Nadra: Her Tainted Fairytale.

chapter 28

BismillahirRahmaneerRaheem.
Opening her eyes, she felt her head throb badly. Possibly due to how hard it was hit against the wall.

She tried getting up when a hand laid on her shoulder, she instantly flinched and looked up, getting into a defensive stance on the bed. The smile and calmness that was radiating off Aunty Amina_Aasim's mom instantly made her drop her hands to her side.

She brought her knees to her chest and curled up in a ball. All she wanted to do was forget, forget those memories of few hours ago! She felt hands wrap around her shoulder, and pull her into a comforting hug. That scent. Maybe focusing on it will bring the much needed calm and then in the process she'll forget the incident.

Holding onto Aunty Amina, she fell asleep, with haunting dreams of a creepy looking guy having his way with her.

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Standing up from the bed, she made her way to her room, and then to the bathroom. After preparing a hot bath that was bound to burn, she got in.

Her fair skin started turning red. The rational thing any normal human being would have done was to get out of the bath, but Nadra was anything but normal. So she grabbed the sponge that sat gingerly at the edge of the tub and started scrubbing her body hard.

Maybe this will take away the feeling of being impure.

Dirty was an understatement of what she felt, and hitherto, she felt it in her bones that this feeling will be a permanent one.

She screamed, she cried, she sobbed, and she thrashed around in the water, if only that would relieve her of the pain she felt within her.

She knows the only thing that'll help her is a change of environment, she can't stay in a place where the memories of her assault plagues the entire environment, not one assault, but two! She needs to find Mamana as soon as possible.

After getting dressed, she walked down the stairs. Grateful was one word to describe what she felt as she noticed that the once full parlor was now empty.

"Nadra, you should be resting." Hajiya Kubra said, grabbing her hands.

"I'm fine." She said, clearly annoyed at how she was been babied.

"Come sit with me."  She complied, the silence stretched on for a while before Hajiya Kubra broke it. "what happened?" She asked.

"It was just a trigger, everything is fine."

"It's obvious you're lying, what sort of trigger will make you react like that, even fainting in the process? and if I'm not mistaken your shirt was torn!"

"Yes the nail in the store tore it. But like I said I'm good."

"Have it your way, but I have told your father already, he has promised to get to the bottom of this." 

"Why! Can't you keep my secret for once? Must he always know everything that happens to me?" She screamed. She knows she has absolutely no reason to do so, if anything, she was just doing it to feel better, to get that vile bitter taste out of her mouth, and to rid her heart of the self loathe it was filled with.

"What if something had happened to you?? What would I have done? I can keep little secrets like talks about guys you like but I cannot keep something as big as this from him!" She matched her tone.

"What's going on here?" The deep voice made Nadra freeze at the spot. Ya Ali. I'm so dead why did I just shout at Mamana.

"Ke Dan ubanki bakida kunya ne? Mahaukaciyar ina nee ke?" He said, already taking his belt out. Nadra knew what was coming next. She closed her eyes in surrender and resigned to her faith.

Just when he raised the belt and was ready to rain down the most severe beating of her life on her. Hajiya Kubra screamed.

"She was attacked! It's just the aftermath of the attack, she's in Denial Ali, don't touch her!"

"That doesn't give her the right to disrespect you." He said not backing down.

"Ali if you consider me your mother and know that it was my milk that made you grow into the man you are today, then don't touch her." He threw the belt to the side in frustration.

"You give her too much freedom Mamana! Granted she has demons and problems but so does everyone!" He said raising his hands in annoyance. "And you!" He said looking in Nadra's direction. "This is not over!" He said before walking out.

Nadra slumped to the floor and stared into space. His words hurt but she didn't have it in her to shed even one tear, she felt numb, empty, incapable of emotions.

"Oh my goodness. What just happened?" Taheera said, her and Adda Ameema had been standing by the door, just watching the drama unfold.

Hajiya Kubra held Nadra's hands. "You wanted to tell me something?" She said smiling. Nadra suddenly felt so guilty for her earlier outburst.

"I'm sorry." She said. And the tears started falling. "I didn't mean to be disrespectful, I just wanted to beg you to let me start staying in the hostel, I can't stay here, it'll kill me." She said crying more.

"Do you think you can get a room? It's already a month into this semester." Taheera quietly said from beside her.

"Leave that to me. I'll let your father know, all you have to do is pack your bags." She said smiling again.

"Thank you so much, I love you Mamana." Hajiya Kubra's heart jumped to her throat. It's been years since Nadra admitted to loving her. She pulled her closer, while Nadra continued to cry some more.

"Oh and I'm not loved right? Well I'll finish the yogurt myself then." Adda Ameema said pretending to walk away.

"Oh Adda Ameema." Nadra said.

"Come here." Adda Ameema opened her hands wide. And Nadra ran to her.

Oh Adda Ameema, if my hunch is proven right and that guy is actually Adeel I'm sure it won't be good. Scratch that, it'll be disastrous!

Well now I have a firm hold on this story, until when I lose the hold again. Because from this point onwards, the plot is in my head, and yeah! But obviously it'll reach a point where I'll lose hold again. But Sha! Our poor baby! 😭💔