Raihana | Sequel to Negina

Reliable Promises

Chapter 19

-Raihana Malik-

You would think that watching people sleep is unnaturally boring. In fact, you could fall asleep of boredom.

But I find myself smiling while watching Arezo sleep soundly, knowing that she will be alright, maybe a little discombobulated in the mind, but alright.

Caleb lies awake with some syringe attacked to the vein in his arm. He looks at me and throws a smile at me. From his one glance I know that he feels proud of himself. To be honest I do as well.

"Thank you for saving my sister."

I look at him and his smile drops.

"I didn't save her. I hurt her, I brought her to this condition. Because of me she's laying in a hospital bed and not in her own comfy bed at home!"

I immediately stand up and walk over to his side of the bed, placing my hand on the side of it. "Don't say that, Caleb. If you weren't here- if it weren't for you Allah knows if Arezo would be alive right now."

Caleb looks over at her and his dark eyes soften as he gazes at her. If he was Muslim, I would've immediately told him to stop starring at her but as far as I'm aware he wasn't. But he is still a boy and not her husband, I turn his attention back to me. 

"Are you feeling okay?" I ask him. Caleb nods his head and looks up to the ceiling. He's stuck deep in his thoughts, like me.

I sigh deeply and sit deeper down into the chair. The last thing I notice was the clock reading 3:28 AM.

As my eyes open, my hand goes up to hold my neck that was deeply in pain. My eyes squint tightly shut and I stand up to stretch my legs. Now it's ten o'clock in the morning. I find Arezo and Caleb laying in their beds as well.

I decide to walk out of the room to explore. The halls are brightly lighted and I notice a few more paintings as I run my one hand across the wall, the other hand goes inside my pocket and I feel the smooth iPhone tucked in the pocket.

It's the perfect time to call my dad now. There's no one who can give me away to Arsen now, I pull out the phone and thankfully it didn't have a password.

I realize that my dad and mom recently switched phone carriers and got new phone numbers. Sadly, I didn't have any phone numbers memorized. I cuss out a curse and decide to look through his contacts for a person who would be able to help me.

Anwar.

It was my only hope, I couldn't loose it.

I look around the hall while placing the phone against my ear. It rings a few times and his deep voice answers, "Who is this?"

"Anwar," I feel relieved when I hear his familiar voice. "Please help us, Arsen has us."

"Raihana? Shit, RAIHANA! We've been looking everywhere for you and Arezo, you're parents have been worried sick!"

I feel hot tears roll down my cheeks at the mention of my parents. I try not to make sounds that could give me away to Anwar, but I know I failed when he says, "Please don't cry, Raihana, we'll find you. I promise that I'll find you and get you out of there."

"I'm scared, Anwar." I confess. For over a month now, I've told myself that it will be okay. I've constantly reminded myself that I was strong and that nothing could bring me down.

My mind yells at me to shut up and not give away my weaknesses to him, but I find myself crying to him.

Anwar let's out a sigh, "don't be, darling, don't be afraid. I'll find you, Raihana. I'll get you and Arezo out of that hell hole."

Almost instantly, Caleb stands in front of my eyes as a mirage ... he needs to get out of here as well.

"Please," I whisper.

"I promise."

I find comfort in his voice.

I chose to believe his words instead of loosing hope.

I hear someone's voice from Anwar end of the line and he tells me he'd call later. I shut off the phone fully and shove it back inside my coat pocket.

I wipe off my tears and redo my ponytail before going back to the room where Caleb and Arezo lie awake.

"Good morning, lovebirds." I chirp happily, not trying to give away the fact that I was just crying minutes ago.

"Raihana!" Arezo hisses while blushing and Caleb chuckles deeply.

I roll my eyes, "I'm just kidding."

Soon a nurse comes in and checks Arezos blood pressure, temperature, and pulse. She checks Caleb as well and tells us that the doctor let us go back home.

Home.

It isn't necessarily considered a home sweet home to me. It isn't considered my home while Arsen and Jasmine are under that roof. I won't be able to see my home until Anwar comes to save us.

He will save us, he promised me he would.

Two weeks have passed since the phone call, still no news from Anwar or anyone else as a matter of fact. Arezo's back has been improving and healing very quickly. She has surprised us all, even the doctors, with her speedy recovery.

"Raihana!"

The fuck you want bitch? There must be a good reason to be disturbing me at ten in the morning.

"Yes?" I answer while opening the door.

Arezo walks through the room as if it's her own straight to my bed and drops herself down on it.

Our living situation in this hell has become quite nicer than I expected. We each got our own rooms that we could decorate in any way possible.

Arezo decorated hers in purple and dark blue assortments and decorations of all sorts. While I decided that there was no need to decorate a room that would soon be empty again, leaving it white.

"Let's go, Arsen's calling you."

"He can go fuck himself in the asshole for all I care." I roll my eyes at her but still get up and head inside the bathroom.

Once I'm done, pull my hair up into a bun and head downstairs. To be honest, I've gotten pretty comfortable around Arsen's house and it sort of frightens me.

Sometimes I do get thoughts about no one finding us and saving us, but then I immediately push the thought out of my head.

Anwar promised me he would find me and Arezo.

And for some reason, I chose to believe him.