Beloved

2.

'Ayat?' My dad recognized my footsteps without even turning around to look at me. He was in the kitchen making breakfast.

'Papa...how do you know it's me every time?' I dropped the grocery bags on the kitchen table and went near the stove to help him.

'I can recognize my daughters even in complete darkness...and besides, we all know how quiet Haya is' He sarcastically said. Haya, my youngest sister was loud. Instead of walking around the house, she preferred running around like a wild animal.

'You know I heard you guys, right?' Haya entered the kitchen, panting.

'Why are you panting?' Papa asked her.

'I dropped my headphones so I had to go back out to get it' She sat down on the chair.

'Papa, I am going to go get my bag, I have to leave early today to attend the orientation' I informed them and went to my room. I changed my clothes, brushed my hair and tied up a top knot. I then grabbed my bag and went downstairs to join my sister and father for breakfast.

'You are almost done with school' Papa said proudly when I poured him a cup of tea.

'Just a few more months' I nodded.

'Then you will leave us' Haya sighed. I didn't want to think about that time. I didn't want to worry about the future.

'I better get going, don't want to get late' I picked my bag went out the door. I called a rickshaw and asked the driver to drop me at the campus. The campus was quite far from where I lived so I had to take a rickshaw or bus to get to the campus.

I arrived 10 minutes late due to construction work on the road. I went to the hall where the orientation was scheduled to take the place but the door was locked. I knocked on the door but no one answered but I could hear people talking inside.

'Excuse me, this is where the orientation is happening right?' I called out the custodian, an old man who I had known for almost four years. We didn't really talk but he always smiled and was kind to everyone. He was a very hard working man.

'Yes, but they closed the door on the dot, one other person arrived late but they didn't open the door so he ended up leaving' The custodian told me.

'Oh okay, I guess I'll wait here' I sat down on the bench that was right next to the door.

'It's going to take hours dear' He informed me, giving me a sad smile.

'It's fine, I'll wait. Thank you' I smiled back. I took a novel that I had been reading to kill time. I still had some time so I went to the cafeteria and got myself a cup of coffee.

After some time, the door finally opened and students started coming out of the room. The last person I saw coming out was Mr.Karim. He was the coordinator of the training program.

'Hello Sir' I walked up to him.

'Ayat...what happened?' He asked me and I explained to him what happened.

'Yea...this guy is a little strict with time. Just be careful next time...I have another meeting to attend but you can go inside and talk to the facilitator'. He advised me.

'Okay, thank you...I will be careful next time...I am sorry once again...and what is the name of the facilitator again?' I asked him before entering the room.

'Hamza Khalid' He nodded and walked away.

I knocked on the door and this time I heard someone telling me to come in. I opened the door and saw the person who I ran into this morning in the market. I froze not knowing what to say. Did he recognize me? Should I apologize to him? For what though...I didn't do anything wrong.