Twice Upon Them

Chapter 12 | Kayla | Lies

This is my favorite chapter so far! :) 

Enjoy. 

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"I never got to ask — how was your visit?" my mom asks. She stands in front of the TV to block my view while Keith groans.

"Mom, I'm trying to beat my record," he complains as he pauses his video game. "Can't you feel a bit mercy for once?"

She ignores him and reiterates her question. "How was your dad's place?"

"Splendid, mom," I say in a tone telling her that I'm not in the mood to talk.

Mom, being a mom, persists and continues to pester me further. She notices my change in attitude by the short responses I'm giving her and the way that I'm carelessly sprawled over the couch, my feet in Keith's lap, who doesn't seem to notice or care. "Kayla, is something wrong?"

I fight the urge to roll my eyes, wishing that my mom isn't so overprotective. "I met someone I knew a while ago. I'm just exhausted," I tell her, hoping she'll get off my back. I seriously don't want to relive my conversation with Harun.

"Okay." She sighs after realizing that I won't talk any further. She purses her lips briefly as she looks at me. "I'll be upstairs if you need anything."

As soon as she walks away from the TV, Keith resumes his game while he sighs in relief. "Thank God. Now I can gracefully decapitate this guy's head off."

I roll my eyes at him. "How are things going with Maddie?" I ask, suddenly remembering his major crush on Nick's sister. "You don't seem to be hanging out with her nowadays."

Keith shrugs. "We're just friends, Kayla."

"Don't fall head over heels for her. I've had enough experience to advise you about that." Keith, being too absorbed in his game, does not notice my comment. I shrug off my attempt to start a conversation with him, and instead, head upstairs to my room before collapsing onto my bed. I feel the cool metal of my locket against my chest. I slip it off and click it open. It's empty. I just need to fill it with something of more value to me than Harun.

At the thought of him, I instantly groan. I wish that there's something I can do that can take my mind off of him. I initially think of talking to Zahra, but she'll just pester me with questions about her cousin anyways. I ponder on whether I should talk to Hafsa, but I haven't seen her for quite a while. I don't want our first conversation after not seeing each other for a long time be about her brother and how much he sucks. I don't want to put her in such an awkward position.

And then I think of Nick. Those scars that I've seen on his arm...I know that there's some story behind them. I genuinely want to find out how he gained them, but the last time I asked, he was very adamant about not telling me. I remember telling him that I'd ask his sister about what happened to him, but he just scoffed at me.

Now, I decide to go see her anyways.

I slip my locket back on before grabbing my keys, phone, and a random black hijab from my closet. I stroll back into the living room, not surprised that my brother's eyes are still glued to the TV. "Do you have Maddie's number?"

Keith rolls his eyes. "Why would I?"

"I'm taking that as a yes." I grab his phone off the wooden table of the living room. I smirk at him as I unlock the phone. "Aww, how cute. Your password is 'Maddie.' I thought Kara was lying this whole time." Kara, unlike my brother, despises video games. She secluded herself in her room a while ago after losing an argument with Keith over the TV. She wanted it off so that she wouldn't have to watch the gruesome graphics of the game, but he refused. Even though my mom is being so much more lenient nowadays, I still can't fathom why she'd allow him such a ridiculous and gory game.