True Purpose

c h a p t e r 5

Zaynab was exhausted after her day in university. She came back home, late as usual, but just in time so that she didn't miss supper.

As soon as she stepped into the house, she saw Samina, standing there with her hands on her hips, as if she was waiting for Zaynab.

"You finally decided to show up?" Samina asked.

I come at this time everyday. As if she doesn't know that! Zaynab thought to herself but decided to just keep quiet.

"Anyway, come to my room, I need to talk to you," Samina ordered.

A feeling of dread settled in the pit of Zaynab's stomach. She had a feeling about what Samina would want to talk about. And she didn't want to discuss it. But Zaynab had no choice in this house anyway, so she wordlessly followed her aunt into her room.

Her aunt sat on the bed and made Zaynab stand opposite her.

"My colleague and I have agreed, we'll keep your wedding after the next two weeks. And remember, you have no say in this," Samina told her.

By now, Zaynab was used to the fact that she had absolutely no say in her own marriage topic. So the only thing she could do was nod.

"Good," her aunt said. "Now get out of here!"

Zaynab left her aunt's room and went to her own. As usual, she shut the door behind her and sank to the floor, leaning her back against the door. Zaynab buried her face in her hands.

Two weeks? How was it even fair that a whole life changing decision for her had to be taken without her consent? But then again, did Zaynab's life even have any value to Samina? Certainly not! So Samina did not care that this was a decision regarding Zaynab's entire life. All that Samina wanted was to get rid of Zaynab, and getting Zaynab married off to some stranger seemed like the perfect solution to Samina.

"Zaynab! Zaynab!" Zaynab heard her name being called.

She opened the door and poked her head out. "Yes?" She responded.

"Don't you want to eat, or would you prefer to leave more food for us?" Sahir asked.

"I'm not hungry," Zaynab replied.

"Oh, good. More food for us then!" Sahir taunted.

Zaynab just ignored him and closed her door. She wasn't really hungry, but she had wanted to eat dinner. Yet, she had lost her appetite after the news that were given to her. She was glad that Ava bought her lunch so at least she wouldn't sleep with an empty stomach.

Zaynab just decided to hit the books like she always did when she was upset. It took her mind off things and gave her hope. With a life as pathetic as hers, where she had nothing to look forward to and with all that she had endured and been through, Zaynab wondered what purpose her life would have without her studies - the only meaningful thing in her life.

Putting on her black thick framed glasses, she sat at her small desk and opened the huge volume of her Medicine textbook, and started studying. Zaynab must have sat there with the book for about half an hour, when her room door opened from behind her. Her aunt and cousin never bothered to knock.

Zaynab turned around, fearfully, hoping that it wasn't Sahir. He would be the last person she wanted to be all alone in a room with. Besides, her aunt would always blame her if Sahir spoke to her. Like every time, Zaynab's hopes came crashing down when it was none other than Sahir who entered her room.

"S-sahir? Wh-what a-are yo-you doing here? If y-your m-mum sees y-you h-here, she'll g-get an-angry!" Zaynab stuttered out.

"Can't you ever talk like a normal human being? Why do you stammer so much? I feel so bad for your future husband to have a wife who'll talk like you! M-my n-name i-s Z-zaynab!" He mocked, imitating her over the last part.

Zaynab didn't really stammer, even if she would be stressed out over something. But like a natural instinct, she couldn't help the stutter in her speech whenever she spoke to Samina or Sahir. She spoke normally all the time, but she was just so terrified of her aunt and her cousin that she couldn't speak smoothly majority of the times.

"Sahir, please tell me. What do you want?" Zaynab asked, as clearly as she could, proving Sahir wrong about her not being able to 'talk like a normal human being', as he put it.

"Mum told me. Two weeks and you're out of here," Sahir said.

Zaynab remained silent. She didn't want to talk to Sahir. She was scared of him. Being all alone in the room with him was terrifying. And if Samina came in and saw Sahir talking to her, then Sahir wouldn't get the blame. It would be Zaynab who would be blamed.

"You know, you remind me of my father. He used to keep quiet like that. He also used to stammer when talking to my mother," Sahir  said, laughing bitterly.

Zaynab knew his father. In her life, after she moved in with Samina and before she met Ava, Samina's husband was the only nice person she knew. He was always good to her and used to be there for her. But unfortunately, he was as terrified of Samina as Zaynab was of her. Then he couldn't take it anymore, and he divorced Samina, leaving their son, Sahir with her. Zaynab wished he could've taken her along with him, but at that time, Zaynab was just ten years old, and Samina was her legal guardian, so there was no way he could have taken Zaynab, since she was Samina's responsibility.

"You know, you lot are just cowardly," Sahir went on.

Zaynab felt like retorting! You call our silence cowardly? So when you guys yell and control us, what do you want us to do? Answer back?

"Sahir, please. If you're done here, then please just go," Zaynab begged.

Sahir took a threatening step towards her.

"This is my mother's house. I'll do whatever I want. If I don't want to go, then I won't!" He said, menacingly.

What could Zaynab say to him? She didn't want him to slap her, so she just bit her tongue. He was just being a jerk, something that he always was. So she just turned around in her study chair and resumed her revision, hoping that would make Sahir go away.

Suddenly, Zaynab felt someone grabbing her hair from behind, and she let out a scream.

"Shut up, Zaynab!" Sahir hissed. "How dare you turn your back on me?"

Tears filled in Zaynab's eyes. "Sahir, p-please! Le-let me g-go!" She pleaded.

"Apologise, then!" Sahir ordered.

"I-I'm sor-sorry!" Zaynab gasped out, in pain. She didn't even know why she was apologising. His death grip on her hair was making her have a headache.

"You're useless! I'm so glad you'll be gone after two weeks!" Sahir snapped, as he roughly let go of her hair.

He turned on his heel and stormed out of her room, slamming the door behind him. As soon as he left, Zaynab heaved a sigh of relief.

What was wrong with Sahir? What did he obtain from mistreating her like that?

Zaynab suddenly found herself panicking. What if all men behaved like Sahir? What if all they could do was hurt people? Would Zaynab's to-be husband be like that? Will he also mistreat her? Will he also abuse her?

Zaynab calmed herself down. She could not possibly get cold feet right now. She didn't even have a say, and besides, even if she did, it would be too late. Her aunt had fixed her wedding to be in two weeks' time!

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Five chapters! Whoop!

Anyway, I know this chapter was short.

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Hope Ramadhan is going well for everyone!