Over and Over

Havoc

EL-BAAZ MANSOR,
KANO,
NIGERIA.

NARRATORS POV

Hakeem pushed open the door to his study, moving aside so she could enter first.

The room smelled like him—clean, warm, familiar. It made her heart tighten painfully.

She turned to face him, but he beat her to it.

"Layla, if you're just here to apologize, don't bother." His voice was quiet but firm, laced with exhaustion. "I don't need another apology."

Layla swallowed. "That's not why I'm here."

His jaw tensed. "Then why?"

She wanted to say everything—the truth, the emotions clawing at her chest, the way she couldn't breathe when he wasn't near.

But the words got stuck in her throat.

She sat down on the sofa, So instead, she said, "You don't have to shut me out, Hakeem. You don't have to pretend you don't care."

He let out a dry, humorless laugh. "Pretend?" He took a slow move toward her, and suddenly the space between them felt unbearably small. "You think this is pretending?"

Layla's breath caught.

His gaze dropped to her lips for the briefest second before he pulled back sharply, running a hand through his hair.

"This is me trying not to fall apart, Layla." His voice was rough now, almost raw. "Because every time I get too close, you push me away."

She flinched, guilt twisting inside her. "I—"

"Don't," he cut in. "Not unless you're ready to say what I need to hear."

Silence.

Layla stared at him, her heart hammering against her ribs. She wasn't ready to say it. Not yet.

And Hakeem saw it in her eyes. His expression hardened, and just like that, the vulnerability was gone.

"Then we're done here."

He turned away, moving toward the window, dismissing her as if the moment they'd just shared meant nothing.

Layla wanted to reach for him, to tell him to wait. But she couldn't. Because deep down, she knew he was right.

She had to be sure before she spoke.

So instead, she whispered, "Hakeem, I—"

But she stopped herself.

And he didn't turn around.

—

The following days passed in a blur of silence and stolen glances.

Layla wanted to speak to him, but Hakeem kept his distance, withdrawing into himself in a way that made her ache.

Then, the news came.

"You need to travel to England for the final check-up on your hand," the doctor informed him during his visit.

Hakeem nodded, barely reacting. He already knew this. What he didn't expect was his father's next words.

"Layla will accompany you."

His head snapped up. "What?"

His father gave him a firm look. "It's decided. Layla will go with you."

Layla froze, her heart thudding. Traveling with him? Alone?

She glanced at Hakeem, expecting him to argue. Instead, he just exhaled and nodded. "Fine."