MANAL

99: Jawaad

For the umpteenth time, I tried calling Manal but couldn't get through.

I began to get worried because it had never happened before. We have had misunderstandings and she had ignored my calls, but never for so long.

After she ended the call, I called again immediately to tell her what she wanted to hear, but she had already switched off her phone. I then decided to give her a few minutes to come back to her senses, but it still didn't work.

How childish!

I blew out my cheeks in exasperation. What I didn't like was having to deal with childish people. How could a trivial joke make someone angry to the point of shutting someone out?

At that moment, I made up my mind not to call her anymore. I was tired of her acting like a baby.

I had decided not to call her until she did, but after two hours of silence from her, I became uneasy. I decided to try one last time and that would be it for the day.

Just as I picked my phone to call her, Farida's call came through.

I quickly received it. I wondered why I didn't call her earlier. Manal was her friend. She might be able to help me reach her one way or the other.

"Where are you, Jawaad?" Farida sounded panicked.

"...I'm at home," I replied. "Why did you ask?"

"So you have not heard of what happened? You've not talked to Manal?"

I furrowed my brows in incomprehension. I wanted to know what she was talking about but I couldn't bring myself to ask. My instincts told me it wasn't going to be something pleasant.

"I'm surprised that you haven't heard." Farida continued. "Did you two fight again?"

I ignored her question. "What happened to her?"

"Her mum just called to inform me that something really terrible happened to Manal today."

I felt my heart fall. I didn't understand what Farida was saying. "But she's still in school."

"She's not," Farida argued. "I know she was supposed to return home tomorrow, but her parents had to go pick her up today because she got badly wounded and—"

"What do you mean?" I cut her off; my heart thumping aggressively in my chest. I just couldn't fathom what she meant by her words. "Wounded? How? What are you even saying?"

"Just come to her house. I'm there right now. I will explain everything to you when you get here." With that said, she ended the call.

For a minute or so, I was dumbstruck. Did she get into a fight? I shook my head. I didn't know her to be a violent person. An accident?

I quickly picked my car keys and hurried out of the house.

Throughout my drive to Manal's house, my mind was flooded with a different manner of thoughts. I was driving so recklessly that I almost ran over an elderly woman. Fortunately, I was able to dodge her.

When I arrived at the house, Farida was waiting by the gate for me.

The look on her face intensified my fear.

I alighted from the car and approached her. "What happened? Where's she?"

"She's sleeping."

By this time?

"She has been sedated."

Farida's words left me completely disturbed. "I want to see her."

"Wait!" Farida blocked my path with her arm. "Don't you want to hear what happened to her?"