CHASING MARWA

19-RETALIATION

OMNISCIENT

Marwa was clad in a mustard turtle neck shirt to conceal the purple bruise on her neck, the place still hurts like hell, but she won't go to see the physiotherapist because as she said, nothing happened to her cervical vertebra. She paired the shirt with dark olive green sweatpants that stopped inches above her ankles then wore her antique white sneakers.

After wearing a baggy dark olive green leather jacket and draping the same colour of veil securely around her head, she plugged in her headphones and sauntered out. The songs helped her get over the previous day, she couldn't believe that the friend she said she trusts blindly could damage someone's ribs but thankfully, she stopped them at the right time so Jamal will be back to normal in a week or more.

"Morning, Mami" She gloomily greeted her mother who was looking at her with a sympathetic expression. Nafisa knew that Zafeer is done for, he triggered the deepest part of her past that she would never be able to forget about.

"How are you, my dear?" Nafisa adjusted the towel covering her hair

"I am good, great, superb, extraordinary, spectacular and most importantly, I am loved" Marwa screamed and took a bite of the five slices of bread she merged.

Hidayah and Nafisa both felt sorry for her, Nafisa can relate to what her daughter is feeling, it was a state of being hopeless, dejected and shattered beyond repair. That moment when you just think of everyone as a bad-hearted person.

"Ya Mar--" Hidayah started but her older sister cut her off.

"Eat your food and let me eat mine" She shut her up.

"You do know that you are eating more than usual today right? And your behaviour is just way out of league. What is bothering you Marwa?" Nafisa placed her hands on Marwa's shoulder, she hates that look of helplessness in her daughter's eyes. No! She will never allow what happened to her to happen to her daughter, as long as she is alive.

Marwa looked at the food in front of her, realising that her mother is right. She ate nine slices of bread and she is currently munching on the tenth, four eggs and three cups of tea. It's mother nature that will pay a visit to her today, it makes her eat abnormally even without being hungry, sleep like a log of wood and more importantly, it makes her depressed, nauseous or maybe even faint sometimes. She has never gone to the hospital for a checkup on why it hurts a lot, she simply endures the pain till it disappears.

"Nothing much Mami. I'm done now and Malam Salisu is here, Hidayah don't make us late" She quickly talked and sauntered out. If she tells her mother that her period will start today, the woman won't allow her to go to work because she knows how it makes her daughter look and feel, pathetic.

*
Marwa arrived at the hospital only to meet people giving her weird looks. She hissed and continued matching towards the lift only to meet Khayr who had just come out of the conference room, they just finished the morning briefing and she was late, as usual.

"The queen bee is back and she has been meaning to meet you, she said something about wanting to end your life today which is why many people are giving you weird looks" Khayr was out of breath, she was more than scared for her friend, more like filled with trepidation.

"Can you repeat yourself, you were too fast" Marwa finished

"Look who we have here. The short intern who looks like a spoilt potato and her hypocrite minion" A high pitched voice interrupted them from behind, it was Raihana Abubakar Bako with her minions standing behind.