Against The Tide (Formerly Two Tribes)

12: Like A Cakewalk

"I wanted to tell you earlier but you have been so busy, I didn't want to disturb you."

"Wow! So there's something to tell."

"He asked me to marry him."

"Oh, my God! He did?"

Afrah hummed.

"And what was your response?"

"Of course I refused."

"What?"

"Hear me out."

"Okay, I'm all ears."

"You know what we've been through. I have told you everything. He's married. Even though I still love him, I turned him down because I felt bad for his wife. I imagined myself in her shoes. I wouldn't want the same thing to be done to me. I really pitied her until she came to confront me."

"Wait...what?" Amal blinked. "His wife came to his house to confront you?"

Afrah exhaled slowly, the long whoosh of air just barely steadying her pulse. Her blood boiled as she recalled the words Najah had hurled at her. "She did. She said really horrible things to me."

Humorlessly, Amal chuckled and entrapped her finger between her teeth. "Why didn't you call me? I would have put her in her place. I trust you did just that, did you?"

"Of course," Afrah replied. "That woman is an unequivocal definition of an idiot. Here I was, ready to sacrifice my love for Jameel for her sake but the stupid woman thinks I'm the one throwing myself at her husband. Someone that I can easily tell to divorce her and he would? It's just like a cakewalk for me.

Amal inclined her head in surprise at her friend's words. "What exactly did the woman say to you?"

"A truckload of rubbish," Afrah hissed. "She told me how she and Jameel have created an unbreakable bond, bla bla bla. She also called me a homewrecker," she laughed. "That woman finished me with insults sha, but trust me to give it back to her in ten folds. I threw it to her face that for Jameel to have been able to keep his distance from her only means he didn't find her attractive at all and never will. I also called her a woman of easy virtue. Thinking of it now, I said some mean shit to her. I kind of feel bad for making that particular statement. It might be true but-"

"But she also called you a homewrecker, so it's balanced. You're even. She called you a homewrecker and you called her a wench."

"I feel I went overboard," Afrah lowered her head. "But she pushed my button. She told me she was going to seduce Jameel to spite me. She even implied she was better looking than me-that in terms of looks, I don't stand a chance against her. She provoked me into saying all of those things to her. I really didn't mean to stoop as low as she did."

Amal hummed. "You two really went at each other hard."

"Which I regret. I shouldn't have lost my cool. I should have allowed her to make a fool of herself, but it's fine, after Jameel and I get married, I'm going to show her that I'm not one to be messed with. She's going to regret crossing me. I was on my own o when this woman decided to look for my trouble. I didn't start this, she did and she will have to face the music. Like I said earlier, just two words from me to Jameel and he is going to send her packing, but she's lucky I'm not a vile person. I'm just going to make Jameel see her for who she truly is and divorce her of his free will. I won't even pressurize him."

Amal held Afrah's face, turning her head and making their gazes meet. "Is that the reason you agreed to marry him? To prove a point to his wife? You're not getting married because you love him?"