MELODY #2

Family Issues

The desire to follow Akram upstairs began to overtake my mind. It was frustrating that I knew he was upset and I couldn't do anything. I knew it wasn't allowed to be there with him. It was one thing when he'd let me stay with him in New York, and another thing to invade his privacy here, in his family's home.

'Sure, hypocrite!' I scolded myself.

It was wrong to impose myself either way, but it would be outrageous to just walk up and knock on Akram's door with his father at home. It felt... forbidden. How would his father react? Would he be angry? From my first impression, he would give Akram trouble for bringing me here, let alone letting me near his room, or near him in any way.

I tried not to imagine what Dr. Sadiq might be thinking about me, and failed. Did he know about Akram's 'proposal'? Did he think I was some gold digger using his son for my own benefit? Did he despise me so much that he hadn't even tried to say 'hello'?

I perched on the arm of the sofa next to engrossed Jannah, biting my thumb, and giving Akmal an unavoidable, dirty look. He'd made himself too comfortable, crossing his feet on the coffee table and toying with his strange-looking cellphone for a while.

His nonchalance was getting on my nerves. How could he sit and chill like that after what he'd said to his brother?

"Feet off my table, please," Sophie commanded.

My eyes widened when Akmal put his feet down and straightened up in a blink.

"All right, will someone tell me why little Beethoven's gotten so narky?" Akmal asked, dropping his phone on the table.

That was it! My frustration bursted out and I couldn't stop myself.

"Seriously, why are you so mean to your brother?" I blurted out.

Akmal sent me a dubious glare. "Blimey! You can talk?"

"When I must." I crossed my arms, exasperated, yet surprisingly calm.

Akmal leaned back, placing one leg over the other. "You've got quite a temper, I'm impressed."

"She's right, though," Sophie backed me up from the kitchen, her chiding voice accompanied by the sounds of cutting and chopping. I internally rejoiced.

Akmal craned his stringy neck towards the kitchen. "Come on, Sophie. What have I done?"

"Your brother had a rough day and you were acting like a jerk." Sophie's firm tone was a breath of fresh air.

Akmal rolled his eyes. "It was a bloody joke."

"Cut the act, dear," Sophie demanded.

Akmal smirked. "I've struck a chord, then?"

I noted the pun, but it wasn't remotely funny. Not to me.

"You hurt his feelings," I shot back. "We thought we lost Jannah today and you're poking fun at him?"

Akmal glanced at Jannah, then arched an eyebrow. "Jannah's fine, innit? Besides, feelings are often counterproductive."

I gritted my teeth. "So you don't have feelings for Laila? I don't think she'll be happy to hear that."

Akmal's sarcastic tone vanished. "That was not what I said."

Sophie chuckled.

"Come on, ladies. How was I supposed to know?" Akmal raised a hand in the air.

"Maybe if you switched on your phone when Akram needed you?" I suggested, with a bit of an edge.

Akmal got up and paced around the sofa, hands in his pockets.