Pretty Isn't Her Name [ABANDONED]

10| One Punch

•••

It was finally closing time. Every student dispersed from their classes to return to each of their respective homes.

Janan, however, was not ready to go home. She wished she could sleepover at Fatima's.

The entire day had been tumultuous, with Janan receiving gifts from those who couldn't make it to her wedding and those expressing disbelieve over her sudden marriage. They kept asking who was her devastatingly handsome husband that drove her to school. The shocked look on their faces when they came to know it was Ammar was almost comical. She didn't know why they were fawning over him when they didn't see any of his sides. She was rather bothered about it, but she wasn't sure if it was the stress or how they fawned over him...

"Y'know...I'm starting to think being a girl is wahala (a problem)." Janan whined, shoulders slumped, while Malik and Fatima laughed.

"Why are you whining!? Look at all the gifts you got." Fatima raised the share of bags she's holding with a shrewd smile. Malik kept peeking into one of his share of bags.

"Malik stop peeking. You might see something you shouldn't..." Fatima teased and nudged Malik's ribs, who looked rather flustered as he adjusted his hunched posture. Janan started questioning her friendship with them.

Fatima dropped the bags and looked ahead.

"Welp, my driver's here for me, I gotta go. See ya, Mrs. Ammar." Fatima giggled and ran before Janan could reach out to her.

Fatima seemed to treat Janan's situation coolly. She accepted that it was fate for her best friend and ex to be together, no matter how frustrating or hurtful it was. Fatima clenched her hands and forcefully pushed back her tears, tilting her head to face Janan.

"Allah ya baku zaman lafia, Janan (may Allah grant you peace together)." She disappeared into the car backseat. Her driver shut the door and jogged over to the other side of the car and entered, then sped away.

Janan truly felt horrible, miserable even. What's worse than seeing your ex-boyfriend marry your best friend?

She felt a hand on her shoulder, which made her jolt out of her reverie. Malik smiled sadly down at her.

"Ya know... Everyone's future is planned out carefully for them. So even if you could go back and change it, it will still find another route.
Janan, we men can be very difficult to handle, but that's a hurdle you have to clear. I can see he's a broken man, so can you try to fix him for me? Nasan za ki iya (I know you can do it)." With his final encouraging words, he dropped the bags next to her and went to his awaiting ride.

Janan felt remote. She stood, waiting for Ammar to come pick her up.

'Why is everyone saying he ain't okay?! Does he have a mental disorder I don't know of that somehow, I'll be able to cure!? Do I look like some fucking drug to people or some shit? Allah, he looks like he's always on cloud nine to me! It's not fair they're pressuring me like this when I'm only human.'

15 minutes later, her legs were cramping up, so she sat on the concrete. A freaking hour later, a flashy car parked next to her. By then, she was fuming.

Ammar came out running to her side, looking distraught.

"Janan, the meeting took longer than it should and I kind of forgot —"

"Save it." A sharp glare cut off Ammar before he could continue. Deeming it best to keep quiet, Ammar carried the bags beside Janan into the boot.

In the car, the tension was so thick, you could cut through it with a dull knife. Ammar kept scratching his nape.

An idea popped into his head as he made a U-turn and drove to a completely different location. Janan was skeptical but kept mute.

Soon, they arrived at their destination. Chloe's cupcake.

Ammar got out of the car, but Janan showed no signs of moving. He sighed and went to open her door. Eventually, because of how hungry she was (and she'll never turn down free dessert), she reluctantly stepped out and followed Ammar inside.

They ordered their Ice-cream, with Ammar paying of course, and took a seat near the window. The tension was still there, but it was less this time.

"Janan...since I know you won't even try to hear an explanation, accept this delicious treat as an apology gift." Ammar had his hopes up when she smiled, but it was short-lived.

"Not accepted, you egotistical bas — guy." Janan quickly corrected herself before she would regret it.

He chuckled bitterly and continued eating his ice cream, feeling satisfied he — at the least — got her to smile. Even if it was a fake one. Take it or leave it.

"Ammar? Like the Ammar Habib? Guy, I see you've been doing well! " A guy who seemed close to Ammar's age interrupted them. Tall, handsome, and light-skinned.

Ammar beamed at him and exchanged a bro hug and some kind of weird handshake with the unidentified person. "Well, look what the cat dragged out. Ya kake (how are you), Jawad ?"

"I've just been back from Dubai. I know it's been a year, but I see you've changed a lot." He grinned, then glanced at Janan while she just stared at the ground.

"And who's this?" He cocked his head, regarding Janan with an unreadable expression.

"She's...my wife."

Janan didn't like the hesitation in his voice.

Jawad's eyes squinted a little, and then he laughed. "You're joking, right? I mean, she's not...your type." He continued assessing Janan, who's eyes hardened. He's talking like she's not even there.

"I mean, what happened to that fine girl named Yusrah? I thought you guys were going to end up together?" Jawad kept blabbing, and Ammar felt the urge to hit him.

Jawad was one of Ammar's friends, who met him through their fathers' frequent meetings. He didn't like Jawad because he had such an unfiltered mouth.

"Jawad, that's —"

"I mean yeah, you could've married her out of her being your... y'know. Her face though, isn't that eye-catching but damn, does she have a killer bo — " Jawad couldn't finish his sentence because of a blow to his jaw, delivered by Ammar. People around them started becoming wary of the situation. The manager was already out of his office, about to step in should things go out of control. 

"I don't mean to sound rude, but I really, really dislike the way you talk about my wife. So, I suggest you—" Ammar pressed his index finger to his lips, "—before I throw you into the ER." Jawad rubbed his jaw and laughed a little. Janan, all the while, was just looking at the scene. Shocked and kind of satisfied that he defended her. Even if just as she was about to do it herself.

"My guy, chillax, I didn't mean —"

"Yeah, you didn't mean to fucking insult my wife in front of me. Come talk to me when you replace your senses." Ammar spat and stepped over Jawad, but turned around to face his wife, who stopped in front of Jawad and squatted down to his eye-level.

"Aw, does it hurt? Here is some ice for your boo-boo." She jabbed her Ice-cream cone to his face. His eyes widened from shock.

Dusting her hands, she stood up and exited the store with Ammar, having a goofy grin gracing her lips, while Ammar coughed awkwardly before looking away.

Inside the car, Janan placed her small hands on top of Ammar's larger ones. She allowed a smaller, shyer smile to grace her lips, but averted her face before Ammar could catch it. 

"Thank you...Ammar." 

•••