Trauma

"Here..." Kyle offered his shirt and pajamas for Faridah to use. Faridah stared at it as Kyle looked at her.

"It's new, I never wear it yet," Kyle reassured. "I can have Keteki bring my clothes here," Faridah said as Kyle smiled.

"No need, That man's been working the whole day. Give him a rest besides all clothes are the same right?" He said as he left the room and let Faridah change.

Kyle caught her Mom giggling as she looked at the pictures that Keteki sent on their group chat.

'It seems like Mom is having fun.' Kyle thought as he smiled. "Kyle..." Her mom called when she saw him going to the kitchen. "Does your head hurt?" His Mom asked as Kyle smiled.

"Not anymore." He answered as his Mom looked worried about it. "It's just a minor cut, Mom." He added as Mrs. Gabriella sighed.

Faridah on the other hand was just staring at the clothes that Kyle gave her. She can't help but message Keteki.

Faridah:

Keteki, I'm in Kyle's house for a sleepover is it appropriate for a young lady to wear a young man's clothes?

She sounded pathetic when Keteki saw the message he couldn't help but laugh.

Keteki:

Good Evening Madam! It's reasonable to wear his clothes. If you're still not comfortable with it I'll send someone to bring you a new set of clothes. Rest assured!

Faridah sighed as she changed into Kyle's bedroom. Kyle's room is simple yet calming.

It's just a normal college boy's room. A knock startled her as she finished changing.

"Are you done Faridah?" Kyle asked as Faridah opened the door. "Yeah I am, Can I borrow your laptop for a second?" She asked as she still needed to continue work.

"Faridah can you also take a break from work?" He asked as Faridah stared at him. "I just have a file to finish." She said as Kyle sighed and handed her his laptop.

"I'll be taking a bath now. I'll ask you to stop working once I finish." He said as Faridah nodded. "Take all the time that you need." She said as she was focused on his laptop.

Kyle leaned on her and kissed her cheeks gently. "I'll be back." He said as Faridah nodded.

Faridah sits at Kyle's desk, her fingers typing swiftly on his laptop. The bright glow from the screen reflects on her focused face as she scrolls through emails and documents.

Faridah faced change and looked intense seeing that the family of Ferris made a huge deal with the Guiled Family making them partners which means Faridah will also be helping them soon in their business ventures since Mr. Guiled had already signed their partnership.

'Why would that old man sign such a high-risk company like the Ferris?!' Faridah asked as she started to look irritated by the news.

In the background, the faint sound of footsteps can be heard as Kyle steps out of the bathroom. When he went inside he saw how tense Faridah looked at the news as he leaned on her.

"Times up, Let's sleep now," Kyle said as he closed the laptop. Faridah looked at him topless as the water was dripping all around his body.

"Faridah..." Kyle took some clothes from the cabinet and went back to the bathroom to change.

Faridah opened the window and sighed as she felt like she wanted to smoke.

"What are you thinking?" Kyle asked as Faridah just stared at him. "I want to smoke." She answered honestly as she looked at the stars.

Kyle got something in the drawer as he gave it to Faridah.

"Do you smoke?" Faridah asked as Kyle smiled. "No, but my lover smokes that's why I came prepared." He said as he gave Faridah a lighter.

"When the guard beat you up, Why didn't you fight back?" She asked as she started smoking.

"I don't want to cause such a scene that would damage your reputation." He said as Faridah looked at him. "Yet your pretty face got damaged." She said.

"It seems like you're afraid of blood." She said.

Kyle sits on the edge of his bed, his hands trembling as he stares down at the floor. His voice is low and shaky as he begins to speak. "It was my dad… that night," he pauses, his breath catching in his throat.

"I never thought he'd do something like that. One minute he was fine, and the next everything just changed. The yelling, the... violence."

Faridah stared at Kyle at how hard he was trying to tell his story.

His eyes well up, but he holds back the tears. "I couldn't stop him from killing my father. I couldn't protect anyone. It was like I was frozen, and now, every time I close my eyes, I see it. The blood, the chaos, it just keeps coming back."

Kyle looks up, his face pale. "And no matter how much I try to forget, it stays with me. Like a part of me is stuck in that moment, and I don't know how to get out." His voice breaks.

"I don't know how to fix it, how to feel normal again," Kyle said as Faridah looked upon the stars. "You will figure it out soon." She said as Kyle smiled sadly.

"Faridah I might be a kid for you but if you'll just see me as a man you won't regret having me. I'll take responsibility for you" Kyle said. Faridah stared at him and smiled sadly.

"You're too young to think about responsibilities. What are you going to do about college?" She asked.

"I'm planning to go to business class so that I can work my butt off on your behalf if I get you pregnant." Looking at Kyle's serious face Faridah just can't help but laugh at his statement. "I'm serious here!" Kyle said as Faridah blushed.

"Yeah you do that, I'll wait for you." She said. "S-So you're giving me a chance?!" Kyle asked as Faridah smirked.

"We already slept in one bed, take lunch together, let's you text on me, agreeing on your clingy demands and everything else. Did you really think that I haven't given you a chance to win me over?" She asked as Kyle looked at her.

'She's so cool!' he thought as he hugged her from the back.

"I smell like cigarettes, you can back off." She said while continue smoking. "I'll hug you even if you smell like poop," Kyle said as Faridah smiled.

They slept together in one bed while Kyle was just clinging to her the whole time. Faridah woke up without Kyle on her side when she went downstairs Kyle was cooking breakfast while Mrs. Gabriella was having her morning coffee.

"Good Morning Far!" Mr. And Mrs. Hamilton said while sipping into their coffees. "Did you have a good night?" They asked as Faridah just stared at them blankly.

Keteki was on the side serving her some plates.

"Keteki, Book a flight to London," Faridah said as Kyle stopped cooking. "You're leaving?!" He asked as they were all shocked.

"Yeah? What's the big deal about it?"Faridah asked confused as Kyle served her the food he cooked for her.

"The trip will take two whole weeks." She added as she ate what was served on her plate.

Keteki took down notes and started searching for a flight. "But in two weeks I won't be having a class since it's the semestral break! I was planning to go on a date with you!" Kyle said saying his feelings out loud as Faridah sipped her coffee.

"He's right Faridah you should reconsider since he's on a break from school! Don't you feel bad about our future son-in-law?!" Mrs. Feliz said poking guilt on Faridah's body.

"And he was also hurt for delivering you lunch huhu my poor baby..." Mrs. Gabriella added stabbing conscience on Faridah's stomach.

"Besides London is a far away trip won't Kyle miss you that much? He's your responsibility after all." Mr. Alexander said as it poked responsibility on Faridah's head.

'Damn this people.' Faridah thought as she looked at Kyle with a puppy face. "Do you want to go?" She asked as Kyle immediately nodded.

"Keteki..." Faridah said as Keteki nodded and booked a flight for three people.

Everyone jumped as they were happy that Faridah was taking Kyle with her.

Faridah sitting at the dining table, slowly picking at the breakfast Kyle made a plate of scrambled eggs and toast.

The warmth of the food doesn't reach her, her mind is elsewhere. Her gaze drifts to the window, but she's not seeing the view. Instead, thoughts of the Ferris and Guiled families swirl in her head.

'Why now?' she wonders, taking a small bite.

The partnership between these two powerful families seemed too sudden, too convenient. The Ferris Family had always been fiercely independent yet they were in huge debt so they asked for my help yet I declined, and the Guiled Family wasn't known for altruistic alliances and their family wouldn't benefit from that type of partnership.

Faridah's gut twisted with suspicion. She had heard whispers, things that didn't sit right.

'I can't trust what I don't see for myself.'

She looks down at her food, absentmindedly poking at the eggs with her fork. The only way to know the truth was to dig into it herself, no matter what Kyle or anyone else thought.

Kyle looked at how Faridah was absent-minded today and Keteki noticed it too.

With a sigh, Faridah pushes her plate away slightly and mentally prepares for what she knows will be a dangerous investigation.

"I'm done, Pack your things we're leaving this instance." She ordered and left the dining table.