Fate of deception

Chapter 12 - Amir's POV

This is stressful.

Not only did I have to make dinner for everyone, which I don't mind to be honest, but I had to occupy mum away from Layna's room. Umaizah had to hide away from mum when she came home at a time that we didn't expect her to. Coming up with excuses became repetitive now. No one saw the secret behind them so it was fine.

As the sun took its time to rest, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, the village transitioned into the tranquil embrace of evening. In the soft glow of the fairy lights outside and the twinkle of stars above, the evening whispers promises of rest and the quiet beauty of the night. I finished up making dinner before determining if I should check on Umaizah. It's been a little over half an hour since we left her in Layna's room.

It hasn't occurred to me why she decided to stay. Wouldn't her family be worried? She hadn't said anything about her leaving anytime soon. That was a pro, but also a con. Pro: I can stay with her longer. Con: We have to continue to lie and hide her away from people. Hiding her was both fun and stressful. It was a new thing that I've done. It was not really new since I've had to hide many things from my parents and Layna. Things like ex girlfriends, sneaking out, borrowed some money etc. etc. 

None of those things were harmful in any way, on the other hand hiding away Umaizah could get me into detrimental trouble with my parents if they were to find out. The risk of being caught grows with each passing second, and the weight of guilt and deception sits heavy on my conscience. As the web of lies weaves tighter around us, I can't help but wonder if the truth will eventually come to light, unraveling the delicate balance we've tried so hard to maintain.

The press is the most scariest thing when secrets get spilled. Especially, when they start digging into matters that were meant to stay hidden. Their speciality was to destroy monarchy's or any famous figure. The thought of Umaizah's and my name splashed across headlines fills me with dread, knowing that our carefully constructed facades could crumble in an instant. The looming threat of exposure hangs over us like a dark cloud, casting a shadow on every move we make when being in public.

"Amir, are you almost done with dinner?" Mum shouts from across the living room, cleaning the mess Hassan made after he left Layna's room.

So far, Umaizah has stayed put in my sister's room, not making a single noise. The tension in the air is palpable, each passing moment feeling like an eternity as we wait for the storm to either pass or break loose. The storm being the only thing on my mind. The fear of discovery lingers, a constant of reminder of the precarious situation we will potentially find ourselves in.

"Yes, just need to drain some water." I say, putting on the oven mittens to avoid getting burned by the handles of the pot.

As soon as Umaizah and I came back from my mother's florist shop, I started making dinner knowing that my mother would be tired from running errands since early morning. Layna knew how to cook but never bothered, often I helped my mum without her asking. She would never ask for help, even if she did need the help.

This evening, I made Garden Delight which was a common vegetarian dish many Serendrians made. Most of the veggies were fresh from our garden that Layna planted. These included carrots, eggplants, forest greens drizzled with honeyed ambrosia dressing. Separately, I washed many forest berries such as starlight berries, moonshadow berries and ember berries. They were common to find, and gladly they were edible. I opened the cabinet drawer, taking out five bowls. I didn't know whether dad was joining us for dinner or not, if not then I can easily give it to Umaizah without mums notice.