Aaban

2. D A R D - P A I N

Two weeks later...

It had been two weeks since the whole "I love you" incident. As much as it hurt Haniyah, she had been ignoring Adeel ever since.

It hurt because she just lost someone who meant so much to her.

She's lost her best friend.

Convincing her lazy brother, Zuber, to drive her to University every morning was hard but trying to convince her dad to let her take the bus was even worse. After a car accident she had gotten into back in high school, her father no longer let her drive. He had no worries as Adeel would drive her to university, anyway.
He fully trusted Adeel, the reason always stood unknown.

Sighing, she stepped into her house and she could immediately tell that something was wrong, she could just feel it. Maybe it was the eerie silence, or the tense atmosphere. Something was differently wrong.

Her heart felt uneasy. Her mind was filled with confusion as there was always laughter in her house.

Hanging up her coat, placing her shoes and bag where they belong, she noticed a packed bag by the door.

Her mind once again she was confused.

Is Zuber going on a business trip again?

As she entered the room, she could literally feel the tension that was set in the living room.

Worry crept its way into Haniyah's heart.

What in the world happened?

As soon as her mother saw her, she stood up and made her way towards her daughter. Tears were pouring down her face, while her eyes were puffy and red. As Haniyah stared into her mother's eyes she could see pain, disappointment, but most of all she could see the hatred that was laced in her eyes.

"Mama, are you all-" She was cut off by a harsh slap across her cheek, her face whipping to her left, as pain struck her. She was frozen in shock, and tears welled up in her eyes, all these years never, never did her mother ever raise her hands on any of her children.

Did they find out about what Adeel confessed to me?

They had warned her a million times that if she gets close to a guy and if a relation of some sort starts, they'll kill her. As she was already promised to someone. Someone who she didn't know.

"How dare you ask me if I'm okay!" Her mother exclaimed as Haniyah stared at her in confusion, as the tears began to fall from her eyes "After what you've done I can't" she took a sharp breath "I can't even look at you" She turned away from her daughter and walked to her younger son, Adam, crying into his shoulder.

Somehow she found my voice, within all the emotions that were running through her head.

"W-w-what did I do?" She stuttered as she started at her family. Her voice was shaking as she tried to figure what she had done.

She looked at her older brother, Zuber, for an answer, whose face was blank, while his eyes were laced with anger.

"Z-Zuber w-wh" she started to speak only to but cut off by a phone being held out towards her.

She couldn't even express what she was feeling. Her heart stopped beating, and the tears fell rapidly down her cheeks. The feeling of betrayal was overwhelming.

"If you step out of this car, Haniyah, I swear you will regret it."

The voice of the man she once called her best friend rang in her head.

That wasn't me. I know that wasn't me. This picture can't be real. It's not real.

She had kissed no one in her life, let alone her best friend.