Within the Sins

١٤ A Mask Unfolded

أنا برتاح، يا حبيبي، و أنا عيني شايفاك.

Yazid Richoux. Yes, that sounds much better than his current last name. He should have changed his last name to his mother's French one long ago. He has been wanting to carry her name ever since his parents finalized the divorce. But it is okay that he did not as it does not matter anymore.

Hitting the back of his head against the rock wall behind him, Yazid attentively watches Aseel walking passed him and towards the front door. "Where the hell do you think you're going?" He had dragged her back inside the apartment, meanwhile pulling a black tank top over his head.

She has been blowing up Mais' phone since early morning. It is now noon, and the girl has not picked up yet, nor has she come home yet.

Aseel insisted on Yazid leaving her friend's home, but he refused. He has been waiting for hours for the young woman to come home. There is no way he will let this slide. Slamming the door shut after Aseel opens it, the young man intends to find out what Aseel is doing in such a neighborhood and hanging out with such a girl.

"You aren't going through that threshold 'til you tell me what brings you here."

Aseel does not even try to fight the door open. She turns around and rubs her forehead. "None of your business."

"Do not talk to me that way. I won't have it."

Her lips curl up. "Oh, you're cute."

She has always stood her ground, sure, but she has never disrespected him. After moving to Amman, he has learned that the older person must always be respected; he made that very clear to his sisters early on. He expected nothing less from them. There is a first for everything, but firsts do not have to necessarily be forgiven for being firsts.

He clutches her wrist and pulls her forward. "Just because I'm out of the house, doesn't mean I no longer exist. I still have your blood, so don't go there, kid. Don't. Consider that a warning."

Before either of them can do anything else, the door behind Aseel starts to open. Yazid lets go of her wrist and takes a step back, giving Aseel enough space to move away from the door.

The familiar velvet-haired girl walks in, standing as straight as she was last night. Last night, Yazid might have been enthralled by the way she carried herself, but now he sees that it is all a façade.

As soon as Mais closes the door behind her, Yazid takes a step towards her. His hand immediately wraps itself around her neck, pushing her into the door.

"Don't even bother trying," he orders his sister, who he senses is charging towards him, while staring at Mais.

She does as told. She knows better than intervening when her brother turns angry.

Yazid's face lacks any particular expression, and he does not feel anything either. "What's your name?"

"Mais," she whispered, voice laced with horror.

"What's your real name?" he clarified, his hand now squeezing her throat.

She whimpers. "Raneem."

He pecks her cheek. "Good girl." He reaches for her hair and starts dragging her towards her bedroom.

"What are you going to do with her?" Aseel asks.

"You stay here. Do not go home," he orders while looking towards Raneem's open bedroom door.

"Yazid," Aseel mumbles, starting to walk towards the bedroom.