Echoes of Agony

Chapter Two

It was a secret, but she always had a crush on AbdulJalal. Zaytun still remembered the day she met him. The man had given her a firm handshake, and she didn't want to let go of his hand. At her action, the man raised his eyebrow and looked at her face for the first time. When their eyes met, Zaytun could feel the inside of her tummy doing weird stuff, which her friends told her is called butterflies or "coup de foudre" as Asma's French knowledge described it. Ever since that day, Zaytun did everything to go to events where she knew he would be present. Her parents took it as an action of maturity and responsibility. So they encouraged it even more, not knowing that their daughter was so deeply in love with the man who didn't even know her and hadn't spared her a glance since that day. God knows Zaytun was desperate for the first time in her life.

Desperate was not the right word. She was in extreme need of the man's eyes on her. It needed to be exaggerated. In her twenty-two years of being a living human being, she had never dated anyone. It wasn't like she didn't want to; she just never found the right one. And most men were stupid and dumb; that's why she was waiting for the righteous person.

Having a crush on someone like AbdulJalal Sani was by far the worst thing a woman could do. Zaytun knew this, but her heart wanted him, and she could do nothing about it. She knew how many exes he had. The day she met him, he was in a relationship with Nabeela, a very popular lady. Just one month after, he broke up with her, and he was seen with a foreign model this time. And Zaytun was jealous the whole period of their dating. Twenty-nine relationships were a lot, but that's AbdulJalal Sani; everyone wanted him, and those who dated him had difficulty moving on. And she was the one he asked for marriage?

What she was curious about was why this marriage was taking place and where the alliance with the Sanis' was coming from. She was sure that AbdulJalal didn't have feelings for her or anything. Was it her parents who asked for his hand for their daughter, or was it his parents who proposed the marriage in the first place? Her father would never tell her anything. So she didn't try to ask. But it had to do with her father's political ideology. Because the Sanis' were known to have a strong political influence. Her brother was as clueless as herself. He had asked her more than once if she was okay with this marriage. She was concerned with it because the Sanis' were known for being a strict family. Zaytun assured him that she was okay with it. No, she was not. However since this marriage started, she wanted the man. So she would try her best to make AbdulJalal fall for her, gradually.

As Zaytun descended the stairs, she was met by her family, and her cousin, Mimi eagerly waited for her. To Zaytun's surprise, everyone was in awe of her beauty. Her mother beamed with pride and happiness, making Zaytun feel as if she was experiencing her wedding day. Her brother gave her a thumbs-up but not before reminding her to take care and change her veil to a bigger one. However, Zaytun paid no attention to him.

Suddenly, her cousin Mimi hugged her tightly and whispered in her ear, warning her not to show any weakness in front of AbdulJalal. Mimi told her she would skin her alive if she did.

Zaytun had always been one to make a grand entrance, and today was no exception. As she pulled up outside the high-end restaurant where she was to meet her future husband, she couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. She checked her appearance one last time in the small mirror she kept in her white purse, ensuring that her outfit was perfectly coordinated and her veil and head tie were just right.

As she made her way inside, she was greeted by a friendly female waitress who led her through the elegant restaurant. The design was exquisite, and she admired the intricate details and luxurious furnishings that adorned the space.

After what felt like an eternity, the waitress finally led her to a massive wooden door and invited her inside. As she entered, she felt her heart rate quicken and a bead of sweat break out on her forehead. She was suddenly nervous, unsure of what to expect. AbdulJalal, her future husband, was already seated with his back facing the entrance. Zaytun felt drawn to him, his broad shoulders and air of confidence making him all the more alluring.