No escape from you (Taken Down For Polishing)

9: Ice cream and travel plans

Side to side by Ariana played in her headphones as she supported her full body weight on her forearms and stayed in the plank position for two minutes. Her body was producing sweats like a faucet even though the air con in her room was switched on to the minimum. She stood, tucking away some strands of hair that plastered to her wet forehead.

She did a couple of squat trust with twists before she was back down on the exercise mat and doing push-ups. She looked up when she saw her room door open, and her youngest sister, Summayah, peeped in.

She spoke but Zhulfah could not hear her with the headphones clamped over her ears. She sat on the mat, breathing heavily as she removed them.

" You said?"

" I've been knocking since but you didn't answer", She said in her meek and canary-like voice.

" I'm sorry, didn't hear. Come in", She gestured with her hand. Summayah closed the door behind her and walked further into the room. She was the only one polite enough to knock before entering.

" You're exercising ", She said.

" Yup", Zhulfah bent her body over backwards with her palms flat on the floor.

" Good job", She said, sitting on her bed.

Zhulfah beamed. " Thanks."

Rounding up her exercise, she did a perfect split and Summayah gasped loudly with a visible flinch.

" Doesn't that hurt? "

Zhulfah laughed and stood. " You can try to see."

She shook her head. " I'm not ready to break a bone", Then under her breath she added, "Or worse."

Zhulfah laughed again, then stood in front of her full length mirror, looking at her reflection in an ensemble of sports bra and shorts. She was still out of breath and her body glistened with sweat, but her toned body was a reward for every minute she had spent exercising.

" You have a nice figure, you know? " Summayah complimented her sister's slender frame with wide hips, a stature her mother had passed down to her.

" Thanks Sumi, you too."

" Please", Summayah said, playing with the large teddy's hand. " I know I'm thin, there's nothing nice about that. "

Zhulfah turned her eyes towards her sister. " And who said that? You look like a model."

" Well skin and bones isn't exactly beauty standards around here", Summayah stated, her eyes still on the teddy.

Zhulfah sighed, then walked over to her sister and stood arms akimbo before her. When Summayah noticed her shadow loom over her, she lifted her gaze up at her.

" You do not have to conform to the rubbish beauty standards to feel beautiful. It's all part of the messed up society", She took her sister's hand in hers. " It's normal to have insecurities about your body image but that's the beauty of falling in love with your imperfections. Everyone has insecurities, trust me, even celebrities that we think are perfect."

" Even you? " Summayah asked.

" I had insecurities as a teen. I hated having wide hips that looked out of place with my body, just like how Beyonce never liked hers at first. I hated my skin being too fair, showing all my blemishes and acne back then. I always wished for so many things but I learnt to fall in love with all of me with time, and that's what matters, love", She smiled down at her. " Besides, it's a great asset for twerking, do you wanna see me do it?"

Summayah shook her head vehemently. " No, please, no."

Zhulfah clutched her stomach and laughed hard at her sister's irritated expression.