After I reached my home, I quickly changed into my comfy clothes and decided to take a power nap. I couldn't really sleep as my mind was occupied with that strange guy I collided with. Was he upset with me? But I don't even know him! I think it was because of his day. Maybe his day wasn't great?

There's something about him that intrigued me, some sort of magnetic pull to know him, to talk with-

Woah. What's wrong with me? I don't usually think like this.

After turning around for ten times I decided to go and eat something. When I want to sleep I can't and when I think I'm sleepy, my brain says no. Stupid brain!

I decided to make myself a cup of green tea.

After drinking the tea, I was still feeling hungry so I grabbed 2 packets of my favourite noodles in the world - Indomie.

After having my noodles, I went to my room and decided to spend my time watching something till it's time for Asr prayer. First, I decided to search for my boss on the net - as Shareefa gave me a brief introduction about him. But there's not much about him on the internet either. He displayed this mysterious personality which makes me want to know more.

I ended up doing nothing as I slept the entire time. I woke up due to my alarm for Asr prayer.

After praying I decided to do some cleaning of my house. Since nobody lives here except for me, I do all the stuff here.

While cleaning, I wondered how my siblings are. Do they miss me? Are they even searching for me? I hope they don't, cause if they did, I have to go to that hellhole I escaped from. I really wish my siblings were here with me, we would have enjoyed here so much. I wonder if they are angry with me due to me suddenly leaving them. I wonder if those parents of ours have changed or not. It's best to not think about them.

By the time I was done cleaning, I prayed remaining prayers and read Quran. It was around 9:30 pm. I decided to sleep as I need to wake up and get to office. Before sleeping I kept an alarm so that I don't wake up late. As I was about to sleep, I got a text message from an unknown number.

I never gave my number to anybody here. How this person got my number? In my confused state, I checked the message and I think at that moment I forgot how to breathe. The message read,

.

I was shocked to the core. Who is this person? Please don't tell me it's who I think it is! I quickly typed my messaged.

And I instantly regret it. Not a second passed and that person replied,

Ya Allah! Why do I have a strong feeling that my worst nightmare is back to destroy me utterly? I had already suffered a lot. I can't bear those tortures again. When I see my self, all my past bruises gets revived again. I try to forget my past, but it can't be forgotten; it has been stuck with me as my shadow. Shadows leave us alone when its dark but my past doesn't leave me during darkness, it actually haunts me.

I can't be so sure that the one who has sent the message are my parents as it's a private number.

They will come for me. They will find that I'm living here and they will drag me back. And this time I don't think I will survive. They will certainly kill me and-

Stop thinking all of this! They can't suddenly enter in my life after everything is going fine! I won't let them destroy everything.

At this moment I can't think of anything but only just bend and go in sujood and cry infront of Allah, as this is the only way I can be close to him and cry my heart out. After staying in sujood for 10 minutes, I was little relaxed. I got up and did wodhu and thought to sleep, but sleep is far away from being near so I thought to read some meaning of Quran I read today.

Soon after reading and trying to understand the meanings, the depth is too much, and me being a practising Muslimah didn't get the exact meaning, so I layed back on my bed and read surahs and duas and finally I slept.

°

"Mommy, please stop Daddy! I can't bear his tortures. Please tell him not to beat me. My back is paining from yesterday. I am hurt Mommy, please tell him..." I fall on my legs, begging my Mommy to save me, but instead of helping me how I thought she would, she gave me a bad look.

'Did you hear what our 'daughter' told? Her back is badly wounded now, you know what you should do right?' My Mommy tells him with a weird smile on her face. I was hopeful when she told him to-

My Daddy pulled my hair and dragged me with him in the storeroom. There, he threw me on the floor and took out a long, leathery thing.

"Daddy, please! Don't hit me, I am sorry. I'll listen to all that you say and I will do according to that but please don't hit me. What have I done to deserve this!" I am weeping and pleading to him but it's no use. The last sentence made him more furious. He whipped me on the same area where I was bleeding yesterday - my back. I don't know how many times he did that as on the count of fifteen I fell unconscious and I am damn sure he hit me continuously.

°

I woke up from my dream, gasping for air. I was sweating and still felt the pain on my back. I got up and decided to see my wounds again. I removed my top and checked in the mirror. Those wounds are still there. It's all black and blue now but they are still fresh in my mind. They are the perfect scars by which I can always be reminded of them.

I was only ten when they began their torture. At that time I didn't really know what was happening, all I know is that I broke something and they suddenly changed.

These scars are for a reason - to keep me strong. To keep reminding myself that even after all those tortures, I'm still alive, living to the fullest. No. I'm not gonna cry over this. Even though it hurts to know my own parents did this to me, I'm not going to put this reason on my life and be sad forever. I am going to change myself, my life. I will be living my future with a smile on my face. I have so much to achieve in life. There's the saying that 'The beauty of light is incomplete without the dark'. All thanks to Allah, I am fine, alive. I won't be letting myself down. Never.

After having a talk with myself in my mind, I saw the time on my phone, it showed 1:30 am. Now since it happens all the time- me not getting sleep after the horrific nightmares, I made my way towards the front door. It's late and many won't get out but this is what I usually do. Plus, the area in which I live is protected by the security and CCTV cameras. Not to forget, my neighbours are sweet and polite. Few other Muslim families live here too. Since I fell asleep with my hijab on, I didn't care to see myself. As I was walking around the neighbourhood, I noticed a car.

It was a very familiar looking car, but I couldn't remember where I saw it. The outside is dark, so I can't see it properly either. Suddenly the driver's seat door opened and a man came out. At first, I couldn't see his face but only his suit. As he came closer I finally remembered - he's the guy I collided in the parking lot and was angry with me! I was debating whether I should apologize or not. As he was coming closer I thought to do it. When he saw me, he was quite shocked for a second then covered it with a poker face. Huh, guess he didn't expect me here either.

Suddenly seeing him made me aware of my hijab. Is my hair showing? Is it properly on my head?

We just stood there, looking at each other. He was looking at me with a calculating face while I stood there with a confused face. I thought I should break the silence, apologize and quickly run back to my house because this person is giving me some sort of sensation I can't quite decipher.

'Hello,' I don't know whether he is a Muslim or not so I thought to just say hello. 'I am really sorry for colliding with you in morning. I was not looking as I was checking my phone and then that happened. So I'm sorry.' I thought to wait for his reply. But by seeing his expression, I think he won't be replying anytime soon.

I quickly, but not making it look quickly, made way to my home when I heard his voice, making me stop in my tracks.

"Wait..."

************************************

W

As Salaam Alaikum☺

Love y'all💗