52 WEEKS✔

Chapter One

phirdausyameenu and faree003 this chapter is for you♡

There are certain moral values that are inherent in man. You can't fight the  knowledge or seem oblivious of it, you can only choose to tamp down or shut off the conscience gnawing at you.

Growing up,  we are told that our peers have a major influence on us, who we are, what we are becoming depends on the people we hang out with. Those living in ghetto have seen it all, the goodness of mankind and lack of it, the bravery and cowardice of men, the struggle to survive, the passion to rise above poverty, to be better, to live a better life, and the hororrs of what having nothing can do to change good people into something evil, something unimaginable and beyond salvation.

Rufaidah grew up in no such neighbourhood, thereby  making her oblivious of such happenings in the society. She grew up in an estate surrounded with big mansions , everyone lives the life that suits his account balance, no one cares what you do, how you act, because they are all busy making money or spending it, in their rich happy bubble, minding their own business,  going on vacations abroad and attending expensive schools exclusively for people of their calibre to care about what others do. They hardly befriend each other unless it's for business alliance or to add more publicity to their businesses, they don't wish each other well personally except to send gifts through maids or not do anything at all and when there is a loss of life they act indifferent about it, afterall everyone dies right? No one find such things weird or unhealthy.  One can spend weeks without getting a glimpse of the occupants next door,  they meddle strictly on invitation and never intervene unless they are directly affected.

She doesn't know what it feels like to go hungry for days without a morsel of food, neither did she know what it feels like to live with a few sets of clothing nor how hard it is to survive with very little and far too many needs to take care of. She doesn't know what it's like to toil for days,  months,  years and not reap the fruit of hard work until after you give up hope.  All she knows is how to issue out commands like she was born for the sole reason to make them and to do things however she wanted.

Having four brothers,  three of whom are almost non existent in her life and one who's trying to assume the duty of her absent father and too quite mother who's too lazy to form five coherent sentences in a day, she thinks she has a perfect life.  After all who needs them anyway?  She gets everything in a blink of an eye and that's fine.  Daddy should spend years on his business trip and mommy,  well mommy should keep mum for all eternity.  Who cares anyway?

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Rufaidah is currently sitting on a couch in her bedroom with a bowl of popcorn beside her, a laptop on her lap and headphones plugged to her ears  as she watch a movie.

"Hey!!" A chirpy voice squealed, almost damaging her eardrum.

"What the jahannam girl? Who does that to an unsuspecting person? " she yelped, sending daggers Faridah's way.

Faridah is the only person Rufaidah genuinely cares about because they have been friends right from when they don't even know how to spell the word 'Friend'. They share everything  together and if you want to unearth their dirtiest secrets, kidnap and torture the other and bingo! You will have what you are looking for.

"Wadup? How did the meeting with the Dr go? Are you going to be alright? " she asked turning her attention to her best friend.

Sighing deeply, Faridah dropped her bag and unwrapped her veil before replying Rufaidah " I don't know girl, he said I should come back next month,  maybe he is stalling to let me know that I'm dying, which I already know thereby making it pointless to leave that piece of information hanging for months" she shrugged.

"Reedah please stop saying that,  you're the only stable thing in my life right now so please for the love of God you should stop. You're going to get better,  you're not dying because no one dies by simply being sick" She sternly reprimand her friend,  holding her hands.

"Okay, no more death talks but you should know that every soul shall taste death and it doesn't matter whether you love me or not,  we can't live forever that's why I'm telling you to stop being arrogant and unkind, get to know more people, be nice to people and force yourself on your mother, she might not know the implications of what she's doing.  You can't just sit here always grumpy and expect things to magically change. Don't even get me started on your nonchalance towards prayers"  she replied looking her dead in the eyes.

"Yeah, right,  whatever.  Let me get back to my movie. You know your way around the house." Faridah knows that she has touched a sore spot and her friend is shutting her off but she won't relent in telling her the truth until she gives in which will probably be never.

Rufaidah and Faridah are a perfect example of opposites attract. For they don't share any common trait except for their love for each other and that's pretty much it. Faridah is jovial,  religious,  kind hearted and very intelligent while Rufaidah is too angry at the world to even discover her potentials.  She narrowly pass her exams due to the help she always unashamedly receive from Faridah during tests and exams and maybe a little bit of cheating which is a personal secret not even Faridah have the privilege of knowing because she won't allow it and partly because she's ashamed of herself for resorting to malpractice.

Done with her movie, Rufaidah turned her attention to Faridah who has made herself comfortable in bed letting out heavy breaths.

"Keh (you)" she called out to one of the maids that's within earshot.

A young woman in her mid twenties came in, ready to receive the mistress's command. 

"Pack these things" she motioned towards the now empty bowl as if it is not the only thing out of the ordinary in the squeaky clean room.

Mumbling a respectful yes ma'am the maid did as she was told and scurried out of the room.

"Dumb poor illiterate"she grit out, her face showing disgust.

Despite the fact that it's almost time for Zuhr, she joined her friend in bed having no intention to wake up any time soon to offer her salah.

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Rufaidah is a vile human being right? Longer chapters are coming in shaa Allah, let's take it slow for now.

Share your thoughts and corrections please.

Shukran jazeel.