Zaina.
As he walk out I started to panic. What I tell him when he again asked me about myself. Whatever I told him wasn't a lie. Yes, I am open as my parents didn't want me, my husband didn't want me then where will I go. I have no where to go except going back to Karim. No, I will not back to him. If he knew about the robbery, he will again beat me for opening the door for them. This time he will cross every limit and I will die.
This man Hadi seems a nice person. I feel safe when he held me to keep myself from falling. I had a feeling that he will help me, but I don't know how I will tell him about myself? I will tell him about myself, but before that I have to know more about him beside his name. He didn't even tell me his full name. Tomorrow morning I will get to know more about him. If I didn't get any strange or suspicious then I will tell him about myself and maybe he will help me to find some orphanage where I could live the rest of my life, far away from everyone and have a new start.
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"Hello, Miss, are you awake?" I wake up when someone knock on the door. It is unfamiliar voice, but comforting. I rubbed my eye and look around. I quickly sit up when I see I wasn't in my room or in storage where Karim used to lock me. I sigh in relief when I remember what happened.
Getting kidnapped and forced by those men make my eyes watered, but I quickly blink them because I don't Hadi to see me like this. He will get suspicious and then asked me about it and then feel pity for me. Never in my life I let someone feel pity on me and I don't want it to happen because of Karim and those men. I notice the knocking is stop and silence took over.
After a few minutes of sitting and thinking about what should I do, I finally stood up on my shaking legs and walk toward the door that was on the left wall. I am lucky since that was the bathroom. I quickly wash my face, brush my teeth with the new toothbrush I found in the cabinet under the skin and walk out of the bathroom and room.
I take the support of thing on my way to walk around to find kitchen because I am really hungry and thirsty. I already made my mind that whatever I am using here I will pay him back when I get a job and have money. I don't know how long I am going to stay here, but I can't go anywhere until I tell Hadi about myself or get well. I just don't want him to get into my problems. He wouldn't even care about why I suddenly came in front of his car.
Remembering that I don't even know getting wake up after those men shot me. I feel pain in my right shoulder and legs. I don't know why my legs hurt because it never did before, not even when Karim used to torture me. I know something is wrong that is why I feel the pain. Maybe Hadi knows about it since doctor tells him about my injuries.
"What are you doing here?" I jumped when I heard a voice and a figure stand in front of me causing me to fall on my back.
"Ah!" I screamed when unexpected pain shot in my back. My back started to burn along with my eyes that was now filled with tears. I should have know my back was still burning with Karim anger. He tortures me and never get me ointment for it or any pain killer. It hurt so badly that I could feel blood coming up on my wounds.
"I am sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." Hadi says as he step toward me and help me. In a quick moment he picked me up and walk to the room I was in. He gently makes me sit in bed and then turned away from me.
"Here. These are pain killers. It will help to reduce your pain. Take it after breakfast. Wait, I will bring it here for you." He didn't even let me reply before he rushed out of the room toward the kitchen I think.
After a few minutes he entered with a large tray set with breakfast and placed it in front of me. He set apple juice on the bedside table before going out again. I look at tray with watery eyes. I haven't eaten in days and whenever I eat it was a very small amount that Karim left. I have a doubt if this all is for me or he is trying to tease me by showing this delicious tray filled with pancakes, omelette, toast and a bowl of fruit.
A few minutes of waiting Hadi returned and sit on the desk chair with a tray on the table before he started to eat. While eating, he gazed at me and look at breakfast in confusion. He again looks at me with a raised eyebrow, but I continue to stare at him blankly.
"Aren't you going to eat it?" He asked once he swallow what is in his mouth. I looked at him, surprised.
"T-this a-all is for me-me?" I asked him point at myself. He frowned, but nodded.
"Yeah, why? I don't know what to make for you so I just make a few things. Don't you like anything in them? Tell me, I will make some other thing for you." He was about to stand up but I stop him.
"No! I-I mean, no it is fine. I will eat it. I was just surprised." I mumble the last part to myself, but my bad luck he heard it.
"Why you say that?" He asked confused. I quickly shake my head in No and stuff my mouth with pancakes.
After eating, he give me crutches and take me to the living room. He knows I don't want to get touched so he didn't touch me, but guide me how should I take steps so I didn't feel pain or anything. He is so caring. His parents, his wife will be very happy with him. I remember I have to ask about him. Once the movie finish he was watching I stop him to put new movie.
"What?" He asked, sitting straight. I mentally shake my head and sigh.
"I-I know it may sound weird, but I want to know about you. What did you do? Who are you? Where do you work and most important, what is your name?" I asked him in a rush and he looks at me with a blank look. Then he suddenly smiles slightly.
"How about we play 20 questions?" He asked me. I think about it. If I agree on this then he will ask questions about me and I can't tell him who I am.
"No, thank you." I looked away from him toward Tv. He sighed and put on another movie, but this one was from Bollywood.
When it was time for lunch he excused himself and went in the kitchen to make it. I couldn't help but think how good he is in making food? Is he a chef or he know it because he lives here alone. I do want to know about him, but whenever I tried to ask him he said if I tell him about me he will tell me about him. This is something Karim never tried to do with me. He always asked me about myself and never tell me about him.
I stood up with the help of crutches and walk in the kitchen. I made my mind what I have to do if I want to know about him and see if he help me or not. I slowly sit on a stool by the counter and face him. I smile as he cooks like a professional.
"Do you want something?" He asked without looking at me. I sigh and shake my head.
"No."
"Then?"
"I don't know." I shrugged. I really don't know what should I say. I mean I didn't talk many men beside my psycho husband and John. He sighed and turned around.
"Listen..." He trailed off and looked at me with his raised his eyebrow.
"Zaina."
"Okay. Listen Zaina, I know you are scared and don't trust me but I am assuring you that I will never do anything to hurt you. I may sound stupid, but honestly, I will never think about hurting you. I am not that of type person who used people and then push them away. So if you want to share anything I am here and you can trust me." He explain and I feel promise in his voice. I take a deep breath and nodded. I don't know after hearing all that if he ready to help me or not, but whatever I am going to say may lighten my shoulder. I open my mouth and start tell him about myself.
Hadi.
I waited and waited for her to say something. I secretly promise her and myself for not hurting or doing anything that caused her pain. I just wanted to help her like a human being. If I don't want to then I will never push her to tell me about her and let her stay here with me, not that I am kicking her out of my house after knowing who she is.
"I-I am Zaina. I am 21 years old. I lied to you. I am not an orphan. My parents are still alive and I have a little brother and sister. I used to live a happy life before they married me to K-Karim. He is a psycho. Whatever I am in right now was only because of him. He beat me with different things, forced me to do things that are Haram." Her eyes get watered as she explains to me about her life. My hand clench after I hear what her husband do to her, but my heart stops on what she says next.
"H-He killed my baby. Our baby." Tears that were in her eyes were given in and fall from her eyes to her beautiful face.
"What?" I wanted to shout, but it came out a whisper.
She nodded and started to explain me everything how excited she was coming back home after 4 years. What are the rule of their elder made not to let women job. In my opinion, I think women had right to do the job as much as men. Both are equal. Then she explained me her marriage with her psycho husband Karim in a month and other things. If he is in front of me then I surely break hand for slapping her first time and thinking of cheating on him. As a Muslim I know a woman would never cheat on their husband no matter what and if they do then they weren't a Muslim.
After that she tell me everything he do with her when he misunderstand and caught her at their house with some guy John, who was already in a relationship and that night when she was kidnapped by robber who come to their house for robbery.
"My dreams, my wishes everything is vanished. One Wrong Decision change my life." She says looking at me with watery eyes and it make my heart clench. I walk over and sit next to her as she started to sob. I hesitantly held her hand in mine and squeezed it lightly.
"Zaina, if things changed by one wrong decision, then things can change again by one decision. Tell me what you want?"
"What you mean?" She asked, confused if this is not serious and I would say cute as she look with red watery eyes and red cherry nose.
"I mean, I am not only going to say I am sorry for all that happened to you. I will help you to get justice from your husband. Whatever he did was not normal. He is sick and if he can do all this to you then he can do all that to any other girl other there. You have to make a decision. You have to get justice for taking punishment for things you never did. Tell me... Do you want to file a case against him?" I asked her seriously. She looked at me shocked. She quickly shakes her head and stood up, leaving my hand to grab her crutches.
"No, I can't. If he find out he will kill me. I don't want to die. Please this is my second life Allah has given me and I don't want it to get away from me. If he knows you are helping me then he will hurt you and I don't want anyone to get in my problem. I tell you everything because I want to trust you that you are not like him. Please don't do this to me. I don't want to face him again."
"Relax, it is okay. I will not do anything but if anytime you feel you need my help then just tell me I will be there." I comfort her as she started to crying and pleading me not to let him get her back.
I will not let him have her back and hurt her. I promise to myself.