I read all your comments on the previous chapters, but I didn't reply because I keep laughing at your reactions and I knew that'd be offensive x'D One of you actually swore to kill me if all of that turned out to be a dream x'D God! I was so tempted to turn it into a dream just to troll ya'll and make this lostie fast three days as an expiation for not fulfilling her oath x'D
Compared to the previous chapters, this one is longer. So remember to vote gimme loads of comment *pouts*
It took Sarah sometime to realize that she had frozen to a still as she stared at the door down the hall. She had just come out of Asim's room having heard voices in the hallway and was shocked to a still to catch a glimpse of –
No, she told herself, that couldn't have been him. That wasn't Zayn who entered Salma's room!
The sound of quick footsteps coming upstairs snapped her out of her trance. She turned around to see Salma's father hurrying up the steps.
"Ah! Kid," He sighed in relief, "I almost forgot you were still upstairs. Thank God, you're not in the room with her!"
"Mr. Rahman, in the room . . . with – with Salma –"
"Yeah, that's why I rushed upstairs to get you," He smiled apologetically, "Arethas wanted to meet his new . . . well, my daughter," He ended up saying, as if he still hadn't come to terms with the fact that Salma was now married and someone's wife, "I'm not really comfortable either but his grandfather requested on his behalf and I couldn't refuse,"
"No!" Sarah cried out, "Salma is alone with him?!
Salma's father raised his eyebrows skeptically as ask if she had expected him to be the third wheel.
"Mr. Rahman, you - That wasn't Arethas, that was –"
"Atif!"
Someone called Salma's father from down stairs and he turned to them, cutting Sarah off.
"Yeah, I'll be there in a moment!" he shouted back before turning to Sarah, "Come on, daughter. You can't stay all alone up here."
"But-"
"Let's go downstairs." He smiled at her pointedly, silently asking her to follow him.
Sarah swallowed, looking at Salma's door horrified. How did Zayn manage to come so far into her life? And why did that ass not say a word to her when he had been annoying her for every small thing related to Salma?
"Child?"
"I'm coming," Sarah whispered, feeling a thin layer of sweat form on her upper lip under her veil.
She made her way downstairs, feeling confused and dazed. Mr. Rahman kept talking cheerfully, not having clue that his daughter could be living her worse nightmare right now, but was the blond boy she glimpsed really Zayn?
"I'm really grateful for all the help," Salma's father said. "With her mum gone and all, it really means a lot. May Allah bless you child."
Sarah nodded silently. The grim frown between her brow was a proof of the bundled mess in her head that she was trying to clear, by overcoming her shock. Once downstairs, she headed straight to the kitchen in search of the only person who could confirm the truth behind what her eyes saw.
Standing by the counter with a phone pressed to her ear and her fingers digging into her temples, she saw Salma's aunt.
"Anne! What in the world is going on?" Sarah demanded to know, "Why is Zayn –"
Anne shook her head, giving up on the call and pressing her fingers to her eyes. She was pale and panicking, Sarah realized, she had probably been crying.
"Don't ask me. My head is spinning!" She cried frantically, "I just saw him myself, I have no clue!"
"What?!"
"He said it was a boy name Arethas Grace, a business man in LA who ran a sports academy for kids!" Anne continued, "I can't believe the scale of his lies. I should have taken Will seriously when he – wait! Sarah, where're you going?!"
Sarah had suddenly jumped to her feet. The young girl's eyes were spitting fire. Anne had to grab her arm to make her stay put.
"To yank that piece of trash out of her room and drag him down all the way to dumpster in the next block!"
"No, you can't –"
"Yes, I can!"
"Sarah, there're guests in the house!" Anne hissed.
"Then I'll use Asim's window!"
"Sarah," Anne said in a firm, low voice, "You're doing none of that, you hear me?"
"But –"
"None of that," Anne repeated, "A scene like that in front of everyone will embarrass both Salma and her father and I will not tolerate my niece being made the talk of the town, you understand? So sit tight while I work this through."
Sarah gritted her teeth after getting lectured by the Female head of the Mosque like she usually does when she tries to discipline the judgmental bigots there with her fists. Anne didn't understand, Sarah fumed to herself. Having been in contact with Zayn, she felt personally responsible for his trick. She wanted to get to meet with him while her anger still remained.
"I'm trying to get my husband on the phone." Anne bit her lip as she dialed the number again. "They'll be here any minute. I really don't want Asim near this house –"
"Anne!" Sarah fumed, barely managing to restrain herself, "Salma is locked up with that beast! She could be –"
"Oh snap!" Anne pale, staring at a text her husband had just sent, looking horrified, "They're here!"
She jumped to her feet and fixed her scarf around hastily.
"Anne, Salma needs –"
"Please don't do anything stupid!" Anne requested, before dashing out of the kitchen towards the front. She had to stop Asim, Dawood and his mum from entering the house. If they met the supposed Arethas Grace before a prior warning, she was sure Asim – or maybe even Dawood – would throw a fit and possibly get into a scuffle in front of everyone.
"Anne, Assalamo'Alaykum," Asim greeted the moment he got out of the car and spotted her, "What is this madness? What is dad doing?"
"Wa'AlykumAsalam, Asim, to my house," Anne instructed frantically as she turned the kid around. She noticed her hands were shaking badly.
"What?! Why?"
"Anne, what's going on?!" Salma's mother asked.
"I'll explain," she said quickly, "Just – just go, will you?"
She pushed the boy towards her house while her husband and Aliya exchanged confused and panicked glances.
"Aliya, come with me. Dawood you too – no, Asim will you just listen to me?!" she scolded the young boy who kept inquiring what was going on, "I said get inside and I'll explain!"
Scared, confused and now angry, Asim stomped towards his uncle's house, banging open the door a little harder than was necessary. Anne sighed as she lead the two adults to follow her. Asim took a seat on the couch and turn to his aunt, furious at being treated like a brat.
"Will you explain now?!" He asked hotly, "What in the world is dad up to? And why won't you let us go and meet this Areet, or whatever his name is?!"
He eyed her angrily. Anne avoided his angry gaze, waiting for her husband and Aliya to take a seat. She closed the door firmly before turning around to drop the bombshell.
"I'm just as freaked out and confused as any of you," she said, "I only found out about all of this when Dawood called me last night to ask me what was going on. Your father told me, whatever he had told you. He met a well-mannered, decent, young businessman in LA who ran a successful sports Academy for kids and asked Salma if she was interested last week."
"This has been going on since last week?!" Dawood cried in surprise. "That means I was still –"
"Here, yes," Anne confirmed. "I can't believe Salma kept it from us."
"This is crazy!" her mother cried. "This is ridiculous!It's a marriage not a joke! How could those two even – how could they –"
At a loss for words, Aliya looked around the room, completely bewildered by the absurdity of it all.
"Brother Atif said she had given her consent to marry Arethas Grace, and when I asked her about it, Salma confirmed what her father had said. She had agree to marry Arethas, except . . ."
Anne looked away, hesitating.
"Except?" Asim urged her on.
Anne swallowed dreading to drop the bombshell.
"Except Arethas isn't who she was told he is," she replied.
"What do you mean?" Dawood asked.
"Who is he?" Asim asked, his eyes narrowed shrewdly. He seemed to have caught onto where this was going. Anne felt even more nervous letting him know who Arethas was.
"Arethas is – " Asim saw her aunt bite her lips anxiously, "He's Zayn!"
The explosive commotion that followed after that revelation was one that Anne expected but was not prepare for. Dawood let out an angry bellow, Aliya gave a surprised cry going completely white in the face while Asim had jumped to his feet, already at the door by the time Anne caught up. His face flushed red with mad rage, his eyes murderous. He was ballistic.
"Asim!" Anne raced after the furious boy, "Asim wait!"
Shrugging his aunt away, her livid nephew stormed out of the door towards his house. If they thought he would sit obediently and do nothing while his sister's assailant had crept his way into her room, they had another thought coming!
Unable to stop him, Anne turned around just in time to see her husband looking equally enraged and following after his nephew.
"Wait, Dawood!" She grabbed his arms, "Please, listen to me – your brother has guests over. For Allah sake, calm down!"
***
Salma tried to breathe evenly. Tried to stay calm, to stay strong and not let her panic overwhelm her, but in response to the trauma it suffered from the shock, her brain functioned too swiftly to allow her time to react. It shut down her reflex system freezing her muscles in place. Her chest tightened and her throat clogged, causing broken puffs of breaths to escape her lips. Her pulse quickened to alarming levels making the world spin around her. Her vision became tunneled, fixing on the threat – the beast on the hunt, her assaulter.
"Hear me out, please," Zayn pleaded, "Listen to me before -
"No – I, no!" She kept shaking her head, her terrified eyes widened with horror, "You - Arethas - How?!"
Zayn felt a searing pain in his chest seeing the fear and distrust swimming in her horrified eyes. Realizing her first impulse would be to consider him a threat to her well being, he tried his best to get her to listen to him.
"I can explain! I swear I didn't try to trick you into this," Zayn cried again, "Just give me a chance to . . ."
Zayn took a cautious step towards her. Fighting against the invisible bonds, Salma forced her legs to move, backing away uncontrollably. Her calves hit the bed, knocking her off balance. Instinctively, Zayn made a grab for her arms and steadied her. He settled her down gently. Her shallow, panicked breathing got mixed with sobs as Salma started struggling to get out of his hold the moment he caught her.
"No – I didn't! You – Not you!" She pulled her arms away, "You – you lied!"
Tears flowed out of her eyes leaving dark trails on her cheeks. A slow tremble had started taking over her body. Zayn felt his heart stab knowing he was reason for it all.
"I didn't!" Zayn cried desperately, kneeling on the floor in front of her, "Bee I swear, I didn't trick you into this marriage. Please let me explain!"
Not able to see her so broken, Zayn unconsciously took her hands in his, trying to comfort her. However, he realized his mistake and let go immediately when Salma attempted to tugged them away.
"You did!" Salme replied. She frantically pulled herself to the farthest end of the bed to get out of his reach, her face streaked with dark tears, her eyes manic "Yes – yes you did. You lied – You're liar, you-"
"Bee – Bee, please listen to me. Your father –"
The door swung open suddenly, jolting Zayn to his feet. He took a step away from Salma. Asim was standing in the frame, his hair disheveled, his face livid and his eyes burning with rage. From his tensed shoulders, to his clenched jaw and fists, everything about the young boy screamed hostility.
"Get away from her!" He growled, seeing the crying mess that was his sister.
"Dude, I was –"
"Out!"
Zayn clenched his jaw, taking a second or two before he nodded in compliance. He took a step away from Salma, who was still staring at him wide –eyed and shaking on her bed. Glowering at him, Asim moved away from the door. He wanted to grab this pathetic excuse of a man by the collar and pound him all the way down the stairs and out of the house, but there were guests at his place and he was supposed to be one of them.
"I'll leave, but –"
Asim let out a guttural sound like that of a wounded beast.
"Don't!" Asim warned, positioning himself between his sister and the manipulative hound, "Push. My. Buttons!"
Zayn bit his tongue to not retort. He started backing away.
"I didn't trick you, Bee."
"Get lost!"
"Google my name," he asked her. "It sounds silly but it'll all make sense to you . . . Just google my name."
Seconds away from hitting Zayn, Asim clenched his hands so tight that his fists shook and his nails dug into his palm. Fortunately for the both of them, Zayn left.
Letting out a heavy breath, Asim took a minute to compose himself. His head was still swimming, and his vision was still lined by red. He turned around to see his sister crumpled on the far end of her bed. Pained, he walked around it and perched next to her.
"Salma," He called her name to let her know it was him, "He's gone . . . Salma?"
Cautiously, he brought her into his arms. His heart ached to feel her body shaking as a result of the of the shock and the trauma of getting locked up with her assailant again.
His throat clogged up realizing this was supposed to be the day when she should have dressed up like other girls, wear colors and jewelry and look and feel beautiful. She was supposed to be surrounded by friends and family, by merry laughter and happy company. She was supposed to be thrilled to start a new phase of her life and hope to not miss the old one too much. She was suppose to dream, to fantasize, to enjoy. . . and yet here she was, having sign a couple of paper with half of her family miles away from her, to accept a man she'd heard of only a week ago, with no prior plans, no arrangement, no excitement , no thrill – just a contract to ensure the safety of all her family, only to end up in tie with a man who assaulted her not too long ago.
Blinking back tears, Asim held his sister closer.
"Shh!" Asim whispered, trying to soothe her. "He's gone now. You're safe . . . you're safe here, sis."
***
"Sally?" Anne shook her lightly. "Come on sweetheart, eat up."
Rubbing her puffy eyes, Salma sat up against the pillows. Anne was sitting next to her with a steaming bowl of soup. Muttering a thanks, Salma accepted the bowl. She attempted a smile when the appetizing smell wafted towards her.
"Thai soup?" she croaked, having cried so much her voice seem to have died away.
Anne smiled, patting her knee.
"You always said it calm you down and made you happy," Anne smiled, quoting Salma's famous line that she said every time after eating out of everyone else's share of Thai soup.
"I can't help it!" She had once said when Asim and Will were fuming mad because she'd eaten their share while they were outside playing a game, "It calms me down and makes me feel happy inside!"
Salma felt her throat tightening with a lot of loving emotions for her caring aunt.
"Thanks, Anne," she whispered.
"No problem," Anne replied. "Come on, eat up."
Salma took a spoonful and savored the way it relaxed the muscles around her pharynx. She smiled how the soup acted as her comfort food. Loving the taste, she took another spoon full when –
"For Allah's sake, Aliya! Give it a rest!"
Salma froze while Anne turned to the half opened door when her father's loud voice carried upstairs.
"Give it a rest?! Look what you've done to her with your immature –"
"Mum, please!" Asim cried out in frustration.
Salma put the spoon back. Her vision blurred once more as her unruly emotions bubbled up. Seeing her distress, Anne sighed, exasperated. She walked to the door and shut it close, cutting off the shouting match downstairs to low angry murmur. Salma turned her face away, blinking back her tears.
"Hey, it's going to be alright," Anne reassured gently. "You said you prayed isthikara, right? Having faith is part of it. Keep faith."
"I don't like them fighting," Salma whispered,
"I know," Anne sighed, offering Salma a tissue. "No one does, but their frustration is understandable."
Salma nodded, accepting the tissue. She understood her mother's worry and anger with her father for keeping her in the dark and rushing with the nikkah, but she wish they would leave her father alone. He had her best intentions at heart and he couldn't have known Arethas was Zayn.
"Listen, why don't you finish your soup and then you can come over and stay with us for a while," Anne suggested, beckoning Salma to resume eating again, "It's getting dark and William hasn't come back yet so I think he's going to stay the night in Tanta Bay. You can sleep at ours while you mum and dad blow their steam off."
Salma swallowed a spoonful, reveling in the soothing feeling of the warm food sliding down her food pipe once more. She nodded.
"I like that." She attempted a smile.
"Yeah?" Anne smiled back. "Finish it, then. I'll go, get your bed ready."
When Anne opened the door to leave, her parents angry voices carried through. It has been six hours since the ceremony was over. Six hours since Salma's parents - and occasionally her aunt and uncle - were bickering over the complete chaos of a nikkah she had just had. Her mother was absolutely ballistic. She had been screaming at her father for toying with her life while her father kept arguing he had no clue.
Six hours ago, once Asim kicked Zayn out of Salma's room, the broken- hearted groom went downstairs to be met by his beaming father in law. Oblivious to the misery the blonde boy had just caused his daughter, he cheerfully introduced Zayn to his brother, Dawood and even joked about his wife being late. Although Dawood smiled when they shook hands, however, his death grip and murderous glare was anything but friendly. Shortly after, the ceremony ended. Salma's mum and Uncle – later joined by Anne and Asim – ganged up on her father telling him the truth about Arethas Grace.
In his haste to play Agha Gul, he had married his daughter to the boy who had assaulted her. The realization hit him like a bolt form the blue.
While her baffled father tried to wrap his head around this unexpected news, Salma's mum went upstairs to put back the pieces of her daughter that the boy, who tricked her into marriage, had shattered. She took over from Asim and held her in a comforting embrace till Salma fell asleep snuggled up to her mother.
At one point, Aliya became so overwhelmed by the disastrous turn of events that she started telling Salma off for being an idiot and treating something as serious as a nikkah like a joke.
"What in the world was wrong with you?!" her mother scolded. "Who told you to embark on such an adventure with your father? How did you two even add it in your head?"
However, much to Salma's relief, Anne and Asim intervened to put a pause to her raging lecture.
"Aliya, what're you blaming her for?"
"Please mum, not now!" Asim argued, "Can't you see the state of her?"
"I can see the state of her and that is exactly why I'm mad!" Aliya snapped, "I don't have what it takes to see this state of her. Look at her . . . my baby!"
Her mother's voice cracked. However, after that she stopped scolding Salma. Instead, after every few minutes, she would kiss her head and mutter under breath through her tears.
"Foolish child." She'd sniff. "Why did deliberately you cause yourself so much pain . . ."
Harder than her mother's scolding was when her father came to apologize shortly after Salma finished her soup. Salma wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole. He looked extremely miserable, and given the amount of accusations his wife had hurled at him, he look ashamed even. He could not look Salma in the eye realizing how traumatized she must have been, upon meeting her assailant when and where she was least expecting it.
"I'm sorry, princess," he muttered.
"Don't dad," Salma cried out in a hoarse whisper. "It's not your fault, really. Who would have guessed?"
"What if I say I did," he asked quietly, making Salma turned to him in surprise. He looked anguished. "You can't believe I wouldn't know . . ."
"Are you saying --"
"It's my job to run background checks, princess . . . Both as a father and a Green Coat . . . that's the first thing I'd do --"
"Not on American soil," Salma pointed out quickly, feeling unsettled by the truth that she wanted to avoid. "You're just a regular businessman here, not a Green Coat."
"Still . . ." He lowered his head into his hands, rubbing his face in exhaustion. He sighed. "Don't tell yourself lies, Sally. You know it."
Salma clenched her teeth, feeling her chest congest. Did he know?
"Then I would wish you would have told me . . ." she muttered past her clogged throat. Her father blinked, looking away. "However, if you didn't, then I hope the reason wasn't because you thought I was too silly to --"
"It wasn't that!" her father quickly shot down her suspicions, facing her fully and grabbing her shoulder. "I would never do that! Sally, you're my daughter. I'd never insult your intelligence like that . . . even if you weren't half as mature and rational as you are, I wouldn't dare deny you excising your right to choice that Allah has gifted you himself."
Salma blinked back her tears. She was relieved to hear that but it still made no sense. Why her father would keep Zayn's identity a secret especially if he knew who he was.
"I just didn't realize. . ." he trailed off, looking troubled. Suddenly uncomfortable and a little awkward even. Salma waited for him to explain himself, but he withdrew his hand, clasping it in his lap and averting his gaze.
Whatever the reason was, Salma figured, her father was either ashamed that it had gone so wrong, or just embarrassed to say it in general.
Salma reached for his hand, clasping it between hers.
"In that case, you must have had a fairly good reason," she said, giving her dad's hand a reassuring squeeze. "It's not your fault, dad. You can't know everything. I trust you."
Her father struggled with his crumbling composure. He pulled her in for her a hug, draping his arm around shoulders.
"You're the best daughter a man could ask for," Her father said, his voice sounding thick, "Being so strong when –"
"Strong?!" Salma echoed bitterly, "I froze over. Just the sight of him shut my body down. I couldn't even move to –"
She broke away, feeling bitter disappointment wash over her.
"Salma, Oh God!" Her father stiffened, "Did he misbehave when he -"
"No, no," Salma reassured quickly. "He just kept asking that I let him explain."
She scoffed, feeling bitter. Her father gave her shoulders a comforting squeeze.
"I wish they'd have chosen someone stronger, mentally and physically, as the Guardian of the Zamarud," Salma continued, "I can't even keep my panic levels under control –"
"You are strong!" her father argued.
Salma shook her head, desperately trying to stiffen her quivering lip.
"You are, alright, you are," he said firmly. "Want proof?"
Salma turned to him.
"Look at what you had to deal with these past couple of months," he said. "Do you think Allah would let you face all these trials without giving you the strength to do so, first? Just the fact that you have it harder than a normal kid shows how much strength you've been given."
Salma swallowed the lump in her throat, feeling overwhelmed. How did he make something so painful sound like a blessing? She gave him a watery smile.
"What doesn't break you, makes you stronger, yeah?" He smiled at her.
Salma threw her arms around him.
"Thank dad,"she muttered, "I love you."
Her father returned hug, chuckling a little.
"I love me too."
"Dad!"
***
Shortly after praying 'Ishaa , Salma brushed her teeth and decided to hit the bed early. She was just about switch off the lights when she remembered having promised Anne to spend the night at hers. Salma opened her bedroom door and listened. Her mum and dad seemed to have calmed down. She slept better in her own bed than anywhere else so she decided to visit Anne and excuse herself.
Opting to wear the long hood in place of scarf and abaya – because, one, she could not be bothered, two she was only going across the street and three, there was always the bandanna to tie around her face if the need be – Salma pocketed her phone and went downstairs to visit her aunt across the street.
Salma knocked but no one answered. Not having the patience to wait, she twisted the knob and invited herself in.
"Oh my God! – You kidding me, right?! Sally agreed, how? - How can Uncle Atif – Oh, dear God!"
Salma froze. Will was home?
Salma turned around to check his car in the driveway. It was parked in the shadows. Clearly, she had missed it on her way in. By the sound of it, his parents had only just told him about what happened earlier that day.
"I was just as baffled when Lala called me," she heard Uncle Dawood's voice from the kitchen.
"Imagine my shock when I saw him. Arethas!" Anne scoffed, "Can you believe the nerve of him?"
"I told you, didn't I?" William replied, sounding miserable, "I told you he'd be back. He doesn't give up! Ended up in her bedroom, didn't he?"
Salma bit the lip realizing how accurate William had been about Zayn's tricks. She clearly remembered him telling her to put nothing past him.
"He can go to any lengths once he gets obsessed with something," he had warned her once. "And by any lengths, I mean it literally, he'd do anything! Put nothing past him . . . "
"Expect him to go that far! I'm telling you," She remembered him saying, after hinting that Zayn could even go to the lengths of mocking acceptance to Islam, "I've seen him up close. He's mental when it comes to hitting his targets!"
Salma clenched her teeth as Will's words rang through her ears. Did she really allow herself to be for a fool even after her cousin had warned her?
"Poor kid," Uncle Dawood said. "Asim said when he got into her room, she was paralyze. Shaking all over at the sight of him."
"Thank God he had the brains to not listen to any of you!" Will retorted.
There was a bit of a silence. Feeling bad for eavesdropping on their conversation - one that was proving rather painful for her anyway - Salma turned around to leave when her cousin spoke up again.
"So what's next?!" Will asked, sounding angry, "Is someone finally going to do something about that animal, or are we going to wait till he actually breaks her down completely?"
"The nikkah obviously can't stay," Uncle Dawood said. "Based on such a monstrous lie - Salma didn't even have a clue who she was marrying,"
"But how did Sally even agree to this settlement?" Will asked, sounding bothered. "I thought she wasn't ready for marriage! What's gotten into her head?!
Salma agreed with her cousin on her lack of preparedness to tie the knot but then he questioned her sanity and she frowned, getting offended.
"Why are you surprised?" his mum replied. "She is old enough to want to get married."
"Not the Sally I know!" Will replied, surprising Salma with the accuracy of his words, and the confidence with which he said it
"Son, looks like you were wrong there," Uncle Dawood sighed.
"I'm not –"
"You should have listened to me back when that Fahad drama started," Anne said.
Wait, what? Salma stiffened.
"I'm telling you, she's not ready!" William argued.
"She just signed a contract, married a man she didn't even know!" Anne argued. "And you're still sticking to your 'she's not ready' mantra? Seriously, Will, I don't understand. Why do you back off every time –"
"I'm not backing off!" William raised his voice, "Never has and never will. I've loved since we were little! And I love her even more now! You, of all the people should know that!"
Salma stood like a statue hearing William's raw confession.
No. That couldn't be . . . Her cousin had feelings for her?
"But she's not ready!" he continued, "I know her, mum! She's not ready for marriage. I don't want to force her into one."
"If she agrees to take you, will you marry her?" Uncle Dawood asked.
"In a heartbeat!" Will replied instantly, jolting Salma to take a step back.
"And do I have your word that you'll treat her well should that happen?"
"You have my word!"
No! She covered her mouth to stifle the startled gasp, William?!
"Then why'd you wait so long, Will?" Anne asked again, "How do you expect to know if she'd take you if you refuse to let her know that you're willing?"
"I can't face her rejection just because I scared her away," William replied quietly, "It doesn't matter who proposes her right now. So long as she's not ready, she'd turned them down. I'm willing to wait for her."
"I think I need to have a word with my brother about better alternatives," Uncle Dawood muttered with a sigh.
Not able to hear anymore, Salma turned on her feet and left just as quietly as she had arrived. She felt her chest tightening with the burden of Will's confession.
Her cousin loved her? How was she so oblivious to never notice that?
Extremely agitated, Salma realized how true his words were and how well he understood her. Yes, she was not prepared. She was not ready at all. If just the knowledge that he had feelings for her unsettled her so much, Salma was sure she would have panicked and straight away turn him down if he would have proposed. Not because Will was not a complete package, but just because if given a choice, she would have wanted to wait until she was mentally prepared to get married.
And yet here she was, having signed a deal and given herself in marriage to the devil in human skins, the man of her nightmares.
Salma took in a shaky breath and then released it slowly, watching as it emerged as a puff of mist before dispersing into the dark. She was deeply troubled. It was only when a sleek black car passed by, did Salma realize that she had walked down the street instead of walking across, towards her house. She could make the dark shadows of the park at the end of her street. The crisp breeze felt nice against her tensed muscles. On a sudden inspiration, Salma decided to take a walk in the park.
A little uncomfortable because she avoided going out alone at night, Salma took out her phone and texted her brother to inform him where she was headed.
*Salma: I'm out for a walk in the park.
*Salma: Don't freak out if you realize I'm not home.
Salma was about to send a copy of the first message to her father but then decided against it. She had been in a lot of trouble lately. Letting her parents know that she'd gone out for walk in the park alone at night, was only asking for a few hours long scolding – not to mention probably getting herself in some sort restrictive punishment –
Groaning in exasperation at how she was probably breaking the trust her father had in her, she took her phone out and texted him too.
*Salma: I've already texted Asim but then I had to let you know. I left to meet Anne but now I'm in the park. I need some time alone. Just thought I'd let you know that I sneaked out.
*Salma: I'll probably be home before you read this.
Knowing that to be the case because her father barely read his texts on time, Salma stuffed her phone back in her pocket and went around the park. She settled on one of the benches near the swings, reveling in the peace of the quiet night. She heard the crickets chirping as she watched the swings, feeling nostalgic. It had been such a long time since she had visited this place.
She remembered sliding down the long slide together with Will and Asim - who they had forced to sit in between them because he was scared of the taller slide. She recalled racing William to the swings to see who would swing the highest, only to end up falling off her seat because Will's curls would fly around wildly and she found that funny. She remembered playing in the sand and making tunnels. She recalled liking the monkey bar the best. She had so many fun memories in this place. They were so simple, so innocent.
"And now he says he wants to marry me," Salma muttered flatly, "Idiot . . . Probably doesn't even know what that means,"
Reveling in the memories of her childhood, Salma almost forgot that she had nearly gotten a stroke earlier that day. She found solace in the innocence of the place and it gave her a much needed break from all the tormenting stress that followed her around. Except that it was too good to be true.
Too busy texting her family ealier, Salma did not notice that the car she had just passed by had turned around and followed her to the park. Zayn finally summoned the courage to approach her after watching her in silence for while. Hearing the frozen grass under his boots crunch, Salma turned around sharply.
Alarmed, she made a move to get up but Zayn was quick to grab her arms, settling her back again gently.
"Please, please let me explain, Bee," he implored.
Taking her trembling hands in his when Salma tried to remove his hands from around her arms, Zayn crouched in front of her on the ground, meeting her startled gaze with his pleading one.
"I swear I did not lie to you," He continued, "You've got questions, you're confused. Please, just let me answer your questions. I'll leave if you still don't believe me by the end of it. I'll do whatever you ask of me. I'll – I'll file for a divorce, just please . . !"
He gripped her warm hands just a little tighter.
"Hear me out, Bee,"
Author's Note:
*Phew* Done. I really struggled with this chapter. Such a tough one to jot down for some reason.
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Next up: Zayn explains x'D
And that's chapter 99: "The Mysterious Arethas". It is already up on my Patreon. So are the rest of the chapters till the end of the book. Book 2's bookcover and "blurb and teasers"! 🥳 Become a Patron to enjoy!
Also 11.15.20 😏
Lots of Love
J.