Don't give up on me.

EIGHTH

Next day, Johum was ready to confront Za'ir Helmy. Well, as ready as she could be in between all the drama going on in her life. She had finally decided that she would tell him about her feelings. It was a difficult task of course but at least a burden will be off her shoulders.

She did not want to regret never opening up to him. Even if something bad came out of her confession at least she should be contended that she had tried. Taking a deep breath, she wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans and made her way inside the campus.

Johum was a little late today because she did not want anyone to see her talking to professor. Besides, she had gotten very little sleep last night because of the bomb being dropped on her. But curiosity was in her personality and she was curious about the man who had sent the proposal.

She was never too keen about arranged marriage and her family knew that too. But she wanted to know who he was or where she had met him. Her father said she had met him and that he worked with him sometimes. But Johum was not too much in to business so she did not meet a lot of her father's friends.

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she rounded the hallway but came to a short halt when she bumped in to Rua and Samantha. Coincidence? Samantha looked up from the ground while Rua oomphed.

"Hey! I thought you weren't gonna be here today." Sam adjusted the strap of her bag while speaking. Rua narrowed her eyes at Johum. Although Rua had a habit of narrowing her eyes often playfully but this time there was nothing playful about it. Johum frowned at her stiff face and looked at Sam.

"Yeah...I was kind of not feeling well." She scratched her head and when Samantha raised an eyebrow indicating that she knew something was off with her, Johum sighed.

"Okay fine. My dad wants me to think about some guy who wants to marry me." She's muttered and then pressed her lips together, waiting for their reaction.

"Sorry?!"

"You should consider it at least."

Johum's eyes flickered between her friends giving them a blank look but that turned bewildered when she registered Rua's words in her mind. She thought the girl was kidding but with the way her arms were crossed and lips pressed in firm line, Johum knew she was serious.

"Why? Why should I even consider it?" She asked, getting angry at Rua for acting like Murat and her father. Samantha looked between her friends silently mulling over what Johum just told her.

"Because it's better." Rua said stiffly, glaring at the floor.

"And may I know why?" Johum said, fuming as she took a step forward.

"It's just marriage Johum." Rua rolled her eyes, "Your dad is probably worried about you after all the trouble you cause."

"Oh yeah? Then why don't you get married to some guy you never knew if it's that easy." She snapped.

"Guys come on. What's wrong with you?" Samantha piped in, placing a hand on Johum's arm. Johum's face was red due to anger and Rua was glaring at her.

"At least I am not after a guy who doesn't even look at me." Samantha gasped and gaped at Rua while Johum looked like she had been slapped. All those secrets that she shared with her best friend were now mocking her as the woman in front of her taunted.

"Wow." Johum breathed in shock. She chuckled humorlessly, feeling hurt over what she just heard and shook her head, her heart beating in her chest. She ignored the pang in her heart and looked at Rua. "What is it to you? It's not like I am bothering you with what I am doing." She stated calmly when she was anything but.