Falling For The Enemy

Chapter 10: Parents

After the short dance session, Simran showcased her amazing karaoke skills, singing in an angelic tone. "Isn't she great?" Akansha moved her body slowly with the rhythm of the music, engrossed in the music.

Hasan sat with Riya talking about something personal as they spoke slowly. The boys were playing pool that was placed at the left of the room, visible just when you enter the club. Lyla and Akansha sat together listening to Simran unleashing her unbelievable singing skills.

"Riya doesn't look fine to me.. is it just me?" Lyla said casually, eyes still on Simran.

"Oh yeah she's not in good mood."

"Why, what happened?" Lyla asked, concerned.

Lyla found herself standing up and walking towards Riya. Hasan and Riya broke off their conversation to turn their heads towards Lyla standing over them. Lyla found herself lost at words and awkwardly sat with them, forming a small circle of three on a round table with mini stools.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt but I just can't help it. Riya, are you all right? You aren't your usual self here?" Lyla spoke slowly, looking directly into her eyes.

"Lyla, don't be sorry. It's okay. I don't know, it's just very tough nowadays.." Riya tried to speak, breaking the eye contact, her eyes at the table staring into nothingness. Riya opened her mouth again but her face twitched as if she would start crying any second. Looking at this state of her colleagues who was always so happy and full of smiles, Lyla felt terrible to let her continue.

"Don't force yourself. It's okay. It must be very personal." Lyla rubbed her shoulder gently.

Riya shook her head and moved her fingers through her hair. Her cheeks and nose changed colour to a bright red colour. Her eyes filling up with tears which she wiped it immediately. "My parents keep fighting every night. I just can't stand it." She finally spoke, her body shrunk into small frail child. She breathed heavily and Hasan quickly gave her a side hug, standing up.

Lyla felt her body frozen and mind clouded, not knowing how to comfort a person at this stage. She fumbled around, looking here and there, and finally deciding to her just her hand and speak nothing.

"I'm so sorry you have to see me this way." She said in muffled voice as she was against Hasan's torso who was consoling her.

"You should let it out. Don't hold back." Hasan said in an endearing tone. Lyla saw how compassion comes so naturally to Riya and all her friends.

Lyla decided to give her a hug, standing up and embracing. It came off abrupt but soon she melted into the hug. "I don't understand why are they still together? Shouldn't they better off divorced?" Riya spoke in between.

"Divorce will be very tough Riya." Lyla finally spoke.

"No. It's tougher like this. Seeing them at each other's neck all the time. Yelling. Shouting. My mom keeps saying they're together because of me... it makes me feel like I'm the problem here.. my mother would've been free without me."

"Riya, please don't say that. They don't mean it as a problem but it's love. They love you that's why." Lyla slowly said, patting her head, something she would've loved in a similar situation.

"Listen to Lyla. You're not the issue. Don't blame yourself." Hasan repeated.

Lyla's mind clashed with certain memories which she never tried to recall for they were too haunting for her. Feeling a shiver ran down her spine, she closed her eyes. She hoped Riya doesn't have to go through the same tragedy as her.

As the night progressed, Riya's sniffing stopped eventually, her face looking pink and swollen. They all bid goodbye once it was 11pm. As promised, Raj dropped Riya off to Dahisar.

Lyla entered her cold empty home and threw herself on the bed. She opened Google Photos, where she could find all the pictures she took in the history of her having a mobile phone with internet connection. She had a mobile phone at a very young age her both her parents were working figures.

"Now, repeat once again your my phone number." Lyla's mother, sitting on the sofa's corner with little Lyla on her lap all snuggled up. She was 11 years old when she had her first ever mobile phone which had buttons.

"98xxx345"

"Correct! My Lyla is very smart." Her mother tickled her belly. "Now give mommy a kiss, so she can do lots of good work." She smiled as she leaned in closer to get kissed by Lyla. Lyla smiled big looking at her mother, thinking she's the most beautiful woman ever.

Soon her father came out of the kitchen who was helping his wife with breakfast. "Do you ladies forget I live here? Where are my kisses?"

Lyla jumped from her mother's lap and ran to kiss her father. Father swiftly lifted her up in his one arm and getting little pecks from his daughter. He walked towards his wife and she hid her face behind the small couch pillow. She was laughing wholeheartedly, feeling shy seeing her husband's antics.

Lyla as she was about to fall asleep wondered where did it all go wrong? What changed?