Strings Attached

~Chapter 15~

The room had cream, homey walls, two single beds, two tables, two chests of drawers and two wardrobes. The bathroom was common though, along with the attached kitchenette. Everything was pretty comfy. No wonder the rent was so high. Uncle had chosen carefully, nevertheless. And I was thankful for that.

Once I'd had my things brought up (the room was on the second floor), I quickly freshened up as I was called downstairs for a chat to close the deal and discuss a few things with my guardian and the two women. They seemed sort of biased to me. And I decide then and there to trouble them in the least.

I take my seat on one of the sofas in the quaint little parlor where the three of them are sitting and they observe me curiously, all three of them. I squirm inwardly.

"I hope you found the room to your liking, Ms. Ali," the stern one addresses me. "I did, thank you ma'am." I decide to be polite from the very beginning. "Very good."

"Now, we and your guardian here have decided on the rent. It's to be £150 initially which Mr. Jabbar has so kindly agreed to pay out of his own purse. However, seeing as you are here on a scholarship which shall only pay for a part of your expenses, we shall lessen it to £120 a month."

Oh, how kind of you! I grimace internally.

"Also, we have a few rules in this place that you will need to follow. You shall be allowed visitors only on Fridays and Sundays. But mind you, we shall not entertain any male guests at our establishment. We like to keep it decent and traditional here." At this, Uncle Jabbar looks at me and in spite of being free of all blame, I find myself feeling uncomfortable.

Drat you, Hiba!

"You shall cook your meals yourself so remember to stock the fridge. There's laundry service available and a matron shall come to collect your clothes every five days. She shall be available on other days too, in case you need anything. So, it's quite nice and comfortable here, even if I say so myself."

When Mary Sykes (her sister has literally camouflaged herself with the wall) has pounded all of her rules into my brain with exceptional thoroughness, we get out into the open air for a look round the place. I have to say, it's very well kept. There's a garden on all four sides of the house and there are about 12 rooms at service in the building itself.

So, 24 girls in all, I calculate. That is, if all of the rooms are meant for two, like mine. By no means large but a good number. I hope I like it here and the matron and this woman don't crush me between themselves. Matrons are said to be cruel, if the movies are anything to go by.

By the time we're done scouring the place, it's already 2 'o clock and Uncle Jabbar reminds that we still need to go job hunting. So we ask the two owners for my room's keys, I lock the door and we're on our way.

There's a bustling desi market in Salford where there are all kinds of shops, from restaurants to sweets shops and veggies and spice markets, from traditional dressmakers to high end brands' stores. There's a little bookstore tucked in the middle of a dry cleaning place and a 'Boti and Kabab' joint and I'd have liked it very much to work in a place as secluded as that, but Uncle Jabbar drives right past it.

After twenty more minutes of maneuvering through the traffic and turning a few streets, we arrive at a not so secluded (but not over the top either) cafe called 'Sunny Side Up'. That's a funny name for a cafe, but I don't get to ponder upon it for long.

"I know the manager of this place. She is a homely lady. I chose this place because mostly females work here, so you won't feel uncomfortable among them. Also, the pay is good," Uncle explains as we go inside.

God! He thinks of everything. I don't know if I should be thankful or feel irritated that he's literally dictating me where to live and work, just when he's thrown me out of his house. Might I remind myself before I bury myself in gratitude that he needs to do all this if I have to study here and not starve while I'm at it.

My senses are met with a sweet scent of coffee mixed with vanilla cake as soon I enter the cafe, and the quiet and dimly lit ambience gives me a much needed sense of calmness which makes me instantly like the place.

However, I'm quickly scurried to an interview with the manager and she's quite pleased with the fact that I have more than a passing knowledge of baking. I'm employed at £30 per week and shall work on alternate days. Seems like a fine arrangement so I agree and we get going from there. We pray at a mosque in the vicinity and Uncle drops me back at the hostel.

When I get to my room, I'm hella tired and on top of that, I've to arrange my stuff and cook for myself. Which reminds me, I never got the groceries. Great!

It takes me more than two hours to navigate through the streets around the hostel and buy all that I'd need to make a decent meal and when I get back, I see a girl lying flat on her stomach in the bed on my side of the room and all of my things thrown onto the floor.

I don't know how she escaped the Sykes' notice but this girl smells and it reminds of the one thing I'm trying to forget.

Suddenly, I just drop everything and quickly dialing my Abba's number, I tell him everything that has happened in the last forty eight hours, crying intermittently into the phone and feeling like I could use a hug. Just one. To feel anchored, to feel like I belong and I'm not alone.

But only a desk chair comes in sight. So I flop onto it and making best friends with the table, I fall asleep. Abba must have hung up.

____

I know Hidayah seems dramatic just now, but you've gotta understand her and put yourself in her shoes. For girls like her, dignity is everything. And if you're a pampered little girl at home or if your parents are even slightly overprotective, you'll definitely be overwhelmed in such circumstances, I'm sure.

But I promise you, she'd get better with time. I want her to and I'm sure you all do too :)

Next up will hopefully be in Daniyal's POV. His point of views are a whole lot more interesting, don't you think? Well, at least, I do! 

Anyway, until next time (which I hope will be soon)

~Cheers,

Amenah <3