ALIYA

Chapter 31 - Aliya

Assume everyone will hurt you, and you will never be disappointed in your life. Two days ago Fawad did what I will never forget in my life, I forgave him though.

Actually, what he did really surprised me and also hurt me. Like seriously? That boy started ranting the moment I returned back home. At first I thought he was just joking but then I realized he wasn't.

Still I kept quiet and waited for him to finish saying all that he had to say. One thing I noticed was that he was just jealous. Yes, seeing me with that police officer made him angry but why? Why should he be angry?

We might not be consanguineous siblings but I didn't expect us to fall in love or even think about it talk more of being together. It just wouldn't happen, and even if everyone signed for it; I won't because I didn't love him.

He kept yelling at me, not even knowing what he was saying. And when I couldn't stand his tantrums I decided to start my own by reminding him that I senior him, and did you even know what he said after that?

Well, Fawad surprised me when he said age is just number and that if I ever say I senior him again he will not hesitate to show me how powerful he is and my body will surely tell me if he does that. You see, he loved talking in a way you hardly understand but his words were usually bad.

We kept arguing, and when I realized the argument was getting worst I decided to go to my room but he followed me there and compelled me to continue with argument. Balaraba tried to interfere but Fawad had lost his mind.

We continued until later on Balaraba left the room and shortly after, Bilal walked in. It was unannounced and none of us expected him to come into my room. Sadly, I wasn't with my hijab so I quickly reached out for it and wore it.

But it seemed he had already seen my body beyond usual the fact that he kept staring at me until Fawad dragged him outside. It wasn't funny, the whole thing wasn't funny but somehow I found myself smiling. What was Bilal doing in our house anyways? And who invited him to my room? Our noise? Huh?

I pulled off my hijab again and threw it on my bed, how it stings! I took shower, changed into a kimono and then wore my headscarf before heading downstairs to eat dinner. Also, with the intention of knowing why Bilal paid us a visit at such odd hours. Did he had something for me or was it about my month-end report?

Unfortunately, I couldn't see him downstairs and when I asked Balaraba where he was... she told me Fawad had escorted him out and she suspected he was going home.

Gosh, I was heartbroken the moment she told me that but no problem since there would be Monday. I believed if he had something for me he would call me to his office or reach me himself regardless of the vacuum between us.

But vacuum? Was there still a vacuum between us? I asked myself recalling how he once grabbed my waist at work, preventing me from falling down and perhaps breaking a leg. Also, how nice he talked to me... and now, he visited me? I huffed heading to the dining island to eat.

While eating, I kept remembering him and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't take him off my head. I even tried bringing the thought of that police officer into my mind but Bilal's thoughts kept subduing it, until Fawad came back.

The boy walked over to me and continued again from where he stopped, but I remained mute until he told me never to bring another man to our house again. Believe me, I didn't know when I told him to stay away from my life and never to talk to me ever again.

Thus he became so angry, and just as I took my meal about heading to my room he held my hand and told me he loved me, and that seeing me with another man made him upset. Hmm, his statement didn't come to me as a surprise because I already knew he didn't see me as his sister and also knew he had feelings for me.

I extricated from his grip and told him to only talk to me when he return back to his senses. I knew I hurt him by saying that but he had also hurt me too, he had hurt me beyond imagination today. I never expected him to act the way he did earlier, he had really surprised me and I would never forget that.

The following day, which was yesterday, I went downstairs to eat breakfast after my morning prayer only for me to find him heading to the door with his luggage. It was weird, I had to ask him where he was going to even though we weren't really on good terms.

He looked me in the eyes and said he was going home, to his mother's house. Well I didn't stop him, I only told him to drive carefully and to be safe. Hence, I turned about heading to the dining island to eat breakfast when he promptly ran over to me and hugged me from the back. It was strange, and before I could react he began molesting me.

That was a transgression I never really expected, and the more I tried to escape from him the more he unyielded me. Thus I screamed and screamed until Balaraba came and helped me out, she bit him and began hitting him with her hands until he finally let go of me and then took his luggage and left as fast as he could.

To say I was shocked was an understatement. Fawad had been a brother to me since childhood, a brother I never had and now he had broken my heart. I never knew he was as bad as he proved himself to be this day. I'd thought he was different from other men, from people like... Bilal? But now he'd proved himself to be the worst of all men, and if Hajiya returns back I would make sure I narrate everything to her bit by bit!

"It's okay, Aliya" Balaraba had said as she gently embraced me and began patting my back. "Don't let this ruin your weekend," She continued as I suddenly began weeping. "Please don't cry, Aliya. Remember you are a strong lady"

"I am not," I had protested amidst sob. "If I am a strong lady, this wouldn't have happened to me"

"No Aliya, what I mean is you are strong in heart" She had uttered and continued talking until she finally calmed me down.

Yesterday was the worst day ever in Hajiya's house, and also the Sunday I will never forget.

And today, Monday, let me just say I was happy to voice out my pain to someone I never thought would understand my plight.

I was in my office thinking about what had happened between me and Fawad when Bilal salaamed into my office.

"Aliya?" He said looking at me puzzlingly. "What happened to you?" He asked as he walked over to my desk.

"What? No, I mean... nothing!" I said sniffing the mucus in my nose.

"Nothing, and you are in tears?" He said looking straight into my eyes.

"In tears? No, I'm not in..." I paused and touched my face only to feel some moist on my face. Indeed he was right, I was in tears and I didn't even notice it.

"Tell me what's wrong, please Aliya" He said as he sat by the edge of my desk. "Please my dear" He insisted.

And just then I unexpectedly broke into tears and began narrating everything to him while expressing how disappointed I was in his friend, Fawad.

I kept crying until he held my shoulders, stood me up and then embraced me gently like Balaraba did yesterday. "It's okay dear, he doesn't worth your tears" He said while patting my back gently.

That was the Bilal I never trusted. And now I think I could trust him more than the impotent I regarded as my brother, Fawad!

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Hmm, surprise!

Another update😍