"Hey? Earth to Aisha?!" David's voice pulls me out of my train of thought. "You keep zoning out a lot these days. What's wrong?"
"Uh… Just my homies. I have been getting cold treatment since they found out about my TikTok videos."
"Tsk! You can't be thinking about them when they don't think about you."
"I can't do that David… They're my parents. My family."
"Then who am I to you?" He held my hand tight in his. "I can't watch you looking like that."
A small smile splayed on my lips. David always knows how to console my sinking heart and bring a smile to my face. When I see this side of him, I know I didn't make a bad choice. I love him and he loves me back. That's the most magical thing that ever happened to me.
"Your parents won't allow a marriage with me and I can't sit here waiting to turn old. I. Want. You. Real bad." He emphasized each word at the end which sent cold shivers run down my spine.
"I want you to… But I don't know what to do." I scratch the back of my head.
"Here's my idea. If it gets really bad for you… Then run away with me. You'll be welcomed in my world." My eyes widened at his statement.
"N-no. I know they'll eventually get around and things will become normal again. I won't have to elope with you." I scoff lightly.
Run? How could I do that? What will become of my parents if I just leave them like that?
No. Not an option.
But then have I ever considered their feelings before all of this?
"See, there you go again. Looking in the distance." David scoops up my thoughts again. "I feel like I am no one to you. Why am I the one being cold-shouldered?"
"N-no David. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."
"It's okay. Let's go. It's time for your shoot right now." With a weak nod of the head, we both got up and left in his car.
I reached the studio and just as usual it was busy with people running around left and right with different papers, wires or boxes in their hands as they shouted out some orders to the other people at a distance.
When I first came to the studio, I was amazed at the view but today it didn't excite me as much.
"Miss Aisha. You're here." The makeup artist drags me away from David and pulls me to the makeup room.
After thirty minutes, I was all groomed and ready for the commercial shoot. "Honey, you look so pretty. Where did you get those sharp features from?" The makeup man asked, looking at my reflection in the mirror, marveling at his work.
I was wearing bell-bottom jeans with a crop top. My ash brown hair was cascading down my shoulders into soft curls. I genuinely looked pretty after the small amount of makeup he had applied to outstand my features.
"Both my parents have outstanding features," I replied with a smile.
"Lucky you, hun." The makeup man placed his hands against my bare arms and I felt uncomfortable. Although his intentions were pure but I wasn't used to men touching me. Since day one and today I haven't gotten used to it and I softly shook his hands off of my shoulders with an excuse.
David is going to be my husband only he is allowed to touch me this way, my inner self explains.
Suddenly the door blasts open and reveals the director standing in the doorway. "Where's Ash- There you are!" He scurried my way and suddenly stopped after he looked at me through the mirror.
I stood up and faced him with a nod. "I'm ready sir." Suddenly he closed the distance between us and kissed me on the cheeks while placing his hands on my shoulders.
"You look beautiful. I was furious because it was already late but God! Look at you." He smiled while I was frozen to the ground not liking one bit the way he touched me and looked at me from head to toe.
David at some point had already slipped inside the room without me noticing and I gladly found this as an escape and rushed to stand beside David, leaving the director fumbled.
"What are you doing Aish, he was complimenting you and you came running to me?" David whisper-hissed at me.
"W-what?"
I thought that David wouldn't like the idea of any other man touching me. Isn't that how men are supposed to be? Possessive about their girl?
Shouldn't David be defending me right now and putting the director to his limits? I had expected he'd do just that, that's why I came running to him without thinking.
With a scowl the director stomps out of the room, shutting the door with a bang behind him.
"I think I should leave you two to talk." The makeup man takes his leave from the room.
"See? You annoyed him." David was furious. "Now go and apologize to him. Makeup for what you did."
"B-but David… I didn't like the way he touched me and today he just kissed me without any warning!" I complained.
"Aish, this industry is not like your backward family. Your beauty is appreciable, he only expressed his liking for it. Why do you think so much into everything God damnit?!" He rushes outside just as furiously as the director had left.
I bit my quivering lip to not let myself cry because the set was ready, I had makeup on and the things were only delaying because of me. I can't ruin this chance that David pulled out for me through his connections. I have to do this shoot for him after all… He's the only one after Sana for me to call my family.
I went into the director's room where both David and the director were sitting quietly on the sofa.
"I'm sorry sir. It was rude of me." I utter as I stand beside the director. "Recently my mind has been consumed with some distress regarding my family and because of that…" The director stood from his seat and clutched my hand, taking me off guard again.
"I didn't know you were having family problems dear." He softly spoke and as I looked at him, his eyes were looking down at my body but not my face.
He was in his late forties but I could feel that his words weren't out of concern but something else that he wanted from me. I sneaked a look at David who shook his head and warned me with his eyes to not ruin this again.
"Don't worry, I didn't take it to heart. You're forgiven." He kissed my hand and I couldn't help but feel disgusted. I forced a smile on my face and nodded a thanks in response.
After three hours of shooting, we were finally done and I was allowed to go home.
David was driving the car while I stayed silent in my seat, looking outside the window.
"I'm sorry for being aggressive that time." He places his hand on mine and presses it reassuringly but I retrieve my hand from his. "Woah! Someone's really mad. I said, " I'm sorry, Aish."
"Alright. I just don't feel like talking right now."
After that no one spoke and I reached home.
When I came inside, Mom was baking a cake, Tahir was playing video games while Dad was reading a newspaper.
"Assalamu Alaikum." I greeted everyone with peace but no one responded and with a sigh, I took my shoes off and dragged myself to my room.
I came down at dinner time and found my family happily chatting together as they ate at the dinner table.
"Don't make that face Tahir! I made that dish standing up in the kitchen for three hours straight." My fuming mother voiced with a pointed finger at Tahir who laughed in response.
"All praises for my mother who made this dish in three hours and put in extra salt for us to choke it out in a second."
"Tahir…" Dad had a warning in his voice with a small smile playing on his lips.
"Dad, you don't have to bear with it. Just hold the courage and tell Maa the truth."
"I don't want to die, Tahir."
"Akbar! Don't you belittle my cooking skills?" Mom speaks.
"No, dear. It's delicious." Suddenly Dad starts coughing and spits out the bite he had. "I'm sor-"
Dad stops talking when I grab a seat at the table and everyone loses the joy that was dancing on their faces. The table had become too quiet.
I took a bite of the lasagna mom made and chewed on it. "It's tasty. They are only messing up with you maa." I said but everyone pretended to not hear me and kept on silently eating the food on their plates.
That was who I became to them. A total stranger.