Truly Madly Deeply

Chapter 11

Humayun, my dear, dear brother was standing at the gate of the school. His forehead was sporting a frown as he scanned the surroundings to most probably look for me. The moment his eyes met mine, his features softened and he waved at me while smiling. I audibly swallowed my spit as I forced a smile and waved back. I meandered my way to him and he raised a brow.

"Why do I feel like you are not happy to see me?" It scared me sometimes how perceptive my family was or perhaps, I was an open book.

"It's not that. I was expecting the driver since me and ammi had to go shopping today." I explained as he took my backpack and slung it over his shoulders. "Is mom in the car?" I asked carefully, making sure to conceal my anxiety that was starting to leak through my expressions and voice.

"Oh, aunt Sobia came home so mom had to stay back to give her company but she knew how excited you were about going so she sent me to take you to the mall." With every word, bricks of fear fell unto my shoulders as if pushing me down. I couldn't look at Humayun right now, he would be able to see right through my failed deceptions. I was in deep, deep trouble. Fear was imminent on my face now.

I had absolutely no idea on how to cope with this. I felt like bile was coming up and I might vomit any time. This might have seemed like an exaggeration but when you realize you are literally walking into your own death bed, it starts to take a toll on you.

"Misha? Misha! Are you listening?" Humayun's voice pierced through my thoughts and I snapped my head to look at him.

"Huh? What happened?" I questioned stupidly as I looked around and realized I had already sat in the passenger seat.

"I was asking you if you had wanted to grab KFC on the way back? You alright, sis?" His concern scared me more. I felt like I was about to break his trust. Like I was about to break my entire family's trust on a plan that I had foolishly devised. I couldn't do this. I couldn't do this to them or myself. Guilt was choking me like a rope around my neck.

"I am alright, just feeling the heat. Yeah, let's get KFC." I smiled weakly at him realizing he was waiting for a reply.

I was going to back down from this, I knew it, I should have never agreed to this absurdity. How do I back down? Maybe I shouldn't reply to his messages. Yeah, that seems like a good idea. I immediately pulled out my phone from the dashboard. Fortunately, the phone wasn't connected to the internet or 4G so I didn't have to feel the extra stress about what I was about to do.

I sneaked a peek at my brother who was humming to some song he had played on the aux while looking at the road ahead of him. With trembling hands, I deleted the messenger app from my phone. A wave of relief washed over me at that moment although I knew I would have to face the consequences eventually but at that moment I felt nothing but peace.

The rest of the car ride, I hummed along to the tune despite the increasing feeling of doom that was starting to settle in the pit of my stomach. Allah is with me, InshaAllah nothing will happen. Humayun parked the car in the underground parking zone and both of us stepped outside.

"Make it fast, little one, I have a match in the evening." Humayun said as he took out his phone and started to type on it while I nodded as I looked around at the shops, my eyes twinkling like those of a little child upon going to an amusement park for the first time. I positively loved shopping, it was my coping mechanism whenever I felt down or upset and I was truly grateful that my family always supported me in this habit of mine. It wasn't toxic though, not yet at least.

I had left my phone in the car along with the anxiety that came with it. I went from one shop to another with a grin on my face. Humayun had bought me a peach slush so I sipped on it while buying a perfume. I had the sudden urge to go to a bathroom and so I handed the shopping bags to Humayun who told me he would wait for me at the sitting area. I gladly obliged as I hopped to the bathroom.

Once I had done what I had to do, I looked around left and right in confusion, trying to remember which side Humayun was at. The seating area was at a good distance from the female washrooms because Humayun had said he would feel awkward if he sat right in front of them so he would sit a little away to respect our privacy and I appreciated that. That was cool and all but I don't remember which side it had been plus I couldn't call him since I had left my phone in the car. Sighing deeply, I decided to march towards the left side, if I don't see him in five minutes I will go to the right side.

A strong calloused hand grabbed my upper arm surprising me but I recognized the hand as masculine so it was probably Humayun.

"I was just going to go look for you-"I turned around to look at Humayun but stopped dead in my tracks when I realized that the hand did not belong to my brother at all. "Ibra...heem?" I breathed out as if not believing that he was standing right there like an angel of death. My first reaction apart from obvious terror was to free my arm from his grip which I managed to do easily. I rubbed my upper arm as I looked up at him. He was wearing a grey button up shirt with charcoal black pants. He looked like he had styled his hair with hairspray or wax because they looked pretty rigid.

Who cares what he looks like?

I don't.

What in the world is he doing here?

Oh wait, I had called him here.

But how in the world did he know exactly where I was in the huge mall with over 200 shops?

Allah help me.

"You were looking for me?" The way he had asked it meant one thing. He was angry and things were about to get far worse.