His Niqabi Girl (Book 2)

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                                HIS NIQABI GIRL

Elham.

Asaad slept almost throughout the day, merely waking up whenever it was time for Salaah, and went back to sleep. He also managed to have some soup during the day but that was about it. He barely spoke any words to me or even anyone else, I had never witnessed him being so quiet and ill before.
It was around 9pm and four of us were at the garden, all sat on the swing. Asma, Aseeyah, Yasmeen and I. We were going through an album that had their childhood photos while Aseeyah explained the memories she had of some of the pictures with so much excitement in her eyes. Of course we all laughed at how silly the stories were while we enjoyed a box of pizza.

"I should have a copy of some of these pictures. I need to go through them with Asaad!" I said with a smile. However, I did not miss the look the three of them swiftly shared before they looked at me.

"What?" I asked, suspiciously.

"The thing is, Asaad wouldn't exactly like that idea" Yas said.

"Why?" I inquired, confused.

"It reminds him of mom, he hates anything that reminds him of mom" Aseeyah answered.

I mouthed an 'oh', short of what to say,

"Didn't you find it weird that he didn't want you two to stay here while in London?" Yas asked.

"Yeah? I didn't just think too much about it" I replied.

"Ever since our mom passed away, he's been avoiding staying at home. He moved out to stay with his friend Khalid. And then, he left the country. That was when he joined you guys in high school" Aseeyah explained to me.

I flashed back to high school, That was why he was always grumpy and sad. He did tell me about his mom afterwards but I didn't realise to what extent he avoided the matter.

"And of course, Farhanna made us switch schools once she learnt that Asaad was in town" Yas added.

I almost forgot about that sister of hers. Almost.

"Wow, now I feel so bad that I made him come home. He really didn't want to" I revealed.

"You shouldn't. It's great that he's finally home" Aseeyah pointed out, squeezing her lips into a smile.
We all fell into a comfortable silence afterwards, that lasted for about five minutes, until Aseeyah spoke again.

"Asaad really loves you Elham. I know my brother, and ever since he met you, he has been constantly trying to be a better person. It's definitely taking a very long time but he is trying" She revealed.
A part of me enjoyed the feel of her words but a larger part of me couldn't entertain those thoughts. I simply couldn't find myself believing her, or rather, wanting to believe her.

"I really do not think so Aseeyah" I admitted.

"You're at liberty not to. If I were in your shoes, I'd have probably never married him in the first place. I hate inconsistency and Asaad, is very inconsistent, With his love, care, efforts, especially when it comes to the people around him" she said to me.

This time, I believed her.

"That is true" I agreed and a small smile played on her lips while the other two girls were busy discussing something.

"He hated the idea of an arranged marriage. So, he decided to start going to your school and make you hate him. He just assumed you were some girl that would probably agree to the marriage seeing he was the heir to a multibillion company. He was so determined to make you abhor him. Then all so suddenly, I noticed that he was starting to grow fond of you. He'd always speak about you to us when we all visited him in America" Aseeyah informed me, while I tried so hard not to blush.