Dark Secrets ✔️

Chapter 22

Afrah's POV

Our faces are now inches apart and I find myself looking at his lips. Mentally, I knew it was wrong, and that's when I realised what I had just done. But there's no going back. And I don't want to go back. As soon as I think of inching closer, he moves back and turns his face around, clearing his throat. I move back, understanding the message. What was I thinking? I must have gone insane.

"I'm_" I start but he interrupts me.

"It's okay." He says and I realize he didn't want to talk about it.

"Assalamualeikum, Afrah," I hear a joyful voice coming from the door. It was Aidah. I didn't even notice when she opened the door. Junaid gets up, grabbing his jacket and leaving as soon as Aidah entered.

"Who was that?" She asks coming to me with baby Malik.

I was feeling so stupid for what I did and regret was written all over my face. Why, Afrah, just why?
How am I supposed to face him now at work? I'm quitting. I'm definitely quitting.

"Afrah, back to earth," Aidah clicks her fingers in front of me.

"Um, what?" I immediately get off the couch.

"I asked who that man was? Did anything happen?" She looks at me with concern.

"I_" I look to the floor as I realize my heartbeat has still not gone back to normal.

"Afrah, are you okay?" Aidah leaves the baby in the pram and steps closer towards me, placing her hand on my shoulder, "Are you crying?" She questions and that's when I realized my eyes were watery.

"No... I just..." I have no excuse and I am not making an effort to make one. What's the point?

"Who was that man? Did he do something to you?" She brings me close and wraps her arms around me. I close my eyes tight, trying to swallow the tears to make sure I don't cry. "Afrah, you're getting me worrying. Did he do anything to you?" She asks and I move away from the hug.

"He didn't do anything, I did... something terribly wrong," I say and rush to my room.

I keep asking myself why I did it but I know the reason perfectly. I'm falling for Junaid. Or better said, I'm already in love with him. I don't know when it happened or even when it started. All I care about right now is how to end it. It is obvious that he doesn't feel the same way towards me. Although sometimes he does things that make me believe that he does. Or maybe it's just me trying to find excuses to feel less pathetic. Whatever that it is, can someone please tell me how to stop this feeling? My heart aches and I want it to stop.

"Afrah," I hear someone call and that's when I realize someone is knocking on the door.

"Come in," I wipe my tears noticing it was my brother.

"Aidah told me you weren't fine. What happened?" He sits next to me on the bed.

"Weren't you staying overnight?" I question while still trying to wipe the tears away.

"I came to grab a change of clothes. Assad told me you went to dine with his mum and he brought you back home. Why didn't you call me to say you would go out tonight? Even if I'm working, I still want to know about your whereabouts." He says and I feel a tear stream down from my eye as soon as I heard Junaid's name. "Afrah_" He stops to look at me, "He went straight home after he dropped you here, right?" He asks and I knew he wanted me to say yes. "Afrah, stop crying and answer me." He speaks a little too authority.

I place my hand on my chest in hope of relieving the pain I felt but it was foolish. I never thought people were serious when they talked about heartbreaks and that their heart and even their stomach, ached in an inexplicable manner, but now I know that it isn't a joke. It really isn't. I felt as if someone was stabbing me over and over again. Because the pain comes and goes.