The next morning, she didn't even make breakfast. She stayed in her room having a peaceful sleep. She was disturbed by a persistent thud on her door.

She stood up, still feeling sleepy and opened the door to an angry Fawwad. He was standing by the door. The moment he saw her still in her pajamas, he was shocked as his eyes slightly widened. She fast enough to notice and that made her smirk which she didn't allow him to see.

This is just the beginning, Mr. Fawwad Ibrahim Sufyan

"What the hell are you still doing in bed. I think I've clearly told you that we'll go out in the morning, and why is breakfast not done yet?" He was frustrated and she liked it.

"As you can see I'm sleepy. Please just let me be" she faked yawned

"Who the hell do you think you're speaking to?" he fumed and if to say he was a cartoon character, smoke would've been coming out of his ears.

"Clearly, it's just the two of us and I can't be talking to myself... So, yes I'm speaking to you"

Out of nowhere, she heard a loud unanticipated sound of a slap on her face. She had to close her eyes then open them again to make sure that she's not dreaming it. Before it hit her; the pain.

Her eyes suddenly became teary as her vision blurred due to the effect. She tried hard to push back the tears but she couldn't as she felt them freely streaming down her soft now turned pink cheeks.

She held the spot of contact"Did you just slap me... Again?" a sob escaped her lips. She quickly covered her mouth and damned herself for breaking down again in his presence.

"Wait... Walija... I'm..." She didn't let him finish what he wanted to say as she slammed the door on his face. He almost flinched because it came unexpectedly. She locked the door behind her and rested her back on it as she sobbed harder.

She was pretty sure she saw regret in his eyes and she knows he didn't mean it, but why does he keep doing it?

She knew she'd pissed him to the core, but yet still that doesn't give him the right to keep slapping her whenever he's angry. He has anger issues but venting them out on his wife is so not right.

He seemed nice on the inside. She realized that after seeing him with his siblings. He was not like this before but then what happened to him? What really brought out the monster in him? She kept thinking until his voice brought her out of her little trance.

"Walija please open the door....we need to talk" he pleaded which she turned deaf ear to.

He kept banging the door and when the sound began disturbing her, she moved to the bathroom. She cried her life out before she washed her face and came out. When she finally came out, the room was quiet and she knew that he must've gotten tired and left.

Her face was pale and her eyes were red from crying. She let out a sigh. She slid into her long hijab, sprayed her praying mat and sat. She carried her only solution. The cure to all her worries and the pain killer to all her pains; the Holy Qur'an. Yes, that's her only medication. In it, she found solace.

She recited it for almost an hour in her soft melodious voice. She felt better.

Putting everything aside, she entered the bathroom and took a long refreshing hot shower. She performed ablution before coming out. After rubbing her body lotion, she slipped into a comfy dress. She got on the previously laid praying mat and wore back her hijab. Prayed zuhr prayer(2 o'clock prayer), prolonging her last sujood and crying out to her lord.

When she finished praying, she went to the kitchen and got herself a cup of hot chocolate. That was the only thing she was in the mood of having at that time. After the incident that occurred in the morning which she doesn't want to think about, she had lost her appetite. She decided to skip breakfast for a cup of hot chocolate.

She was in the sitting room having her hot chocolate when the doorbell chimed.

She opened the door to a smiling Noor"Oh my Allah, Noor!" she engulfed her into a bone crushing hug.

"Walija! you've changed... Masha Allah" Noor was looking at her with her hands on her shoulders, taking in her features and admiring every bit of it.

Walija pouted "It's you that changed. I missed you so much"

"I missed you more" she hugged her again.

"Wow! come in girl. Don't just stand there" they both giggled.

The moment she saw Noor, she almost forgot all her worries. They talked and laughed reminiscing all the good old days.

"So how did you know my house?" Walija finally asked. She was curious cause she can't remember telling her that herself.

"Oh yeah... about that" she puts on her serious face. "so you got married and decided to hide it from me?" she was pained and it was evident in her eyes. "I know that we've been apart for long and there was no means of contacting me... But we've talked last week and you didn't even care to share it with me... Seriously Walija?"

"It's not like that. It's just that it all happened so fast and besides, when we talked, you were in a hurry"

"That's not an excuse. I told you I was coming but you didn't tell me you weren't home anymore...Guess what, I went to your house. That's when Umma told me that... you're married" she was really disappointed.

"I'm sorry Noor...I know you have every right to put the blame on me"

"It's alright. Now, where's the lucky prince charming? I want to meet the lucky guy that has won over the heart of my beautiful sweet princess" she was being bubbly again. Typical Noor, she can't look serious. She's always cheerful.

She was all excited but not until the smile her friend was carrying was slowly fading away.

"what's wrong Walija?" she was getting worried and just then Walija ducked her head low. Noor quickly held her hands in hers.

"Oh my Allah, Walija... Have I said anything wrong?...you know that I'm your friend, you can tell me" she gave her a reassuring look.

"It's...it's... " she stammered cause she doesn't even know if telling her was right but then, she needed someone to talk to and Noor was just the right person.

"Aren't you happy?" She asked again, slightly squeezing her hands as if that would make her spill it out.

"Well... yes" she finally said trying hard to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall but she pushed them back.

"Don't you love him? What happened? Just tell me"

When she didn't get a reply from her for what seems like forever, she just hugged her without saying anything. She knows that she needed it. Yes, she needs someone to tell her that everything is okay. Someone to get her back for her. They stayed there for a long time before she finally spoke.

"It's... an arranged marriage" she swallowed the lump in her throat. Her saliva suddenly becoming bitter at the mention of those words. The words that broke her and shattered her life into a million pieces.

"Innalillahi!" she gasped "why will they do that to you?... Didn't you talk to Umma?" She cupped her face in her hands, looking into her eyes with pity.

When Walija saw how worried and concerned she was, she decided to tell her everything. But of course excluding the incident that occurred in the morning and him being a drunkard. She strongly believed that some things are better left unsaid and besides whatsoever he has done to her, he's still her husband. She shouldn't leak out his secrets to anyone.

After hearing everything from her friend, she didn't know when a lone tear escaped her eye. She really felt sorry for her. Indeed she was living under a cruel marriage. She always thought marriage as a bed of roses but never for once did she thought that there might be hardship lying underneath.

"Just have faith Walija... take it as a test from Allah. Keep it in your mind that Allah does not burden his servant more than he can endure. Always pray, it's the key to solving all your problems. Never ever lose faith in God. Everything has time and insha Allah everything will just work out fine. Allah is with the patient ones, so be patient"

"Thank you so much Noor" and for some odd reason, she felt relieved.

She gave her a tight lip smile gently patting her shoulder "What are friends for?"

They talked about random stuff before they decided to bake chocolate mousse cake; their old time favorite dessert. They really had a good time together.

After they prayed Asr prayer, Noor took her leave. Walija was not happy but there's nothing she could do. She knows that she'll be back to her miserable life immediately she leaves but then that's her destiny; she has to live it. Noor promised to visit again soon before she left.

*****

Having escorted her friend out, she switched on the TV and engrossed herself in watching a movie;

She heard the door swung opened. She doesn't need anyone to tell her who it was. When he was finally seated, she glimpsed him before she stood up to leave but his hoarse voice stopped her.

"We need to talk" he cleared his throat "please"

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