DECE-P-TION

DXXX

"We will take precautionary measures to make sure justice is intact. Excuse me". I walk away with the help of imam. "Mrs Alya, the car is that way." Imam reminds me. "I am aware, i would like to speak to him first." I gesture to Falah who's walking towards the car.

I walk past sultana who seems to be packing some things up. I open my mouth to call Falah when a car blows up making me lose balance and fall to the floor. My ear rings a high pitched tone making me wince in pain while people scream. People run past me. I shift my eyes to see Falah unconscious on the ground. I gasp, getting to my feet. I stagger , unstable to get my balance back. I fall again, practically crawling to him.

"Falah? Falah! Please wake up." I sob, shaking him as I raise my head to see people running. "Oh no, Falah." Sultana shouts, sitting beside him. "Falah, please wake up." I place his head on my thigh, hugging him.

I look at my phone filled with messages and missed calls. I keep it, leaning forward with my elbows on my knees. I shake my feet while chewing on my lip. "Where's my sister?" I hear a familiar voice as I walk out to see Jaffar. He turns to see me before I saunter to him for a hug.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" I shake my head, pulling away from him. "I'm fine." He looks at the sitting room I came out of. "Is he okay?" I sniffle. "Yeah, just a concussion."

"He's lucky." I nod in agreement, wrapping my arms around me comfortingly. "He is." I mutter as a man passes by me in a hurry. I furrow my brows wondering who he is when I notice it's Falah's father.

"Jaffar, I need to go. It's Falah's father." I inform him before rushing into the room knowing what Nadeem will do. "What did I tell you before you got into this? I warned you but you didn't listen!" I see his coat on the floor while he shouted at Falah.

"Your wife was at that scene! You endangered her for your frail ego! If you had died, I know you inflicted it upon yourself but her, I would've never forgiven you!" He points to my direction, taking in deep breaths and putting his arm down.

"I wish you were the one that was in that fire." Nadeem says. "Nadeem." Iya mi intervenes. "Don't." He warns her, looking at her before turning back to him. "You will never be him or anything close to it. This tantrums you're throwing is getting old and childish. You're a grown man, act like it. Sometimes I wonder if Farhan took everything with him."

Falah looks at Nadeem. "Alya is safe. Your mother is safe. Do what you want as long as it affects only you." Falah hangs his head for a few seconds before walking out of the room. "Splendid." I hear iya mí mutter then walks out of the room.

************

I close the door, my back against the door. I switch on the lights as the dark house lit up so bright. I walk towards the stairs and sit on the first one. I take off my scarf, sweater and shoes. I hold my head with my hands while thinking of how exhausted I am.

Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You have it better than a lot of people. Suck it up and get back on your feet. It shall pass, at least when it does, it's normal. Get back to your life.

I stand up, walking up the stairs when I feel dizzy. I hold onto the rail as I feel my head spinning. I turn to get back to the floor. I take one step at a time, internally hoping I get down before I pass out.

I close my eyes, losing balance. I gasp...

************

"I don't care, make it work. What do you mean it won't work? This is not our first time." I hear Falah complaining. "I'll do it myself." He throws the phone on the ground, the phone shattering. I open my eyes as he paces.

My head buzzes making me grunt. It feel heavy like rock and painful. I squeeze my eyes shut, forcing my lips into a thin line. "Take this." Falah says and open my eyes to see him handing me pills and water. I glance at him waiting for me to take it from him.

I take it, throwing it in my mouth then washing it down with water. I put down the water, groaning in pain. "Finish the bottle." Falah instructs and I do it considering I haven't taken water since yesterday.

I cover the bottle with its cap. "Thank you." I mutter before he hands me a takeaway while he places another phone on his ear. "I'm not hungry."

"Just eat." I furrow my brows, standing up. "No, thank you." I say firmly, walking away little by little. "Don't be stubborn." He warns making me scoff. "Trust me, I'm not."

"You haven't eaten, you're pale and you're losing consciousness already." I stop to look at him. "I'm fine." I continue walking. "Don't make it hard."

"That's fresh coming from you." I shake my head when I start feeling dizzy all over again. I place my feet on the first step of the stairs, holding the rail tightly so I don't lose balance again. I close my eyes, lifting my head up before I feel limp.

I feel Falah holding me in his arms and feel him fall on the floor too. I open my eyes to see the chandeliers. He sits up with me leaning on his chest. "It seems like you aren't in good shape yourself yet you're forcing me to be."

"Can we not?"

"Then leave me alone."

"I'm not going to let you starve yourself to death." I scoff, trying to stand up. "We really shouldn't have this conversation because I see no way out of this without an argument which I have no energy for." I fall back on my bottom. I curse under my breath as I look at him fixated on the chandeliers.

I look away, remembering what his father said. "Please, eat." He says out of the blue, standing up. He usually asserts dominance not this. He gives me his hand and I hold it, helping me on my feet. He tries to hold me so I don't lose my balance but I decline.

I take the takeaway after sitting on the sofa beside him. "I'll only be eating if you are." I turn to look at him staring at me. "You've lost weight already." He notices. "Here's the fingers." I put the fork in his hand, waiting for him.

He sigh, hesitantly sitting well so we can eat together. He takes the first bite, his mind going somewhere again. I eat, confirming that I have no appetite.

It has been over a day since the explosion and I haven't eaten or drank anything, hence. Stress, dehydration and starvation. I take another piece of the yam. "Why yam porridge?" I ask looking at him .

His dry lips curl up to a faint smile. "It was his favorite." He mutters before his smile disappears. "Farhan? It was his favorite?" He nods, taking another bite. "Tell me about him."

"There's nothing to tell except he died in a fire." He keeps his fork. "Then tell me more." I take the fork and hand him another piece with it. He hesitantly takes it.

"He was my identical twin brother." He eats it, keeping the fork. "I'm sorry." I say without me knowing. "No need to be, it was years ago." He leans back, closing his eyes.

I look away, closing the food. He had a brother and I'm just finding that out now. What else don't I know about?

"You should go rest." He stands up, pulling out a phone. "You too." I stand up still weak. "I've rested enough." He place the phone on his ear. I take it from him and ending it. He stares at me. "I doubt anyone will answer your calls at 1am."

I hand him back the phone then starts dragging my feel to the stairs. Usually it was never a challenge, now it is.

"Your concussion won't heal any faster when you're not resting." I remind him, walking up the stairs.

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