The Angel And The Devil

22

The next morning, every magazine, newspaper or news channel was talking about the newest, most sophisticated couple, Cinderella and her prince charming.

They were the talk of the town. Their names were the hot topic anywhere you went. Overnight, they became the most trending topic worldwide.

Calls were raging in, from modelling companies to movie industries to magazines who wanted a piece of the hotshots. The butlers and maids were extremely busy answering calls the whole day. Not one second after ending one would another come through.

Almir 's grandparents were flying all the way from England that day to meet this fairytale princess. Afni couldn't decide if she should be nervous or happy because of their visit.

The photograph of them kissing was posted everywhere with the words hijabi princess, Cinderella and so many more in huge headline texts, bringing a sense of nostalgia to Afni.

Her father was the one who used to call her his hijabi princess. There was once upon a time that he'd chase a three old Afni around the house because she refused to stay put for a bath, laughing.Those were precious moments and Afni longed for them again.

Afni went out to the garden to have a breath of fresh air and to get away from all the noise. She was tired of Abeer and Afnan's teases and gushes at how romantic that fake kiss was.

That's all it could have been. A fake kiss for the cameras. It couldn't have been more than just that-she knew not to overthink it beyond the clear fact it was.

She inhaled a deep breath as she walked past the rose bushes at the back of the house. If one thing could help her clear her mind, it was the sweet scent of nature all around her.

The day was bright with no clouds to be found and the birds were perched upon trees, singing. It was cold outside but beautiful. Winter was passing on and spring was nestling in slowly. By mid May, it would have taken over completely.

It was one of those days that everything always had this perfect look but the day would always turn out unpredictable at the end.

As she walked, she couldn't help but think of that moment over and over again in her head. It wasn't really something she could ignore. She was sure that Almir felt the same way too, even though he pretended it didn't matter. She knew he had to be thinking about it too and he definitely was.

She also was sure that that kiss would cause a jeopardy in her life. It violated the very contract between Afni and Almir. It may be something so mundane but to Afni it surpassed being just that simple.

She found a bench and sat down with her gloved hands tucked away under her bosom to keep warm.

She sighed and when she did, she could see her breath in the cold air.

Afni didn't even know what she was doing out there. She just knew that she had to get out of that house to clear her head.

She sat there for a while,not doing anything but cloud gazing. Then her eyes started to water and slowly tears started to roll down her cheeks and loud sniffles filled the air.

She tried to wipe the tears but it just got worse. She knew without a doubt that her whole face was red but she just cried even more.

She cried for the miserable life she was living. She cried out to her Lord in the skies with pleas to him to relieve her of the heartache.

She was a mess and she knew it. She put her head on her hands and sobbed louder.

Then she felt something on her back-a hand-rubbing circles on it in a soothing way.

She looked up through tear filled eyes and saw a face that had seen so many wonderful years filled with laughter and eyes that held the secret of the world.

"Want to talk about why you are crying, girl? Or do you just want to keep wallowing in the pits of your own misery?"

Her voice was croaky and strained but in a strange way, soothing. Afni's eyes glistened as she hesitated to answer the old woman's question.

She really wanted to talk to somebody about her problems. She wanted to vent to them and she wanted a shoulder to cry on but more than all, she wanted a way out of her hopeless situation.

"I would love that but I.. can't."

She sniffed out and continued to dry her eyes with her sleeves.

"Why can't you child? Whatever is stopping you from expressing your feelings has no right whatsoever."

She simply stated with a small frown tugging at her lips and pity twinkling in her eyes for the poor girl.

"You know what, you are right!"

So she went right on ahead and poured her heart out to the old woman.

It wasn't like she'd ever see her again most probably that made her spill, it was the woman's charisma and great listening skills.

She listened attentively as Afni narrated her story to her, not once interrupting her but just nodding at her encouragingly and rubbing her shoulders or back.

She finished with a sniffle and a few more tears before the old woman held Afni's chin between her fingers and made her look into her eyes.

There was only admiration and worry for her in her eyes. The woman knew that Afni had gone through a lot with a brave smile on her face and thus the reason she felt a connection with her.

"Child, every moment passes by in a blur, like a fragment of our imagination. It is true that they define pieces of ourselves and to lose them is to slowly lose ourselves but to live life is to manage to hold on to those pieces until forevermore and hold them dear whether it be a bad or good experience. All this, is a lesson from God because he only tests those he love."

Ever so slowly she spoke those words as if she had said them a million times before. The truth of her words racked shivers in Afni's body.

Afni looked at her with a newfound respect. It was obvious that the woman always depended on her Lord for help.

"But what do you suggest I do? Should I continue living this miserable life or should I give up and leave everything behind?"

She asked like a child talking to its mother. She desperately needed a way out of her situation and she'd take all the help that she is offered.

"The answer is in your heart and nowhere else. Whatever you do, know that it was the best thing you could have done."

Afni's heart swelled with joy at the woman's answer. That woman was one of a kind.

"Masha Allah, Allah has blessed me with your kind words today. Thank you. I really needed to hear it."

"Now, see those daffodils? They are my favorite flowers. Please pick them for me?"

She asked with a coy smile as if she knew something that nobody else knew.

Afni wiped her tears and nodded with a smile.

"Ok."

She stood up and walked over to where the daffodils were scattered about in the garden and started picking them. She picked a whole bunch before she turned to go back to the bench.

Alas, the woman was gone and nothing but her faint scent lingered there. Afni searched around everywhere for the old woman but she couldn't find her.

Then she thought maybe something came up and the old woman had to leave. That was the only explanation for her disappearance.

---

Yeah yeah I know! I updated after a long time and I wrote a chapter worse than ever but I assure you that this chapter is just leading somewhere. It's kind of like a filler chapter and I apologize if you don't like it but the old woman had to come.

So any thoughts? Comment and vote if any.