Mending the Broken

Chapter 4

AMAL

AGE: 19

There were two times I saw Aahil that year. The first when he came to my house, looking at me in shock.

I don’t think he had seen me since I was six and neither had I. I wasn’t openly staring at him, though. Sure, I noticed how his body had filled out nicely and that he grew a beard but that was it.

It wasn’t like good-looking men didn’t exist out there. They were all the same anyway.

I felt the disgust wash over my body like a second skin. The memories seemed to thrash up the environs of my diaphragm.

The dark room, the figure looming above me, the way he stood there by the door, looking not the least bit ashamed.

My nostrils flared and I looked the other way. Looked at the handsome man standing next to Aahil. His silvery-grey eyes shone with some intangible light, dark hair perfectly combed back.

The funny thing was, I didn’t feel the least bit attracted to either of them, despite their looks. There is more to a person than their exterior and I had learnt long ago what was beneath Aahil’s.

I was glad when I saw Aahil look away. I set my eyes on the silver-eyed guy. Man. These were grown-up men, at best.

He moved closer to Aahil and whispered, “Ask her where he is,”

Seriously? Did they think I couldn’t hear them? Aahil shot him a wide-eyed look.

“She’s your cousin.” Silver eyes told him.

Aahil cleared his throat and looked at me but not really. “Uh . . . Where is Aasim?”

I barely look at him, feeling murderous the entire time he spoke.

When I spoke up, I made it clear that I was addressing Silver Eyes and not Aahil. “He isn’t at home. I don’t know where he went,”

“Could you give us his number?” He asks politely.

My eyebrows draw down. “Why do want his number?”

“We need to talk to him about something,”

I feel skeptical at first then nod. “I’ll give it to you once this one,” a filthy look at Aahil. “─goes away.”

I don’t bother looking at Aahil for his reaction.

“He’ll go.” Silver Eyes assures, sounding unsure of the situation. “Aahil would you please . . .?”

I could feel his filthy eyes on me in my peripheral vision yet I refused to give him the satisfaction of acknowledging him.

Aahil said, “I’m going to be right over there, okay?” He points to the place next to the kitchen, just some feet away.

Anger unlike I’ve ever known surfaces, making my blood boil.

“No,” I hiss through gritted teeth. “Tell him to stand outside the gate or better yet, leave and never show me his face again.”

There was a deafening silence. Aahil left without another word. Right after he had left, I padded over to my room.

I came out, eyes on the screen of my phone and hand it over to Silver Eyes, standing a safe distance away.

“That’s his number.” I say, wanting him to just go away so that my headache can also vanish.

“Thank you.” He said and left me alone with my thoughts.

. . .

The second time I saw him, it was my birthday and I was meeting up with my best friend, Aania, in a restaurant.

“Someone’s not a teenager anymore,” Aania said by way of greeting and I smiled. Feeling old but happy to be out of the house for once.

She pulled me into a hug and I awkwardly patted her back. I was just not a very touchy-feely person. “Waaliakumasalaam to you too,”

“Oops,” she said, sitting down and motioning for me to take a seat as well. “I was so excited, I totally forgot to say Salaam,”

I almost rolled my eyes. She was always excited over something.

“Now that you’re twenty,” she started, menu in hand yet not really looking at it but rather at me, a teasing glint in her eyes. “I’d say it’s high time you get married. That’s what you’re after these days, right?”

A big smile plastered itself on my face. If Aania thought I was old enough, maybe my mom would think the same and soon free me?

Before I could reply, my eyes fell on the table opposite to us. I didn’t need to look at anyone else. I’d recognize those cold eyes anywhere.

It was like he could feel my eyes on him, because those eyes met mine. A floodtide of emotion swirled up my gut. I don’t know if it was vomit or something even worse.

Time had definitely been good to him. His good-looks only seemed to have increased but there was a rawness to him that I hadn’t seen before. I was mad at myself for even noticing.

Before I knew it, my face twisted into what I assumed was a scowl. I usually reserved these for the filthy men on the streets but how was he different from them anyway?

I could feel his sister, Sophia, staring at me but I didn’t bother to look at her. I hadn’t ever really liked her. She had an attitude that clashed with mine.

I looked away and barely heard Aania talking over the roar in my ears. I hoped that I wouldn’t cross paths with Aahil again.

But something told me I would be seeing him very soon.

I just had no idea how true my instincts could be.