Laila's POV...
I fiddled with the sleeve of my blouse as I glanced at the clock for probably the fifth time that minute. Layan had helped me buy the pregnancy test last night, and today I'm going to be finding out if I'm pregnant or not. If I'm not, then I'd just tell Kareem what happened that night, and everything would go back to how it used to be, but if I am, then...
Beep! Beep!!
The honking of Kareem's car brought me out of my daze. Something in me sparked at the thought of getting to see him again, but a fresh wave of nervousness washed over me once I realised what his reaction to the truth might look like.
"And here is your luggage". I heard Layan say as she pushed my box into the living room.
I got up from the couch, picked up my handbag and approached her. "I'll make sure to tell him everything today". I said softly as I took hold of the box.
"The pregnancy test is in your handbag, right?" She asked as we began making our way towards the front door.
"How could I forget that?", I said as we stopped at the front door. "It's one thing that could decide my future". I said as I opened the door.
"Wait", Layan said suddenly, holding my hand and stopping me in the process. "Promise me you'd take care of yourself?" She asked once I'd turned around to look at her. Her expression seemed worried, almost scared for me.
I gave her a reassuring smile before hugging her. "Don't worry so much about me," I said before letting go, " I promise I'd take care of myself ". I said, she smiled softly.
"I know you would. Now go, go after your one and true love." She said as she dramatically turned me to face Kareem's car. I rolled my eyes as I dragged my luggage and made my way towards the car. The entire thing felt like a replay of the day I moved into Kareem's house, except this might be the last time I'd actually get to step foot into his house.
I watched as the driver stepped out of the car and approached me to place the luggage into the boot of the car before opening the door and stepping inside.
Kareem was seated next to me, his eyes closed and his head thrown back to the head rest as he slouched on his seat. Was he tired? Probably. But if so then why did he come to pick me up? The driver could've come alone, right? I didn't think to much about any of that and just looked out the window as the car began moving.
I didn't want to get bothered by Kareem's presence but that only made me more anxious. I diverted his attention towards him. He looked so peaceful with his eyes closed and his arms folded on his chest. I didn't want any negative thought to intervene and ruin this moment, but those were the only thoughts that kept crossing my mind. I sighed before taking my eyes off of him and shifting it to my handbag. As soon as we arrive at his house, I'd conduct the pregnancy test and then I'd tell him everything.
...
The car stopped in Kareem's driveway as Kareem slowly opened his eyes and sat up straight. I watched as he rubbed his forehead slightly, his gaze wondered around the car before finally landing on me. I froze in my spot. We both stared into each others eyes for what seemed like forever. I missed this, I missed him.
I looked away , unsure of whether his gaze was still lingered on me or not, I stepped out of the vehicle, my grip on my handbag tightened as I shut the door behind me. The driver had already taken out my luggage and was on his way to opening the door for Kareem when I grabbed the luggage and without waiting for Kareem to step out of the car, I rushed into the building, dragging my luggage, hastily behind me.
I pushed open the front door, my heart beating faster as I rushed up the stairs. As soon as I arrived at my room door, I pushed it open, letting go of my luggage and pulling out the pregnancy test from my handbag. I threw my handbag on the bed before rushing into the bathroom. I felt my heartbeat quicken and my palms become sweaty.
Taking a deep breath, I calmed myself down before pulling it out of its container, looking down at the tube-like thing in my hands, I read through the instructions before conducting the test.
I waited patiently for a few minutes. I didn't want to check it. I didn't want to see the one result that could completely change everything. Why? Maybe because something in me keeps telling me ....that it's positive.
I sighed before finally checking it. The two red lines staring back at me. I sat there staring at it, my eyes wide with shock. I was... pregnant.
"Laila?" Kareem's voice pulled me out of my trance. "Laila are you in there?" He asked, as the knocking of the door followed. I felt anxious as I held the pregnancy test in my hands, not taking my eyes off of them. Was I really pregnant?
"Laila!" Kareem said again, but this time louder. I got up and slowly began making my way towards the door. I opened it and stepped out of the bathroom, my gaze fixated on the floor. Kareem towered over me . I ignored his presence and closed the door behind me as I was about to walk away from him, before he stopped me. Grabbing my shoulders and cornering me to the wall, my grip on the pregnancy test tightened as I held it at my back.
"Tell me Laila , what's wrong?" He asked softly, probably expecting me to look up and face him, but after finding out this new discovery, it seemed somewhat harder for me to look into his eyes again.
"Can you let go of me?" I said in an even softer tone, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. I couldn't see his expression but I could tell he felt upset by my words.
"Just tell me, what happened?" His voice grew louder and more aggressive as I took hold of his hands and pulled them off my shoulders before walking away from him. With each step my heart grew heavier, and at a point, my legs couldn't move anymore, and I fell to the ground.
Whatever was said to me after that, I couldn't decipher. My mind completely blocked out all surrounding sounds and everything around me. The tears flowed freely down my cheeks now and I couldn't do anything to stop them.
I suddenly felt Kareem grab my arms and pull me towards him. "Laila!" I heard him say and the empty trance I'd been in seemed to fade away.
"What's wrong ?" He asked when I noticed the pregnancy test still in my hand. I looked up at him. He looked worried for me. After all I'd hidden from him, after how I'd behaved. He was still worried about me.
I threw my hands over his neck and buried my face in his chest.
"I'm sorry". Was all I managed to say through sobs as he pulled me off him.
"Just tell me what happened to you?" He asked before his eyes diverted towards my hands. His expression changed once he'd noticed the pregnancy test. He released my arms from his grip and picked up the pregnancy test, observing it carefully.
"I'm pregnant". I said softly, wiping the tears that stained my cheeks as more followed.
He lifted his gaze from the pregnancy test, to my face, before returning it back to the pregnancy test. "What happened that night?" He asked with caution. Probably having a debate in his head on what to believe.
I took a deep breath, making sure to avoid his gaze. "As I was returning home, Jason, the guy who dropped me off, pulled me into an alleyway. I could tell he was intoxicated so I tried to shove him away, but he didn't resist and proceeded to rape me. No one was around at the time so there was noone to call for help.
"Once he was done, he just got up and left. I had barely enough energy left in me to even move so I just lay there in the cold until Natasha found me. That was when she called you and informed you about my whereabouts ".I paused. Everything that happened that night came rushing back to me. I could feel the tears coming back when I felt Kareem rest my head on his chest.
"Why didn't you tell me ? Why did you keep it hidden for so long?" He asked as he patted my head softly.
The tears flowed down anyway. "I don't know. I felt scared of your reaction. I didn't know what you'd say about the whole thing". I said sniffling.
"So you let him go free then?"
"I didn't think about that", I said as I pulled away, looking him straight in the eyes now. "What will happen to this child Kareem?" I asked, he looked away for a second, before returning his gaze.
"I'll take full responsibility", he said as he held my hand. "From now on, it's my child ". As soon as those words left his mouth, I hugged him tightly, not caring for anything else in the world, except him.