The Black Hearts

7 [Luna Malik]

I quickly unlock the house door and enter, praying that my father won't be home. I can get beaten really badly.
He becomes a monster Everytime he gets angry.
I see that nobody is home and run into my room.

I get nothing but fear as I enter my room. My father is sitting on my bed with belts in both of his hands.

"Oh really? God, please tell me. Have I raised my child all this while to be walking on the street  with a stupid boy, like a prostitute? Have I "?
He gets up immediately and beats my arm with the belt in his left hand.

I scream.

He yells and says "shut up you lousy girl! Prostitute! Sit down, today I will teach you a lesson"
He continues to beat me harshly.
I cry out. The pain is unbearable.

"Dad I'm sorry! Please!"
He doesn't listen even though I cry out to him. All that he says is"shut up you lousy girl" .

I can't feel my back and arms anymore. He has beaten me extremely hard.

"Dad, please! I just went to the library, the boy is my partner for the geography project work. Please dad it won't happen again"
Covering myself with Kinta's coat, I try to explain as he continues to beat me.
Suddenly he stops and begins to look at me from head to toe.

"Hey! Look at your uniform! What is this Luna? What is this!"
He hits my legs with the belt. I should've changed into my longer uniform, I was too shy to do that while Kinta was around.

"Stop it Ahmed ! Please stop hurting her like this !"
Out of nowhere, mom comes into my room and holds me in her arms. I cry out more.

"Look at the way you're hurting your own child like an animal! Have you gone insane?"
I can feel her warmth and her heartbeat. I am aware that she also fears dad.

"A wife doesn't talk to her husband like that! Do you know the way this girl has disappointed our family? She was walking down the main Street with a boy holding her hand. Fortunately, my brother saw them! When he sent my nephews to capture the boy, she foolishly ran with him! Does she know how disgraced I am? Huh? You lousy child!"

He holds the belt firmly and hits me again. The pain is extremely sharp that it makes me scream loudly but weakly. My tighes have gotten bruises all over now. I can not even imagine what my back would be looking like.

"Stop it, please!" Mom shouts. "that is why Ashra left! If Luna also leaves, we're going to have nobody by our side Ahmed!"
Dad brings the belt closer to Mom and warns her, "I have told you, and I am telling you for the last time, Fatima. Never mention Ashra's name. She is not our child. And you Luna! Go out there and misbehave one more time, you'll lose your surname, I swear to Allah". He slaps my head and leaves my room.

Mom holds me in her arms tightly as I cry out loud.

"It's okay Luna. Don't cry. It'll be over soon" Mom taps my head gently till I fall asleep.

At 2 o'clock, I find myself in bed wrapped in Kinta's coat. It smells safe. He is to help me out, so why didn't he help me out last night ?
I wish he is here to hold me right now.

I wake myself up and walk to the bathroom.
As usual, I throw up again. I feel sick. My body hurts unbearably and I see bruises all over my arms. I feel disgusted.

I decide to bath in cold  water and it feels like hell. I stay in the bathroom for about 30 minutes and walk out.
I place the towel around my chest and walk to Mom's room and knock.
Mom comes out with her ruined mascara under her eyes. It shows how
much she has cried. I look in her eyes which looks lonely and worried.

"Mom..." I murmur. She pulls me closer and I enter her room. She locks the door. She smells so good. Just like how Ashra, my sister used to smell good too. Mom cries on me like a baby and says "please don't leave Luna. If you do, I'll be done Luna,please".

Tears fill up my eyes. I have thought of leaving home  several times but I can't leave mom. Ashra left her for me to take care of.

"Let's run together Mom!" I hold her hand tightly and suggest to her. She quickly shakes her head and take my hands off hers. Turning away, she says "never say that, I can't leave your dad."
I remain silent and walk out quietly.

Angrily, I go back to my room and lay in bed. I can't stop thinking about yesterday.

In such a long day, I have had half of it with Kinta Fujiyama. I don't know why but I'll want to spend more time with him even if I'll get into trouble. I wish he'll disturb and speak to me more in class.

By 6 o'clock, I walk to Dad's room for inspection. He glares at me and says nothing. I leave.

I walk out of the house and run to the old apartment Kinta and I spent together a little while last night.
I bring out the small card which was given to me by that  mysterious boy  yesterday and move to the top.
The top looks like an office and in order to open the door one needs to slide the card through the door.
I do so, enter and  change into the shorter uniform quicky.
I use the high socks to cover the bruises on my legs.
It won't take 15 minutes to get to the school.

Slightly wishing to meet Kinta somewhere in the apartment, I eventually leave and head to school.