The Trust She Broke

28. Dread.

28.

Enjoy.

***

Ruqqoyah stared at herself in the mirror. She used her hands to form a circle around her neck, she removed them and used her right hand to hold her left wrist, she arrived at a conclusion.

She's loosing weight.

For a newly wed of barely three months, who was supposed to be glowing and basking in shear happiness, her life had been turn upside down through a single text message.

Ever since she received that nerve wrecking message from the unknown number, which was over three weeks ago, everything about her hadn't remained the same. Though, no new message had been sent to her, but the thought of what might be His next line of action which she couldn't phantom was eating her up.

She had imagined a thousand scenario about what His next message would be and each of her imagination led her to a scary end.

What if he sends the next message to Ilyas.

If he could get her number, he could easily get Ilyas number as well. One of the many questions which she couldn't find an answer to was how He got her number.

She was still deep in thought and she didn't noticed when Ilyas entered the room. He walked to her and stood behind her. He snaked his arm around her waist and passed her a toothy smile looking at their reflection in the full length mirror.

"Are you set?" He asked.

"Yup." She replied. "I just need to put on my hijab." She took her hijab from where she laid it on bed and patch it on her head with a brooch.

"How do I look?" She put her hands on her waist as she posed for Ilyas.

"You look like we shouldn't go out." He said with a suggestive wink.

Ruqqoyah laughed and shook her head at him. "No can do Mr man, I can't give my ice cream up for you." She replied heading out the door not waiting for Ilyas.

"You are choosing ice cream over me?" He said dramatically as he joined her outside putting a hand on his chest feigning hurt.

"Get over it and get inside the car, drama king." She tongued out at him.

No one could tell she was slowly loosing it inside with the strong front she was putting up. She had mastered the art of masking her fear and act like everything is okay when she's with either her husband or her friends. Pretence had become an order of the day for her.

After Ilyas drove out of the gate, she went out of the compound and locked the metal gate behind her. She joined Ilyas in the car and he started the ignition.

"I've been thinking," Ilyas started. "Maybe I should enroll you into a driving school or I should teach you driving myself, which do you prefer." He asked.

"None, I have vehophobia." She replied curtly.

"Veho...what does that means?" Ilyas looked confused.

"Phobia of driving." She answered.

He hissed. "Everyone does. All beginners have veho..."

"Vehophobia." Ruqqoyah complete the word for him.

"Yeah, every beginners or learners have vehophobia, so it's nothing to get too worried about." He took a quick glance at her before returning his gaze to the front. "Just lemme know when you are ready, okay." He asked.

"Yes sir!" She gave him a mock salute and Ilyas laughed.

Only she knew she will not be ready to learn driving anytime soon. Not with her current state of mind. It would have been a great pleasure to her to have Ilyas teach her driving but right now isn't the time. Not when every passing seconds came with a new baggage of worries for her.

Some minutes later, they arrived at their location. Ilyas parked and got out to open the door for her. He took hold of her hand and they walked hand in hand into the resturant. They got settled in their seat and Ilyas went to get their food for them.

Just then, Ruqqoyah heard the vibrating sound of her phone and took it out. She saw notification for a new message. She unlocked her phone and clicked on the message icon.

The message was from an unknown number.
The number looked vaguely familiar and she was filled with dread instantly.

Nice choice of outfit.
Bon appetite.

She looked around her hoping to find anyone suspicious but she couldn't as everyone seemed to be busy with their business.

Her phone vibrated again indicating another message. She clicked on it and realized it was another message from the same number.

"I'm closer than you think."

She ran outside the restaurant and looked frantically around eyeing every passersby with suspicion but no one looked like they are there mainly because of her or look like their mission is to torment her sanity.

When she realized she wasn't going to find out anything standing there, she turned to head inside only to find Ilyas behind her.

"Why did you ran out in that manner?" He questioned.

"I...I" She stuttered searching her mind for a believable lie.

"I  thought I saw someone familiar." She said trying to sound convincing as possible.

"Are you sure?" He looked unconvinced.

"Yeah, he...she looked like someone from school." She answered.

"Let's go back in." Ilyas said and entered the restaurant with Ruqqoyah on his tow.

They sat at their table in silence with Ruqqoyah barely eating her food.

"Don't you like the flavour?" He asked.

"I like it, I just don't feel like eating anymore." She replied.

"Should I get you something else?"

"No, I will just eat this." She dig her spoon into her bowl of ice cream and started eating.

"Khalid called earlier, he is visiting us tomorrow." Ilyas said.

"That's great." She smiled genuinely. "I haven't seen him since forever."

"Drama queen." Ilyas said and smiled back at her, finally happy to see a smile on her face.

If only he knew the dread behind that smile.