YASMEEN'S P.O.V
"We are going to be late!" I half yelled to my roommate, Fatumi. She's Ethiopian. She has the most unreal long black hair I've ever seen. Oblong face, perfect doe eyes, golden brown skin, cheekbones to die for and a spellbinding smile. To be honest she had it all.
We met at the café. She almost spilled piping hot coffee on me, then she paid for my coffee. Turns out, she was in my class!
"I'm done I'm done!" She rushed out, simultaneously trying to strap her sandals and fix her hijab. I roll my eyes. She always makes us late.
"I heard our psychology professor has been changed " Jafaa said over lunch. I know what you are thinking; law students, psychology, what is the relation right? Well if you understand how the human mind works, you will know how a criminal think and your job will be easier.
"Nooooooo why????" Fatumi whined and I rolled my eyes, knowing where this was going. I tried to ignore her as I continued to pick the grilled chicken pieces from my salad.
"Why? Why? Why??" She half yelled dramatically, resting he head on my body.
Although I totally understand part of her pain. Professor Curt was a sweet man. "Sweet man" look at me talking like a white girl! My brothers will trip!
"Man get your big head off of me!" I laughed out.
"He was soo hot!" She added, drooling.
"He is over forty!" Jafaa yelled, looking like he's about to pass out. I burst out laughing.
"So?" Fatumi asks blandly. It doesn't even surprise me anymore. She has a crush on all our male professors. And only a handful are young.
"They said he retired because his wife is terminally sick" Jafaa said. Oh.
It made me remember my late parents. I say a quick prayer for them.
"Well I hope the new one is as hot as Curt"
"Fatumi, shut up" Jafaa said making us laugh again. She exasperates him.
***
"I am doctor MB Rimi. I will be taking over from Professor Curt, your psychology teacher who regrettably had to leave us. " the new lecturer says without cracking a smile. He was wearing a maroon sweater with black pants. A pair of glasses suspended on him nose.
"Giiiirrrlll are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Fatumi asked, already drooling over the oddly familiar man. He has deep set eyes. Deep set eyes like my father's. Wait, i know i almost never looked at his face but i can't be mistaking. It him! They followed me?! God please no, no please no.
My brain suddenly forgets how to breathe. My lungs constrict, my intestines tripple knot themselves and my heart goes haywire in my chest. As if that wasn't enough, the room begins to close in on me. Oh God...
MUBASSHIR'S P.O.V
Ruckus coming from the midsection of the class makes me roll my eyes. Kids. They will always try to fraustrate the new teacher.
I turn around and there is a bunch of students hovering over something, or someone. I walk up the rows to where they were.
"What is happening here?" I ask.
"She suddenly started gasping. I think she can't breathe!" A black boy rushed out, worry written all over his features .
"Move away. She needs air. Is she asthmatic?" I ask as the students start to move away, allowing my line of sight to be blessed.
A girl, almond eyes, button nose, puckered lips. Pretty face. Yasmeen.
She looks at me with so much horror and scorn in her eyes, It takes me aback. What did I do?
"Close your eyes and try to breathe normally" I told her, trying to ignore the tiny pang of hurt in my chest caused by her gaze. She shook her head vigorously, 'no' falling from he lips.
"What is her name?" I ask the girl sitting next to her.
"Yasmeen" My heart did a flip. Its really her. How? A lone tear ran down her left cheek. She was clearly having a full blown panic attack.
"Take her to the nurse please "
Some students scrambled up and out of the room, holding her up with her arm slinged around their shoulders. Seeing her brought back all the questions i had and more.
"Doctor?" A small voice came, interrupting my thoughts. They were all looking at me because I stood staring at where the girl was, lost.
"Yes let's carry on!"
After the class ended, i found myself walking toward the infirmary. I couldn't help it. I opened the doors and walked in quietly. There were a handful of students around and about the infirmary. Obviously ditching class because none of them looked sick. I shook my head.
I looked at the entry book at the reception to find her name. Yasmeen Sulayman- room 3. I was about to push open the door when the nurse came out.
"I gave her a tranquilizer. She's out cold now. This is the second time this week. The fifth since this month. She might need to see a psychologist. I don't think these are just panic attacks" The nurse says.
"What are you suspecting?"
"PTSD " my heart drops. Is that why she flipped in class today? It means she saw me and I brought back memories of something that happened to her back in Rimi. I am one of her triggers. Is it the death of her parents?
"Doctor " the nurse says, her voice yanking me out of my thoughts.
"Yes, refer her to the hospital then?"
"That is what i was thinking. I'll do just that" she turns to leave.
"Can i see her?" I ask almost impulsively. Although i didn't quite need her permission. I can do whatever the hell i please.
"Sure" she says, skeptically.
She was lying sprawled across the white eight spring bed, like she was physically knocked out. She was eerily pale and her face was creased in distress as though what was hunting her went beyond the boundaries of her drug induced slumber.
"What happened to you Yasmeen?" I whispered unconsciously, struggling to keep my hand from stoking the creases out of her brow.
Since the first day at the palace, I've felt a pull towards her. Not necessarily in a romantic way but a pull nonetheless. The way her face was bashed on that day made me so angry. Although I managed to mask it, I wanted to ruin who ever was responsible for her pain.
She stired and I almost passed out. If she wakes up and catches me staring into her face like a freak, a second panic attack is bound to occur. I snatched my eyes away from her face and looked at my time piece. I've been ten minutes. I better go.
YASMEEN'S P.O.V
I walked down the general hospital halls with my referral letter clutched so hard I was almost crumpling it. Anxiety didn't even begin to describe what I was feeling. When I woke up, the nurse smiled at me like i was about to die. It confused me.
"I think you need to see a doctor " she had said. She didn't give me a reason, just a letter. A big part of me wanted to rip the letter to pieces because I have a feeling I know where this is going.
A/N
LORD HAVE MERCY! I HAVE NEVER WRITTEN A MORE DIFFICULT CHAPTER! TBH, ALMOST TOOK THE ENTIRE BOOK DOWN! TO TOP IT OFF, THE CHAPTER IS STILL POOR! UGHH!
