IT ENDS WITH HIM (Completed)

2. Perfidy

The following weeks after the wedding were filled with tons of boxing and naturally un-boxing. Khalid had found a decent one bedroom apartment for them to move into. It wasn't very spacious, but it was humbling and he was very grateful when Hafsa told him she liked the place. She saw the suite as being more so a stepping stone for the new couple; their first home together. Besides, she knew Khalid couldn't afford anything bigger at the moment as he had just started working a few years ago and was still paying off his student loans. She had no intent of making her husband feel financially incapable of providing for her.

On the first day of November, the newly weds were given the keys to the apartment. Hafsa was so excited. She now had her Prince Charming all to herself. She had dreamed of this day countless amount of times when she was younger. Hafsa had goals she wanted to conquer with her husband. She had always wanted to visit orphanages and especially boarding schools to bring them gifts and brighten their day. Oh those poor kids; Left abandoned and unloved. Khalid had agreed it was a wonderful idea. But her first objective was to get to know her husband better. It's one thing to know someone as your friend, but something entirely different when you're sharing the same roof as them. To learn what his favourite foods were, and his pet peeves. The list went on. She was sure it was the same on his end. But Khalid had other intentions and Hafsa could see that in his eyes.

Khalid had always dreamed of the day his bride would be fully his. As soon as they had entered their suite, he scooped her up in his arms, feeling accomplished with himself at how easy it was. A laugh of surprise escaped her lips.

He thought she was being shy and naturally he wanted his Mrs. to find comfort in him. They consummated their marriage that night. She saved herself for him and he for her. She was suppose to feel loved, but something kept gnawing at her in her mind, signalling that something wasn't right. Perhaps it was the way he scrutinized her body or the lack of endearment from him-not a single mention of "you're beautiful" or "I love you". It was no secret that she lacked curves. She was only 100 pounds, a few pounds underweight for a women her age. But still...she was thin and she was under the impression that he liked her appearance. She brushed these thoughts aside thinking to best enjoy the moment and not be a negative Nancy. But what she couldn't foreshadow was what her husband, the man she gave her chastity to would say afterwards.

Khalid was taught by the men in his social circle that when a woman lost her chastity, she bled. So when they were throwing on their night gowns, he was perplexed why he couldn't find any traces of blood on the bed sheet.

Babe...why didn't you bleed?" Khalid choked out.

He watched Hafsa's face redden with shock and embarrassment. Hafsa was rendered speechless. But in the moment he didn't care because he was livid. All he could think of was that his new bride was possibly not a virgin. He had saved himself for what? A hooker? He didn't allow her to explain herself. He was in no mood for what she had to say for herself.

"Let me be." He whispered.

With shaking hands, Hafsa carefully drew her long chocolate brown hair to curtain her face from her husband. The last thing she wanted to see were his judgmental eyes. She scurried off into the washroom, cleaning herself from his touch. She was very grateful that her sobs were deafened by the shower.

That night she slept on the couch, trying to put as much space as she can between Khalid. She tried and tried not to weep but how could she not? He heard her cries and saw how painful intimacy was for her...but somehow just because she didn't bleed, he was certain that she wasn't pure. Instead of fighting tears, she concluded it was best to pray the night prayer.

In the dead of the night while her husband slept, she prayed for the humiliation, the betrayal and hurt to disappear. Outside as she prayed, she could hear the winds' low howls and the rattling of the autumn leaves. A storm was coming, and she could feel it in her bones.