Chaos in the Canvas √

33 | dilemma

" how many scars did we justify just because we loved the person holding the knife? "

Monday - 11:54pm

"Hami, do you really think he did it?" Mehmal's voice was troubled; Hemayal's heart in the same condition. 

"I...I don't know, Mehmal," Hemayal's voice was hollow, stunned and every shade in between. "But only he knew about that man...only he...oh, God." 

Hemayal took a breath that shivered, mouth dry at the mere thought of even a minor possibility of Ibrahim being involved in this murder. Placing her palm over her head, she begged for an end to the anxiety that resided in her, tension that tightened her stomach into knots.

"Are you sure you didn't tell anyone else?" Mehmal questioned and Hemayal shook her head, eyes at the verge of crying from desperation. 

"No, no. Not a soul. Only him." Hemayal said, massaging her forehead to ease the brewing headache; eyes clenched so hard, they pained.

After her father had told her about the murder, a shock so painful it physically hurt hit her right in the chest. An hour had passed and the bewilder hadn't dimmed, not by an inch.

"Okay, okay, relax, will you? Even if you just told him, it doesn't mean he did it now, does it? That man...Anas...I'm sure he carried out a lot of kidnappings before. Someone from his past might have-" Mehmal reasoned and Hemayal caught her shivering lips beneath her teeth.

"The second Baba finds him, he dies. Of course it has to do with his latest kidnapping." Hemayal said, voice small.

"So? It really doesn't mean anything, Hami. I'm sure-" Mehmal began but Hemayal was quick to cut her off.

"Don't you get it, Mehmal? I am the work gone wrong; Baba hunting after that man is what went wrong." Hemayal seethed, the knots behind her forehead blinding her as her anxiety increased in magnitude. 

"Hami...love...you can't blame someone for murder just because initial investigation points towards him. Innocent until proven guilty, remember?" Mehmal talked sense, Hemayal knew it - but this incident, this was a blow right to her heart and all sense had evaded her by now.

"You don't trust him, I get it. You might even hate him for now but please, this is murder we're talking about. Don't be so quick to jump to conclusions." Mehmal continued and Hemayal sighed.

"You're right, I know, but he has a motive, Mehmal. He can be the murderer and the mere thought makes me wanna drop to my knees." Hemayal said, tears escaping the eyes and falling voluminously down the crimson cheeks.

"Okay, he might have a motive, but he has an alibi too, no? He was with you that night." Mehmal reminded her and Hemayal shook her head.

"Not for the whole night. He came around midnight and stayed for like half an hour." Hemayal responded, trying and failing to control the hiccups that wrecked her body.

Of all the people in this world, why did her stupid heart have to fall for someone who was every shade of ignorant and arrogant, a kidnapper and now a murder suspect? 

"But do you really think that after everything he did for you that night, he'd go off afterwards and kill someone? What kind of a sick bastard do you think he is?" Mehmal, somehow, was defending Ibrahim and her reasons, however sensible they may be, couldn't cross the barriers of her mind.

"But, Mehmal..." Hemayal began, trying to fight Mehmal's logic but failing miserably. 

"Look, Hemayal, stop being the judge and jury for him. God knows it'll only end up hurting you more. The pain life gives you, I get it, but this time, you're hurting yourself and for no logical reason at that. Do you get what I'm saying?" Mehmal went on to explain, her voice soft and gentle, tone understanding and Hemayal felt a fresh wave of water surface her eyes.