𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 | 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟎𝟏

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟓𝟒

ARZO

I feel my heart stop the moment Faizan’s eyes close.

I don’t know how they carried him inside or how I got myself to follow them. But I remember Finn telling me that I can’t go with Faizan.

It isn’t fair.

The nurses take me to the bathroom to change me out of my clothes and to wash my hands that are stained with Faizan’s blood.

The bathroom door opens and closes with a thud.

A shot rings in my chest.

Then blood. Blood. So much blood.

The nurse washes the blood from my hands and some that stained my body through my clothes.

I must have stayed in the bathroom for a long time because the clothes the nurses hand me are api’s.

I change into the shirt and sweats, wrap the hijab around my head then exit the bathroom to go back to the waiting room.

Abbu’s and baba’s faces are the first ones I spot.

Abbu reaches in two strides and wraps his arms around me in a hug. I close my eyes then regret it because Faizan’s bloodied wound flashes in my mind.

So much blood.

“Everything will be okay.” Abbu whispers.

I look up at him, “what did the doctors say?” I can’t help my shaky voice.

Abbu stares at me for a while, his eyes shining in emotion and I realize that he hasn’t heard my voice in 15 years.

“They’re operating on him.” He tells me.

“He’ll be okay, right?” I ask, desperate to know he’ll survive. He has to.

“In Sha Allah.”

I swallow then say, “they won’t let me go to him,”

“I know… you have to stay here.”

“It’s not fair.” My voice cracks, “He’s always there when I’m in trouble. Why can’t I help him?”

“You did.” Abbu tells me, “He needs your prayers right now. He needs you to be strong, okay?”

I nod, “did you talk to Shoaib?”

“Yes. He’s outside right now.”

“Okay.” is all I can say right now.

Abbu leads me to the chairs and tells me to sit. I do and start making dua for Faizan to be okay.

Ya Allah, please  save him. Ya Allah, please. I can’t lose him. Please.

The environment in the waiting room becomes tense every second that passes.

Every passing second that I don’t know what is happening with Faizan, it gets harder to breathe.

Farhan is sitting by the wall, his hands shoved in his hair as he recites something. Ryan and Finn pace the length of the room. Jack stands by Farhan, giving him reassurance. Zahid bhai stands by the wall, looking puzzled. Abbu and Baba keep glancing at the way Faizan was taken.

Henry came a while ago. He talked to baba, said something to me for reassurance but I don’t remember his words. He talked to Ryan next, discussing the incident that happened at the cliff. They mentioned police, investigation and that he will take care of it.

Do you know why I call you amar?

My body freezes at the sound of his voice in my head.

No..