Jasmine.

12. Aunt Farah

Two days later.

Farah glared at Aira as soon as she opened the door.

"Do you realise what time it is?" Farah asked her.

"Eleven pm." Aira chirped.

"Wow she knows!" Sarcasm was oozing out of her friend.

"Farah..." Aira tried to calm her friend down.

"Your shift ended at four." Farah stated sternly.

"I was with Henry. Actually I came to pick a few things."

"Going back?"

"Yeah." Farah groaned.

"Stay please. I can't eat more of the instant noodles."

"Drag your lazy ass to the kitchen. Do some work."

"Where is he?"

"Down stairs. We need to get back. We are already late?"

"Aira, honey don't get me wrong but aren't you investing too much into this.?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like you haven't shown up home for two days. You just came here to pick essentials, you are going back to him."

"What are you implying?" Aira asked in a clipped tone.

"I am just scared, I can't lose the woman who was my pillar once again. You being there when I woke up with a nightmare. I lost you once, not again."

"Oh, sweetheart you aren't losing me. I will always be there for you." Aira realised something was wrong.

"Farah, sweetie what happened?"

"Mom, she called. Faisu... I don't know how long she has?"

Aira hugged her.

Henry realised Aira was taking much time he knew something was wrong. He climbed up the stairs to the apartment. He knocked on the door. He found the door ajar. He saw Aira holding a sobbing Farah as they sat curled up in the couch. Aira saw him. 'Later,' she mouthed. "I will get your bag." He said, before going back to the car.

Aira held Farah as her sobs subsided. Henry dropped off Aira's bag. Aira went to him. Farah had curled up into a ball, She was sniffling.

"Take care of her." He said kissing her forehead.

"I feel like an asshole. She needed me the most and I was so immersed in myself that I forgot even my friend has a life and it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows." Aira felt she was the worst human being to ever exist.

"What happened?" Henry asked, Farah had always been the happy face. Sometimes the happiest smiles hide the worst pain. He sighed.

"Her sister, she has been sick. That's all I can say for now. It's her place to tell."

Aira thought the first time she met Farah. They were roommates. The first question Farah asked if Aira was okay with leaving lights on in the night. It kinda startled Aira.

The very night she saw her roommate jump up from a nightmare. She remembered how she held Farah in her arms, rocking her to sleep.

Farah lost her father to an accident which left her sister paralyzed beneath her waist. Farah's mom had been fighting for her daughters. She looked at her friend who was fast asleep on the couch. Aira sighed and she picked up her phone called Nabeel.

"Aira?"

"Did Farah tell you anything?"

"She didn't but mom did."