Tangled Hearts

Chapter Six

           

Why is he so damn good looking?! Zara, stop staring! You'll freak him out.

'Oh, hi Mr Malik. It's good to see you too,' I reply. Yes, it's very good to see him.

"Oh, stop this! Please! It makes me cringe! Your names are Zara and Zaid! Use them! Stop the Mr Malik and Miss Ahmed nonsense!" Hafsa says, frowning.

Zaid chuckles, as he comes to sit next to his sister. Huh? Why is he sitting here?!

This is so awkward! I shouldn't have come.

'Zaid bhai, this girl is so amazing, you know? She's a lifesaver. If it wasn't for her, I would definitely fail Developmental Psychology! I mean, it's boring because who wants to learn about feeding babies?!' Hafsa says.

My eyes widen. "Hafsa!" She is so crazy! She knows very well what this topic is about, and she's just trying to embarrass me in front of Zaid.

"Thank you so much, Miss Ahmed, for helping my crazy sister." Zaid says, looking into my eyes.

I look away, breaking out of the trance. 'Anytime. Anything for Hafsa.'

"I love you baby!" Hafsa says dramatically, coming over to hug me and placing a slobbery kiss on my cheek.

I chuckle. 'I love you too! Now get on with the notes!'

"I'm taking a break now, I'm tired!" She says dramatically. I glance over at her notebook, she has only written a few bullet points. I chuckle. She's so crazy.

'You're tired? Already?! You've hardly done anything!'

She shakes her head. "I have a headache!"

I laugh, so does Zaid. I'm feeling a little less nervous around Zaid right now, but that's because Hafsa is here. Why am I so nervous though, when Zaid is around?

'So, Miss Ahmed, tell me. What have you been up to in the last two years when I was away?' I hear Zaid ask.

I tense up, as does Hafsa who is now sitting beside me. A few seconds later, I shrug. "Not much."

Zaid raises an eyebrow. 'Really?'

I frown. Does he know about what happened? With Hamza? He must know that my engagement with Hamza broke, but does he know why? Does he know the full story of what happened?

I glance at Hafsa. She is giving me an apologetic look.

"Well, what else have I been up to that you don't know of? Not much."

Zaid frowns. 'I'm sorry. I know that your engagement broke earlier this year, because he wasn't right for you. I know that you ended it with him after realising that...you don't like him in that way.'

Huh? What am I hearing? Zaid thinks that I ended the engagement with Hamza because we didn't love each other?

That means he doesn't know what happened.

I breathe a sigh of relief.

I give him a forced smile and nod. 'Erm, yes. I broke the engagement, due to some circumstances. I haven't done much these last few years, honestly.' I look down, the memories of that night flooding my mind.

He tried to hurt me.

That night changed me completely.

I can't trust anyone anymore. I don't want to trust anyone.

But that other man saved me. He saved me from Hamza. I'm here today because of him.

'Babe? Are you okay?' Hafsa asks, worriedly.