HIJABI ✔️

Chapter 33

Ruqayyah's POV

"Where were you? I was waiting for you." Aisha asks as soon as I entered and I find her sitting on her prayer mat with her abaya and hijab on. It's not prayer time, what is she praying?

"What's wrong?" I ask as I notice her swollen eyes. Has she been crying?

I place the book on the headboard and sit next to her, cross-legged.

"So remember I told you I wanted to open up to you?" She asks and I nod, "Basically, the reason why Bianca hates me is because of last year. We had this crazy party in one of the college's student's house. Bianca and her cousin Erick were there as well, so was I. So long story cut short, Bianca got drunk and this guy that was there took advantage of her and he happened to be one of my classmates, whom I have literally never spoken to except in class. I knew he wasn't very good company so I called Youssef to come pick her up.  But before she got drunk, the last person she remembers to be with was me, and I remember I was the one who recommended her to go into one of the rooms to have a rest. And she keeps on blaming me about having recorded her with the guy and giving the recording to her mum. I understand why she might think that. I had a camera the whole night, but that was for my biology class project. I only used the camera outside to photograph the plants." Aisha explains and her eyes begin to water again.

So Bianca was drunk and argued with her cousin, later on a guy that Aisha knew, took advantage of her. Aisha had a camera with her the whole night. Bianca was recorded during her moment in the room with the guy and she thinks Aisha left the camera in the room to then send a tape of the filming to her mum.

This is the story in my head, but I'm not sure if the way I see it is how things actually went.

"What about Youssef?"

"He isn't really blaming me for anything. He just didn't like the fact that I pressured her to go to that party and presented her to that guy. I really just wanted to go to the party because that area had a lot of beautiful nature I could photograph to use for me project. I barely spent any time inside the house. But I spoke to Youssef about it during the weekend and he is not angry with me anymore." She explains and I nod. Everything makes better sense now. If only the two of them sat down and actually spoke about it.

"Why were you telling me to becareful with Jameelah the other day?" I had to ask. It has been on my mind.

"Um... I just don't like her attitude. That's it." Aisha responds, but I felt like there was more to it.

"What's that?" I ask as I notice a spot on her neck. It was red or just darker than her normal skin tone.

"What's what?" She asks and immediately covers her neck with her hair.

"That thing you just covered." I look at her disapproving. "Please tell me this is not what I think it is," I ask seriously concerned.

"I'm sorry," She looks down and I realise that's probably why she was crying when I just arrived. Was the salah she was praying, a salah for forgiveness?

"Aisha, your brother needs to know about this." I tell her and I myself would go tell him.

"No! Please, he will go crazy if he finds out."

"He will eventually find out with that mark on your neck."

"No... I-I... I will cover it with makeup."

"I'm sorry, but I'll have to tell the headteacher."

"No! You can't."

"Why?"

"Because I-I did it willingly..." She looks down and obviously, I did not believe her.

"Aisha, if you want me to help you, you have to tell me the truth."