*Trigger Warning: Harassment and related themes
When Zonish had left for Minhaj Residence leaving Hejab's engagement ceremony in the middle, she just had one thing on her mind, get that file from Swera, thank her for this favour and get back home as soon as she could. And it was going according to plan till she bumped into a certain Hesham Baig and now everything was feeling out of syllabus.
She hadn't replied to his comment earlier. She had no time to waste on another bicker session. Ignoring him, she looked around waiting for Swera to make an appearance as soon as she could. Hesham was still standing there as if he had all the time in the world and he decided to kill it by making her want to kill him.
Swera had mentioned calling her when Zonish got there. She was being cautious and Zonish didn't want to make things difficult for her by not playing along but damn, Hesham Baig loved being a pain in the ass didn't he?
He had opened his mouth again to say something more when Zonish covered it with her palm. It was her last resort. He wasn't cooperating and she didn't want to get caught. Not before getting her hands on the damned case file.
"Will. You. Shut. Up?"
She asked through gritted teeth looking around lest they should be spotted by a guard. Hesham raised an eyebrow.
"Are you planning a murder?"
"Yes, yours. So if you wish to live, just shut up. What are you even doing this in the first place?"
She asked, making a face. Her palm had left his mouth by now and she was waiting for an answer even though just now she had asked him to shut the hell up. Kids.
"This is a free country and I'm a legal citizen. So, this question is technically, ethically, and morally wrong."
"Technically you don't live here. Ethically you're skewed. And morally you are trying to stick your nose in something that does not concern you at all. Choose your fighter carefully, Baig."
"If the fight is with you then I sure will."
Zonish rolled her eyes. She was doing that a lot tonight. She had left her sister's ongoing function and Hejab wasn't going to let it slide easily, she was stuck here in a meaningless banter with this over smart fella and Swera wasn't just coming out of her house.
"Look, Baig! I have no inten..."
"Zonish!"
Swera's hushed call made them both turn their heads to the side. She was coming out from the back door opening into the lawn area of the house. They were standing on the gravel floor leading to the parking area of the bungalow. She reached them in hurried steps.
"Here!"
The file was in Zonish's hand the next moment.
"Only I know how I got my hands on this. The details at some places are a bit vague so you'll have to research on your own as well. Also, it should stay between the two of us that I gave this to you. Baba doesn't know. The file was in his bottom drawer and bottom drawer means hands off. So take care of that. Also, is this the project partner you mentioned. Pretty handsome. Never knew they had such good looking guys in you department. Nice."
Yup. Typical Swera Ansar. Zonish looked at the file in her hand and then at the person standing next to her. He was grinning ear to ear like he just got voted the president. Boys.
"Well, about that..."
Zonish could tell he was about to introduce himself. She swatted his extended arm away and stood straight.
"Thank you for everything, Swera. I'll take care of what you've said. Don't worry about that."
"No matter your resting poker face, you actually are pretty trustworthy, Zonish. So, I had to help you the way I could. I should get back inside before Baba comes to know what's up. Good night to you both. And I got that you don't wanna introduce this stud to me. Better luck next time I guess."
She grinned and giving an adios gesture to Zonisha and Hesham, went inside just like she had come.
"That was interesting."
She closed her eyes as if summoning every patience fairy. Now she'd have to negotiate with ...him. The mood of the day was cursed. Sorry Hejab. Turning around she looked him right in the eye.
"You heard her! Don't mention this..."
The file flashed before Hesham's face.
"To anyone!"
"That's not how you make a deal."
"I'm not making any deal with you! What are you even doing here? Seems like the universe wanted to test my level of patience so sent...you!"
"You don't have any level of patience, sit down. And to answer your question, Barrister Ansar Minhaj is going to be the lawyer I'll be training under the guidance of. I came to meet him but before that met you instead and whatever was going on here seemed more interesting than the old man's ramblings."
Zonish didn't know how to react to this.
"Whatever. Just don't tell anyone."
She was so close to losing her cool, if there was any in the first place. Hesham smiled seeing her annoyed expressions.
"I won't tell anyone. You can trust me as someone who's your sister's close friend."
She was silent as if waiting for him to continue. Smart journalist in making.
"Tag me along with you on this project."
Her face scrunched in an expression of confusion and then she sighed loudly.
"Just because Swera was stupid enough to think you're my project partner doesn't mean I'm too. Stay away from this."
"As you wish."
He held up his hands in surrender. Zonish pushed him aside to get to her car.
"You know why Swera is hiding the fact from her father that she gave you Musa Behroz's case file?"
He put his hands in his pocket and looked at her seriously.
"This is one of the very few cases in Ansar Minhaj's forty years long successful career which he lost. He doesn't even like to bring it up in any conversation as well. Like something he wants to forget. Doesn't it make you curious why though? Losing cases is a part and parcel of a lawyer's career then why is he so touchy about it?"
He was all business now. The playfulness was gone. Zonish was just watching this shift.
"I don't know about you but I've been curious since the day I got to know about it. So, I want to be a part of your project. I'm not asking for any mention on your final report. I'm doing this because I want to do this."
"You just said you are going to train under his supervision. And now you want to dig something that most probably isn't liked by him. A reason why I don't trust you lawyers. You guys are such backstabbing twats."
Hesham grinned. He liked her vocabulary.
"And your journalists are such nosy pests. But do you see me complaining here? Also. I'm training under him, and haven't signed up as his fan. I can have questions, now can't I?"
Zonish could see he wasn't backing down. One thing which was common in lawyers and journalists. This was either going so right or so wrong and she was leaning more towards the latter.
Touche.
______
The thing about being in medical school is, the drill is never over. Starting his fourth year, Izaan felt the small respite he had after the professional exams went away too soon. But that's how it is and that's how it goes. He had started with new course books and all the added strain of another year of MBBS and life had kind of come back to its same monotone as it used to be.
"Amma not anymore."
He made a face seeing Memoona putting another toast in his plate even though he wasn't done with the previous one yet.
"Stay put! The whole month of your exams how you were careless towards your meals! I'm making up for that."
"I'm eating just fine."
"You call it fine?"
She pointed towards his plate. He just shook his head. To his side the twins were sitting and by their sniggering, he could feel they were pretty relieved they weren't being pampered by their mother. Ha. Af as if it wouldn't come.
"You two! Stop nibbling on your breakfast and start eating!"
Izaan's lips curled into a smile which didn't go unnoticed by his brothers. It was no news in this household, Memoona's pampering was cute but at times scary.
"I'm already about to explode."
"By eating just one slice?"
"It was loaded with your love Amma."
"It was filled with oil he meant."
Ibtihaj's attempt at making a cute excuse and Ibsam blowing it right there. Typical.
Memoona patted Ibtihaj's head and mock glared at Ibsam who looked away knowing too well that another smart comment from him and he would be done for. Evoking Memoona's typical desi mum side was never a good option.
"Amma, has Sumera Khala shifted to her new place?"
Izaan asked, opening Abba's medicine box to have him take his regular dose in front of his eyes. Kamran Ansari wasn't someone to stick to the concept of regularity when it came to his medicines and Izaan knew that well more than anyone else. That's why it was his responsibility to take care of this before going to college.
"Not yet. The house needed some renovation work so that is going on right now. After that she'll shift right away."
Memoona's face had formed into a smile on her sister's mention. Sumera was the youngest among the siblings and when it came to in-laws, the most unfortunate ones. Her story was highlighted by long years of endurance and patience and now was the time when she was finally getting her due. It was only natural that her siblings were happy for her.
"She and her kids suffered a lot at the hands of this joint family system. It's sometimes the biggest bane in a person's life. Finally she can be out of that house and live life without any restrictions. Astagfar! Her kids are all mature now and still her mother and father in law use to have complete hold on her every activity."
Kamran Ansari exclaimed and all others nodded in agreement.
"Amma will we go and visit her once she moves in?"
Ibtihaj asked. He was friends with Sumera's kids as they were all around his and Ibsam's age. Ibsam, though, didn't share the sentiment. He wasn't close with any of his cousins like Ibsam or Izaan were.
"Of course! I've already told your Baba to keep a nice gift ready. I won't be going empty handed to my sister's new place, the one she's gotten after years of being caged in that no less than a prison ancestral house of her in-laws."
"I remember. And I have taken care of it as well. Don't you worry about it."
Shoaib reassured his wife with a smile. She would always go all out for people she loved. Sumera was also one of those.
"Khala's neighbourhood is nice though. From that shady area to this colony, that's a progress. Better than us though. I'm sure we'll be forever stuck here in Gulshan."
Ibsam put in with his opinion. He wasn't entirely wrong but his tone wasn't right nor was his choice of words and Ibtihaj knew he wasn't the only one who had felt that. But no one wanted to pinpoint it. That's how families work. You have to ignore something obvious because you don't want to ruin the peace. They all did that. By contradicting Ibsam and telling him that he was just being materialistic, and somewhat greedy, they wouldn't want to open a new debate. This is the used formula of taking care of the rebellious ones, ignoring them so that they wouldn't think their opinions have much weight. But this approach often backfires because tackling a problem head on is far better than ignoring it but even the most close knitted families avoid conflict among them. They don't like this word and they don't talk about it openly lest it should become more tangible and vivid.
The conversation had been steered away to some other topic by Ibtihaj. Abba was now sharing a funny anecdote from Sumera's wedding. Just like old people do when they remember some stuff. But Izaan was eyeing Ibsam with a thoughtful expression. He wanted to play Ibsam's increasing insolent behaviour cool, a part of growing up but sadly he couldn't. He was a good listener, and good at giving advice as well. But he was sure his advice wouldn't be liked by Ibsam. So maybe right now, giving this some time was the best option.
He was the last person to leave the table. Ibsam and Ibtihaj had already left for their university. Karam Ansari and Shoaib were busy in a conversation that was mostly related to business and politics. Izaan picked up his things and came to the kitchen to tell Memoona he was leaving as well.
"You're not returning early today, hun?"
"Most probably not. Our clerkship for Pathology is starting from today so I'll be late."
"That's sad. Safwa is coming over today so I thought you'd be able to meet your friend."
Izaan's hands which were busy checking his folder stopped. He looked at his mother raising an eyebrow.
"Don't be like this. Can't she come to meet me?"
The idea of her coming to his place and him not even being at home wasn't appealing in the slightest but he just shook his head.
"It's not like this, Amma."
"It shouldn't be. She's actually going to teach me to make her world famous cookies which you enjoyed so much and didn't even share one with us."
He laughed lightly at her accusation. It was true. He really hadn't shared Safwa's cookies with anyone.
"Once I learn from her I will bake for you. You seem to like them a lot."
Izaan shook his head. His smile was telling Memoona what he himself didn't and she narrowed her eyes. The guy was clearly saying through his face that she couldn't make those like Safwa. Before she could react to this he was out of the kitchen door. Memoona laughed.
"Shoaib Sahab! You are worrying over nothing. Your boy's in deep as well. I wasn't being delusional. Mothers know stuff. They always do."
She went back to her previous task. Every worry had vanished from her mind.
_________
What follows a successful play is pretty obvious, the work on the next one starts right there. The taste of applause is sweet and it doesn't let you sit still. And when you've always been called the show stealer, it gets more serious. Example noted: Elaf Daud.
She was sitting with her club members in the behind room of the main auditorium. Professor Kaleem had asked them to come up with a new idea for the next play as soon as possible. Seemed like the man was trying to make up for his absence by these back to back shows.
"We should definitely try something vintage like last time. It worked wonders."
Naveen looked up from her phone to see their reaction. They all nodded but Elaf knew this wasn't gonna cut it. They already had tried the vintage formula. Repetition was boring for the audience so they'd have to think of something else.
She sighed leaning more into the chair. An hour of meaningless discussion with nothing finalized yet on how to move forward with the next concept. She was hungry. Safwa was busy in her classes, so was Hesham, Izaan hadn't shown up in three days which meant his fourth year at Medical school had also begun and Sarim was in Lahore.
Yeah, Lahore. He had not disclosed the details but he went there for an ongoing workshop. He was a man with many contacts. Exposure in the freelance side of business and his numerous internships had given him this exposure at least so, he was away for two days now.
Two days aren't long. Lahore isn't that far away from Karachi as well.
Elaf grumbled.
Screw that.
Two days are pretty long and Lahore is like the different corner of the country. She was missing her squad but she was missing Sarim Haider the most. He was in contact with them all and waas updating them about his small business related trip every now and then but Elaf figured out video conference calls were overrated. They really didn't serve much purpose. How her Mama was almost always face timing Khala, she would never know.
But not that she was missing that oversmart dumbass. Not a chance.
"Elaf, are you listening to us?"
"Hun?"
She looked at Naveen who shook her head signalling all others to get up.
"Seems like we all are tired. Let's gather around tomorrow and give it a final touch, okay?"
They all agreed with Rabea. Naveen handed the file to Elaf. She was supposed to give it to Professor Kaleem so made her way towards his office only.
"Come in!"
She entered inside after getting the permission. Professor Kaleem in his trademark easygoing persona was talking to someone already seated there. He looked at Elaf and gestured to her to take a seat.
"Elaf's here."
The woman turned in her seat. Only her back was towards Elaf so now that she could see her face, Elaf concluded she was only a few years older than her. She smiled in Elaf's way nodding her head in acknowledgment.
"This is ...."
"Sir, I'll introduce myself to her. Don't fret."
She was talking with the Professor like they were old pals. Her energy was very easy to approach. Elaf didn't know if to smile lightly or grin in her way. Both would work just fine.
"I'm Faryal Elahi. Founder and Producer of DreamIt academy. As you must've guessed by now me and my time organize plays and recruit talented people who are fitting for theater. Professor Kaleem here is kind of my mentor."
Elaf had an idea. She had seen this girl in the audience during their plays a few times.
"I sometimes come to meet him because my Baba used to say that a good teacher is a treasure forever and he's right. Professor's praises are still stingy and his criticism is still stinging."
"I won't say I'm sorry for that. I think it's important to motivate the students to do better."
"Yeah, if you say so."
She had gotten up to leave.
"By the way I've seen you perform, Elaf. Some mad talent you've got there specially your eyes and facial expressions are your strongest fronts. Keep it going."
She took out a card from her purse and looked at Professor.
"Don't mind me, sir. Even though she's under your supervision right now but if someday she changes her mind, I'm not saying a no. There's no treasure bigger than talent, my Baba's daughter says this. She's pretty cool."
She was cool. Elaf concluded. How easily she was conversing with Professor Kaleem. The confidence could fill the whole room.
She gave the card to Elaf and giving her a nod went out from the room. Professor Kaleem was saying something and Elaf had turned towards him. The card was no longer on the table. It was in Elaf's pant pocket right away.
_______
"It seems like you guys are all nerds all of a sudden and the only person who comes to university to kill time is me. The same old me."
Elaf pouted as Safwa, Hesham and she made their way towards the cafeteria. Both Safwa and Hesham had just gotten free from their back to back lectures.
"You better leave the poor time alive and start planning how to kill Sarim once he gets back here. We haven't graduated yet and the dude's already mingling with the wrong crowd. Lahore for four days? Does he not miss us? "
Elaf and Safwa weren't expecting a full fledged rant from him but it's Hesham we are talking about. Elaf was part of the dramatics club in person and he in spirit. They knew that by now.
"And what about that house doctor!"
He rounded on Safwa who rolled her eyes. He was overdoing it.
"Why would I know?"
"You were the one who told us his classes start from Monday."
Safwa looked sideways. What kind of accusation was it? It wasn't her fault she and Izaan talked daily. Almost. And he had told her his schedule when the conversation flew.
"Not my fault I'm better at keeping in touch with my friends than you. Baig!"
"Friend. That's a very fancy word."
His suggestive smile made Safwa want to empty her tea styrofoam cup on his head. They were so immersed in their bickering that they didn't see Elaf was frowning at her phone with deep concentration.
"Now, what happened to Shorty here? Is Sarim enjoying too much in Lahore?"
But he knew it was something serious. Her expressions were grim. Safwa took her phone out of her hand and looked at what she was reading just a moment back. Hesham also bent his head to know what the hell was happening.
Elaf looked around. Many people sitting in the cafe were imitating the same energy as their table. Some were talking amidst themselves, some were talking as if a new debate had begun and it had.
Reeja Inayat had put allegations of harassment and misbehavior on Furqaan Akmal. The post was public on her facebook profile. It stated how he cornered her on her way back to campus around the construction side before the parking area and used foul language at her. When she didn't respond to him he got even angrier and that's how he came at her with full intention of harming her sexually. She ran for her life but he still kept on chasing her right on the campus! She reached the parking area after dodging him and had to ask a female who she didn't even know to drop her home as she was too scared to hire a cab on her own.
Her post had other things added as well. Elaf didn't have her to go through it thoroughly.
The last time Reeja was seen on the campus was almost five days back. A day before the play where she was supposed to cover as the photographer and post the pictures on her page. Reeja didn't show up.
Which meant everything happened the day before the play.
The thought that night Reeja had endured so much and could still do if she hadn't made a run for it on time, Elaf didn't even want to think any further.
The uneventful day at IST had turned into chaos in no time.
________
Furqaan Akmal wasn't a stereotypical bad boy, far from it. From the Architecture department, he was just a normal student with a common personality. There was nothing extraordinary about him sans the fact that he was from a very well off family. You have to be, to study at IST's architecture school because of how well maintained it was. There were never any scandals on Furqaan's name on university post, everyone just knew he had a nasty temper but he didn't lose it easily so all was well.
But turned out it wasn't after all.
Reeja Inayat was an outgoing extrovert in her stereotypical glory. She laughed too much and cared too little. Her world was vast and she wore her heart on the sleeves. For almost a year now everyone knew she was head over heels for Hamza, from the Business department. She was a content creator and had her Facebook and Instagram pages going which had a decent viewership.
No one could ever think these two people could collide in such a way. But now that it had happened everyone had something to add.
"IST is going to the dogs. The doom is at this university and rightly so."
"Reeja Inayat? The biggest flirt who would make Hamza blush with her upfrontness? Or need I say wantonness? She's accusing someone of harassing her sexually? Gimme me a break!"
"Furqaan loses his temper pretty easily but why would he go for you know harassing her. That's not him when in a fight. He goes straight for the collar and breaks the bones. Seems made up to me. Also, Reeja isn't Furqaan's type. He comes from a conservative family and bold girls like Reeja aren't liked by men coming from those clans."
"What the hell was she doing there that late in the evening? The construction site? I thought Reeja knew better but maybe the adventurous side of her took over. Who knows."
"Have you ever seen her dressing? And the way she's so confident while talking to men? This is like giving them the green signal."
"What will the authorities do now?"
"Furqaan's Abba is a big name in the market. If his family gets involved this will get nasty."
"What was Reeja getting at by announcing it like this? Astagfar this girl really got no shame in her."
Too many people. So many unsolicited takes on the situation. This was literally a mess and it was getting messier everyday.
Elaf was silent so was Safwa. Hesham was looking at both of them with concern written on his face. He didn't really know how to act in this situation. The time for going home was upon them. Safwa's car had come. She bade them both a bye and got inside. Her old driver greeted her with a warm smile which was so much part of a norm but she couldn't smile back. Hesham offered Elaf if she was really okay with it he could drop her home. She looked at him and shook her head. She had already called her Baba. It was late in the evening and he was on his way back from office anyway. Hesham nodded understandingly. He knew right now the girls wanted space because this wasn't easy for them and no matter how much he tried, he won't ever get to know the depth of it because he wasn't the one who was on the receiving end here so the least he could do was give them time and space.
As Daud rounded the pole in the parking lot, Elaf's eyes darted towards the construction site at the back of it.
There Reeja must've run like everything was ablaze around her. Elaf didn't want to, but moisture had gathered at the tip of her eye.
_________
Home. A word which has no better meaning than the one a woman holds dear to us when she makes one for herself. It's happiness, it's an emotion and it's everything that you can ever wish for.
Same was true for Irma these days. The shifting had taken place last week. Seven days. It had been seven days since she moved into this place where she was the one who decided whether the pain should be while or pitch black. Whether they should leave lights on in the lounge, whether she should make Biryani or Pulao. It was her domain. It was her kingdom and she was happily ruling over it.
Mohid would often smile at how she was literally beaming these days. Happiness was looking beautiful on her. It didn't make her beautiful, she kinda gave beautiful a new meaning with her happiness.
She was, for the first time in life, content and happy. A combination she hadn't experienced before.
As she drew the curtain of her bedroom aside her eyes found her new neighbour in the balcony of her house. Both smiled at each other and then waved excitedly. This was their routine for almost a week now. Both hadn't talked to each other yet. They didn't know each other's name. They just know behind both the curtains, from this window to that balcony, there was only happiness residing in the cocoon of the warmth of heavy curtains.
Just happiness.
-----------
"So, you're leaving already?"
Zaryab's voice had a hint of sadness to it. Sarim sipped his juice silently but couldn't stop a small chuckle leaving his mouth. Zaryab was one sentimental fella. Sarim knew that since the time both had interned at the same company an year back. Zaryab was a year Sarim's senior which meant he had graduated and now was working in a good company. His numerous internships had helped him a lot and after struggling for a while he was finally able to get himself a decent job. His whole purpose of inviting Sarim to his residence in Lahore was to convince him to train in this company first thing after graduating and then settle here.
Sarim had no reservations about the place of work. He was always open to whenever someone told him about an opportunity to broaden his views and exposure to the corporate world.
"Which means you didn't like the job opportunity, hun?"
"That's not true. It's good. From their training process to recruitment program, I think it's nice."
"Then what's stopping you?"
The love of Karachi. Maybe. The pieces of his love scattered in Karachi. Yes. His intuition that this wasn't a place for him no matter how appealing everything was looking? Exactly.
He wasn't sentimental like Zaryab but he knew one thing, if your heart feels right, go for it and if it doesn't, then better days are coming anyway. Zaryab was a true one. He kept Sarim in his mind and getting the chance, called him to Lahore as well to show him how things were working here, not many people pushed the fellowship competition and listened to their genuineness but Zaryab did and Sarim was thankful for it. But this place wasn't for him. He didn't belong here.
"So, you're leaving this golden chance based on just vibes? I thought you were better than that Sarim Haider!"
Sarim laughed munching on his morsel of chicken Karahi. Suddenly he missed Mubarak ki Biryani. That was some real stuff.
"It's not that just that. I'm yet to graduate. It's a long commitment and when you are just out of university gates you should spread your options sheet right in front of you and never ever settle for something long term. You never know when an opportunity you always wanted to grab shows itself."
"I never took you for a dreamer so don't shit with me, asshole. You have someone back home don't you? Your face also doesn't look like the face of a single fuck anymore."
"You're being weird now."
"You're the one who's leaving this chance and I'm the weird one now."
Zaryab's anger was mock. He knew if Sarim decided that this wasn't for him then he must know what he was doing. Sarim leaned into the couch in Zaryab's small apartment and sighed. It was time to go home. How right he was about his intuition, when only time shall tell.
_______
The student body of IST was expecting more drama to unfold the coming day but nothing of that sort happened. In fact, after being the headline for a day, Reeja and Furqaan's case had become the part of the background as if a receding noise which is turning into an echo. Furqaan didn't explain himself nor anyone asked him. There were rumors of his family getting things clean floating around and they weren't that far fetched. It could definitely happen. And they could say it did happen. The way the news had turned into nothing that now the gossip was also like the last amber of burning wood.
It was clear as the sky that things were taken under control with any mess being scattered. Reeja's deleting her original post was the last nail in the coffin. It was true that whether her allegations were true or not but she had been shut up.
She showed up a day after that. Everyone looked in her direction but her head was bent low. She wasn't looking at anyone. There was a resignation in her posture. She just attended her classes and then would sit inside the back room of the auditorium hiding away from prying eyes. It was getting unbreakable now.
Elaf was the first one to approach her. She was sitting in the back room again and when the Dramatics club reached there to discuss their next play, they found her and that was the moment the girls knew they had to talk to Reeja. And that they did.
"I deleted the post because his family is influential and my Dad isn't. They were threatening in their oh not so nice way and warning us of the consequences. So, deleting was the only safe option I had. For my family as well. You guys don't have to believe me. I don't expect you to. I was aware of this when I made the post public. I honestly was trying to move on with my life. Thinking of this as a nightmare. But nightmares and horrendous realities are polar apart. I came to campus two days after the incident. Furqaan saw me. He was sitting with his friends and he had the audacity to nod in my way. Smile on my face. Nothing had changed for him while my world tumbled off its axis and he was hoping things would go that way only. No one would know because I won't tell. And that confidence of his, that acted like the trigger for me. I went home and posted on facebook. It was my last try. It was my only way of telling myself that I fought. I didn't accept it as my fate. I saved myself that night. Alone. So, maybe I can at least try once to save myself again. And in the process maybe he'd get just 1% as upset as I was. Just that."
Was it necessary for her to stay alone. To fight alone.
Elaf didn't think so.
"Where are you lost?"
Safwa asked, looking intently at Elaf's face. She was deep in thoughts. Safwa knew something was cooking but what? She wanna know.
"We don't have to be alone. I don't think so."
"Hun?"
"Let's go. I have something to discuss with you all."
"By all you mean?"
"Us girls. Who's gonna help us other than well, us? We aren't alone."
______
A/N: Romance might be this book's one of the strongest fronts, but it's not a romance book. That's not it's genre. Having said that, I can promise you this book might not be the best or even close, but I intent it to be real, closer to the reality. Thank you for always waiting for updates even though my updating schedule is messed up. You guys are gold. Shine on. <3