Rukiya punishes Aliya by burning her.
Some people say that trust can be mended by saying sorry. But how many times do you have to say the word so that the person will forgive you?
"Aliya, what's the matter? I have been calling you for a while now, and you haven't been answering. Tell Nanny what's wrong." Her nanny, Lea, asks her.
Aliya knew that she couldn't lie to her Nanny because she was practically her mother.
"I am fine; I promise you, Nanny. It's just that I wish I could finish high school, go to college, and maybe even move out of this house. I don't know why we are still here when we aren't even wanted or treated like family members," Aliya says, expressing her concern as she has been facing more than bullying in school by her sister.
It didn't matter that Alina tried to turn every single person who had been her friend against her.
"Habibty, you know why we can't leave...
"Yes, unless they kick us out, right? I am sorry, Nanny, for being such a burden to you..."
"Don't you dare say? You are and will never be a burden to me. You are my granddaughter. Your mother was like my daughter. And I loved you both so much more than myself," Nanny tells her, hugging Aliya.
Aliya couldn't help but feel tears coming out of her eyes. The love she had for Nanny was the love of both a father and a mother.
And that's what she needed and will always have.
"Now, dry your tears and tell me what the matter is. And don't tell me you are fine or you will be fine," Nanny Lea tells her as they both take a seat on her bed.
Aliya started explaining to her what had happened in the past few months at school and how her childhood best friend had changed just because of a rumor that Alina had started.
"She even has a Photoshop picture of us, Nanny. I don't know how someone like that could be so jealous of their sibling. Even though we don't share the same mother or even if I don't have our father's love as she does. I just want to be happy and leave this place and never look back..."
"Allah knows best, Habibty. He knows why we are still here. All I can say is that you should never lose hope and faith, as they are the most important things that you can do in life. As for Hamza, that's his loss and not yours, my dear," Nanny Lea comforted Aliya, who knew that she was telling the truth.
All she needed was a little bit of patience, and everything would be fine.
"Thank you so much, Nanny. I love you".
They were unfortunately interrupted by one of the maids, who was told by Rukiya to call Aliya to her room.
"What could she want, Nanny?" Aliya asks as she looks scared of Rukiya.
Because she remembered when Rukiya 'punished' her for not ironing the clothes properly.
Flashback.
"You go and iron the clothes and make sure that there aren't any creases, or else I would punish you in the worst way possible," Rukiya says, pointing at Aliya, who was beside Nanny.
Aliya quickly rushed to do what she was told to do, and after some time, Alina came in and poured water on top of the clothes that she had just ironed.
"What's the matter with you? Why did you do this?"
Aliya tried to stop her but couldn't because Alina had already poured the entire bottle of water on top of the clothes.
"Now, I want to see the punishment that mom has for you".
Aliya turned to face her and smiled, knowing that whatever Alina was doing was exactly what her mother had asked her to do.
"Alina, all I can say is kifrah. And I forgive you because I need it", Aliya tells her sister while trying to dry the clothes that had less water on them.
"I have done what is needed to be done. I don't know why Dad insists on you guys staying here. I wish that he would just let you leave and never come back", Alina tells her.
How I wish that too, dear sister. But we can have what we always want, right?
Aliya just shakes her head while Alina leaves her to fix the mess that she created.
Meanwhile, Rukiya was waiting for Alina to tell her that the job she was given was already done.
"It's done, mom. Now it's your turn", Alina tells her mother, who had a wicked idea of how to punish Aliya even though it's not even her fault for what happened to the clothes.
Ya Allah, help me understand why my sister hates me and why her mother influences her to do such things to her sister. I have no idea what I have done to deserve this. But I pray that everything will be fine and that one day Nanny and I will be able to leave this house for good.
Rukiya walked in, finding Aliya trying to dry the wet clothes by hanging them on the line in the laundry room.
She didn't even wait for her to turn around when Rukiya grabbed her hair and forced her to face her.
"Is this how you repay us? By always making a mess and never doing anything right. Insolent child. I don't know why he didn't leave you at the hospital when you were born".
Rukiya slapped Aliya without any type of remorse, as the hatred she had felt for Farha never left her heart or mind.
Aliya didn't want to say anything because if she did, it would be her word against Alina's. And she knew that Alina would never get into trouble.
It would always be her.
As Rukiya was done hitting her, she saw the hot iron that was on the table.
"This will teach you not to mess with things that aren't yours," she tells Aliya, who was lying on the floor with bruises on her face.
She took the hot iron and moved towards Aliya, who was crouched down, and grabbed her arm and put the iron on her arm, pressing it and smirking at her.
"This is what you deserve. And you will get worse if I ever hear from my daughter that you have been taking something that isn't yours".
Aliya knew that she was talking about Hamza. She knew that her sister wanted him and wouldn't stop at anything to have him, even though he wasn't someone that she would go for.
After burning her, Rukiya leaves her on the floor, holding her burned arm. All she could do was continue with what she was told to do, as she didn't want Rukiya to come back and do worse to her.
As soon as Aliya finished her chores, she quickly rushed to the room that she shared with Nanny and rolled up her sleeves to see the burn that was just inflicted on her by Rukiya.
Even if she went to tell her father, he would never believe her.
Zayd has never considered her to be his daughter. He always wanted to throw them out, but his parents didn't want a scandal that would affect their business.
"Ya Allah! What happened to you?" Nanny cried out as soon as she walked in to find Aliya trying to apply some medicine to her burned arm.
"This is the result of trusting the wrong people, Nanny. I am making myself a promise that I will never be friends with Hamza or even try to have a relationship with my sister. I know that you always tell me that I shouldn't cut her off, and you are right. I am not cutting her off; I am putting my distance between us. This is for the best, Nanny," Aliya tells her, smiling through the tears in her eyes.
End Of Flashback.
"Aliya, we will go together to see what she wants," Nanny Lea says to Aliya, bringing her out of the bad memory that will always be in her mind.
And she has the scar to always remind herself of what she promised.
"Okay, thank you".
They walked out of their room and headed to where Rukiya was in the living room.
"Finally, you are here. I want you to prepare some snacks for Alina. She is having someone over, and they are studying together," Rukiya instructed Aliya, even though she knew that both Aliya and Alina have exams on the same day.
This will teach you.
"Okay, ma'am. Anything else".
"No, that will be all. I will call you when I need you, but for now, you are dismissed," Rukiya says, waving her hand and dismissing her.
Aliya rushed to the kitchen to prepare the snacks that Alina always wanted to have. A part of her knew that the person coming was Hamza.
They haven't talked to each other for months because of the rumor. But Aliya wasn't sad about the fact that he had questioned her. She was sad because he left without giving her a chance to explain herself.
"Aliya, everything will be fine. Always believe in that. Besides, I can help you with that", one of the maids tells her.
Meera has always seen how cruel Rukiya has been to Aliya, while Zayd has never said anything to even try and defend her.
Or even Farha's memories.
"It's okay; I am almost done. So thank you," Aliya says to Meera, who gives her a sad smile, knowing that whatever mother and daughter were planning wasn't good for Aliya.
"Okay, but if you need anything, let me know".
The world is cruel, but it wasn't always this way. The people inside it made it like this with their mistreatment of innocent people. But I will pray that you get your happy ending, Aliya.
Aliya finished making the snacks and knew that Hamza had arrived because Alina walked inside the kitchen and started taking the snacks with her, not caring about the person who made them.
Meanwhile, Hamza was in the living room looking at the pictures that were on display and couldn't find a single picture of Aliya anywhere.
He turned around and saw that Alina was bringing plates of snacks and putting them down on the table.
"Come and let's eat. I have prepared all of this just for you," Alina lies to him.
What he doesn't know won't hurt him, right?
"You made all of this. They look delicious," Hamza says, taking a bite of the puff pastry that was in front of him.
They didn't know that Nanny was watching them with tears in her eyes, knowing that she wasn't able to say anything against Alina.
Jealousy won't get people far. It's poison in the heart, and it will take over every single good thing that's inside you.
Nanny knew that she needed to hug Aliya because it was what her mother would have done if she had been alive.
Farha and Aliya were so much alike, in their studies and even in appearance. They even have the same manners.
Some would say that Aliya is her mother, Farha.
The pain that people go through every day through the abuse that they endure at home is never shown. Hiding behind fake smiles and laughs is the best thing that any person could ever have.
A smile can cover cracks that might never fade, no matter how much they apologize to you.
Sometimes being sorry doesn't change a thing.