Chapter 36

Laila's POV ...

I sat down on the couch, looking down at the carpet floor. What will I do now? What can I do? Everything, everything is lost now. Who can I blame? The man who did this? Or is it my fault for going out late?

I felt Kareem's warm hands on my lap and flinched a bit, yet for some reason I couldn't look up to see him. I couldn't bring myself to narrate what happened to him. I heard his voice but could only pick the words ' okay' and ' happened '. His voice sounded distant compared to the various thoughts running through my mind. I mean, what else could I do other than accept the reality. The ugly truth staring right in front of me, taunting me for what I am now. Nothing but a ragged doll, used and dumped.

But Kareem, he doesn't know what happened. No one does. Would it be wrong to keep the truth away from him? Won't it hurt his feelings? But then again, we aren't really married ,so he probably won't care about what happens to me since we'd part ways in a few months.

The atmosphere in the room felt suffocating. It felt like as though there was a lack of air in the room and a cloud of tension sitting above our heads. This house, this person, they all did no justice in reminding me of what happened and who it has made me. Constantly resurfacing the memories to the point of suffocation.

"I want to go up to my room". I said,still not looking up to see him as I got up, using the couch as an aid so I won't fall. My mind was a foggy mess and I could barely pick up or distinguish anything in my surroundings.

As I slowly approached the foot of the stairs, I felt someone put my left hand around their neck and carefully hold my waist. I didn't react to the person's touch knowing fully well that it was Kareem. I knew he was only trying to help me, but his presence just further amplified the pain in my heart knowing fully well that he deserved to know everything, but I just couldn't bring myself to say it.

We reached my door not too long after. I opened the door and shut it behind before he could ask me what's wrong. I heard sound of something hitting the door but didn't bother to open it because I already knew who it was.

I stood in front of the mirror staring blankly at my reflection . My ripped clothes and bruised skin. It was like watching everything that happened on a screen.

My mind felt foggy and my eyes heavy. My heart felt burdened upon, and my breathing felt restricted.

I fell to the ground, knocking down the chair in the process as I continued to pant heavily . I didn't know when the tears started streaming down my face . I buried my face in-between my arms as I pulled onto my hair, causing my headache to increase.

It felt like everything around me was spinning into a whirlpool and I was being sucked into it.

I threw my head back trying to blink back the tears. I needed to get a hold of myself. I wiped my tears away using the back of hand...

...

"Come on, let's talk"...

"I said leave me alone!"...

"Ahh! Let go of me"...

"You want to escape?... You can't escape from me!"...

And all the constant screams that followed constantly kept ringing in my ears.

...

I closed my eyes and threw my head back on the,the tears stinging my eyes just one blink away from rolling down my cheeks again. I breathed a soft sigh as I slowly opened my eyes. I needed to take a shower, I needed to get his scent off me. I needed to get rid of everything that reminds me of him and what he did.

I slowly got up and began making my way to the bathroom. I striped myself off the ragged dress I was , wearing and stepped into the shower. Making sure to turn on the tap as I sat down on the tiles and hugged my knees, burying my face in-between them, the cold water raining down on me.

Somehow this helped reduce the tension I felt, but it just couldn't take the pain away from my heart. I raised my head and looked up at the falling water droplets. I closed my eyes, allowing the water to completely drench my body.

At this point I didn't know whether it was the water running down my face or the tears. It all felt the same now, the tears, the pain, the heartache, they all didn't seem to bother me since there was nothing left to lose.

...

I woke up the next morning with a headache and a sore throat. My body felt cold and I had barely enough energy to get out of bed. In fact, I didn't want to get out of bed. I felt sick and everything that happened last night replayed in my mind like a flashback, and Kareem...

I sat up on the bed and scratched my eyes before I reluctantly got up and made my way to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth and said my morning prayers.

Kareem is probably worried considering what happened last night. Should I have told him?

I took a shower and got dressed before stepping out of my room. Last night he sat outside my room. Did he stay there the whole night or was I just imagining the whole thing. I closed my eyes and ran my fingers through my hair as I slowly went down to a sitting position on the floor. I tried hard to forget about everything that happened last night but somehow it seemed impossible. I opened my eyes and looked at my hands, the bruises were still clear and I'm pretty sure the other bruises are visible too. Should I cover them up? But Kareem has already seen them regardless.

I felt someone touch my shoulders slightly and flinched almost immediately before realising who it was.

" I've made breakfast. You u haven't eaten anything since yesterday, come, I'll help you to the dining table". He said as he held his hand out for me. I took it and he pulled me up to my feet. I managed to ignore his gaze, but I couldn't ignore the spark I felt in my heart.

We made our way to the dining room and sat down. I saw the plate of toast and omelette he made, but didn't have the appetite to eat.

"Uhm, last night, you didn't tell me what happened, why?" He asked, breaking the silence.

I looked down at my plate. " I don't want to talk about it". I said quietly before getting up from the chair.

Almost immediately, Kareem also got up and reached out to hold my hand. "You haven't eaten anything since yesterday, you'll get sick if you continue like this". I glanced towards him before sitting back down, he did the same.

I followed his advice and ate the food. It tasted bland but I didn't care . I finished the food and got up from my seat. I was on my way to the stairs when he stopped me again.

"Please", he said. "At least let me apply ointment on the bruise". He said as he held my hand.

"Okay". I said and he led me to the living room and sat me down on the couch. I watched as he rushed to get the first aid kit and began sorting out the different equipment.

I wondered why he cared so much if this was a fake marriage. Would he care as much when he finds out what happened?