Chapter 40

A lot of you said that you found Chapter 39 funny but, also, many of you want some more action & romance. You asked for it and so, here it is. I hope you enjoy this chapter. :*

This is a super long post.. I stayed 2 hours typing it up. x_x

WARNING: THERE IS SOME BAD LANGUAGE HERE. SORRY IN ADVANCE. x_x

This post is dedicated to all the readers of course and to two girls who cracked me up yesterday night, they are simply adorable! @mk_alkhalifa & @mmtk10 :*

-

 His expression changed once he noticed Basma, she had her sunglasses off and the red lipstick wiped off.

"Basma? Hathee entay?" Wahab asked suspiciously.

Basma scurried behind me, trying to hide. Wahab's eyes shifted to Lisa-Anne and it suddenly dawned on him.

Sh-t! 

I tried to walk past Wahab but he blocked my way, his eyes on mine, trying to find out who I was. His eyes swiveled down to the bracelet that S3ood gave me, it was tightly locked around my wrist.

"YOU, KILI KILI BAHOU, MOVE AWAY!" Lisa-Anne commanded. "Kili kili bahou" means "Smelly armpits" in Filipino.

"Or what you maid?" Wahab smirked. He got closer, his hand about to catch Basma's arm.

"Or I scream you motherf*cka." Lisa-Anne challenged Wahab, she widened her mouth, getting ready to scream.

"Hey hey! Khala9, barou7!" Wahab backed away slowly. Wahab's face was full of fear of getting embarrassed in public again.

"I swear, theze men alwayz follow me. I tell dem I am married but they no give up!" Lisa-Anne complained once Wahab walked off to the opposite direction, trying to escape.

Basma sighed out in relief and started to laugh. "That was priceless!"

Fajer and I dissolved into laughter as well.

"Yalla, enrid el bait?" I said, in between laughs.

"Yalla." The girls cheered.

We found Hussain and were able to return home quickly.  It was still pretty early, it was about 7pm and we had nothing else to do.

Da-la-ling-ling-ling!

"Shoug, your phone." Fajer stated once we were back in my room. I grabbed my phone and without checking it, I answered it.

"Aloo?" I heard Shaikha's voice through the phone.

"Shayoukh!" I cheered happily, I missed my cousin.

"Shoug! Waleht 3leich, are you feeling better? Galoli radeitay men elmustashfa elyoum, lazem tiyeen 3ndena for dinner. Please don't say no." Shaikha pleaded.

The memories of her brother, Faisal, flooded back into my head. The memories terrified me.

"Shoug, you look pale. You okay?" Basma asked in a worried tone.

"Uhm, ee ma feene shay. Shaikha, sorry but I have friends over today. How about another day?" I was suddenly very grateful that the girls were with me.

"Ee 3ade! Tell your friends to come with you, we'll have a girls night. Is it Lulu and Fajer?" Shaikha sounded chipper.

"Fajer ee bas Basma ma et3arfeenha."

"Eee 3ade, I love meeting new people. Yalla lebsay ay shay w t3alay, no one's home." I mentally sighed in relief once I heard the 'no one's home' part.

I asked the girls and they agreed to come along.

"Yalla okay, we'll be there in 15 minutes." I assured Shaikha before hanging up. Their house was a few minutes away from ours.

The girls borrowed my make up and tried to refresh their faces with new make-up.

"Banat, tara it's just Shaikha." I rolled my eyes, I didn't try to check if my eyeliner was smudged or not. Shaikha was like another older sister to me.

"We have to set a good impression, hfff!" Basma huffed and I laughed in reply.

We left my house after 10 minutes and quickly arrived at Shaikha's house. Shaikha's house was tall, it had about 5 levels where most of her brother's and sister's children lived with them (Shaikha had a huge family), so it was like a mansion with each floor for each person with their separate families.

Shaikha lived on two floors, where her younger brother Faisal and her parents lived in too. The other three floors were taken by her nieces and nephews. Her other siblings had moved out and bought their own houses.

And so, once we entered, I felt like the huge house swallowed me up. I'd always visit them when it was packed with kids, parents and other visitors. It always was lively but today, it was just Shaikha and the others were all gone, so it felt pretty empty.

We were surrounded with lights and grey walls, filled with black furniture that modernized the house. The walls were filled with different types of arts that brought more colour into the rooms.

Shaikha greeted us happily, she was wearing a casual loose shirt that hung down to her knees with a pair of metallic leggings. Her hair was down and was naturally curly.

"Shoug!" Shaikha greeted me last, she hugged me as tight as she could, her voice had traces of sadness.

"Shaikha, offh shway shway." I laughed as her arms were tightening around me.

"I was so worried about you." Shaikha's eyes were teary, her thick eyeliner framing her hazel eyes.

"Ma feene shay, laish t7ateen?" I had my beanie on, covering my bandage. I noticed a large scar on the side of Shaikha's neck, Shaikha noticed my eyes on her neck and she quickly covered it up with her thick hair.

If I was alone and clueless, I would have questioned her about it. But I had an idea who caused that scar.

"You're the little sister I never had, akeed ba7ateech yal meynouna." Shaikha shook her head disapprovingly. Shaikha guided Fajer, Basma and I upstairs to where her room was.

Shaikha's room had dark red walls with mahogany furniture, it was like stepping into an old fashioned luxurious room compared to Shaikha's more modernized and hip house. Shaikha always did have different taste compared to her other siblings.

"Shaikha, wein el 7amam?" Basma asked.

"Shiftay el ma6bakh? Yema 3la6oul, just walk past those hallways and you'll find it." Shaikha answered. Basma left the room and closed the door behind her.

"Okay, so dinner is going to be ready in an hour so, what do you girls want to do?" Shaikha gave each of us a bright smile.

"Can we stare at Channing Tatum in Dear John? Doesn't he take his shirt off in that movie?" Fajer said dreamily while she hugged one of Shaikha's fluffy pillows.

"La2, Zac Efron in The Lucky One wayed a7la, did you see him shirtless yet?!" Shaikha argued.

After 30 minutes of arguing about which actor is hotter, we finally decided onto watching another movie called "The Notebook". (It's a classic).

"Hey, mu Basma 6awelat?" I asked, confused.

"Eeee.. 9arleha sa3a w ehya bil 7amam." Fajer started to look worried.

"Entow jablow filimkom, I'll check on her." I pounced off of Shaikha's bed and left her room. I made my way down the hall and to the bathroom which was right next to the kitchen.

The bathroom was vacant, Basma wasn't even in it.

I heard a few noises from Faisal's room which was right behind me.

Didn't Shaikha say that no one was home?..

I tiptoed closer to Faisal's room, I pressed my ear against his closed wooden door and listened carefully.

"Let go of me!"

"Or what? No one can hear you, you little brat."   

That was Basma's voice..

Should I call for help? Or would it then be too late? 

Shoug stop thinking and do something!

I pushed the door open and found Faisal standing next to Basma, his hand gripping her arm and Basma's eyes full of tears.

  
"Shoug!" Basma cried out in relief once she saw me.

"Akheeran yat el 7ilwa. I was waiting for you." Faisal's voice was slurred with alcohol, just like the way it was before back at my Gran's house.

"Okay, you got me. Now let Basma go or I'll scream." I tried my hardest to keep my tone harsh, I couldn't let him hear the fear in my voice. My heart was grinding up against my rib cage, beating uncontrollably.

- years ago -

"Shoug! Laish ma 9arekhtay lema el ryal misakich?!" Mom scolded me, her hands gripping my arm.

"Mama, kent khayfa.. kent khayfa ena kan 3nda secheena ow.." I lost my trail of thought as I remembered how hard he held me, I started to cry again.

"7beebty khala9, khala9 ensay kilashay. Ma 9ar shay, la etkhafein!" Mom held me close and rocked me, trying to calm me down.

"Mara thanya, etha 9ar feech shay, 9arkhey, okay?! 3shan el kil yismi3ich, etha 9arekhtay, the bad man will go away. I promise he'll go away if you scream. I promise.." 

"Okay Mama.." 

- Present day with Faisal and Basma-

Shoug, stop remembering the old times and focus on now!

I quickly regained my posture and hardened my expression.

"Faisal, let Basma go!" I yelled out, threatening to make my voice even louder.

Faisal's hand dropped down to his waist and Basma took this chance to run over to me. Basma's eyes were full of fright and shock.

"Basma, did he do anything?" I grabbed Basma's arm and checked for bruises.

"No, he was going to-" Basma cried, her chest heaving. She couldn't continue.

"Basma, rou7ay 3nd Shaikha. Now." I whispered into her ear when Faisal wasn't looking. Basma listened and hurried out of the room.

Faisal approached me in mere seconds and he was now right in front of me. I could smell his alcohol filled breath and it disgusted me.

"Halla bil zain, laish el beanie? Y3ne mo'9a?" Faisal grabbed a strand of my hair, touching it before trying to slip off my beanie. I slapped his arm off of me.

"Touch me again and you'll regret it." I bore my eyes into Faisal's dilated pupils, I could see the alcohol swimming in his eyes, clouding them and affecting his actions.

Faisal was never like this before, the alcohol absorbed him and controlled him.

Faisal reached for my blouse, his hand grabbing my waist. Once I felt his hand up against my sides, I let out a huge scream. The scream echoed through the house.

"USHH!" Faisal quickly backed off, he kept looking around, trying to find anyone who heard me.

I screamed again, till my throat began to burn.

Faisal grabbed my arm and pushed me down to the floor. I stretched my arms out to stop my head from crashing against the floor, stopping it from causing more injuries. My knee took the fall and I felt an unbearable pain surround my right leg.

Faisal grabbed a handful of my hair, trying to lift me off of the ground. I winced in pain, the roots of my hair was grinding against my scar, where my past surgery was.

I screamed again. And again. My throat was closing up, my voice starting to fade but I pushed on, I made my voice louder with every scream.

"Ench3may yal 7m*ra!" Faisal's voice was fueled with anger.

I heard knocks on Faisal's door.

"SHOUG!" Was that Shaikha's voice? I couldn't concentrate when Faisal's hand was trying to tear off my hair.

My eyes were full of tears, I tried to stop them from falling down, I didn't want to show any weakness.

"Haha, tabcheen? Ya7leilha, chinha baby." Faisal smirked, he crouched down to the floor to look at me. His grin was wide, baring his sharp teeth.

"T2asefay!" Faisal commanded. I didn't reply, my eyes were staring at the ground in front of me.

"La t7green! G*7ba." Faisal lifted my head up, making me sit properly on the ground, causing my knee to hurt even more since he was forcing me to move.

Faisal extended his hand and slapped my cheek with such pressure that it felt like a knife was slicing through my skin.

"FAISAL. EFTA7 ELBAB AL7EEN!" The voice was deeper, it was a male's voice.

"I'm not done with you yet." Faisal's fingers grabbed my face, his fingers pressing into my jaw and skin, bruising them. I squeezed my eyes shut and mentally prayed.

 I recited every aya I knew by heart. God, help me.

Faisal pushed my face back, causing me to fall back onto the ground. I felt the pain rushing back into every part of my body, the sharpness of my bottom teeth pressed against my lip and caused the skin of my lip to slice open. Blood rushed out of my lip and the side of my face, where the harsh ground bruised it severely.

I heard the door open. A flood of people rushed into the room but my eyes were still shut tight. I was too scared to open them, fear got the best of me. I heard the countless footsteps and the yells.

"Shoug!" Shaikha called out, her safe arms wrapped around me, trying to pull me off of the ground.

"Oh Shoug.." Shaikha's eyes were flooding with tears once she caught the sight of my bruised face and bleeding knee.

My eyes were wide open now. There were men in the room, grabbing Faisal and pushing him down to the ground as he was trying to fight them off.

It was Shaikha's father and her other older brothers. Fajer was running up to me, looking afraid.

"Basma, wein Basma?" I forced the words out, my throat was still burning because of the screams I pushed out of my lungs.

"She was shaking, we sent her back home. We heard your screams Shoug, Basma couldn't talk properly. Ma fahemna shay minha bas lema 9arekhtay, 3areft ena kan feech shay.. And then I saw Dad, he came back early and then I knew. I knew Faisal was back.. Shoug, this is all my fault, I'm so sorry.." Shaikha was sobbing, trying to speak.

"Shoug.. sam7eena." Shaikha's father crouched down to the ground next to me, looking ashamed of his son. "Binwadi Faisal el ma5far."

I couldn't really speak. I was in shock. I forced the following words out:

"Khali, Faisal used to hit Shaikha. And I think he still does." I broke Shaikha's promise.

Shaikha's father looked at Shaikha in surprise.

"Shaikha, is that true?" His eyes were teary.

"Eee." Shaikha croaked out.

"Banat, la tit7arakoun." Shaikha's Dad got up and left the room, following Shaikha's brothers who were holding Faisal, trapping him in his place.

"ENTA MU WILDY!" I heard the angry yells of Shaikha's Dad.

Two of Shaikha's brothers came up to us. Nawaf and Ya3goub both sat down onto the ground, observing my cuts.

"Shoug, okhouy Nawaf doctor." Shaikha said, after she controlled her emotions.

"Shoug, can you move your leg?" Nawaf looked worried, his hands were gentle as he tried to lift my leg up. I tried moving my leg and it successfully moved around by itself. I winced as I tried moving it again.

"7amdelah, you didn't break your leg." Nawaf sighed in relief. Ya3goub brushed Shaikha away so he could slide an arm under mine to lift me off of the ground.

"Aa77." I winced in pain, my knee was throbbing.

"She needs a doctor Nawaf." Ya3goub's eyes were full of sadness, after only just discovering how his little brother was so abusive, and probably an alcoholic.

"La2, please mabe arou7 el mustashfa. Twne 6al3a elyoum!" I begged. "Khala9 nothing hurts." I lied.

"Shoug, la etchathbeen! You're bleeding." Shaikha scolded. "Fajer, rou7ay yeebay fou6a."

Fajer listened and hurried off to bring a towel.

"Please, mabe mustashfa. Please." I begged Nawaf. "Mu enta doctor?"

Nawaf sighed and did his work. He grabbed his utensils and cleaned up my cuts. In half an hour, my lip was stitched up (it was painful as hell), my bruises were covered in medicine and my knee was wrapped with a bandage.

I looked like a mummy. Literally.

"Shoug, is your head hurting you?" Nawaf checked my surgery scar which was bandaged.

"Shway.. laish?" I was sitting on Shaikha's bed, Fajer was sent home and Shaikha was sitting next to me.

"Your skin looks red, did Faisal grab your hair?" Nawaf asked, when he said his brother's name, a trace of anger filled his eyes.

"Um, ee.." I tried to push the memories away. Nawaf covered the red parts of my scalp with an ointment that burned.

Once Nawaf was done, he apologized for his brother's behavior at least 500 times before leaving the room.

 I called Mom and told her I was sleeping over at Shaikha's. My parents didn't know about what just happened and I was too shocked of it myself to tell them yet.

"Shoug, etha tabeen shay gouleely, okay?" Shaikha was now in her pjs and had given me a pair to wear.

"Shaikha.. I'm sorry for breaking your promise but I had to tell your Dad."

"It's okay Shoug, it was for the best. I should be the one apologizing, if I never invited you over then this wouldn't have happened." Shaikha stuffed her face into her pillow, hiding her tears.

My mother saved me. If she never gave me that advice when I was young, I would barely be alive right now. 

Da-la-ling-ling! Da-la-ling-ling! 

Incoming call: Sara. 

"Shaikha, are your brothers friends of S3ood Al-X?" I asked, as I was watching my blackberry ring.

"Eee, he's friends with my other brother Talal, laish?" Shaikha looked over my phone and then back at me.

"No reason, I'll be right back." I grabbed my phone and left Shaikha's room.

I quickly answered the call.

"Aloo?" My voice was a bit croaky, it was fading.

"Shoug.. galoli sh9ar. A-are you okay?" S3ood's voice quivered slightly.

"Eee.. a7san men gabil." I whispered, I couldn't speak any louder.

"Shfeeh 9outich..?" S3ood sounded depressed.

"La t7aty, my throat's a bit sore." I leaned my back against the wall, trying to balance on my left leg, which wasn't injured.

"I swear Shoug.. if Faisal isn't at the ma5far right now, I would have killed him. Wallah el'3a'9eem I would have killed him.." S3ood's voice was full of fury, I heard a glass shatter through the phone.

"S3ood.. shal 9out?!" I was worried.

"I threw a glass cup against the wall, sorry bas jad em3a9ib!" S3ood nearly yelled.

"S3ood, had e39abik!" I heard another voice, a male one.

"Asif Saleh." I heard S3ood tell the other guy.

"S3ood.. weinik?"

"Bil diwanya, we're walking to the car now."

"At 1 am? Laish? Wein bitrou7oun?" I asked, suspicious.

"Biniyee 3nd bait Shaikha, Nawaf kan yabeeny ana w Saleh w 3abas w Rakan em mw'9ou3.."

I checked the lights in Shaikha's room and I found that they were turned off. I was guessing that Shaikha was already sound asleep, trying to forget the events of today.

"Can you meet me?" I asked S3ood.

"I think that's the first time you've ever asked to see me before.." S3ood sounded happy.

"Digeega, your friends, uhm, know about us?" Estaw3ebt that S3ood was openly speaking to me in front of his other friends.

"I trust them." And that was all I needed to hear to trust S3ood's decision.

I grabbed one of Shaikha's hoodies and slipped it over my tank top and shorts. Shaikha was taller and so the hoodie hung down to my knees, covering up most of my shorts.

S3ood agreed to meet me by the garden, where the long walls would keep us hidden. I wobbled down the stairs and carefully walked out to the garden, my knee was still stinging with pain.

S3ood had his back up against one of the walls, his head tipped down. He had a cap put over his head on the opposite way, he was wearing beige Hollister shorts and a white shirt.

Once S3ood lifted his head to look at me, his face twisted with shock and sadness.

"Shoug.." S3ood looked over my bandaged knee, purple-blue jaw and stitched bottom lip. I knew I looked horrible and for once, I didn't care. S3ood had seen me at my worst and hadn't criticized me.

"I just had to see you." I put some space between us, I controlled my tears from flooding. I didn't break down yet, I felt numb and I didn't want to break down in front of S3ood.

S3ood took a few steps closer, closing the space between us. His eyes were observing my cuts and bruises. He suddenly pounded his fist into the wall next to us, screaming out in anger.

"S3ood!" I exclaimed in shock. S3ood's fist had a few bruises from the punch.

"7m*r! Shoug, you have no idea how angry I am right now!" S3ood pressed his bruised fist against the wall once again, getting ready to punch it for the second time. I grabbed his wrist, pulling his fist away from the wall.

"S3ood, khala9!" I tried to calm him down. S3ood was breathing heavily, he kept looking around aimlessly, trying to not look at my cuts that kept reminding him of Faisal. S3ood ran his fingers through his hair, trying to calm himself down too. His nostrils were flaring with fury.

"Shoug, promise me you'll tell me where you'll go every time you go out." S3ood's tone was serious.

"Laish S3ood?" I was still holding his fist in my hand.

"I'll protect you. I promise I will. I need to know where you are so I can protect you.." S3ood looked at his fist which was in my hand and then back up at me.

"I promise." I grabbed the hoodie I was wearing, I used the cotton material of the hoodie to dab at S3ood's bleeding fist. S3ood watched me as I tried to clean up his bleeding knuckles.

"Shoug."

"3younha?" I murmured, too absorbed into cleaning the blood off of his fist.

"Shoug." He repeated. I finally looked up to meet his eyes.

"Marry me."