The Separation [ON HOLD]

Chapter Four

"What happened?" Junaid asked, frantically getting into the room. Afeefa was standing at the bathroom door. "Your water broke?"

"No, Junaid. I wanted to use the bathroom very badly but when I went in there was a big, ugly, devilish lizard inside and so I tried to hold it in but even after ten minutes when I checked the bathroom that devil was still there and I knew I would pee in my pants if I waited for another hour and I knew you'd get angry but there was nothing else I could do, you understand right?" Afeefa said in one breath, and looked up slowly at Junaid's angry face.

"You called me here for this?" Junaid asked calmly but his eyes were anything but calm.

"I'm sorry, Junaid. But please chase it out. I really can't hold it in for more than 5 minutes."

His expression remained severe as he walked into the bathroom. Afeefa quickly stepped away from the bathroom door.

"Where is it?" Junaid asked after looking around.

"Near the sink." Afeefa pointed at the lizard.

Afeefa flinched and covered her eyes as Junaid threw a handful of water at it. She peeked through her fingers as the lizard scurried to the window and dropped her hands when Junaid raised an eyebrow at her. Its almost-translucent body and writhing movement made her so disgusted that she felt like vomiting as she watched it being chased out of the bathroom through the corner of her eyes.

"You can go in now." Junaid walked out of the bathroom.

Afeefa quickly rushed inside the bathroom and Junaid sighed.

"Does looking through the fingers or glancing sideways make it look any less disgusting?" Junaid inquired after Afeefa came out of the bathroom.

"No."

"Then why do you do that?"

"I am looking because I want to know where exactly it's going so I can avoid that place. Forever!!! I know you might fool me into thinking it's gone even if its not if I don't look."

Junaid rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Because being terrified by your phone call when I'm at work is the thing I look forward to the most these days."

Afeefa huffed. "Then what was I supposed to do?"

"There is one other bathroom in this apartment. Or did you forget?"

"I didn't forget about the zigzag patterned lizard I found in that bathroom few months back." Afeefa said without meeting his eye. "It looked so disgusting."

"Why do you keep saying you're disgusted by lizards when you are very clearly afraid of them?

"I'm not afraid of them - I know it won't eat me like you and many others have always kindly pointed out to me - but I'm scared of the thought of that disgusting reptile being anywhere near me."

"I still think they're both the same."

"That's because you're not very smart like me."

"You don't even make sense."

"I do! Wouldn't you be scared if the fan is about to crash on top of you?" She continued when he remained silent. "But are you afraid of the fan? Ha! See!"

"A fan crashing on you is hardly comparable to a lizard falling on your head."

"Lizard falling on the head is a very very serious thing. Lizards are so disgusting that I'd get a heart attack if one ever fell on me." Afeefa shuddered.

"I'll leave you to your stupid thoughts." His face turned serious. "And never ever call me again for such silly reasons. I can't believe I came all the way here for this! Next time you call, I won't even bother coming here."