Against The Tide

94: The Past Is Never Truly Past

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Najah turned around, her heart beating fast. "Fahad," she mumbled. Having Jameel and Fahad in the same space was just weird.

"Who is he?" Jameel asked Najah.

She didn't reply. She didn't owe him an explanation.

Fahad walked up to them, his gaze fixed on Jameel. "Who's this?" He asked Najah, his gaze not wavering from him even for a split second.

"Assalamualaikum," Jameel greeted, extending a hand for a shake. "I'm Jameel."

Fahad reluctantly shook his hand. Then, he gazed at Najah, waiting for a reply to his question. "Who is he?" Fahad asked again, his voice low and dangerous.

Najah, caught off guard, blurted the first thing that came to her mind. "He's family! He's like a brother to me. Hajiya is also his mother."

A tense silence followed as Jameel and Fahad continued to stare at each other intensely. Finally, Jameel broke the silence. "Najah was married to me. I'm her ex husband."

Fahad's eyes narrowed. He turned to Najah, his expression that of disbelief and betrayal. Then, he shook his head and walked away.

Najah clenched her fists. "Did you have to tell him that?" She asked, her voice laced with anger.

"Tell him what?" Jameel asked, his voice calm. "That you were my wife? Wait, you wanted me to lie?"

"I already answered. You didn't have to be so blunt!"

Jameel's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I was supposed to let him believe we're siblings? Can you hear yourself?"

"I was going to tell him eventually. You didn't have to make it awkward."

Jameel scoffed. "I don't understand, what's going on. Who is he?"

Najah took a deep breath. This was her chance, her moment to strike. "He's my fiance," she said, her voice steady.

Jameel paused for a while before erupting in laughter. "What?"

The sound of his mocking laughter ignited a fire in Najah."You heard me, Jameel. You should have been more respectful. That man," she gestured towards Fahad's car. "just proposed to me, and I said yes."

Jameel's expression turned serious. "This must be a joke," he muttered.

Najah didn't know if she was meant to hear it but she did anyway. "I won't forget to send you an invitation to our wedding. Bye." With that, she turned around and walked towards Fahad's car.

As she got in, Fahad remained silent, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. His grip of the steering wheel tightened. The car roared to life and he zoomed off.

Startled by his sudden acceleration, Najah clutched the seat, her heart racing with fear.

Fahad, on the other hand, oblivious to the danger he was putting them in, drove recklessly.

"Fahad," Najah called gently. "Please slow down."

And he obeyed, but the storm in his eyes hadn't subsided. He didn't say anything to her either.

Finally arriving in front of her NGO, Fahad turned off the engine. "Why didn't you tell me?" He demanded, his voice low and menacing.

Najah breathed deep, trying to calm her nerves. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to feel some type of way. I'd have told you later if he hadn't."