Her Encounter | Islamic Story

Chapter 22

"So Harry, why again are you going?" I asked.

"Because, as I told you a hundred times already, I got a job," he replied from the backseat of the car.

"But you already have one here," I protested.

"It's a better one, that's why." He seemed to be getting annoyed by my interrogations. I couldn't believe he was leaving Convanlea forever.

"But why does it have to be all the way to California?" I kept on bombarding him with questions, hoping against hope that he won't go but who was I kidding, he had made up his mind already and had everything prepared. What's worse was that he would be flying off to California tomorrow and I'll be left alone with just a single friend.

"Denae, don't make this harder for him. Let him go if he wants to and it really is his choice to make," Aiza spoke from the driver seat. We three were driving off to some conference thingy. Aiza and Harry were going there first but since it was Harry's last day here, I decided to tag along too. After the conference, we were going to have a farewell dinner for Harry.

"I know. But I don't understand the prospect of forever. That is insane. What about his family?" I asked Aiza first and then turned my head around to face Harry. "Yes, what about your family?"

He looked away and murmured, "They'll live."

"What do you mean they'll live? Of course, they will, but you're the only kid your parents have," I tried to reason with him.

"Forget it," he said with remorse. I wanted to investigate more thought better of it. If he didn't want to talk about it, who was I to ask? Also, it seemed like I had hit a nerve.

"Okay. By the way, going reminds me, where are Adrian, Stella, Rachel and the rest? I never asked you," I said with impatience. "After the incidence, they came only once to visit and I never heard from any one of them."

"Adrian and Mantella went to some university to study art. Joe and Stella went away too. Rachel went with her parents to Europe. They are currently all out of town and I don't think they are ever returning."

"Why?" I asked concerned.

"I don't really know, maybe they decided to settle there or something." I was looking at the road up ahead processing the information I received.

"Don't you talk to them to know what they are up to and all?" I asked still looking outside. We were passing through a busy marketplace. Many people were around. A few were carrying bags, having done their groceries. Shops and malls covered the sides of the road. We were in a town somewhere south of Convanlea. Again me being me, I didn't remember the name.

"No, not really." There was an awkward tension in the car though I had no idea why. During all this exchange, Aiza remained quiet.

"Why?"

"We never talked much after that and they have all changed."

"How so?"

"I don't recognize them now. Talking to them feels like talking to aliens. Also, they had been closing up on me lately so I too stopped calling them and since the past year and a half, we didn't talk once."

"Weird."

"Yes, I know. Things really did change after that new year, almost for everyone around you," he spoke with sadness. My heart twisted at the thought. While everyone was enjoying on that new year, I was being desecrated. To this day, every new year reminds me of that night with Pascal.

"Oh." I looked at my lap forlorn.

"What happened on that new year? And what incident are we talking about?" Aiza asked.