Beneath Guarded Hearts - 6

Previously...

3bdulla

I felt my whole body flush as the hands of an angel soothed the pain in my head. I suddenly realized on whose lap I was sleeping on, and whose hands were easing the nerves on my damaged, scarred face.

It was Asma.

______________

Asma

I couldn't seem to help myself from soothing his pains. Under all the confusion, anger and hurt, I just couldn't see him suffer. His groan almost brought down the tears that were building up in my eyes. Almost. I would never stoop so low again. As soon as his eyes opened, however, my hands left his forehead immediately.

The ride home was dangerously silent. And I didn't need anyone to tell me what was going on. I wasn't that innocent.

I was just wrong.

Noufyy had known this would happen, had warned me more times than I could even count. I had been so careful to make sure I would not suffer unnecessary pain that so many girls did because of jerks. For so long I'd been there for Noufyy as she cried on my shoulders over some guy who didn't deserve half of her, and I vowed to never fall for the trap. It had worked so far, but apparently I didn't shield myself enough. My walls were not strong enough. Apparently I wasn't listening to my own advice. I...

‘Never again!’ my mind screamed in anger as the tears finally gave in, falling slowly down my burning cheeks.

3bdulla: "Sho hath... Asma? Asma, are you crying?"

I found no voice as his low words pierced into my wandering mind. The lumps in my throat rose higher, and the damned tears wouldn't stop blurring my sight. They flowed in a stream down the curve of my cheeks as little droplets fell onto his forehead at the end of my chin. I pushed his head gently towards the end of my knee and hushed him away, telling him to sleep.

He can't see me like this. I wouldn't allow it.

3wash: "Daloo3a.. -,-"

9ul6oon: "Na3am? Asif ma sma3t, sho gelty?!"

3wash: "GELT inh asma wayed daloo3a! Bat3ari6' ? You're gonna deny a fact that all of us know is true? 7ata he batgoolk ask her! W chaih mb yalis tgoolha shay a3rf ink tisma3hm! W inteh ele dayman tgool Asma this, Asma that, Asma raf3a esm el 3a2ila! A7eena hay 7rakat bnt m2adaba? Tell me haa?! What happened to your favourite sister in the whole wide world? I'll tell you what happened. She turned out to be JUST LIKE ME! How do you like that, 9ul6oon? She's actually worse because she's been lying about it! That two-faced, worthless piece of crap is who your favourite little sister is!"

I couldn't speak. Couldn't think. The stun of her sudden, malicious words hurt me deep, cracking the walls I had once assembled. My hands were trembling, my shoulders shaking as my tears turned into sobs. 3bdulla tried to move, to sit up, but he struggled with his numbed muscles and aching head.

9ul6oon hit a rapid break, and even being in the backseat, I could feel the blaze smoldering in his eyes, turning them dark brown in his dangerous trance of rage.

She pushed him too far. All the dreadful envy she apparently held in towards me burst to the surface. I couldn't believe it.

I wouldn't believe it.

She was probably just trying to get back at him.

And it worked.

He pushed the door open, stomped all the way to the other side and literally pulled her out of her seat from her gamboo3a. She screamed in pain as his hands tightly gripped her hair and dragged her to the desert area of the side road. He knocked her on the roughened sand grains as the humid night grew darker, contrasting with the bright city lights that stretched far out in the middle of the desert.

I held very still in my seat, the terror paralyzing me from doing anything, from reacting.

He wouldn't beat her... Would he?

As if in answer to my question, a familiar voice suddenly spoke in the frightening silence.

3bdulla: "Asma. Just look away… Sa3deeny anish."

Even though my head was screaming protests, telling me to get out and stand between them, I found myself obeying the person who wounded me.

As soon as he sat up properly, I broke contact and recovered my hands, my fingers twining into each other on my lap as I stared at them.

The seconds passed in agonizing slowness. There was more shouting outside, but I couldn't make out what was being said.

I couldn't hold myself any longer.

I gathered up my 3aba and fumbled with the door. Just as I was about to step out, strong hands rested on my shoulders and gently tugged me back in.

I froze.

3bdulla: "La tida5ilain Asma. Your brother isn’t stable. Don’t risk getting hurt for someone who doesn't deserve it."

The anger that I'd been holding back exploded in me, and I turned to him with livid brown eyes.

Me: "Don't you dare talk to me about who deserves my pain and who doesn't!"

He sensed the double meaning behind my words, and, if that were even possible, his eyes diminished and his posture slackened. I pushed the grip of his hands off my shoulders, ignoring the goose bumps that formed at his touch under the sleeve of my 3abaya, and I turned towards the door.

This time, his ruling voice was what detained me in place.

3bdulla: "You don't know her, Asma. He shay jdamch w shay thani mn wrach. She's... She..."

He paused, as if remembering something that he wasn't supposed to say, struggling to replace his words.

3bdulla: "She's not who you think she is."

I stopped and wondered if I should say what my head was throwing at me. It could expose me… make me appear weak. I decided that I didn't give a damn anymore. The damage was done. I might as well give him something to think about.

Me: "And YOU’RE not the person I thought you were. But that didn't stop me from caring, now did it?! It's just the way I am, unfortunately! Lo mb 3aybnk seer ejlib wayhk. Oh but you can't even do that since you got your ass kicked and you can barely move, now can you?"

I could see that I'd caught him by surprise. In my life I've never been as bold as I was now. The pain made me daring, furious, bitter. I welcomed it.

3bdulla: "I... Asma you-"

Asma: "Save it for the next bitch you date."

And with that, I jumped out of the car before he could say anything else.

To be continued...