Divulging Remorse ✔

Chapter 8

"Riya! Wake up, It's one already." Arshiya called out.

Riya slept like a log, all curled up inside the cosy duvet, and her hair a tangled mess. A pang of sunlight hit her eyes when Arshiya pushed opened the curtains. She quickly hid her eyes putting an arm over them. The guest room was cushy, two wide single beds with a nightstand between took the ample space in the middle of the room. On the opposite wall, was a large sleek L-shaped wall unit of shelves and cabinets, centred in was a built-in TV screen. There was a small walk-in closet at the corner, which also had an attached bath inside.

Arshiya had already woken her for the fiftieth time before but she didn't stir a dot. Now that she was half awake, Riya screamed at her, "Arshiya, I swear if you annoy me once more, I'll slap you."

Arshiya pleaded, "You've missed breakfast, Agha Jaan was asking about you. Riya please, at least wake in time to have lunch with him."

"You go." She mumbled while rolling on her side.

"I just ate Alhamdulillah, and besides you know I wouldn't go," Arshiya explained and opened the nightstand drawer to get her phone's charger.

"Uh... you and your logic. Seriously, don't you feel like hanging out with all of us? I mean, how can you not spend time with family?" Riya wondered loudly.

"It isn't my logic, Riya. This is part of how I wish to live, how Allah wants me to live. Talking about spending time with family, there is always a limit to whom we can spend time with."

Riya made a face, "Cut out we, it's just you and anyway, they're only cousins. Same family, same blood. We grew up together for God sake!"

"Exactly! It is for Allah's sake, Riya." With a soft smile, Arshiya took it upon her remark.

Riya sat up and stretched while yawning, "Who is it in this house you're covering from?" She asked in an irritated tone "Shahzar? Aahil? Wisam? Moutasim? They're like brothers to you Arshiya!

She stopped rummaging through the drawer and looked at Riya intently, "Just because they're 'like' brothers don't make them for real. Okay, they're same blood but we're not allowed to get about with them. Also, it's not only them, but there are also servants here as well. They're all non-mahram to us."

"Now what is that?" Riya asked nonchalantly.

"You really don't know?" She asked a little surprised.

"I know kinda, not exactly. I guess I forgot." Riya admitted.

"A non-mahram is someone you got to be covered in front of, someone you're allowed to get married to." Arshiya gave a brief description.

"I see, but how will you be able to get married if you continue to not let a guy look at you?" Riya was getting confused.

Arshiya giggled, "There's a lot more to this, Riya but Allah has created us all in pairs. Some other time? Now, c'mon get going." She just didn't want to overdose Riya with explanations all at once.

"Yeah, yeah." Riya yawned again and came out of the bed. She was going towards the bathroom when Arshiya spoke up again, "Umm, please don't pick up fights with Moutasim. Agha Jaan or anyone else doesn't have a clue about what he does back in Dubai. Agha Jaan wouldn't be able to tolerate it, and besides, we don't even know what's the truth, really."

She turned around and gave her little sister an I-know-it-all look, "We all know what he does Arishiya, for sure. Bloody gangster, a rap-..."

Arshiya didn't let her finish, "Stop it. I don't know why, but that news was all made up, I think. Moutasim might not do good things, but falling to the lowest of the low? No, at least, I don't believe it." She rationalised.