Ramadhan Muslim [COMPLETED]

Chapter 22: Face The Fear

"FALISAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" Farra jumped on to Falisa at the sight of her face at the door. Farra had been anxiously waiting to meet her dear friend. The week which passed by since they last met felt like a century, because she earnestly loved Falisa for the sake of Allah. 

"Assalamualaikum, darling," Falisa calmly planted a kiss on the left cheek of the over-excited Farra. Farra's eyes sparkled, her dark brown eyes shining brighter than the Moon. 

In the excitement of meeting each other, they completely ignored a human being standing just a few steps away from them. 

"Wow, please don't tell me you two are lesbian," Bella remarked, slightly taken aback by their intimacy. Bella's eyes were widened at the sight of the two greeting each other, as though they were friends who met each other after a decade. 

"Don't worry sister, we are not. We just miss each other," Falisa retorted with a small smile. Farra noted the absence of enthusiasm in Falisa. Instead, her face looked like a rose fearing the loss of it's petals. Falisa seemed to be worried about something. 

Fear kills the beauty
Like roses losing it's petals
What is left, is just like the stalk
Standing all alone, losing all it's beauty

"Falisa, are you okay?" Farra asked. 

"Yes, I'm good," Falisa answered, wearing a huge, a plastic smile pasted to her face. She could immediately recognise the subtle lie in her tone. "You are so bad at lying, Falisa," Farra thought to herself. 

They sat down talking while Bella resumed her cooking in the kitchen. Farra could not stop herself from noticing the tone of Falisa's voice, and the emptiness in her eyes. She knew something was wrong with Falisa. Yet she could not understand what was the havoc running in Falisa's mind.

"Falisa, let's sit outside, in the hut," Farra invited.

Falisa stood up from the sofa and slowly traced her steps to the wooden hut. If it was the 'normal' Falisa, she would have jumped and skipped her way through the porch.

They sat comfortably on the planks of the wooden hut. The hot and humid weather felt exaggerated in the wooden hut. They sweated as though they were sitting in a lighted furnace. Falisa seemed distant, and she was in deep thoughts. Farra placed her palm on the back of Falisa's left hand and looked straight into her eyes.

"Falisa, what is wrong with you?"

"Nothing Farra," Falisa answered, her tone flat.

"Falisa, don't lie. I know you are worrying about something. You are my best friend, and you have always been there for me. Would you please give me a chance to be there for you?"

Falisa shifted in her position, visibly umcomfortable with the question.

"Falisa, please. Please be frank with me. You should tell me if something is bothering you. Is it something to do with your Mum?"

Falisa shook her head lightly, her eyes unable to meet Farra's pair of eyes.

"Is it something to do with your brother?"

Falisa shook her head again, filling Farra's head with more confusion.

"Is it something to do with...me? Did Vicky bother you?" Farra asked, her question sounding more like a plea to the truth. Falisa finally lifted her gaze, looking straight into Farra's eyes.

At that instant, Falisa's OPPO A83 rung, with a ringtone very familliar to Farra's ears. A famillair name flashed on the screen, momentarily paralysing Farra.

Vicky
Calling...

Falisa handed her phone to Farra, her hands sweaty with nervousness. Farra took the phone, and calmly pressed it onto her ears. An all too familliar, gruff voice sounded from the other end, greeting her.