Dare You To Love Me

«7» truths we hide

“Didn't you hear me calling your name?”

Twisting away from the balcony where she'd been watching the new guards' rotation, Yaseerah turned around to find Lubna looking at her expectantly.

“I think all of Asokoro have heard you,” Yaseerah drawled, before she turned and resumed her guards' watching, tapping a finger against the wrought iron.

Perhaps her time would be better spent doing something else, because her father had seen to it that she would be leaving the house a couple of weeks from now, but mapping out her way out of the manor kept her thoughts from running amok.

“Yet you didn't answer?”

Yaseerah twisted around once again to appraise her father's wife, whose lips wobbled like Yaseerah had hurt her feelings.

“Don't pout,” Yaseerah wrinkled her nose in distaste. “For someone your age, it doesn't look as good as you think.”

Was she being intentionally rude and petty?

Yes, yes, she was. And did she care? No, not at all.

Too used to her quips, Lubna ignored her, as she moved farther into the bedroom, displaying her arm towards Yaseerah.

“What do you think of my new bracelet?” her eyes sparkled with excitement as she held out the bracelet, her fingers trembling slightly with anticipation.

Yaseerah stared at Lubna for long moments, before her gaze flicked to the diamond studded tennis bracelet she was shoving at her face.

“Is that supposed to be a joke?” she quipped.

Lubna held out the bracelet, her voice tinged with excitement. “No, I want to know what you think. Is it beautiful? Your father gave it to me this morning.”

Is this just another performance, or does she genuinely believe this shiny gift can mend our fractured family?

Yaseerah blinked, startled by the happiness her father's wife was radiating. “Well, everyone loves things when they're shiny and new,” she began, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “But you know my father, he changes wives like he changes his business. Is he getting married again?”

“What?” Lubna choked on air, holding her hand against her chest. “No, why would you think that?”

“It's an apology gift,” Yaseerah pointed out, shaking her head. Almost four years together, yet the woman didn't recognize her husband's manipulative ways?

“No, it's nothing like that.”

“I just don't get it.”

“What don't you get?” Lubna's eyes were wide, like she was expecting another quip from her.

Yaseerah sighed, because for the first time in her life, she didn't have the energy to exchange words with her father's wife. “What are you doing here?”

“Your father asked me to go over the details for the wedding events with you and...”

“Just one event, the reception after the Nikkah, that's all I agreed to,” Yaseerah uttered with strained politeness, cutting her off mid sentence.

“This is the wedding of the season, your chance to show the world that...”

“There's more to life than keeping appearances and showing off at one's wedding.”

“But this is your first time getting married, it's supposed to be a joyous occasion. You're young, beautiful, rich, and you're going to marry a respectable young man. He is going to love you, I have no doubt about it.”