Chapter 15

*Abeera's POV*

I stride towards the red couch in Max's room. His room is simple, yet seems fancy. The walls are painted black, the furniture is modern, and-something catches my attention.

Nafayh is in the bathroom. I hoist up and pace in the direction of the photo frame lying on the side table. It's a picture of Nafayh, and a brunette. The pictures taken at a beach, and he is smiling at her.

I hear the door unlock, and Nafayh steps out, his eyes red, his face flushed. Did he cry?

"Naf-.."

He cuts me off. "No. You are going to listen and then say something." He comes closer to me, his gaze travelling to the picture behind me, but within seconds travels back to my face. "Sit down," he commands, pointing in the direction of his gigantic bed. As I settle down, he flops

down on the floor next to me. I'm about to protest but he shushh's me with his finger by placing it on his lips, slightly shaking his head. (Okay don't judge me now! This is really difficult and I'm about to know his history).

But, of course. I still manage to say something. "Naf, whatever it is that you need to tell me, I promise I won't expose it to the world. You can trust me. But, still if you're not comfortable.."

"No.. no, it's fine." His head falls and a low laugh rumbles from his throat. "I've never told anyone about this. Not even my own father. I'm trusting you with my life, Abeera. Don't betray my trust."

I nod. I wont ever tell anyone, not even my own sister. No matter what, his secrets will stay with me until my last breath. "I promise, you can trust me." I fake a smile at him, but he's emotionless right now.

"When.. when I was 11, my mom died. Within moments my life fell apart, and I fell into my own darkness. I was her only child, so I guess you kinda would know how I used to get treated, taken care of." I nod sadly, and be carries on. "After a few months, dad married Sehrish. She had two children, Hassan.....and....." he trails off, tears gathering in his eyes. He rubs them before they could make their way out. It's pretty much clear he doesn't like to cry infront of others. Not even me.

I put a small smile on my face, assuring him that it's okay.

He inhales a lung full of air, and then blows out. "And she had a daughter, though Sehrish has adopted her when she was just a new born. Her name was Arzu. She was a year younger than me, and was very naughty." He smiles. "You know how you get when you... you know 'change' so yeah... I started feeling for Arzu. I mean, there's no harm in that right? It was natural, not something I control. I couldn't control myself when I was around her. I started to fall in love with her, so bad." He laughs lightly, and even though I am a little jealous, I smile too. "On her 15th birthday, I took her out for dinner and then we had planned on going to a friends party late night. At the party I got really, really drunk and I regret it, I that was the first and last time, I wont ever go near alcohol again, I’ve even asked Allah SWT to forgive me. And... and then I... I did something really bad to Arzu."

Oh my God.

Oh my God.

No, he couldn't have done that.

No.

"What did you do, Naf?" I ask, my voice breaking, my breathing heavy.

...

*Nafayh's POV*

I never learned to cry with style, silently, the pearl-shaped tears rolling down my cheeks from my eyes, on my thighs. I tried really hard to hold it in, but the pain came out like an uproar from my throat in the form of a silent scream. My walls, the walls that hold me up, make me strong just....collapse.

What am I supposed to tell her? How am I supposed to comfort her that when I did that I wasn't in my senses? I had been drinking like a freakin' insane person. How could I do that to my own love?

"WHAT THE HECK DID YOU DO NAFAYH?"

I look up at her, salty drops continuing to fall down to my chin, drenching my shirt. She is crying, too. Her eyes are watering, and I can see pain and hurt in them.

"I did exactly what you're thinking. I forced into certain things. I caused her pain, and do not think I do not regret it because I do. I feel it every day. Every day, Abeera. I can hear her screams, I hear her begging me to stop. It still haunts me."

She tries to get up, but I force her to sit down.

"No.. I'm not finished yet. After that she didn't talk to anyone for days, nobody. No even me. My love for her became so deep, that I couldn't tolerate her with any other boy. She said she didn't want to be with me, but I couldn't let her go. The next month, someday she came home late with a boy. It was just me in the house, and when I unlocked the door, I spotted her with that prick. So, I dragged her in, and started to beat her. I used her. then I hurt her so much until she couldn't walk, and her she was a mess. And then when I saw her like that, I somehow came back to my senses, and started sobbing holding her in my arms. After a few minutes Hassan returned and saw the scene. First he beat the crap out of me, and then carried her to the hospital.

That's it. I destroyed my love completely. She committed suicide. She left us. Me. Hassan knew the whole situation, but he didn't have any evidence she did that because of me, so he kept quiet, or maybe I threatened him to."

I don't think she will stay here, with me anymore. I'm dead sure. And I'm right. She gets up, and silently walks towards the door, her eyes red, her face flushed.

"You don't deserve me, and what you did was pathetic," she aggressively said, and walked out.

Sitting on the floor, I put my forehead on the bed, and weep. I'm trembling. My body's shaking. I am anything, but innocent. She died because of me, so that makes me her killer. The heaviness is still in my limbs, as much as my mind. She should have been here with me, not leave me. She should have understood my pain, how hurt I am.

But she left me.

Beera left me.