UNCOUTHLY ATTACHED

UNCOUTHLY ATTACHED: 95.

"Falak? Is that really you?" Her words spurted out, like an old machine waiting to be repaired, the hope in her voice bloomed like flowers during summer. Her heart blossomed with water like a dying ocean getting filled up again.

"Yes, it's me. I missed you do much, Marawiyyah. Where have you been all these years?" Falak hugged her again tightly only to let go of her when she heard an intruder behind them, not so pleasant one too.

"And who do we have here? Another prostitute?" She heard Marawiyyah's stepmother question from the door, her voice held disdain for whoever it is that came to visit her stepdaughter. She's wanted the woman to die with loneliness but no, all her hardworking is going to vain.

"Tune down your voice and don't repeat such word ever again." Falak heard Yazid mumbled to her from the door and that is when she noticed that they made an appearance some seconds ago just to hear another woman linking her disgusting voice at a princess. She didn't know who they were but from the looks of it, they are no untitled people.

"Good afternoon, Baaba." Falak pivoted and gave the wretched woman the smile she always gives her when she is all defensive on her best friend. The woman likes maltreating the girl with any chance she's got and Falak won't have it when she has her way now. She will do what she wants and no one will stop her now. Even then, she will climb on her back when she is beating Mari so she could stop or fall, she doesn't care. As long as her friend doesn't get beaten up.

"F-F-Falak?" You could hear the surprise under laced in that single word she uttered not to talk about the danger she has felt lurking around those powerful people standing in her house. Any bad move from her might land her in trouble and her aging self won't take any other burden of life. And those sirens sound outside, it is enough to get her head back to where it should be.

"Yes, that's me. I hope you are not referring to us as prostitutes. It seems like you haven't stopped messing with my friend here." Falak's eyes held no respect for the woman in front of her knowing just how much she's made her friend suffer and is still making her. She can't even think about the things her friend went through without her. Even when she was there, they hardly are able to fight her off when she brings her trouble. They sometimes sleep outside the house just so she won't beat Mari.

The woman in front of her is approaching sixty but there is no sign of remorse for her bad deeds in the past. She is only showing fear seeing that the people with her can take her and vanish her away from earth. She could hear the sirens blaring just outside her home and the people looking at her with the same emotion as Falak's makes her more frightened. They are like robots, swinging with everything Falak does and their protective stance is enough to shake her petite figure. The regret she didn't want to feel started sipping through her pores, her greying hair becoming more greyer with each passing second. She can't even say a word so she kept quite.

"Anyways, I'm going to take my friend away from you and hopefully, she won't come back. Now if you will excuse us." Falak pivoted her attention back to her rooted friend who watched the scene unfold like she is in another dream again.

"Are you real?" She asked, her voice thick with emotions and her eyes are drained, sorrowful and doubtful. She has been through enough from what Falak could see. Her heart did a little sound of sob for letting her friend go through a lot alone. She should've been there for her, she wished she could change back time and went around to look for her dear friend.

"I am." And they hugged each other again, this time tears running down both their eyes.

Fikriyah dabbed her eyes at the sight she thought she would never see again. The sight she's always wished to see, them all grown up and still tight up together. Her two best friends just together in one place wrap around each others arms. Their tears and sobs brought her out of her reverie so she walked with tentative steps and wrap her arms around them. She buried her face in Marawiyyah's other shoulder and let out few tears.