Operation: Dard and Devotion

28 | Outraged & Overwhelmed

After hearing Faizan talk, how I mustered up the strength to continue standing without collapsing to the ground was beyond me.

"R-Rafaa, what on earth is he saying?" I gazed down at her, fearing her response.

"The truth," she mumbled meekly, not looking my way. "He's telling the truth."

"B-but, on our first night at the cave, you spat at him and he had you dragged away because of that. You hated him, you-"

"That was an act," she confessed with her head bowed. "We were both in on it."

"S-so...you...you're responsible for all of this?"

"I am," Rafaa said dully.

As part of international internships, it was required to relay information to the student's host. This included the student's date of birth, college transcript, miscellaneous demographics about the individual, a resume, and a mini-autobiography about the student. That was all the information Rafaa desperately needed to sell me off to the devil in exchange for love.

She dragged herself a few feet over to me with her sodden palms and clutched my ankles, finally peering up at me with bloodshot eyes. She shook my ankles slightly with whatever energy she had left. "Hayat, please, I beg you, f-forgive me."

Faizan glanced at the two of us expectantly, particularly, he seemed to be waiting for my reply. I stared at the ground with my arms clasped to my sides; my answer was obvious.

"No."

Rafaa released my ankles just a bit, looking up at me in horror. "W-what?"

"No, I will not forgive you," I told her firmly after clearing my throat.

"H-Hayat, I-"

"I cannot think of a more selfish act someone would do for themselves."

"H-Hayat, please, you have to understand-"

"No, Rafaa, you need to understand that nobody with a heart would ever do such a thing!" I reprimanded her sharply. "They say, people can go to extreme lengths for love, and while that can be understandable to an extent, what you did is beyond all that. The moment he mentioned he was interested in the human trafficking business was the moment you should have grabbed your things and ran far from him! Wanting to be part of such a business proves he has no love for any human, let alone you!"

"Hayat, I wasn't thinking properly then. I just-"

"Are you kidding me right now?!" I shouted, my eyes widening with anger. "Are you seriously trying to justify your actions?! You have such nerve!"

Rafaa's shoulders slumped and she finally let go of my ankles, knowing very well I would not say anything in her favor.

"If I was the only other person involved in this, I might have actually forgiven you," I admitted. "But, do you realize the effects your actions had on others? Did you stop and think about what would happen to everyone else?"

She opened her mouth to object, but I continued. "You know what? I feel that, if Faizan never treated you horribly, you would have felt no remorse or regret for what you did. Am I right? Faizan tossed sweet words at you up until the point he got what he wanted and when he began treating you like filth, only then did you realize your grave mistake. Am I right?!"

Rafaa bowed her head further, her silence proved me right.

"You're a monster," I spluttered coldly. "You are no different from any other terrorist here."