Dusk Till Dawn | ✓

20

• • •

We both stay silent for a moment as we let our professor talk, I turn back to try and focus on what comes out our professor's mouth.

But how can I? Daniel must be in so much pain right now. The worst thing is that he's hiding it away too.

"Princess, it's okay." He lays his hand on top of mine, I didn't realise the whole time that my hand was shaking.

• • •

"Shit." Hania hisses underneath her breath. "Are you serious?" She asks me for the second time now.

I slowly nod, as I see Daniel walk past us not bothering to stop.

"He didn't stop to see you?" Safa asks, as she picks up her sandwich.

I shake my head at her, "It's okay guys, today was actually the first day he opened up... to me. I know he's hurting, so I just want to give him some space." I tell them both, I'm happy that Daniel is starting to open up to me. Just the news he gave was unpleasant and broke my heart into thousand of pieces.

Hania holds my hand, "We're here if you need us." She gives me a small grin.

I nod at her as we make our ways to our next classes.

• • •

Just like that a few weeks pass by, rarely any contact with Daniel except from our class timetables and even now, he sometimes doesn't show up.

It's been a few weeks since his mother's passing. You can still see how much pain he is in, but he no longer shares or says anything more to me.

"Is marriage still a choice?" Safa asks, clarifying with me.

I stop my train of thought.

Marriage?

It hits me that I haven't even spoken to Daniel about something so important. "I haven't been able to mention it."

Safa nods at me, "I understand, it's been rough for you both."

A sudden phone call arises on my phone making me jump almost.

"Who is it?" Hania asks, a grin takes over my facial expression.

"Yusuf." I've missed my brother's calls. He doesn't call me very often but when he does it makes me forget about everything else so I can spend a few minutes with him.

Everything becomes fine then.

"Salaam?" I answer the phone call, as I munch on some chocolate.

"Hey sis, I've missed you." Hearing his voice for the first time in ages, almost brings tears to my eyes.

I've missed him so much.

"Why haven't you called me before?" I'm annoyed because only now he has decided to call me. This whole time before, he's been busy I suppose.

"Duty calls and you know it!" He tries to prove a point, I sigh taking the defeat.

"What's wrong with you? You sound not like yourself." He mentions, the edge of his voice going quieter.

I gulp, hoping he would realise. "Trust me if I was bad, you'd be the first to know. I'm totally fine."

Hopefully he buys it.

"I don't buy it."

What else was I expecting? I mean that was my brother after all. He knows exactly what I am like.

"I buy it." I nervously chuckle to which I know that he is rolling his eyes.

"Tell the truth, Inaya. You're a bad liar." He warns me to which I sigh.

I might as well come clean.

"Uh...my friend's mother passed away a couple of weeks ago." Finally, the words come out. I wait for a response but I hear nothing.

I glance over at Hania and Safa nervously.

"Have you given your condolences?" I hear Yusuf's voice come through at last. Sending a sigh of relief out of me.

"I will soon." I will definitely speak about this with Daniel and if possible give my condolences to him and his family.

It's just that I know he can be distant and...scared. I don't want to do anything which could separate us both.

We haven't spoken in a couple of days, due to him being missing from university mostly. I completely understand where he is coming from, I could never imagine my life without my mother.

"He knows doesn't he?" Safa asks as I turn off the phone call. Putting my phone away, I nod at her as I take out some work to get on with.

"There's a party tomorrow." We hear Hania from behind us. "I think it'll be good for us. We need some sort of fun away from this hardship."

I know for definite if I don't go with her, God knows what would happen but also because I need a distraction than to be worried about Daniel all the time.

I'm scared for him, I don't want to contact him because I don't want him to feel like he needs to give me attention right now.

Because right now grieving should only be his option.

- - -

- A/N -

Surprise chapter! 🥰

Eid Mubarak to all my fellow Muslim readers! 🎉

Next update : Monday 25th May 2020