I never had it easy.
From watching my parents succumb to the horrors of a car accident to craving the healing presence of the man I love-my entire life-I had navigated through this messy maze I call my life with a shard of hope in my heart.
Every da...
Before you start to read this chapter, please make sure you've read the first part of both Chapter 06 AND Chapter 07. They've been rewritten to correct some errors and inconsistencies. Make sure you've read them both before proceeding with this chapter. Thank you!
-7500 word chapter. Take breaks if you have to-
Chapter 08 | Bittersweet
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Saboor bit down into her sandwich, closing her eyes as the first bite went down her parched throat. She marvelled at the taste of cheese and chicken Nausheen had loaded her sandwich with, and after a few more bites, took a sip of her juice.
She turned her gaze away from her meal and towards the sight before her; shrubs littered with pink and yellow flowers with blossoming petals, knee-height plants with leaves that danced in the wind with mirth, a rectangular granite courtyard in the middle of the greenhouse with two benches against either ends. From where Saboor sat enjoying her lunch, she could clearly make out the stream flowing to her right, the steady chime soothing her nerves.
As she took another bite, her brother's disdainful picture arose before her eyes. That morning, he'd come down to breakfast with his eyes swollen and his lips sealed tight-he hadn't spoken more than a word to Nausheen, barely replying to her greeting. He'd lowered his head over his cereal. Saboor, however, took notice of his slumped shoulders all too well.
The house had been eerily quiet since Saboor's father, Khalid, had left for Kuwait for some work-related things. He was a man of habit-going for a jog after Fajr, waking the whole house up and then they, as a family, enjoying the traditional breakfast of puris and chickpea curry. It had been so that ever since he left, no longer a presence in their house, everyone's sleeping routines had been messed up. Making use of this as an excuse for Aaryan's quiet demeanor, she'd let the matter go.
But now, as she sat amongst nature, she couldn't help but think it all over. Aaryan was definitely on the quieter side, but even to that quieter side of him there was a certain tranquility that Saboor failed to sense in the air around him that morning. What could've happened overnight to completely dull her brother's spirits? As much as Saboor's grandpa memory could recall, no such happening had taken place since Mubaraka's birthday.
Chiding herself to ask him about it when she got home, Saboor continued eating her meal, jut barely missing a presence taking a seat next to her on the bench.
She stopped midway taking a bite, and without even turning her head, gritted her teeth.
"This isn't fair," Naail spoke. "I can't believe you've found my secret spot."
"Naail."
"At your service, ma'am," Naail replied, smiling goofily.
Saboor considered the distance between them, and if she hadn't had an extreme amount of self control over her murderous tendencies, Naail would be six feet underground in a casket.
