Against The Tide (Formerly Two Tribes)

33: Love Is Not Enough

Unedited.

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Never in a million years did Jameel think he would ever hit a woman. That woman is the person he cherished so much made him feel so terrible about himself. He had tried so hard to keep his anger at bay but Afrah kept saying things to intentionally provoke him. She wanted to push her limits and she did.

Lost in a trance, Jameel stood motionlessly. He couldn't even bring himself to go after her because he knew it would be futile. For a fact, he knew Afrah was furious and no amount of words would be able to calm her down. He felt disheartened.

"You shouldn't have done that, Jameel!" Najah spoke.

Not bothering to reply, Jameel walked out of the kitchen and made his way to Afrah's room.

Fortunately for him, the door wasn't locked. She must have forgotten to do so.

Jameel met Afrah seated by the foot of her bed; her body curled in a ball and shoulders quivering.

The sight shattered Jameel's heart. He had sworn to protect and love her for as long as he lived but barely a few months after their marriage, he was the one causing her the most pain. He wished he had controlled his anger. He wished he had been strong enough. He had created a scar that would last their whole life. Jameel wished there was something he could do to erase the ugly memory. He would do it in a heartbeat. Even more than Afrah, he was deeply hurt. Shirt and disappointed in himself for he felt like he's ruined what he had been working so hard to build.

Jameel crouched in front of Afrah; his eyes held so many restrained emotions-sadness, regret, distress...

"I..." He trailed off, not knowing where to start or the right thing to say at the moment. Jameel had never been so confused in all the years of his life. He couldn't even bring himself to look her in the eyes. The same eyes that he always got lost him...the eyes that never failed to mesmerize him, the thought of looking into those eyes again and seeing the pain he caused them hunted him. "JaFrah," Jameel placed a hand on her folded knee. "I'm-"

"Get your hand off me!" Afrah yanked his hand away and moved away from him. "Don't you dare come closer."

Jameel didn't mind her anger-he expected even worse. He was more concerned about how bloodshot and swollen her eyes had become in such a short period. She looked like a total mess and there was no one else to blame but himself. He had caused that. All of that.

"Afrah," he called her name this time. "You know I'd never hit a woman. Talk more of you. I have no words to justify my action. I'm not going to try to justify that. I really shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Afrah scoffed. "Sorry?! Take your apology and flush it down the drain. I'm never ever going to forgive you for this, Jameel. Mark today's date as the day you chose to humiliate me in the presence of that witch," she furiously wiped the tears running down her face. "it is true that you don't know truly know a person's character until you live with them and I'm glad I can finally see you for who you are. I wish I never met you! I wish I never got-"

Jameel placed his hand over her mouth to avoid hearing the words he had come to dread most in the past few months. He could take the words she threw at him but not that particular sentence. No matter the complications and havoc, getting married to Afrah had been the happiest occasion of his life, and no amount of her skulduggery would make him regret that. He was still her AFmeel and she'd forever be his JaFrah.

Afrah tried to push him away but instead of letting go, he pulled her into his embrace and began to whisper his apology into her ear. "I understand your anger. I really do. I hate myself so much right now but please find it in your heart to forgive me. I promise it will never happen again. I'm not that type of a person."