left. She promised to call him the next morning before she stepped into her car with Kande while he left with the servers. She dropped Kande off at her home and let out a sigh when silence enveloped her, she suddenly missed Kande's company.

She sluggishly dragged herself to greet her mother when she went home, knowing she'd ask what is wrong with her and Salma wasn't really planning on talking about what was happening to her. She told her mother that it was a success and was tired so she escaped to her room. Lucky for her, Hadiza wasn't the judgemental type.

She dropped her bag and car key on the carpet, slipped off her Abaya and all the accessories she wore. She didn't bother to take her makeup off, she just slided into her blanket and curled herself into a ball and cried her eyes out.

Her grievous tears was breaking Hadiza's heart as well, she had watched her sister walk into the room with a heavy heart. If it was a normal day, she would tease her sister to the brink of annoyance. But that day was different, Salma's presence carried hefty sadness and she obviously didn't want anyone to talk to her so Hadiza did what Salma needed the most.

***

Fatuma knocked on their door and twisted the knob and let herself in. Salma hadn't got out of bed and it was almost 1pm. She said her salam and went over to her bed and sat next to her laying position. She placed her hand on her shoulder and slowly called out her name, she moved underneath the blanket and sniffed. Then revealed her face that was coated with smudged makeup and black lines if her Mascara and liner that followed her tears had dried on her face.