Hazek's POV
I tap my feet against the ground impatiently and wait for her to arrive as I sit in the library. Minutes later she arrives and grabs a seat before me.
"There's no point in asking me to persuade Aisha, she has gone too far and won't back down. She loves her work and won't stop at the likes of anyone." Sana spoke with determination.
"Is this what she's been saying all this time or have you made it up to spite me?"
"What? O-of course she said it all, Why would I make it all up?"
"Because you've been receiving immense attention on the internet if not for her," I whisper hiss.
"Believe whatever you want. I just talked to her about changing her mind and quitting Tiktok because the fact that she's getting married to you in two months can't be unchanged."
"Quit playing with the both of us, Sana," I growled. "I know you're manipulating me into believing your lies but Rafia told me everything."
Her eyes widened for only a split second but then she was calm and pretended to be oblivious. "Who is Rafia?"
"Your college friend who was nikkahfied (Islamic lawful marriage) to a rich businessman whom you wooed while she thought you only wanted to be friends with. You created misunderstandings between them so he would leave her and be with you just because of his big money. And when he wasn't ready to let her go just yet then you-"
"Had her ra*ed?" She interrupts and admits it so simply as if it were nothing. I blinked my eyes and a sneering smile spread across her face. "Wanna know my secret?" She leans close to the table. "It's all true. I bet she wouldn't have given you this piece of information."
All the air inside my body leaves me and I place my hand on my mouth.
Rafia did tell me her story but she never mentioned that she got… Ra*ed?!
She said Sana had created so many misunderstandings between them that his fiance (using this word because they were lawfully married but not yet living together, they were in pre 'rukhsati' period) Didn't want to live together nor Rafia and broke off their nikkah before rukhsati (Time of living together) but later Sana became her girlfriend and when his business went bankrupt, she left him.
At first, his fiance wasn't ready to let her go but Sana played a vital role in breaking his trust. She called Rafia to meet at some restaurant and in her place she sent a man and called his fiance to check up on her and when he saw the both of them together, he knew that Sana was right and she had an affair with some stranger. But suddenly the word r*pe appearing in the picture… Shook my whole body.
Rafia never mentioned it but now that I think about it, she is never around boys, when I asked her to meet me in person she was hesitant and clutched onto her friend's hand tightly who nodded in affirmation before she finally agreed to talk in private but not too far away and still where her people could see both of us.
At first, I got the impression that she was shy but I couldn't have imagined the trauma she has been through.
My mind couldn't still grasp how big of a plotter and deceptive person Sana was.
"Thank goodness. I don't have to pretend in front of you now at least." She leaned against the chair as I watched her with disgust.
"You know I will tell everything to Aisha?" I finally spoke.
"Oh, I am so scared! She's going to unfriend me." She mocks scared but then she starts laughing as if I had suggested a stupid idea. "Go ahead and do it. Just like Rafia faced dirt you'll be no different. No one will believe you."
"If not me, Allah is there. He will not let this go unless you repent." I sincerely suggest.
"Allah is here watching me but still who will save you from me now?" An evil grin formed on her face and my forehead creased in confusion.
Suddenly her demeanor changed and she poked her eyes only to spill them. She made a painful face and with red eyes, she started crying. Firstly, I was confused then suddenly she started crying loudly, gaining the attention of the people around.
"I am sorry Hazek. I won't leave my friend for the likes of you. I thought you were a great guy but you're threatening me to post my edited pictures online? That's so low of you!" She continues to cry and stands up.
"What are you saying…" I looked around and I spotted a few people from my class watching the scene while a few people even filmed us.
"You think I am a girl that can be manhandled but I won't let you get to my best friend! I am going to protect her from you even if it means to get dirt on myself."
"You're lying!" I yell and stand up. "She's lying! She's making this all up, I never said anything like that." I say, looking around myself.
"You're right… Who'd believe me… I am just a girl whose pictures just got wronged. Maybe this is the price to become an influencer." With fake tears sprinkling from her eyes, she rushed out while I remained the center of attention.
~~~
Aisha's POV
I was studying my notes on a bench in the department's courtyard when Sana came rushing towards me. Her eyes were red, swollen, and teary. It made me uneasy and I instantly stood up.
"What happened?" Without a word, she hugs me and whimpers against my shoulder. I place my hand on her back and pat it gently to calm her down.
A few minutes later she calmed down and sat next to me. But she didn't say anything and just looked at the ground.
"If you don't tell me anything, how would I help you?"
"You won't believe me." She finally speaks.
"Even if the world is against you, you'll always find me standing up for you."
"You might regret it later."
"Even so, you'll stay someone important to me." I look her in the eyes and she wipes her tears, finally looking me back in the eyes.
"Sana. We believe you." Two girls standing in front of us voiced as they raised their thumbs in the air. They were our classmates.
"Thanks," Sana mumbled weakly and they moved on.
"Would you tell me now? What is that they know and I don't being your best friend?" I speak.
"Promise me first that you won't say anything to Hazek. You won't fight with him because of me."
"You went to talk to him at the library, to convince him that becoming an influencer isn't a bad option If he broadens his mind then what happened?"
"Promise me first!"
"Alright, I promise…"
I never thought that breaking promises could be healthy sometimes.
After listening to Sana I wish I had talked to Hazek that day, I wish I had fought with him. I wish I had listened to my heart instead of protecting my friendship.
~~~
I was in my room trying to focus on my studies when my phone started to ring for the fifth time but I declined the call and turned off my phone.
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get Sana's words out of my mind.
Hazek threatened her to reveal her edited nude pictures online if she didn't stop me from becoming an influencer. He blames her. According to him, Sana was the one who forced me to post my videos online.
I could have doubted her words but when she called one of our classmates who was there at the time of the scene and had incidentally filmed them. Sana asked her to send the video and after watching it, all my doubts vanished.
I could see Sana trembling and crying after Hazek had said something to her.
I wished I had believed Sana when she warned me before about Hazek but I blindly trusted him since we were cousins. But little did I consider that we all have grown up, we were not children anymore and so our habits changed.
I wasn't the Aisha I used to be three years ago, a young fragile, shy, and always covered girl just like that Hazek also grew a side of him that I'm not aware of.
I mean no girl wouldn't cry like that in front of so many people unless something really troubled them and Sana was being mentally tortured by Hazek each day.
I was disgusted by him. He appears to be a person who is a slave of God but his nature is of Satan.
At least David is better than him who doesn't pray, doesn't have a long beard but is true to his nature. He isn't trying to be someone he's not. He's not playing a facade game.
I turn on my phone, quickly type, and send a message.
Aisha: David, let's meet.