LUCENT

10

NADIRA

We sat in silence as Rayan paced around the room. He hasn't said a word but occasionally glared at one of us. Kausar and Laila hadn't lifted their heads since they sat, and Amna was no longer giggling. On the other hand, I admired the artwork on the walls because I technically had no hand in any of this. I was nothing but an innocent bystander.

We turned our heads as we heard footsteps approaching, and Sa'ad, Zayn, Tayyib and Yasir walked in. They all stopped dead in their tracks and looked around the silent room. "What is this weird energy?" Yasir asks.

"Your wives just beat the crap out of each other," Junaid answers snickering. They all did a double take, digesting the information. Tayyib glanced at me questioningly, but I avoided his gaze and focused back on the painting.

"What do you mean they beat the crap out of each other?" Zayn enquires, approaching Kausar.

"If we hadn't arrived when we did, someone might have ended up in the hospital," Owais answers.

Tayyib walked over to me, pulled my chair back and lifted my chin. He scanned my face and hands before doing a once-over on my body. His cold eyes softened briefly but immediately hardened once he was sure I had no injuries.

"What did I say about fighting?" he asks, narrowing his eyes.

I held up my hands and made an x sign. "I didn't fight. If anything, Manal and I are the true victims. We took so many hits just because we wanted to help," I explained.

"So, who fought?" Sa'ad asks, sitting beside Amna.

"Kausar and Laila," Amna responded.

Yasir stares at Laila with an indecipherable expression before walking over to her. "You fought while pregnant?" he asked sternly.

"She started it," Laila whines pointing at Kausar.

"And I'll finish it," Kausar threatens.

"Be quiet," Zayn reprimands, and she huffs.

Rayan rushed over to Manal, "are you okay?" he asked, and she nodded.

"Manal, tell us what happened," Zayn orders.

Manal glances at Laila and Kausar and gulps. If I were the one who was asked to narrate the story, I'd be scared too. From the looks they gave her, she might end up being their next opponent.

"Don't be scared and tell us what happened," Yasir urges. Rayan places his hands on her shoulders and squeezes gently, reassuring her.

She hesitantly narrates everything that went down in the past thirty minutes, repeating verbatim what they said to each other. I was stunned at how accurately she remembered their words. The men sigh as she ends her story and look to their wives.

"Nadira and Amna, can you confirm this is what happened?" Yasir asked, and we nodded.

"What is wrong with the both of you?" Zayn yells. I wince at the volume, and Tayyib pats my shoulder gently.

"She called me daft," Laila exclaims.

"Only because you flipped me off!" Kausar counters.

"Because you weren't minding your business," Laila yells.

"And this is why I called you daft. Mind my business in public?" Kausar argues.

Laila jumps off her chair, and Kausar mirrors the action. As they prepared to pounce, Zayn grabbed unto Kausar and pulled her back into the chair.