BETROTHED ✓

15°

"How was your night?" Mrs. Hadiza started. "I hope you were able to have a peaceful rest."

"Yes, ma." She nodded, curtly. "Thank you, ma."

A muffled laugh from Yumnah had everyone's attention diverted to her. Her hand was still over her mouth as she attempted to stifle another laughter.

"What's so funny?" Her mother quirked a brow in incomprehension.

Yumnah reclined backward in her seat and shook her head. "It's nothing, Ammi, I just remembered something."

Needless to say; One way or the other, Larai knew the derisive gesture was hurled towards her in a 'roundabout' manner.

"Have some barbecue sauce, Larai." Yusuf stretched a hand across the table.

Barbecue sauce?

There was this curiosity pushing Larai to ask what a barbecue sauce was, but due to the presence of the ladies in the room, she decided against it. The last thing she wanted, was to be made a mockery of, for the second time in a row.

She smiled in appreciation and accepted the outstretched dish. With a shaky hand, she picked up a spoon and scooped a spoonful of the sauce. Due to the steam evaporating from the food, she inferred it was smoky hot, so she allowed some air into it, before bringing it to her mouth.

"Hi, Larai, we haven't met, so I'd like to introduce myse-Ya Allah!" Yusrah squeaked when Larai began to cough intermittently. "Are you alright?"

Yusuf's shoulder tensed, but for some reason arcana, he remained glued to his seat.

"Give her some water." Mrs. Hadiza suggested.

Yumnah rolled her eyes as her twin quickly poured some water from a jug into a tumbler and handed it over to Larai.

Larai gulped almost the entire content of the tumbler down. She was fortunate the cough ceased right after.

The involuntary action was ignited by Yusrah speaking to her so unexpectedly, plus the foreign sensation in her taste bud contributed.

"Sorry." Yusuf rasped, his monotone resolute.

It was amazing how in spite of how scrunched up his face was, he still looked handsome. If Larai had been in his shoes, she bet she would have looked hideous. She shook her head in an attempt to kick off the thought from her mind. It wasn't the proper time to harbor such thoughts. In a careful manner, she dropped the tumbler on the table, for she felt it would break if manhandled even in the slightest way.

"Are you okay now?" Mrs. Hafsa's voice depicted genuine care. "Drink some more water."

Larai picked up the tumbler again and seeped the remainder of the water.

Mrs. Hadiza pushed back her seat."You all should carry on." She excused herself and strutted out of the dining room.

Larai exhaled. Albeit the nice gestures Mrs. Hadiza had constantly shown her, she still couldn't bring herself to be comfortable around her. Perhaps time was what was needed. It had only been a day since they met. She figured it was too early to jump to a conclusion.

"So, Larai-I hope I got the pronunciation right." Yusrah edged forward on her seat. "How are you liking your stay in our house so far?"

"Fine." She smiled, glad that Yusrah wasn't giving her the phlegmatic attitude. Rather, she had been the one initiating a conversation.

"I was told you like books too. Would you like to read some of my works?" Yusrah offered, a warm smile tugging at her lips.

"Yes!" Larai enthused. "I'd like that a lot." She wasn't just passionate about books, she loved the idea of writing. Just like Yusrah, she hoped she would be able to sit in front of a screen soon and pen all of the story ideas she had pent up.