Destiny - مقدر

6 - A Friend's Love - ایک دوست کی محبت

"I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light." - Helen Keller

"Where are your parents?" I sniffed as we crept up his stairs and into his room. His house was exactly how I remembered it, yet his room, it was tiny, compared to the rest of the house. It was about the size of our living room, not as big as you'd think. I got the feeling that he didn't want his room to be expensive and lavish, Daniyal was certainly a modest person. However, there was an extra room within his, an en-suite no doubt. Zarah had told me about how one of her aunty's in Kortli had one. It was an extra bathroom, all to yourself. It sounded quite like something dreams were made of. He looked at me and smiled, I couldn't help feeling slightly self-conscience. I was an utter mess, my face was wet and red and my eyes were bloodshot and glassy. 

"They're in the garden...hey, are you sure you're okay?" He replied, sitting on his bed whilst I sat on his rug, stretching my legs out on the soft, plush carpet. I bit my lip and nodded. He put a hand to my face and wiped a tear from my eye, sending a shiver down my spine. I didn't know how I felt, but it was certainly positive. I cleared my throat and looked into his emerald eyes. That's when I told him everything. I didn't hold anything back at that point. The whole time whilst I was explaining, Daniyal's eyes widened, his mouth opening with shock. I couldn't say I blamed him.

"What? You're engaged?!"

I nodded slowly, "I have been my whole life... apparently."
He suddenly looked incredibly uncomfortable, pulling his legs to his chest and rocking from side to side. "Why would your parents do that?"
"My mother, she thought she was doing the right thing. As well as my father, he's not a good man. When my mother was injured and I brought her to your house...it was my father that did that to her."
He gasped, "And your mother's still there?"
"She refused to leave, said that she'd be okay." My cheeks flushed red with shame. He reached forward and rubbed my shoulder, "It's not your fault that she decided to stay, Aqsa." Woah. It was like he could read my mind, he always knew what I was thinking. I smiled weakly, mumbling a quick 'yeah'. 

He nodded slowly. "So, what are you going to do now? Your technically a runaway bride..."
"Am not! We're only engaged, there's a difference. And it's non-consensual."
"But what will you do for a year, Aqsa? Where will you go?"
I shook my head, "I don't know that, yet."
He looked at me, clearly concerned about my well-being. "You can stay here? My parents can't know but I'll bring you food every day and you can wash using my bathroom. I'll buy you clothes too."
I smiled gratefully, "Thanks, Daniyal, but a whole year? That will never work."
He thought about it and huffed, "I don't know then...any ideas?"
I shrugged.

Before I could continue to explain my problematic situation, I heard a loud furious knock at the front door. It wasn't a normal knock at all, it was an angry, violent banging. I then heard Daniyal's mother, her posh voice ringing around the house, "I'm coming! Intezar karna, wait!" I heard her footsteps tapping against the polished wooden floorboards as she made her way to the door.

Daniyal instantly looked at me, shaking with fear, "Quickly, hide!"
I jumped up from my seat on the rug and looked around, "The bathroom?" I asked, turning to the white door opposite me. "Too obvious!" He replied, standing up in a state of panic and looking around. "Get under my bed. Quick!"
He moved to one side and lifted up his blanket so that I could crawl underneath. I dropped to the floor like a wet rag dropping on the kitchen floor and scooted under his bed whilst he held the blanket up for me. Once I was out of view I saw the blanket drop behind me and everything was instantly wrapped in shadow and darkness.

"Only come out when I tell you to, okay?"
I mumbled a quiet 'okay' and stretched out my legs underneath his bed, waiting patiently. I heard the door slam downstairs , a violent action that shook the house. Daniyal's clearly baffled mother could be heard traipsing up the stairs. I quieted my breathing, feeling faint as my breath slowed down. Underneath his bed, I watched as his bedroom door opened and I saw a pair of white clogs attached to feet and a pair of legs.