Two Tribes

6: Confrontations

Afrah

"Who do you think you are to touch me?" She fumed; her heart breaking into a thousand pieces. Afrah knew she would never be able to completely move on from Jameel, but meeting him again so unexpectedly, she realized she was still deeply hurt by his betrayal. She had gone against her parents for a worthless man.

"I'm s...orry," Jameel's voice cracked. "I'm sorry," he repeated. "I couldn't stop myself when I saw you."

Afrah could practically see the bliss in Jameel's eyes but it didn't move her at all. After all, men are so perfect in faking expressions. She blamed herself for being so vulnerable and falling for Jameel's lies and fake promises in the past.

"Afrah, you—"

"If I had known you work here, I wouldn't have come!" She turned to leave.

Jameel was quick to walk ahead of her and shut the door.

Afrah narrowed her eyes at him in disdain. "What is this supposed to mean?"

"Please hear me out," he beseeched. "I won't do anything...I won't touch you," he promised. "I just want to talk, please."

"And I don't want to talk to you!" She yelled. "What part of that don't you understand?"

"JaFr—

"Don't!" Afrah blinked, fighting back the tears that were threatening to escape. The good memories they shared flooded her mind. She used to feel tingles whenever he called her that, but now, she felt irritated by the name. "You have lost the right to call me that. It's Afrah—AFRAH! to you."

Like a maniac, Jameel stared at her for a few seconds before moving closer to her.

Afrah took a step back; glaring warningly at him. At that moment, all she felt was a boiling rage—hate.

"What happened to you, Afrah?" Jameel's eyes were glassy. "Where have you been? I haven't been myself since I lost you."

Afrah huffed. Every word that emerged from Jameel's mouth was considered a blatant lie. Fake expressions, fake promises, fake being!

"Afrah," Jameel continued. "I thought...I thought you died."

Afrah couldn't help but let out a humorless chuckle. Was his hate for her so much that he wished her dead?  "Unfortunately for you," she replied. "I'm hale and hearty. A heartbreak isn't enough to kill me. I'm tougher than you think."

"I was lied to," Jameel muttered; a tear falling from his eye. "For five years, I was made to believe you passed away." 

Again, Afrah huffed. His lies were piling up. "You're despicable! I have never come across a man so guileful."

"If you will only hear me out—"

"There is absolutely nothing for me to hear and even if there is, I don't care. I'm not interested. Do you know why? because I have moved on a long time ago. Moved on from the deceptive web I mistook for love."

Jameel closed his eyes and gulped; his Adam's apple bobbing as he did. "I have never deceived you. I loved you."

Loved?

Jameel's last sentence sent a pang to Afrah's heart. She felt stupid for having believed that the love they shared was incessant. Of course, he had moved on. He had a wife and most likely, a child too.

"And I still do," he continued. "My feelings for you haven't changed—never will."

A lump suddenly got stuck in Afrah's throat, making it difficult for her to swallow. She didn't know who Jameel's wife was, but she already felt sad for her. She absolutely despised fallacious men. "Does your wife know the type of person she married? I doubt she does." Afrah was quick to wipe away her tears before they could fall. Jameel's fake love had rendered her so blind that she couldn't see him for whom he truly was.