Beloved

19.

Finally, after spending three days in the hospital, Hamza was finally discharged from there. Saba and I were waiting for Hamza in his hotel room. I was so relived once I saw Hamza entering the room with Karim Sir. As soon as he came inside the room, his eyes landed on me and he smiled.

'Welcome Hamza' Saba said to him as Karim Sir helped him to his bed.

'Thanks Saba' He took a deep breath once he sat down.

'Do you want anything?' I asked him.

'I want many things Ayat but not right now' He smirked, and my jaw dropped. I could see Karim Sir grinning from the corner of my eye and I suddenly wanted to disappear.

'Water...' He said seconds later, and I poured him a glass of water.

'Thanks' His hand brushed against mine when I passed him the glass and I quickly stepped back from him, he looked at me weirdly for a second before looking away.

'The receptionist told me that the protest ended yesterday, it's safe for us to go home now' Saba looked at Karim Sir.

'Doctor suggested at least two more days of complete bed rest' Karim Sir told us and I glanced back at Hamza who already had his eyes on me again. I wanted to stay by his side, but I needed to go back for Haya. I couldn't stay away from her any longer, I missed her terribly and I knew she wanted to see me too.

'You guys should go back' Hamza directed to Karim Sir.

'We can't just leave you here Hamza' Karim Sir grabbed a seat next to Saba and I went to go stand near Hamza's bed. As soon as he saw me coming closer, he shifted slightly to make some space for me to sit and patted on an empty space next to him for me to sit.

'The girls have been away from home for some time now, their families must be concerned. I don't want Saba and Ayat to stay here until I recover...they need to go back' Hamza said with full clarity.

'But what about you?' I asked him once I sat down next to him.

'I'll be fine here' He assured me.

'He is right, I'll drop you guys off and then I'll come back here' Karim Sir said to us.

'If we leave in the next hour or so we can reach there before sunset' He added. I remained silent, I had a mixed feeling about leaving, some part of me was scared to leave, afraid that something bad was going to happen and the other part was thankful because I was missing my young sister so much and I was dying to see her.

'It'll be fine' I heard Hamza say in a low voice and I felt as if he heard my thoughts. I turned to the side to look at him.

'I'll see you soon...go pack your stuff' He said calmly. Saba exited the room to start packing her stuff and Karim Sir went outside to get us something to eat.

'You are in dilemma, aren't you?' He asked me after few minutes of quietness. I was too fond of him now, too used to being close to him, I didn't want to leave his side.

'Perhaps' I replied and looked ahead at the empty wall.

'I think I forgot how to live without you...I am just trying to figure it out' I whispered.

'Look at me' He said, and I glanced at him.

'Nothing will keep me away from you unless you tell me you don't want me' He placed his fingers under my chin and looked straight into my eyes when he said that.

'You still didn't complete what you were trying to tell me in the hospital the other day when the doctor walked in for the consultation, is there something you want to tell me?' My stomach flipped after hearing his question.