Beneath Guarded Hearts - 62

Previously…

Asma

Me: “Where’s Nouf? Why am I here? I didn’t do anythi-”

“Ufff I have no patience for brats. You deal with introductions. I’ll check on any recent progress.”

I heard footsteps, some drifting away, another ascending towards me with a rhythmic click-clock sound. Heels? I opened my eyes completely, my sight almost fully recovered, and then I saw her. My jaw dropped. Was this who I thought it was?

Me: “Alia?”

Alia: “Hello Asma. Let’s talk.”

______________

Asma

            Alia. As in, the Alia Sul6an met... the Alia who had something to do with baba’s company. What was she doing here? And where was Nouf? I was worried sick about her!

Me: “Wain Nouf?!”

Alia: “Hady a39abich. She’s back home safe and sound. We only needed her to get to you. She won’t remember anything.”

Me: “Bas… Bas ana sho swait?!”

            She sighed heavily.

Alia: “You are indeed every bit as stubborn and hard-headed as I had heard. Goolely awal, chaif 7al rasch? Ba3adch mdaw5a?”

            I only stared at her. This was so awkward and confusing. Why was she asking after my health? Wasn’t she partly responsible for putting me in this situation in the first place?

Alia: “I promised him I’d keep you in the same state you were in before we took you. Lat5afeen, inty mathmeeny.”

Me: “Promised who?”

            Just as I asked that, a familiar voice tiptoed in as the sounds of footsteps emerged from the doorway.

“He’s on his way. Make her… Presentable.”

Alia: “Perfect. Thank you.”

            The stranger, who had first addressed me when I woke up, rolled her eyes at me and left the room.

Me: “W hai mnoo?”

Alia: “You let me worry about that. Yalla, goomy 3adly shaklch, you look like crap.”

Me: “MAYBE it’s because you drugged me, ever thought of that?”

Alia: “Sho drugged, it was just alcohol. A7eena goomy.”

            She started walking away, expecting me to follow. And naturally, I did. Maybe I could find an escape somehow… Where was my phone?

Me: “Who are you ‘presenting’ me to?”

Alia: “Wa7d.”

            I gulped a huge lump of fear. A guy? Was… Was I going to be… sold? My footsteps slowed down, and I suddenly stopped.

Me: “A guy?”

            She turned around and faced me, the annoyed puzzlement apparent in her eyes.

Alia: “Haaih. A guy. Are you deaf or something? And why do you look like a corpse?”

Me: “W- What g-guy?”

            She raised her brow for a millisecond before she burst into laughter. My fear ate up at my insides.

Alia: “Hahhhaa- I mi-ght as well… ahahhahaaaaaa… tell you…”

            I waited for her to finish her bitter moment of humor.

Alia: “You are going to meet my father.”

            Now I was really confused.

Me: “Why? What in the world is going on?”

Alia: “He didn’t tell you?”

Me: “Who didn’t tell me?!”

            I threw my arms out in exasperation.

Alia: “Your father must keep a lot of secrets from you, considering you don’t know this. HAH, OF COURSE he kept it from all of you.”

Me: “My father?”

Alia: “Ta3aly, we don’t want to be late. I’ll explain as we get you ready.”

3bdulla

            Empty. The room was empty, and her phone was mu3’la8. The guard said he saw her leave into a limo. Why didn’t I tell her about the limo? Why didn’t I just effin tell her?!

Me: “ASMA!”

            I crushed my fist onto the wall as I screamed in enragement. Her things weren’t even packed. Why didn’t she listen to me?

Me: “Asma… where are you?”

            Just as I was about to phone Sul6an, my bb rang. It was 3wash.

Me: “Any luck?!”

3wash: “Yes. I found her.”

Me: “WHAT?! YOU DID? WHERE IS SHE?”

            I almost growled into the speaker.

3wash: “Calm down! It’s too late. They will force baba into the situation. There’s nothing that we can do.”

            OVER. MY. DEAD. BODY.

Me: “I’ll only ask you one more time, WAINHA?”

            She sighed. I waited impatiently for what seemed to be the longest minutes of my life.

3wash: “They took her to their farm in hatta, bas there’s nothi-”

*6ooo6*

            I closed the phone on her face and looked desperately for my car keys. There was nothing that I could do about it? Well, she and everyone else were in for a big surprise. I’m coming Asma.

To be continued…