Two weeks passed in a blur, as nothing change in Hayfah's life. Kassim's maltreatments were getting out of hand, she sometimes sit in her room and cry her eyes out; when she reminisced the moments at the company. She didn't make a single friend, literally; she was even afraid of talking.

Amna and Tahir calls her after every two days, that made her less worried. Abba; he was trying so hard to sound normal, but from his voice, Hayfah knew he was hurting inside_____but she couldn't point out the source of his pain.

They've been on phone with Fareeha numerous times, as she would gist Hayfah how Enugu is, whilst Hayfah would laugh at her whining voice.

She was dressing up for work, but her mind wasn't with her, all she could think of was him. He was literally everywhere in her these weeks, she couldn't spend a second without him crossing her mind.

"Addah Hayfah! I'm getting late please, you should hurry up," Rayhan barged inside the room. Through these weeks, she became so attached to Hayfah, that even a slight expression she could tell what Hayfah was going through.

Seeing the glum expression on her face, Rayhan sauntered towards her and placed her hand on Hayfah's thighs. "Addah, what's wrong with you? I've been watching your moves these days, you seem worried. Care to share?" Rayhan spoke softly, as she fixed her gaze on Hayfah's glum face.

Sometimes Hayfah wonders if Rayhan was really a normal small kid. Like how could she read her mind within some seconds? "I'm really okay, Rayhan, you don't have to worry about me dear," she patted her head affectionately and stood up to her closet; but Rayhan's next words halted her in her tracks.

"You're thinking about him. Doesn't he have an idea about how it hurts you? Couldn't he even for once look back and see how you're doing? Could he be that heartless, Addah Hayfah?" Her voice was breaking, as tears spilled out of her eyes____staring at Hayfah intensely.

Hayfah stifled back her tears and walked towards Rayhan, she held her shoulders and sat on the vanity stool. "Rayhan, he isn't heartless. He has always look back on me, that's in my dreams. He too was going through his phase of life. I have this strong feeling that he would look for him," Hayfah's husky voice was more huskier, as it began breaking; tears filling up her eyes.

Rayhan lifted up her tiny hands and began wiping Hayfah's tears away. "Stop crying please. I hate him for making you cry!" She spat out, obviously furious. One could tell she was planning on strangling Adyan in her small head.

Hayfah's eyes grew wide like a saucers. "Don't hate him please, I love him!" Came Hayfah's voice in a whisper, as she felt her heart squeezing with pain.

Before Rayhan could utter a word, they heard Maami's yell from downstairs; probably saying they should hurry up.

Hayfah stood up and rummage for an abaya in her closet. She wore it and loosely draped the veil on her head, so the hair was showing from the tip of her head and beside her cheeks; beautifying her face. She looked empty; yet, ravishing.

"Let's go, Maami is waiting," Hayfah held Rayhan's hand and walked out of the room____as Rayhan was still heaving breaths.

"Good morning, Maami," Hayfah hugged Maami, as she let out a sigh, longing the embrace than usual.

"What happened? Are you sick? What's wrong with you, Hayfah?" Maami bombarded her with questions, when they broke the hug.

"Maami, she had been acting weird, and it's because....," before Rayhan could finish, Hayfah gasped and eyed her with her empty yet; vibrant orbs.

"It's our secret, Rayhan," she hushed, childishly infront of Maami; whom just chuckled and ordered them to eat their breakfast instead.

They ate their breakfast in silence and bid Maami adieu before they walked out of the house; hands entwined. Malam Halliru drove to Rayhan's school first, she got down and held Hayfah's hands.

"Addah Hayfah, I'm so sorry, I almost let out our secret to Maami. It was because I was soo angry at him, I though Maami might have a way of persuading him to come back to you____so you should stop hurting," Rayhan spoke remorsefully, with a beseeching tone in her voice.

A lopsided smile curved Hayfah's lips, "It's okay, Rayhan. Read hard and don't play much okay? I love you," She pecked her forehead and released her hands from the grisp.

"I wish he could say that to you in person," Rayhan spoke sombrely and sprinted off, not knowing what impact it made to Hayfah's brittle heart.

"I wish that too, Rayhan," Hayfah hushed, as anguish tears rolled down her cheeks_____Malam Halliru igniting on the engine once again.

They arrived at the company swiftly. She checked her phone and saw she was 5 minutes late. Fear rushed from her spine to her face. She knew she has to face Kassim's unending wrath and humiliation when she wants to stand up for herself.

She braced herself and hopped out of the car. Thanked Baba before sauntering inside the building, her heart hammering in it's ribcage, as her hands became sweaty_____afraid she would meet already infuriated Kassim.

Turning the door knob, her heart literally choked her throat before fixating back to it's position. Clad in a black trouser with a white shirt, his hair neatly trimmed and layed on his scalf, giving way to his perfectly shaved beard_____as his face was gleaming, flashing her his best heart melting smile.

She gulped down, not sure if he was the one, as she staggered inside the office. "Are you actually the one? How did you know here? What brought you in the first place?" She asked in one breathe, for she was afraid what if Kassim was inside his office, but seeing him peacefully staring at her, she knew Kassim hasn't arrived yet.

"Surprise!" He beamed, as a glum expression suddenly took over his joyful expression of seeing her before him. It felt so real and overwhelming, after all those agonizing weeks.

She stood there and kept looking at him with eyes widely opened. Noticing her expression, he knew she needs more explanation. "I missed you so much, Betty. You weren't picking my calls nor replying my texts. You left my heart hanging and bleeding. I was missing you real bad. It was the most agonizing memont of life to not see your face or being graced to hear your voice. I'm not that strong you mistook me to be. I was desolated without you, Betty," he was looking straight into her eyes, his orbs emoting how he really meant his words.

She heaved a sigh and yawed her gaze from his sight "How would you come here? Do you have any slight idea how my boss is? Don't get me into more trouble than I am, Malik," it was hard to address him with his full name, for she need to do this; so she could help him remove herself in his heart.

She knew he didn't deserve this treatment from her. She knew he was the first person that deserves her chivalrousness. She knew she couldn't repay him with a menovolent behaviour; but what could she do? When she's helplessly in love with someone she knew she would never have. The best thing for her is to shun everyone out. But Malik should be out of everyone, but she couldn't help control herself_____and that brought tears to her sentimental eyes.

He stood up, his eyes coruscated with love and sheer adulation. "I love you, Betty. Believe it or not. Accept me or not. But all I know is, I love you with every fibre in my being!!!" He spat out furiously, angry at himself for not being able to control himself from falling in love with the girl he shouldn't have fell in love with.

She wiped away her tears, but they weren't obeying her by stopping; all they did was intensified. She feels vulnerable, she feel like a betrayer, he doesn't deserve this. He doesn't!!! And she shouldn't act like a betrayer!

"Betty! What is it that you didn't know about the condition of my heart? Which among my pains that you didn't know? What made you fall in love with me?! I'm from a wrecked background! People believe that I do have a fault in my creation! I'm helpless with no one to call mine. I've been accused by my mother in your presence. You were accused of being a fornificator because of me! What made you fall in love with me so deap that you can't unlove me? What's special about me, Malik!," she clamoured, as more tears streamed down her face, her heart aching and bleeding. Why is life always bringing something to her, which is doesn't want? She wants Adyan, him and him alone!

His face was all red from pain and wrath. Why couldn't she see his pain? Why couldn't she understand the pain he's going through? Wasn't she once his bestfriend whom he always look up to? Doesn't she feel anything for him then? Why was she so difficult to convince? What's the fault in him? She alone have his answers.

"You might not be from an affluent background; but that makes you humble to me. How you confide in me, made me fall in love with you; my heart avowing on taking away all your pains from you. You are special to me, not like every other girl; I see potential in you. You might be accused in my presence, but I took that as a little misunderstanding, because only I, knew who Hayfah Talhah Muhammad is; by heart! I might be accused of being a fornificator, but why should I care? When I know I'm not. Hayfah, I can't unlove you! Be it in the next year or decades to come. My heart is spiritually attached to yours. I love you, and you alone!" He was erupting the words out with so much pain and yearn, he wished she could see his grief, he wished she could lounge him out of his painful world. Only her could save him, only her.

Hayfah's heart was literally a pool of blood, if it were to say she could bleed outwardly. She felt the pain hugging her heart, detaching her soul, and emptying her body. She needs to be free from all this! Life in all is a real mess! She loves Adyan hopelessly, while Malik loves her with every fibre of his being!

"I don't love you! I blocked you out so you could find peace. It was for your benefit. How I wish you could understand. I still want you as that bestfriend of mine, I still want you to confide in, I still need your ears to rant on, I still need a genuine and loving smile from you! Not all this, Betty! Loving me breaks my heart! I need a friend in you, not a lover!

I may sound betraying, I'm not betraying your trust, I don't want to look like a menovolent person to you. You alone should know that I can't love anyone, you alone should testify that, Malik!" She was crying profusely, her husky voice echoing through the confines of the office. She looked more distraughted than she was, she feels assailed. She wants to live this world. She knew how unrequited love hurts, she doesn't want Malik to be among the ones that could experience that pain.

The pain in Malik's heart couldn't be vocalised. He felt as if his own heart was torn to pieces. Her words pierced directly through his soul, scourging and shattering every vein and artery of his heart. He looked up, with his bloodshot eyes emoting sheer anguish, "You're making it hard on me. I love you, Hayfah!" He hushed, looking directly into her crying orbs, he wouldn't want to imagine the pain in her heart.

"Care to explain who you are?" Came a voice from the door, as Hayfah and Malik simultaneously turned to the door.