It was the first time that Shahma went to someplace, that was unfamiliar to her, without her mother or Sushi. The bus ride wasn't too bad except than the part when they conducted scolded her for asking whether they reached her stop, each time the bus stopped. The bus was packed with a lot of students and Shahma blamed the increased number of travelers with student concessions for his fury. She did it mentally, obviously.
She thought that she would have to squeeze through the crowd in the bus when she reached the stop but she didn't have to since she was taken out with the current of the crowd. A lot of people got down from the bus at that stop. The bus was almost empty when she looked at it, riding away from her. Aunt Anna should have chosen a stop after that, in that case her toes wouldn't have got stepped on a lot of times and her scarf wouldn't have been a mess as such.
She was a little afraid to travel alone in an auto rickshaw from the bus stop to the destination. She kept repeating the route to the driver each time after the GPS's melodic voice gave instructions until the auto driver reminded her that he too had ears.
She had reached there at about 9:50 am and thanks to the location link that aunt Anna had sent her.
28th February, 10 am, if possible come alone'
Shahma checked the message once again as she stood In front of the abandoned building, waiting for aunt Anna.
The building looked like it was was made of leaves. The climbers and other weeds almost covering the whole building. The building also seemed to be a little secluded with not many buildings around. The place must have been the house of many animals that were feared by and of people.
A cottage, a little away from there, was the only building that her eyes managed to notice in that area. The building looked like a green mess in a green mess. A few people took the street every few minutes, most of them wearing a school uniform. Aunt Anna should have a chosen a different place. The place looked eerie , even if it was just morning.
"Oh, you reached here pretty early," Shahma did not have to turn to identify the alluring skin, she knew that it belonged to the milky white skinned beauty.
Shahma nodded her head, she did not smile. She did not plan on being impolite but something did not feel right and that feel of uneasiness managed to influence her etiquette.
"What did you say to your mother?" aunt Anna took her phone from her black colored purse that matched her black T-shirt and black skinny pants. Her hair, not imprisoned by any material fell in front of her shoulders when she knelt to take a notepad that had fallen from her bag. Shahma couldn't help but wonder if it was difficult to kneel while wearing a pair of pencil heels.
Shahma had googled about aunt Anna and found that she was in her thirties but the beautiful lady in-front of her looked no older than her.
"Shahma?"
"Uh...I said that I was visiting a friend,"
"And she trusted you just like that?" aunt Anna's stern blue eyes stared at Shahma.
"Why wouldn't she?" Shahma asked.
"How could she?" aunt Anna's voice had the form of authority that Shahma could only dream of. The deep voice that dripped confidence and power naturally.
Aunt Anna was walking slowly in front of the building, exploring the different views of the same thing. Perhaps, she wanted the best shot, better than the shot she thought as the best last year. She did not look at Shahma even if the latter waited for an explanation about the latest question.
"What-"
"Give me a moment ,Shahma," aunt Anna knelt down, looking at the camera that was a little above her head's level.
A smile spread across the dangerously red lips as she looked at the photo, gaining back her standing position. She kept the phone back in her bag and then looked at Shahma, the first time since she came. She crossed her arms as she walked towards Shahma, calculated steps with an unnerving eye contact.
"What do you mean by how could she?" Shahma felt a little nervous to voice her thought. She should have asked aunt Anna to meet at some other place. The spot was perfect for a quick murder. The amount of people who took the route decreased noticeably, perhaps because the school time had started.
"I meant, how could she let you leave alone,?"
"I am a matured girl who has grown up enough to handle herself,"
"I beg to differ, considering the fact that you agreed to meet me here, an isolated place,"
"A lot of pedestri-"
"Not many would take this path after ten'o clock,"
"How can you-"
"I lived at this hotel for a while," aunt Anna pointed at the abandoned building with her thumb.
Shahma's forehead wrinkled as her eyes darted between aunt Anna and the building. Shahma knew that there was some connection between aunt Anna and the building but she never guessed it that it was aunt Anna's home for a while.
The building did not look like a grand enough hotel for someone from a rich family like aunt Anna. Shahma did not know about the interiors of the hotel before it's destruction but she knew that it was not in a tourist site and there were many girls hostels just a little car ride away from that building, if aunt Anna had stayed there for educational purposes.
Then again, may be the hotel was a luxurious one before it's demolishment.
"You were not careful enough to decide on or discuss about the place of meet up with a person whom you barely know. You were not mature enough to ask me to go to a more public space even after you saw the place. You are not even grown enough to have informed someone about your meeting with your classmate's aunt whom you had met just two times," aunt Anna's stare was even harsher as a deep frown found it's way on her mesmerizingly beautiful face.
Shahma gulped. Aunt Anna was right, what was she even thinking?
"Keeping your immaturity and carelessness aside, let me ask you something," aunt Anna leaned towards Shahma's relatively short figure. Keeping her eye at Shahma's eye level, she lifted Shahma's face by Shahma's chin. Shahma was shocked when the softness of her fingers touched her face suddenly.
"Do you know why you wanted to meet me so eagerly?"
Shahma did not exactly know why even if she had a small idea. The conversation that her sister and Ruksana had at the marriage function had led her to this but she did not exactly know why she wanted to meet aunt Anna or perhaps, she thought that it was sinful to admit her existent yet unfounded fear.
Shahma shook her head, slow enough to expose the lie.
"You are having second thoughts about your marriage,"
Shahma shook her head, fast enough to expose the lie.
Aunt Anna released her head and took a step back. Shahma's head hung low. She did not know if it was guilt or shame but it sure was not denial.
"Have you read my book 'wilted before spring'?"
Shahma nodded.
"That makes everything easier," Aunt Anna clapped once with a glamorous smirk.
"Tell me the story,"
"It's about a girl named Stella eloped with her boyfriend. Her boyfriend was a cheat and actually sold her to some sex market. She escaped the place during a fire but could not return to her family as she believed that it was her brother who sold her and had killed her boyfriend during the process. She then started searching for someone,isn't it?"
"Laila, who was in the room next to her during her days as a forced sex worker, they used to have conversations through a ventilator that connected their bathrooms."
"Yes, she searched for her while staying at some places with a pseudo name. Her room partner turned out to be her brother's girlfriend but I don't remember what happened after that"
"That is enough," aunt Anna's eyes glistened but the confidence never dropped. "None of that would have happened if she did not rush to her decision about eloping with her boyfriend. She did not know much about him but believed that having a life partner was the most important thing in life and having someone who said that he loved her was a bless, she did not give herself some time to recognize herself and the price she had to pay for it was too big "
Shahma nodded as aunt Anna took a handkerchief from her bag and wiped just below her eyes. She kept dabbing just below her eyes but the tears seemed to get out of control. She turned on her heels.
"I am Stella and I do not want you to rush with your life and be another Stella whose regret has the potential to live longer than her,"
Aunt Anna did not wait for a reply as she walked away from Shahma as fast as possible. Her shoulder was shaking a little but her pace only quickened each time Shahma called her name.