No escape from you (Taken Down For Polishing)

1: Back Home

Zhulfah dragged two heavy bags behind her, heaving silently as she faked a composed outer appearance. She had refused to allow any of the load draggers to help her with her luggage, only to end up collecting a pay that wasn't worth the job. Jobs like that should not have existed in the first place, but the country's employment situation had not gotten any better, and any job was more honorable than stealing, or any job related to stealing that involved the devil's hands in it.

The sad part about such menial jobs was that some graduates took those kind of jobs. Spending at least four years in a higher institution was no joke, and she had just completed her four year studies, finally able to look at the life that awaited her. She hadn't been sure of what laid ahead, but she loved adventures, and living in uncertainty of the future was one for her.

Did most desperate graduates think as such?

She stopped once she was outside the airport, heaving in a lungful of air and resting her hands on her jean clad legs. She stood straight, her back aching from the long hours of flight. She looked around, frowned and pulled out her phone from her pocket and redialled her brother's number which, much to her dismay, wasn't reachable.

" Where the hell is Khalid? He was supposed to pick me!" She said exasperatedly.

She used her hand as a shield against the unforgiving sun that glared at her and squinted her eyes in search of her brother amidst the people walking by. Suddenly, she was lifted off her feet with a yelp escaping from her.

" Finally! She's back home finally!" Came her brother's voice.

" Put me down! You are embarrassing me!" She hissed, already noticing some people looking their way.

" Aww! Look who's talking like she's grown up." Khalid mocked her as he finally set her down. She turned and glared at him, and he frowned when he saw the way she was dressed, taking in her skinny jeans that hugged her figure like a second skin to the cap that covered her hair.

" Subhanallah, Zhul..."

" Don't even dare to comment, please, I had a really long flight", she warned, already knowing what he was about to say next.

Khalid clamped his mouth shut, promising himself he'd have a talk with her later on. He was taken by surprise seeing her like this, his sister was one to always be covered up properly and modestly. He had noticed a change in her dress in during her visit in her hols, but never too immodest to catch his attention, but this, this wasn't what he expected.

" Very well", He sighed.

"  And do you know how long I've been waiting here?", She asked, hands on hips.

" You could have just called me."

" Your number's unavailable."

" Oh." he fetched out his phone and scratched his head sheepishly, and she couldn't help but notice how childish he looked doing that.

" Switched off, my mistake, sorry." He apologized and reached for her luggage. " Why don't we get you home first?"

" Finally." She muttered. He pulled the load behind him as she followed, massaging the stiff muscles of her neck.

Home.

She couldn't believe she was done with her four years in Uni already and finally back.

" Why did you stay so long to come back?" He asked as they walked towards the car.

She couldn't answer that truthfully. " Nothing." Khalid looked back at her and nodded.