Dare You To Love Me

«13» shadows of love

Out of the corner of his eyes, Fulan watched as Yaseerah reach into her bag and retrieve a can of Betadine spray.

She held it for a moment, her fingers trembling as she sprayed the antiseptic over her open cuts, which to her dismay didn’t stop the bleeding because it was empty. 

Fulan’s brows furrowed into a deep frown as he alternated between watching the road and stealing glances at her.

“Do you carry it around knowing that something like this would happen?” he asked, his tone soft and inquisitive as he broke the silence between them.

He knew that his question might come off as intrusive–which it was–but after what he’d seen earlier, he couldn’t help but be worried about her.

Her tense posture and the way she avoided his gaze confirmed his suspicion, and he turned his gaze fully on her, his voice gentle, as he said, “I think we should go to a hospital.”

And I think you should mind your own business, Yaseerah thought, but she didn’t respond.

Instead, her gaze remained fixed on the window, watching the distant bolts of lightning streak the dark sky.

“Yaseerah,” his voice cut through her thoughts once again, and she began to wonder why she thought it was a good idea to go out with him today.

It wasn’t his fault, really. She was bleeding and any sane person would react the way he was reacting but all Yaseerah wanted in this moment was to lie down in her bed, and forget this whole day ever happened, even though that movie date had been the best, and only date she’d ever gone to.

“We really should go to a hospital to get those wounds cleaned and treated properly.”

Yaseerah shook her head, her voice determined but still a bit disoriented, as she turned to face him, deciding to put an end to this once and for all. “No, I’ll be fine. It’s not as bad as it looks.”

She’d expected him to push the matter further, or try to gently coerce her into following his suggestion, but she didn’t  anticipate him pulling the car to a stop by the roadside, frustration tainting his expression.

She turned her attention towards him, her eyebrows knitted in confusion. “Why are we stopping?” she asked, her voice tinged with annoyance.

“Because we need to sort this out, Yaseerah. I can’t let you go home like this.”

“Can’t or won’t?” she arched an eyebrow as she folded her arms across her chest, unbothered by the splotches of crimson now staining her dress.

“Won’t.”

Yaseerah huffed out a breath, rethinking her earlier thoughts about how sweet and funny he was. This was another side of him she was seeing entirely, and Yaseerah was unsure whether she liked him this way or not.

Fulan sighed, his fingers drumming nervously on the steering wheel. “I can’t force you to go to the hospital if you don’t want to, but I’m not taking you back home like this. So, we’ll just sit here, until you change your mind.” 

Their eyes locked in a silent battle of wills, and the tension in the car thickened.

Yaseerah knew that he wouldn’t budge on the issue, but the thought of exposing more of herself to someone who she shouldn’t be with in the first place made her uneasy.

“Open the door,” she commanded, leaving no room for debate, as she turned hard eyes on him.

“Why?”

“Because if you refuse to take me home, then I'll find my own way back.”

They stared at each other for a few tense moments before he released a weary breath, and released the lock on her side of the door, his shoulders slumping.