Under That Niqab

52. The Reason

A/N:- A very important chapter, flashback in italics.

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"What are you saying?" Faiza exclaimed.

"Yeah, she actually said can you believe it?" It was Rabi. 

"I don't understand, what did she even mean by that?" Faiza expressed her confusion, questioning the meaning behind Rabi's words.

"I have no idea" She replied.

"Why didn't you ask then?"

"I couldn't okay? I have no idea what's going on in her mind, what are her limits and I just don't want to push her off", she replied tensed.

"What do you mean?"

"I- She doesn't know that I observe her behaviour and thinks that I'm too oblivious but I see everything, something's wrong with her and I don't know what, for instance- When I come home uninformed she's nowhere to be seen, she's in the washroom for I don't know how long, hours sometimes, and there are weird noises of her coughing and puking, and she is suffering a lot-I'm so worried about her but I can't do anything about it"   

"Why didn't you consult a doctor then?"

"I was going to, but she ditched me, I got a text from her that she has gone with Mr. Shavez and I knew then, that she didn't want me to know anything about her. How can I pry when she is so distant and unwilling to share?" She explained.

"You care about that now, she is unwell and-"

She shook her head, "I don't want to push her. She's already going through so much. I feel like if I ask her, she won't tell me anything and it will just make her more anxious."

"But how do you know she's okay if you don't ask?" Faiza pressed.

"I pretend," She admitted. "I make her feel like everything is normal like she is normal and that's how she's been holding up. I just hope that someday she'll open up."

"And what about this- reason, that she's talking about?"

"She just told me that there is, and I am just as baffled as you are" She answered.

"What has got you guys all baffled?" Zaki interrupted their talk.

They had all gathered at his apartment to finalise the Nikah date. Faiza and Rabi were chatting in the hall when Zaki, Shavez, and Hareem walked in through the main door.

"Oh, hey" 

"Hi Assalamualaikum", Hareem said, making the focus turn to him.

"What is he doing here?" Rabi asked, her eyes fixed on him with disapproval as if he did not belong there.

"I invited him," Zaki said as they took their seats.

"So, what is he, a part of our circle now?" She raised her eyebrow directing a question.

"Rabi chill, we owe him" Faiza tried to calm her down.

"I came here for him, not you, and I'm not sorry if I'm a bother, that's not my problem", Hareem retorted.

"Oh please-" Rabi clenched her jaw when she got interrupted.

"That's enough, we were talking about something?" Shavez was the one to stop their banter.

"Yeah, they were baffled about something" Hareem answered, a victorious smile playing on his lips and Rabi rolled her eyes.

"It's nothing really, just girls talk," She said.

"Okay-"

"No, it wasn't actually" Fazia blurted. 

"It was! what are you talking about!" Rabi tried to stop her, eyeing her not to say anything.