Second hand hearts

Chapter 10 (Warning bells)

A silence blanketed them with so many things running through their minds. With both of them knowing exactly what the other has been through,the pain and void they live with everyday of their lives it's easy to say that they've found their significant other or someone who understands what it felt like.

Bassam broke the silence as he spoke first.

"Losing someone has never been easy,but parents in particular and worst part of it,both. I can imagine what you're going through".

"Honestly you never get over it,you just learn to live with it. The pain will always be there but it becomes less and less with every passing day" Amal remarked.

He might have lost his parents when he was barely a matured person and have been with adoptive parents ever since,but that doesn't lessen the pain,she thought.

"My father died after a brief illness, i was in my third year of university at the time,and my mother died about three years after his death,after being ill for a long time" . She told him playing with the straw in her hand.

"Mine were murdered. "

"On the same day,my mother was pregnant with then. Atleast so i was told." ,he finished with a light chuckle his eyes landing on her.

Amal's mind couldn't help but imagine  a very young Bassam going through having both of his parents killed. The truth is no child deserves to go through that,but then again we don't get to choose the way life comes to us.

For some unknown reason,even though their conversation had turned from light to a heavy one thickened with emotions and stirring awful memories, she found herself wanting more of it. She hasn't talked deeply to anyone about what she feels ever since her mother's death because she felt that she needed to keep her emotions in check and she hates it when she shows her vulnerable state to others. But with Bassam,something about him told her it's okay,he looks like a safe place. And despite the warning bells ringing in her head she found herself deep in that conversation again.

"How was it like,i mean being adopted and all?", she questioned.

He remained silent for a minute with a distant look in his eyes which made her want to take her words back.

"I'm sorry i didn't mean to get to personal like that" she immidiately said.

"My father's best friend and partner took me in after the incident. They're Lebanese and have treated me with love and care just like their own. They decided to adopt me officially when the court trial of my parents' murder was over and the suspect had pleaded guilty. I have a faint memory of that day in court ,i saw the convicts taken away and it was years after that my adoptive parents explained to me that they were serving a life sentence in jail. Eight years ago,we found that one had died in jail from food poisoning while the other is still very much alive in jail." A sad smile played on his face.

"I can still remember the day my adoptive mother told me that they were my parents from now on and Nadia was my sister. I couldn't help but wonder why i was different from them,you know the skin colour, the hair type and all."

"It must be challenging growing up" ,Amal said with a sigh.

"It was very much of a challenge. The peer pressure at school,having my mates picking and making fun of my looks and asking questions about why i was different from my family members without having the slightest idea that they weren't my biological parents.  It was one hell of a ride Amal,but i survived ".

His face wore a stony look which Amal believed was as a result of some awful part of his life he had just shared with her. Whatever it is and despite her not knowing much about him,Bassam stands out as a courageous person to her just by having a glimpse into his life,one can conclude that.

Half an hour later,Bassam pulled up in front of Amal's hostel. Killing the engine,he turned to her with a smile plastered on his face. She raised her gaze and her eyes met his dark brown ones,it felt like there was something unspoken between them,but she wasn't sure. She thanked him and got out of the car as she walked into her home. Despite not turning,she could feel his gaze boring holes in the back of her head. She heard his engine roar to life and then he was gone.

For the rest of the week,all she did was attend classes and come back home. She hasn't heard heard from Bassam ever since they went out that day which left her wondering if she had been too nosy and he had gotten put off by her attitude. She had thought of calling him many times but the warning bells in her head always stop her from doing so. Maybe it's for the best if they don't talk again or even see each other again. But why does she feel like it's not fair if they don't talk again?

"Because you miss him".

Her mind simply told her and she literally shook her head in denial.

"Miss him? Seriously Amal. Get a grip girl". She said out loud,scolding herself but she couldn't reach a conclusion on why Bassam was still in her head. She was looking forward on seeing him again,and talking with him.

She decided on doing some studying to keep her mind away from a particular face with a pair of crystal clear deep brown eyes but to no avail. Her thoughts kept going back to the same place.

Letting out a frustrated groan,she finally gave up on studying and plopped down on her bed face first. What's happening? She thought to herself,the last time she had a deep conversation with someone she ended up catching feelings and burning herself in the process. It's too early to predict that between her and Bassam that feelings were involved,heck that's the last thing she wanted between them. But there was a nagging feeling inside of her that yearns to hear from him,maybe that way she'll know he isn't dead or sick or God forbid something bad has happened to him.

She sat up abruptly and reached out for her phone by the dresser.
"To hell with these warning bells,i am calling him. Atleast i deserve to know whether he has abandoned me or not or whatever was keeping him away from talking to me".
She grumbled as she dialed his number placing the phone to her ear.

A sudden rush of disappointment and panic rushed over her and the colour drained from her face upon hearing the operator saying that the line wasn't available at that moment. She slowly took the phone away from her ear and placed it back on it's original place feeling nauseated and paranoid.

She just prays that whatever it is, or wherever he might be he was okay. Finding her phone again,she called Bassam's number again but got the same response from the operator.

She finally gave up with a sigh,she was getting more worried than she was supposed to be. She immidiately called the one person she talks to everyday, Hafsah.

"You sound tired girly " Hafsah commented.
Leave it to her to detect whatever emotion she was having from her voice even on the phone without having to see her.

Amal sighed again and drew her hands to her face absentmindedly.

"There's someone Hafsah, i am getting worried and i am not even supposed to actually" ,she admitted finally.

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My internet was so poor yesterday so i couldn't post up this chapter as scheduled. Sorry guys!

I hope this chapter isn't as bad as i think? It's short though but still better than nothing right?...
Look out for another instalment on Wednesday. Bye!