Qulsum

Progress

"Something about you....." He says squinting at me.

"What?"

"How do you keep taking in pain?"

I didn't know how to respond.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I say shifting in my spot.

"Oh yes you do. How did your family treat you?" He asks quietly. Was he trying to make a mockery out of me?

"Good."

"Yeah really? Treating you as a servant is good treatment?" He asks.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I say getting up and he grabs my hand.

"You're not going anywhere."

"Why do you hide your pain? Why do you act like you're so happy when inside you're just dying?"

"I'm fine."

"No you're not."

"You don't know what you're talking about. My family is very nice towards me and I am happy except when you pop up." I say trying to keep my voice from a single crack.

"Oh yeah? What'd you wear for you graduation? Who from your family showed up? When you were sick who helped you get better? Where did you sleep? Why is that when everyone enjoyed there time you had to sit home and work?Is that f*cking good? Your family loves you?"

"PLEASE STOP."

"No I won't f*cking stop. They treated you badly and you continued on being silent and hiding the shit they did to you! WHY!"

"Where was your family when you needed them? You know when you get treated like shit in public people talk. Boy did Aliza's friend talk. She told us about everything cause she witnessed it. Your family is so kind. Treating a daughter like a pile of trash. We treat our workers better than you were treated by your own family"

I stayed quiet. I was going to cry. No holding back. I could feel it this time I can't hold it back.

"I'm..going t-to c-cry" I whispered.

One tear drop..and all the sudden tears flowed out.

"Stop." I say, my voice cracked and I turned around and covered my face.

Yaseen's POV

I stood there. Silent. This time, I wasn't going to leave her.

"You should have told me." I say scratching the back of my neck.

I wrapped my arms around her.

"Listen please don't cry." I whisper.

I don't know why I did it. But I know how she feels. Maybe worse. She kept it hidden after all the times I hurt her, insulted her and I told her my problems I told her my past and she tolerated me.

Not for a second did she think about telling anyone her problems. She smiled it off, laughed like she wasn't dying inside and I didn't notice a thing.

I was so caught up thinking about myself, that I forgot that she had her own problems.

Yes I feel sick. I've never felt so guilty in my life. This time I will apologize.

Holding on to her felt so weird. It was like I was protecting her. I felt calm, even though she was letting her tears out I felt calm. I wanted to keep it this way. She just sniffled and fidgeted around.