UNCONDITIONAL

New Girl

On one late evening, Noor sat in front of the living room fireplace, in her usual numb and lifeless state pondering on life and her situation. It had been four months since the night that turned their lives upside down. Prem's behavior towards her had been outright destructive. He was distant enough to take the life out of her and yet near enough to keep her alive. His punishments didn't hurt Noor nearly as much as him keeping her away from himself did. 

Her string of thought was broken by the sound of giggles by the main door. She turned her face to find a woman in a very revealing dress at the doorstep followed by Prem. An evil smile, as if borrowed from the devil himself, found its way onto Prem's lips as he proceeded to place his arm around her back and trace it down until it was settled on the lowest part with his hand resting on her hip. Noor watched him lead her in dumbfounded. Her heart sped up as her stomach churned. He couldn't be doing this. She closed her eyes and turned towards the fireplace again to take a deep breath. This couldn't be happening. She has to be imagining things. He cannot do that to her. The giggles continued and their sound only grew closer causing Noor to open to her eyes and slowly trace them back to Prem and his guest. Her vision had grown blurry from the inevitable tears that built up.

"Oh." Prem suddenly paused in his tracks. "Laila...Let me introduce you to someone. This...is my wife, Noor. Say hi to her if you see her around."

Laila raised her eyebrows in a small smile in recognition at Noor.

"And Noor, this is Laila. My...special guest. You'll see her around a lot from now on. I hope you'll make sure she's comfortable." He told her as one of Noor's tears spilled out onto her cheek causing Prem's smile to instinctively falter. "Let's go, Laila." He immediately said continuing on.

Noor sat feeling the already broken pieces of her heart break further into thousands of more pieces. The sound of each shatter deafening her, breaking her thoughts and blurring her mind. For a moment she thought she would pass out, but it was the misery when she didn't that felt impossible to face. Her life had hit a new low. Their relationship was now on the brink of extinction and it felt like there was nothing she could do to save it. Somewhere in her agony, she must've found her way to her bedroom and said goodbye to the night.

Somehow, Noor's passion for her work and her commitment to discipline overpowered her depressed state of mind. She spent the next day at work keeping her personal emotions and problems at bay. It was when she arrived at home to see Prem seated on the living room sofa with his mistress next to him that her sanity was completely robbed of her. Dropping her purse right where she stood, she headed straight for the bar and without thinking anything, put her lips to a bottle full of vodka. She drank until the bitterness of the liquor forced her to take a break. Alcohol ran down her chin as her bottle found the bar counter again. Her eyes pierced through Prem's as she wiped her chin and picked up the bottle again. Tears formed in eyes as the drink poured down her throat. When she thought she had had enough, she slammed the bottle back onto the countertop and began over to Prem already feeling a bit drowsy.

"Move." Noor sternly ordered the woman next to her husband.

"No!" She refused.

"Fucking move before I make you!" Noor wasn't in the mood to negotiate. Laila hesitated for another moment but eventually gave in and moved away.

Prem watched on as Noor placed her legs on either side of his thighs and took a seat on his lap facing him. She placed both of her arms around his neck brought her face close enough to touch his nose. Tears poured out of eyes as she closed them to subtly let her nose touch his.

"Prem..." She whispered rubbing her nose lightly with his. "Why are you doing this?" Unable to say anything, Prem responded by simply being still, allowing her to go on over an increasing heartbeat. "I love you." Noor ran her fingers through his hair at the back of his head and angled her face to meet his lips. Just as their lips touched, Prem withdrew. In the quick glance he stole up at Noor, she saw tears built up in his eyes. He would have lost all control over himself if he allowed her to carry on for one more second. Getting a hold of her waist and placing her on the couch next to him, rather roughly, he stood up.