The Memory Of Us

Chapter 22

Holding tightly to Khalil's shoulders as she hobbled up the paved concrete driveway of her grandmother's house, Mina asked hesitantly, "Did you want to stay the night?"

The slight pause in Khalil's step was noticeable as Mina's words floated into the air, but that pause was the only indication that he had even heard her at all, his face remaining as placid and unreadable as ever, his grip around her firm.

He didn't respond until Mina had carefully pushed open the deep umber front door and led them inside the home cast in dark shadows. Mina flickered on a light in the foyer as they passed through.

"What?" Khalil finally asked, as if he was finally registering the weight of Mina's question, which she was slowly beginning to regret asking.

"I just-," Mina cleared her throat, raising the hand that wasn't wrapped around Khalil's neck to graze the wall on the other side of her for balance as he navigated them down the dimly lit hallway towards her room.

"I just don't want to be alone after everything." She revealed, unable to keep the rampant terror that had been rising inside her since yesterday, out of her voice. The adrenaline that had once blanketed her had completely dissipated now and she was forced to face the truth of what had actually happened to her and the truth was that someone out there wanted her dead.

And she had no idea who that someone might be.

Also, there was another reason she didn't want Khalil to leave, but she didn't think she was ready to admit that out loud yet. In fact, she could barely admit it internally.

"Yeah." Khalil said, finally providing a definitive answer as he gently lowered her onto the comforter of her bed, it was a pale pink today instead of its usual whitish cream.

Mina winced, clutching her hands to her stomach, hovering right above the stitches the doctor had given her.

"Yeah." Khalil repeated. "Of course."

Mina nodded in satisfaction, trying to hone in on the pain she was experiencing in an attempt to keep a small smile from stretching across her lips. "I'd offer you a change of clothes but-"

Khalil waved a hand through the air as if he were swatting invisible flies. "It's fine." He said nonchalantly. "My sweatpants are comfortable enough." He tugged on the sides of his thick black sweatpants. Today he was wearing an overtly large, baggy hoodie to match, the same trainers he always wore tying his ensemble together.

"Um-" He hummed, daring a quick glance around the pristine room. "-where are your extra blankets?"

"Extra blankets?" Mina echoed.

"You want me to sleep on the floor with no blankets?"

"You can sleep in the bed." Mina said, gesturing behind her to the, now wrinkled, comforter, sheets, and pillow of her full-sized bed.

This time, Khalil was unable to hide his reaction. His brows stretched towards his hairline, his eyes doubled in size, and his hands reached for the shiny silver pendant around his neck.

But just as quick as his reaction had occurred, it was gone, instead replaced by an unbelievable air of casual indifference.

"Oh-" He said through pursed lips, standing awkwardly in the middle of Mina's room.

Biting back a laugh, Mina rose slowly and carefully from her bed, brushing Khalil's hands away when he immediately reached for her as she threatened to topple over with a resounding wincing sound that echoed off every surface of the room.

"I'm fine." She grumbled at him before hobbling in the direction of her bathroom across the hall.

She was lying, physically and emotionally, she was far from fine but she opted to repress those emotions for now and simply enjoy Khalil's presence while there was no one around to judge her, or try and make her feel guilty for things that were utterly out of her control.