[11] A Decision for Love
1110 Words
"So it hasn't been found till now?"
Harith was about to say something when the terrace door came flying open.
"Oh! hey Jake, I was here-"
But he could say nothing. Instead, the furious Jake smashed his friend's hands in a grip and dragged him off like an animal, even after he could say anything. The terrace metallic door closed with a 'clang' and Jake's helpless furies burying Harith's pleas.
Not a glance or word at her, but Fami stood there alone, dipped in sorrow and guilt.
/I cannot blame anyone....but me. I have to make things right/
/I really have to.../
~ ~ ~
"Seriously?!"
Fami was holding onto the little piece of paper, she had written within her range of understanding her mother's handwriting.
"But why?! Is everything alright?"
Fami nodded, and keenly moved closer to the table.
She then lent the paper to the teacher, with an innocent face.
"Oh! Is that the reason? Then don't you worry, Fami! We all have been invited and we all are going_"
"I'm a relative, ma'am. And in our culture, girls are permitted to go and help and do. during our family's marriage."
/No more lies..Two is enough, Lord!/
She nodded after an 'Ahh! Okay", and signed without another word of hesitation. Offering a smile, she asked to give on happiness and welcoming to Fahim, and his sister and assurance they would all be there one week before the marriage.
Fami bowed in respect and swirled around, blocking a smile of her own. The staffroom wasn't brimming in a lot of teachers, except for a very few who would be free during class time.
"Umm...Fami?"
She gasped softly and turned to face her.
"Is the project done and okay? Did Jake and Harith help you finish it?"
She bit her lip. Not another lie, she sighed.
"Yes ma'am. But there is more to it. Anyway, I'm glad I have started doing the necessary"
Without another question in return for a lie, Fami bowed again and left in a struggled hurry. Outside the staff room, she breathed a slight relief and moved to the classroom.
Sitting down to a boring Maths session, she used the time to send paper notes to two besties in order to keep copies of notes for her, so she could recap easily after coming back from her one-month journey.
But during the break, they came running to her asking,
"What the heck?! We all are planning to go, so why are-"
Fami stopped them.
"You guys will find out when you come. The day you arrive, if you see a smile on my face and his face; then you know my trip was a success. But on either of our faces, a smile is missing; then you know, it has been an utter damn failure"
Both of them nodded, know things were a bit complicated with her.
"But Farhan?! Does he know?!"
"I told him I'm going home..."
They gasped,
"It's a lie! What if he finds out?!"
Fami shook her head.
"Never. I have made arrangements for that. I have told him that someone he hates so much, has turned sick. So..."
The girls giggled.
"But in case, he is being stubborn, you guys should help me", Fami warned and hugged the two of them. Her face was hidden in a smile. Behind it, she was scared and anxious.
This was one decision she taken by herself, for herself, and without anybody.
Only she and her God were there.
Not even her parents knew, and that made her anxious.
Anxious, about whether she would be on the streets.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The bus was late. By fifteen minutes approximately. However Fami was busy, checking her picnic bag again on whether she had taken everything; cellphone, enough cash from Farhan's account for he would think it was for medicines, a water bottle in a thermos flask, enough pills for herself in case the freaking allergy came again, books, music, and her diary. In the second row, some random snacks and her identity card, along with some clothes and a comb
Nothing much more remained.
She sighed and sat on the bench. It had been a dull afternoon, and the bus to Khairan Nagar knew worse than to be late, for the crowd was just buzzing in without fail.
It was when she saw a shadow blocking the sad sunlight.
She winced a bit because the shadow had been evident in itself.
The tears couldn't make way, for she was gasping now.
"You loser-r-r-r-...."
She smacked the shadow with a nearby stone without looking at him.
"Funny ay?"
He laughed and settled down beside her. He ran his gaze to her and so did she.
"Thanks, Harith..."
He nodded and sat down.
"Not for you...It's for me...I need a break from all these assignments."
Fami laughed. She felt at ease. Never in her life, had she traveled alone, but this felt better. To be with someone brotherly, who would protect you, who would be by your side as a friend; and it's always the best when it's someone you know. Someone whose a brother, a friend to someone you love.
Yeah, she gotta admit. She loved Fahim.
"Jake?"
She asked, suddenly reminded of the scene on the terrace.
"I know it's hard...you don't know anything that happened at the night. And it will be way more difficult if you travel with me-"
"He told me"
Fami stopped, in a gasp. Her fire of regret and guilt reached her throat, sucking all its wetness. Just then, the crowd rushed through, with stampeding of many feet, at the roaring of the bus. Nobody could suspect otherwise for the public transport was already late.
"Harith?", but he pulled her by the arm and they were pushed and pulled in by another rushing in mob itself, smashing their tickets to the conductor's face who was now being bombarded with a woman's buttocks.
"Let's sit here"
He didn't allow her to speak a word until we settled down on the crowded bus's side seat, last from the back.
"Isn't it better? I guess, the view will keep us occupied and safer-"
"Harith? I need an -"
"Answer?", he turned to look at her, with his brown eyes.
I nodded, knowing it would be hard to hear but adamant on whatever storm was coming.
Harith held her hand and patted it,
"I can't hate you for what you did...So I'm helping you..but Jake will need time to understand..which is what I'm giving him now...."
The meaning behind those words stunned her every bit.
- Writer
