Wounded: Our Journey Home

Wounded- Chapter Eight

"That's nice," I whispered, but inside I am freaking out. Yeah I was able to come out today, but that doesn't mean I'm ready to see him.

"I think he's trying to get the 411 on you from Aunt Jamila, but she's not budging. Something about girl code."

He's checking up on me? What happened to space? Then again, he didn't come to the house since that day.

"That sounds like her," I laughed it off and kept my eye on the door. "Well I have to get going. I'll see you later?"

"Yeah," She nodded, but her head was trained on her phone screen.

As I excited the store, I tried to hide myself from anyone, but that's kind of hard to do when you're wearing bright colors and have your body weight in bags hanging on your arms. But nonetheless, I managed to make it across the street towards the Diner before I heard my name. So close...

"Ayah, wait up!"

Turning around, I saw Jafar run up to me with a determined look on his face. I'm not going to lie, he looks nice today, but then again, he always did. I did fall in love with his looks when we first got married, but as I got to know him, his attitude outweighed what was on the outside. Slightly...

"Hey," He grinned with his hands stuffed into his cargo pockets. He always did that...

I returned the grin. "Hi."

"I know you said you wanted space, but I couldn't help myself but to talk to you," He explained, a guilty expression coating his features. "And I wanted to apologize."

"It's fine," I assured him and not so descreetly adjusted the bags on my arms.

Jafar saw me struggling and came closer. "Let me help you."

I quickly declined. "It's fine I--"

"Ayah," He warned and grabbed the bags from me and carried them with ease. "Let me give you a ride."

"No," I declined again. "I was going to the Diner anyways."

"I'll take you home after we make a stop at the diner. I wanted to see Dianne anyways."

"Jafar, I told you that we can't go back to normal."

"I know that," He said with a pained expression. "But acting civilized to each other is still an option."

"Yeah, but—"

"Please, Ayah. I just want us to at least talk, with the occasional smile."

To emphasize his point, he smiled at me, dimples showing. I huffed in annoyance. He knows I can't resist his smile. He looks too much like his neice.

Reluctantly I nodded. "Okay."

-*-

"Amna, I'm serious. Don't let her out of your sight!"

"I won't," Amna said and squeezing Mina's hand to put her point across. "I will watch them both, you can count on me."

As soon as we watched them walk inside the arcade again, Jafar and I walked side by side to the Diner, keeping an appropriate distance between us. I know we don't have to, but it doesn't feel right to walk close to each other. But out of the cornor of my eye, I can see he's not okay with the distance.

"How long are you here for?" I finally asked once we were a couple of doors down.

From the cornor of my eye, again, I could see Jafar smile in happiness because I started the conversation.