HER CRUSH

Chapter16

Abdullah
I paced back and forth in my room, my chest heaving as though my ribs were too tight for my lungs. My eyes burned....not just from anger but from hours of tears I hadn't wanted to shed. The carpet was littered with tissues, my bedside lamp tilted from when I slammed my fist earlier.

"This is too much," "I'm just waiting for tomorrow. Wallahi, Abba will regret what he said. This is a promise. Not even Ummi will stop me this time."

I collapsed on the edge of my bed, my fists pressing into my thighs. But the moment I closed my eyes, the memories attacked.

Ummi's muffled sobs at night. Her face buried in the pillow, shoulders trembling while I pretended to sleep beside her. The way Abba's voice would slice through the house like a whip: "You're nothing but a burden to me! You're not even worthy of being my wife!"

I was younger then, too small to protect her, too scared to do more than stand frozen in the doorway. My voice, weak and shaking, had whispered: "Abba, please stop yelling at her."

But he never stopped. He only grew louder.

The worst memory of all clawed at me now ...that day when Abba roared, "You and your wicked mother get out of my house!" and my heart had cracked wide open.

My fists slammed into the bed. "I hate my father! Wallahi, I hate him so much. I wish he is dead." The words burned on my tongue like poison, but I couldn't stop them. They were the raw truth of my pain.

I dragged in a shaky breath, speaking aloud to the emptiness of the room. "I made a promise to myself... one day, he will come begging for our forgiveness on his knees. For what he did to Ummi. For leaving us to suffer like dogs in other people's houses. Wallahi, even animals were treated better."

The door creaked open.

"Abdullah, are you out of your mind?" Ummi's soft voice filled the room.

I turned sharply, eyes blazing. "Yes, I am!" My voice cracked under the weight of emotion. "Ummi, wallahi, that man will pay for what he has done. I promise he won't sleep peacefully anymore."

Her face softened, the lines of pain and patience etched deep. She stepped closer, her eyes swimming with both fear and love. "Abdullah, don't let hatred consume you. It's not worth it."

But I was beyond reason. The rage boiled too hot.
She reached me anyway. Her arms wrapped around me, pulling me into her chest. Slowly, my fists loosened. My body trembled as she coaxed me to lie on her lap like she used to when I was a child.

Her hand stroked my hair. "Shhh. Sleep, Abdul. Sleep, my son."

And though my chest still throbbed with anger, exhaustion dragged me under. I didn't even realize when my eyelids grew heavy and I slipped into restless sleep.

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the curtains. My head felt heavy, as though I hadn't really slept. I stirred at the sound of someone's voice ...Sufyan, my shadow, my brother in everything but name.

He was seated casually at my desk, phone pressed to his ear, typing with the other hand. I groaned, turning away.

"Morning, sleeping beauty," he said with a smile, slipping his phone into his pocket when he noticed me awake.