Under That Niqab

62. A Touch So Gentle

She ran out of her room, her heart pounding in her chest, desperate to escape the suffocating presence of Adnan. Blinded by fear and tears, she collided with something solid, causing her to stumble back and fall down.

As she regained her strength, she looked up to see Shavez standing in front of her, concern etched on his face.

"Haya, what happened? Are you okay?" he asked bending down, reaching out to steady her. Unable to speak, she simply nodded, her voice choked with emotion. She felt a sense of relief wash over her at the sight of him, grateful for his presence in that moment of frailty.

Shavez held her, gently by the shoulders, his touch delivering a sense of comfort and safety to her without them even realizing. "Take a deep breath. You're safe now," he reassured her, his voice calm and soothing surpassing deep into her soul.

She took a shuddering breath, trying to regain her composure when she registered that she let Shavez hold her, Shavez was holding her, she was in his arms, being held like a fine piece of glass, one mistake and foul in handling she would fall and break, into million pieces at that. And as current struck him too at the realization that he crossed his limit, he moved back in a jiffy with his hands falling down.

The warmth that had engulfed her in its safe embrace was nabbed away and it was suddenly too cold, and she didn't want to lose the fervency, not when she knew what safety feels like.

"No" She muttered extending her shaky dainty hands to have a grip on him, her hair sticking on her sweaty forehead as she reached out in haste without a moment of comprehension. "Hold me, please" She drew breath, " H-hold me, do not leave me alone"

At any other instance, any other situation, she would not believe that she let her tongue do the deed, telling Shavez on her own accord and showing him that she was more feeble than she seems, that was something she always wanted to conceal no matter what.

Shavez could not believe he heard her right, he certainly couldn't believe his ears right now, but those fragile hands, those lean fingers hardly claiming any force on top of the buttons of the sleeves of his shirt, the sting of those buttons pressing deep into his wrist possibly leaving a mark as she desperately tried to cling to him, that was all the proof he needed to pull her close and envelope her into his comforting embrace again.

"It's alright" he mumbled into her ear, voice low but steady, pressing her further into himself. "I'm here now, you are safe. You are safe with me"

Her breath was still ragged when they were seated in the pitch black darkness of the night, occasional rumbles still being heard, light striking into the room frequently, in the middle of the living room on the cold icy floor.

The place didn't matter as long as they held onto each other, as long as she knew she can hold onto him, because he proved himself today, that he was her safe place, her safe haven.

He pulled a little away, both of his hands reaching up to hold her face by the chin, brushing her hair to the back of her neck "What happened back there?"

She looked into his amber orbs which were turning dark and deep as they held so many unnamed emotions blazing in them, she could only look for a moment because if she were to stare more, she would burn in that fire.

Shaking her head a little she rested it on his shoulder drawing a long breath, "You came" She spoke relief gushing in her veins along with hemoglobin.

"How could I not? When I know you don't like rains" He said adjusting his hand on her back, careful and cautious.

"Thank you," she said closing her eyes and letting herself be held because at times it's okay to throw away all the morals and values and self-made promises and all the boundaries into a river far far away only to realize they were just an extra burden to carry.