Federal Capital Territory,
Nigeria.
It has been a week since Khalifa's meeting with Haaya, a week since the relationship between Sakeena and Khalifa started to deteriorate, a week since Khalifa hasn't been his normal self, a week since they both have a proper conversation.
Whenever she wants to talk to him, it's always 'I need some rest' or 'I need some space'. She eventually got fed up with his attitude and confronted him many times but it always ended up with 'I'm fine'. She tried to give him some space and the benefit of doubt but it's starting to get overbearable.
He doesn't sleep in the same room as her, doesn't talk to her much, doesn't hug her anymore, doesn't hold her hand anymore. Her heart is aching because of Khalifa. She didn't know what she did to him but, she's about to find out today, whether he likes it or not he must talk to her about whatever is bothering him.
Sakeena walked into the living room downstairs and found him sitting on the three sitter, absentmindedly staring at the TV that is switched off deep in thoughts. She took cautious step towards him and took a seat beside him when she reached his sitting body.
He didn't acknowledge her presence, heck he doesn't even know that she's there because his mind far away. She placed her hands on his causing him to flinch and return to reality.
Khalifa stared at her, her doe innocent eyes silently pleading with him to talk to her. He craves her closure and have her in his arms but every single time, Haaya's words rush back to his head.
Sakeena's life is on the line.
She needs to stay away if you want your family to be safe.
Losing her is worth saving her.
He has been distant for the past week and he knows how it's affecting both of them. She may try not to show but he can see right through her. He's also hurting deeply, his heart is shattering into pieces every single time but he'd rather bear the pain of her being away from him that to lose her forever.
He felt two arms wrap around his torso and a soft voice mumbling 'I'm sorry'. He didn't move or hug her back.
Just like her Mamie told her, whenever there's a misunderstanding between the two of them, even if she's not the one at fault she should try and fix it no matter what. She can heard his racing heartbeat. She expected him to hug her back and tell her it's all over but his next move shocked her to the core.
Khalifa pushed her away with all his might and stood up to leave the living room but she held his hand halting his movement. Khalifa turned his head to look at her. Sakeena noticed how he has dark circles under his eyes, his face has become pale and hollow.
"Khalifa please, don't do this to us." She clasped her hand with his. "Whatever it is that is bothering you talk to me. Even if you feel like I won't understand I'll try to. Just don't push me away." Even though with her aching heart her voice didn't crack even a bit. She has to stay strong for both of them.
He didn't reply her but instead snatch his hand from her grip and turned around to leave when she grabbed his hand again. His next action shook the foundation and pillars to their relationship greatly. He pushed her with so much force it sent her to the ground, in the process fracturing her elbow.
Sakeena let out a scream and held her right elbow which is stinging with pain. She felt tears pool in her eyes but she blinked them back. What hurts her the most isn't the pain vibrating through her body, it's the fact that he didn't even help her up.
"Stay the fuck away from me Sakeena." He thundered. "You will never understand whatever it is that I am going through. You are the cause of my problems. My parents and brothers have never had peace of mind since you walked into our lives. I don't even know why I got tied down to you. You made my life miserable so please, leave. Me. Alone." He joined his hands together, emphasizing on the last three words.
Sakeena was beyond baffled to even say a word, she tried to get up from the cold tiles floor but couldn't. The next thing she felt was two pairs of strong arms raise her up from the floor. She looked up and met gazes with her saviour who always comes to her rescue just in time. The situation is beyond her control and she is beyond glad to have him by her side right now.
Khalifa's nose flared as he watched the two, his is not angry at them but himself. He is such a coward and a fool. He said he loved her but he's causing her pain. He feels like screaming on top of his lungs because his heart is burning with flames of regret and guilt.
But, losing her is worth saving her, right?
Sakeena stared into her brother's eyes. She knows that look, it's when Fahad gets really angry. Khalifa is definitely in some real shit right now.
Fahad walked into the house excited to meet his sister only to meet her on the floor and Khalifa raising his voice at her. He is sure Khalifa's attitude has something to do with him meeting up with that girl a week ago and he'd be damned if he let's his sister get treated life trash in this house.
Red covered his vision and did the thing he does best whenever he's angry, release his anger on a punching bad and on this case, Khalifa's his punching bag. He dashed Khalifa till his face became unrecognizable. He doesn't care if Sakeena will be angry at him afterwards but no one messes with his sister and goes scot free.
Sakeena didn't try to stop Fahad from beating Khalifa up because he deserves it for being a douchbag and an asshole.
Khalifa didn't defend himself or retaliate. He deserves all the punched he's receiving. The amount of physical pain doesn't even reach the quater of whatever he's feeling in his heart. He's ready to take in all of it because of Sakeena.
"Never ever land your hand on my sister ever again." Fahad warned Khalifa, his voice dangerously low making Sakeena to flinch back. Khalifa spit out blood from his mouth. He has blood running down his nose and face. His shirt is all bloodied up.
Fahad turned to Sakeena. "Grab your veil let's go." Sakeena opened her mouth to object but he shut her up. "Do not object or defy me Sakeena I am not leaving you in this house." Sakeena didn't move so Fahad searched for a veil himself in the living room and found one. He draped it on her head and grabbed her injured hand earning a yelp from her.
Fahad rolled up the sleeve of the dress she's wearing and examined the place. It has swollen up and turned red. With one last glare at Khalifa, he grabbed her other hand and dragged he out of the house.
Khalifa watched as they walked out with Sakeena not turning back but she did leave with his heart that day.
•••••
Fahad got his sister treated in a nearby hospital before taking her on a long drive because he knows she wouldn't appreciate to go home at the moment and would want some fresh air. He played some soothing Qur'an on his phone that is connected to the Bluetooth of the car.
Fahad glances at his sister who's staring at the road absentmindedly, not even blinking her eyes. He knows how her mind is in chaos at the moment.
He parked the car at the side of the road and sighed. "Naisa-"
"Yaya did Khalifa mean everything he said?" She cut him off, asking him the one question on her mind.
He opened his mouth to reply her but she cut him off again. Sakeena let out a dark chuckle. "I know there has to be a reason for it because Khalifa can't just discard me and throw me out of his life just like that." She sniffed, tears pooling at the corners of her eyes.
Fahad sighed again. "Whether he has a reason of not, it didn't had to be that way. He didn't have to go to the extent of fracturing your arm."
Sakeena knew that her brother is rught but the love she has for Khalifa is keeping her from seeing his fault. "For the past week my gut kept telling me something is wrong and is still is. Whatever he did has a reasonable explanation, I'm sure." She wiped the tears that rolled down her cheeks but that didn't stop them from coming.
Fahad reached out to his sister's hands and enclosed them with his. "I know you Naisa, you will try to show that non of these is hurting you. Let it all out, don't try to bottle it inside of you."
A sob escaped from Sakeena. "Did I do something wrong for Khalifa to push me away like that? Yaya I promise I didn't do anything. Everything just happened so fast and I don't even know what to feel right now. Is it anger, is it pain, is it sorrow? I don't know. One is I know is that I love Khalifa, wallahi I love him." Fahad hugged his crying sister to his chest, rubbing her arms in a soothing way but that did not quench her burning heart.
She is feeling all sorts of emotions in her heart, something she has never felt before. One minute everything was fine and the next everything just flipped upside down and crashed. Why did Khalifa do everything he did? Is he being pressurized or did he mean every word he said to her?
She is sure as hell his parents and siblings didn't know what happened. She is grateful for her brother showing up last minute else she didn't know what to do. Is this the end of them?
"Everything will be fine In Sha Allah. I'm here with you." He didn't say anymore and allowed her to let it all out, drenching his camouflage shirt. His blood is boiling, how dare Khalifa treats his sister this way? No one hurts his sister and gets away with it, that is a promise he made to himself.
Sakeena's cries died down after a while and she pulled away. "They are all hiding something from me."
"Why did you say so?" Fahad asked.
"They have all been acting weird and suspicious. There's something they don't want me to know, I'm sure of it." Sakeena heaved.
Fahad rubbed Sakeena's shoulder. "Don't overthink it, it's bad for you. I'm here whenever you feel like talking to someone."
Sakeena flashed him a small smile. "I know yaya." She fell back into her seat and gestured for him to drive. She needs the comfort of her mother right now.
•••••
My heart is shattering into a million pieces, this chapter broke my heart😭💔.
What is happening to our teen power couple?😭
Well, we all know Haaya's the cause.🫠
We are coming for you Haaya👿
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Love, Aishatou💕