𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟓

TRIGGER WARNING!!!

Self Harm

ARZO

“Arzo, beta, we’re leaving,” ammi tells me, standing at the door of my room.

Ammi and abbu are going grocery shopping. Abbu said he could go by himself but ammi said she doesn’t trust him to bring everything.

It’s just an excuse to spend time with abbu.

“Allah Hafiz,” I sign to them.

“Allah Hafiz, beta.” abbu says then they leave the house.

I turn my attention back to the assignment. I have so many assignments to complete and the deadline is coming closer. I don’t want to ask for an extension because that will deduct my marks and I do not want that.

Usually, I’d force api to help me with my assignment but since she decided to get married, I can’t do that.

Now that I think about it, what if she got married so I don’t make her do my assignments?

I shake my head and actually focus on the assignment. I get distracted so easily, it’s not even funny anymore.

I even get distracted at work. Either I pull myself out of my haze or someone calls my name.

The latter is embarrassing because everyone stares into my soul.

I’m about to go back to work when the bell rings.

I frown to myself.

Who would come at this time?

I quickly grab my phone and scarf, wrap the scarf around my head and walk out of my room to go see who came.

I halt at the last stair when I catch who came unannounced.

Shoaib.

The same fear I feel from seeing him returns in the pit of my stomach. But I force myself to not look like he has any affect on me. If he finds out how scared I get when he’s around, he will win.

And I am not going to let him win.

“You don’t look so happy to see me,” he says.

I roll my eyes and take out my phone.

Ammi and Abbu aren’t home.

“Good.” I frown, “it gives me time to convince you to take the proposal.”

What proposal?

“Don’t act dumb. When your parents come home, you’re saying yes to the proposal I brought.”

You can’t force me to say yes. If I don’t want to marry you then I won’t.

He chuckles, “you’re a hard nut to crack, aren’t you?” he steps forward so we’re an inch away, “for how long do you think you can avoid me? You have parents for now but they’re not going to be here forever, will they?”

My body freezes at his sentence. My eyes desperately search his to find out he’s not planning anything horrible.

He wouldn’t..

“Don’t worry. I won't do anything to them. At least not yet.”

I tighten my grip on my phone.

“Here’s another question, how many proposals have you gotten?” when I don’t do anything, he smiles, “exactly. In the end, your parents will hand you over to me because they want you to have a family like Hafsah has hers. They won’t force anyone to marry you but will give you to someone who willingly wants to marry you. And wouldn’t it be better if their own family kept you?”

I keep my glare in place as he continues talking, thinking it might make him stop or leave me alone but he continues to tell how sooner or later, I will have to marry him.

“And don’t even think about asking Hafsah for help. She has tolerated you long enough. She has more important things in her life and you’re not there.”

I flinch. Not because of how harshly he said but at the choice of his words.

She has tolerated you long enough.

That almost pushes me to breakdown but I dug my nails into my palm to stop the tears from escaping.

“Now, I will come back in a week with the proposal and you will accept it or you don’t want to know what I will do next.”

And with that, he turns around and leaves.

As soon as the door shuts behind him, first tear escapes my eye.

Then the second.

More follow after till I’m a sobbing mess, curled up on the bottom of the stairs.

His words repeat in my head and I dug my nails deeper into my arms till pain shoots through it.

My throat hurts whenever I try to force myself to stop the tears and it makes harder to breathe for me.

I bury my face into my knees.

Ya Allah, I’m so scared. Help me.