Heart Asunder (Dear Dahlia Season 2)

Chapter 19

CONTENT WARNING: Depiction of physical abuse

Wadi stepped into the library. She knew Rahim didn't work Saturdays, so she'd be able to avoid him.

It was her birthday today, but it didn't feel like one. Naima had argued with her yet again, this time over lighting the stove with her power, even though it was cheaper that way. The argument had ended with Wadi shoving Naima away and walking out the door. She wasn't looking forward to going back, but she had no other place to stay, not since Isfa had moved to Poliznaya. It would be too far of a trek.

Despite her and Rahim's falling out, Wadi was eager to bury herself in a book for once. She moved to a section where more recent books had been archived. The girl was just about to pull down a murder mystery book when a timid, familiar voice asked, "Wadi?"

Wadi turned around. Rahim stood there. She pursed her lips. "I didn't know people celebrated ex friends' birthdays," she said coldly.
"I-"

Wadi walked past him to check out a book.
"I've been trying to reach you. You haven't replied to any of my letters."
"Why do you think?" she snapped. She wanted to raise her voice, but that would be silly in a library.
"I-It's just..." Rahim sighed. "You want an apology."
"I want more than that. I want you to admit you were wrong." With that, she checked out the book.
"I can't do that when you keep avoiding me." He lifted up a small stack of books and began to place them on a bookshelf.

Wadi paused. Well, she supposed that was true. She didn't talk to him at school anymore. When she saw him in the corridor, she either walked past him or turned away even when he approached her, trying to calm her pounding heart. It wasn't just the argument. Something bloomed inside her when she looked at him now, and she was afraid of it.

"Do it. Apologise."

Rahim looked at her. "Would it help you?" he asked. For once, his face was unreadable.
Wadi went quiet. "I...I don't know. Naima will still hate us being friends, no matter if you apologise."

Rahim glanced at her again, and Wadi felt that same feeling again: a warmth in her chest that made her feel dizzy with unfamiliarity. "I was wrong. I will admit that. I mean, I let myself be a coward. And for what? To lose you? My best friend, my..." he trailed off.
"Your...?" Wadi asked.

Rahim paused. "I didn't just want to talk to you about the argument." He took out a small box. "I didn't know what to get you for your birthday. I know you like purple, so..." He also gave Wadi a homemade card. She stared down at the items.

"Rahim! You okay to close up?" the librarian called.
"Yeah, of course," Wadi heard Rahim reply, but she didn't look up from her present. Behind her, the library door closed. It was just the two of them now. Wadi slowly opened the card. Rahim had written happy birthday, but that wasn't what she took notice of. Tears came to her eyes.
"You pressed flowers?"
"Dahlias."
"My favourite," she whispered. She glanced at him. Rahim was watching her with a soft smile on his face. Wadi managed to smile back before she opened the box. It was an intricately made, purple hair clip embedded with little white jewels. Wadi gasped, a smile appearing on her face.
"Rahim, this is beautiful. Where did you get it?"
"Well, I..." he trailed off.
Wadi realised, and looked at him. "You made it."
"It's a promise," he said quietly. "That I won't ever run from you again."

Wadi stared at him. The sun had just started to set, and Rahim's dark brown eyes were unilluminated. Wadi thought it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.

She took his hand. Rahim looked down at their intertwined fingers, then back at her face. They stared at each other for a few moments. Rahim's eyes flickered down to her lips. Then, Wadi pressed her lips to his, softly.

Both their eyes slid shut. Wadi felt Rahim smile against her lips. She pulled away, searching for his reaction. Rahim squeezed her hand, and Wadi kissed him again, harder this time. With her hand filled with pressed flowers and the beautiful hair clip, Wadi couldn't help but feel calm, for once. Rahim stepped forward, moving even closer before breaking the kiss once more. Wadi found her eyes pooling with tears yet again, and she let them slide down her cheeks.

"Are you alright?" Rahim asked, concerned.
The inferni smiled through her tears. "Yes," she said quietly. Rahim kissed her forehead then, and Wadi sighed. She was safe.

When she got back, Naima was relaxed. Wadi figured they'd needed a break from each other.
"I have something for you." She gave her a pin, a small brooch designed like an ocean wave.
"W-What-"
"Calm. That's what you need. Not fire, not metal. Water."
"But water can..." Wadi nearly trailed off when she saw Naima watching her tensely, but forced herself to continue. "Water isn't stable. It can be calm one moment, and deadly the next. It can drown anyone it chooses."
"It can also refresh and hydrate." Naima took Wadi's fingers and closed them over the pin.
"I want you to remember what you truly need."

Wadi thought of Rahim, smiled, and nodded. "I understand."

She met with Rahim the next day. He marveled at the pin. "She's otkazat'sya? Are you sure?"
Wadi looked surprised. "Yes," she replied. "She bought it."
"Ah." Rahim took her hand and they ventured into the woods, where no one could see them.

For the next year, that was how their relationship blossomed: in secret, hiding behind buildings and at their usual meeting place near the woods, and giggling quietly together. They didn't tell Rahim's parents, but Wadi had a sneaking suspicion that they knew. After all, after spending time with her, Rahim always returned home with a bright smile on his face.

Unfortunately, Wadi did too, once. One time was enough for Naima to realise what was happening, and when she returned one day, her mother was leaning on the table, arms crossed.

"How was your little rendezvous?"

Wadi's eyes widened. Before she knew it, Naima had grabbed her arm and started hauling her to her room.

"Get off me!" Wadi protested.
"Shut it," Naima snarled.

When they were on the stairs, Wadi summoned her power. Naima screamed, letting go of her hand. Before Wadi could step back, Naima grabbed Wadi's wrist with her other hand, pulled her up on the landing and shoved her into her room.

"No wait, please-" Wadi begged as she heard the key turn in the lock.
"You are better off without that grisha boy," Naima hissed.
"No! NO!" Wadi banged her fists on the door. "LET ME OUT!"

Wadi tried to summon her power, but it hurt; Naima had gripped her wrist too hard. Wadi rushed to the window, trying to lift it up. Hardened glue had set on the latch. The inferni screamed, slamming her hands on the window in frustration. No one heard her cry for help, nor saw her.

Wadi curled up beside her bedroom door and cradled the clip that Rahim had made her more than a year ago. She let herself cry, but through her tears, tried to think. Then, she wrote her idea down in her rarely-used journal and slid it under her bed.

The next few weeks were torturous; Wadi wasn't allowed to leave her room. Naima brought up meals, and Wadi ate them, then Naima collected them. Wadi had a sudden urge to go into the garden, but she knew Naima wouldn't allow it.

It was summer, so Wadi waited for whatever Naima had used to melt. Then, one strangely windy night, she grabbed her bag from under her bed, lifted up the window, and climbed down the ivy that looked like it was withering in the heat. Wadi dropped to the ground, landing with a small thud. Above, she heard Naima's footsteps. The eighteen-year-old froze, then forced herself to run into the woods and took out a small lantern.

The woods were different at night. Wadi had often loved exploring it as a child, but she hadn't realised how eerie it would be in the dark. She used the lantern to guide her way, and soon, Rahim came into view. He'd known something was wrong when she hadn't met him, she realised. When Wadi approached him, he took her hand.

"Are you alright? She didn't see you?"
"Yes, and no," Wadi smiled.
Rahim nodded. He gave a shaky breath and squeezed her hand. "Let's go."

He and Wadi slipped into the darkness, away from Naima's anguished screams on finding her daughter's room empty.