Good Kid-Bad Kid[COMPLETED]

Chapter 11 (Laila)

I woke up to the sound of rain. I blinked in lazy stupor, my eyes accustoming to the spotted golden light streaming into the room. For a moment all I could see was nature; ferns and tropical looking plants growing under a canopy of tall trees, water dripping pristinely from their large green leaves. The sight made me feel strangely at peace. SubhanAllah, I thought.

Then it registered to me the view was totally rectangular, and I realized all of that was outside, behind a wall-sized window.

Where was I?

Lifting myself with the palms of my hand I slid back until I was leaning against a pillow-covered headboard of a large bed. Everything felt very comfortable, except for something inside me which screamed caution. I rubbed my temples, trying to think back. It vaguely registered to me my hair was loose, half still in a plait, half hanging on either side of my face.
Ugh. Where was my hijab?
Speaking of hijab...
A rush of images filled my head and the shouts of a group of boys, tall and frightening, "take that thing off! Take it off!"
The dark roads, the thugs, a scream...I'd been beat up! I bolted up right.
I. Was. Beaten. Up.
There was no way I wasn't going to report that.

Even as that surge of anger raced through me so did bloom a seed of fear.

Homework. A phone call. An accident...

"Mama" I whispered, hugging my knees to my chest, suddenly feeling very weak and small. My chest tightened and I began to cry, my heart shattering as all the possibilities of what could have happened to mama raced through my mind. Had she been hit by a car? Where was she? What if- what if- I couldn't let myself finish the thought and I cried harder.

"Well, I have to admit the last time I saw someone cry for their mom like that was in elementary school"

I whipped my head up in shock, looking around quickly for the source of the voice.

He was leaning in the door frame, clad totally in black from his cargo pants to plain t-shirt. The filtered golden light from the window cast his face in a combination of light and shadows. He was tall, lean and looked quite fit. The strong jaw line, cheek bones, dark hair and most importantly the bored expression on his face made him look slightly intimidating.
"Who are you?" I asked in a small voice.
"Badr" he replied shortly, then noticing my blank expression he pushed himself off the frame, "I am Badr. You are Laila. Introduction complete"
I winced at his bluntness. If there had been anywhere to go I would have curtly left the room.
Which reminded me.
"Where am I?"
"In a really nice place"
I must have looked ferocious with my bloodshot eyes and dagger like glare, because he shrugged after a moment, "your dad's place"
"W-what?"
The ground seemed to fall beneath me and frost climbed up my spine. My dad's place? Baba's house?! That meant he'd found us. But what did that mean for me exactly?
Once when I was younger and we'd just moved to Arizona,I'd asked my mom if Baba was a scary, dangerous man Mama had shaken her head with a rueful smile, "No, he's not scary or dangerous to us Laila. It's just not safe for us to be around him"
And here I was.
In his house.

"What?" The boy, Badr, asked after five minutes of me staring at him in shock. He shifted uncomfortably, "I know I'm attractive but you could be a little...less
obvious?"
"SHUT UP!" I shouted, kicking off my covers and swinging my feet onto the ground. I realized someone had changed my top to a loose male T-shirt. I swallowed staring at it for a moment.
"You can thank me later"
My mouth dropped open and heat rushed into my cheeks and I was certain I'd gone beetroot.
Badr swallowed in mock fear and backed out of the room as I advanced, his hands up in surrender.
"You-asshole-"
"Oh come on," he laughed, "my eyes were shut the entire-"
He froze suddenly, cocking his head to the side, observing someone in the corridor. His grin left his face and he stood up straight.
"Amu Faris" he said respectfully, bowing his head.
I gulped.
I had the strangest feeling I knew exactly who 'amu Faris' was.
He was my father.