𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 - 𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞

fourty-one

It seemed like the Paracha sisters had that one covered already.

"This is all your fault!" Razia hissed at Nas, the two girls bursting into the room.

"How is it all my fault? You stabbed me, Raz!" Nas replied incredulously, gesturing to the area of the wound as if to remind her.

"And you got me put into a referral unit!" Razia fired back.

"What is going on with you two and this girl?" Kaneez snapped suddenly, like a rubber band that had been stretched for too long and needed a release. But the room fell into a tense silence and neither of them gave an answer, causing her to looked over towards her daughter's best friends instead. "Missy Booth, Mollie Wilson, tell me. What is happening? That Sam girl, she's violent!"

"Well violent." Missy was quick to mutter in agreement.

"And she's moody."

"Well moody." Mollie echoed with a nod.

"And she's-" Kaneez stopped as her eyes landed on Nas, and a sudden realisation dawned upon her. Nas looked down and bit her lip, a telling look on her face as she leaned against the door frame. As she met her mother's gaze, she knew that she couldn't hide the truth anymore.

"Sam's my girlfriend." She blurted out, closing her eyes in fearful anticipation of the reaction that she was going to receive from everyone in the room.

Kaneez's mouth parted in shock, a gasp escaping her lips as she processed it. "She's your girlfriend."

"Mum, how are you not kicking off?" Razia frowned, standing up from the arm of the sofa with her arms wide as she couldn't understand how Kaneez was staying so calm.

"It's alright, putra." Kaneez replied in a gentle and understanding tone, raising a hand to wave away Razia's outrage. "I been to Hebden Bridge."

"Sam Murgatroyd's your girlfriend? You're a lesbian?" The younger Paracha sister turned towards Nas in outrage, processing the information for herself.

"Raz, come on. This ain't easy for her." Missy said quietly and gestures towards Nas who wore a troubled expression.

"Are you two lesbians as well?" Salem spoke up suddenly, looking to his sister's friends in pure curiosity rather than any kind of prejudice.

Mollie shook her head with a small smile of amusement, while Aaron shifted uncomfortably.

"What the...no...I...shut up!" He shook his head in slight annoyance at his half-brother's question.

Looking over at Nas as she tried to return to the more serious matter at hand, Missy let out a sigh. "Look, you know she isn't exactly our number one choice for you either."

"Can't help who you fall for, can you?" Nas muttered with a helpless shrug, still avoiding everyone's gaze.

"No. No you can't." Kaneez spoke up, her tone of voice soft yet assuring, causing Nas to finally look up. She met her mother's eyes, which were filled with warmth and acceptance.

It didn't fix everything, but it certainly put some of Nas' inner turmoil at ease and made her feel a little less alone. Her mouth twitched up ever so slightly, a silent signal of her appreciation towards her mother when no words felt appropriate.

The room grew silent, with no one knowing what to say until Nana Paracha looked up from her knitting to speak. Having witnessed the whole situation erupt, Nana shot Nas a meaningful look and spoke a Punjabi saying.

"What does that mean?" Aaron shook his head in confusion, looking around for clarification.

"Follow your heart but take your head with you." Nas said, the trace of a hopeful smile spreading on her face as a small ray of golden sunlight poked through the curtains.