Chapter 7: Chapter 7

f: Broken

A/n

Before reading this chapter pls bear in mind that it is perfectly normal for Asa, in her shaken up emotional state, to have memory lapses, blackouts, hallucinations and cases of distorted reality.

That is why, this scene in her pov is slightly different from the exact scene in Amir's pov.

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#EndSARS #FixNigeria #EndbadgovernanceinNigeria #EndpolicebrutalityinNigeria✊✊

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Okay, continue☺️

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Osahon had called to inform us that he was safely at home with Lola, so I convinced Kosi to leave with Jordan and Dave.

I found Jemi in the balcony, getting high with some guys in dreads and inky tattoos, laughing and goofing off but after I told him what was going on, all traces of humour left his eyes.

"Where is he?! Where the fuck is he?!" He was writhing.

"The upstairs bathroom!" The girl from earlier had told him. I remembered her name now. Sahar.

Kam had diverted from us earlier with the other girl, racing up the stairs, ready to charge blindly.

We reached the bathroom in time to see Kam engaging the guys at the door.

"You can't come in here, bro." One of the guys said, placing a hand on Kam's chest, calmly pushing him back. "Turn back."

Kam threw the first punch, probably breaking a jaw bone and shoved the guy aside. "Get out of my fucking way!"

The other guy tensed up, shouting at the top of his voice. "What's your problem?!"

Instead of replying, Jemi took the guy by the collar, pushing him against the wall. "If you love yourself, get lost!"

They didn't waste anytime, doing as told.

Kam bursted the door open.

For a moment, we stared at the scene in front of us, frozen in disbelief, horror, bubbling over into righteous anger.

Teriq had his arms around a weeping, defeated Asa, forcing himself on her and basically dry humping her. Her hair, was out of it's tight ponytail now, so it fell across her face...

And her dress.

That bastard had ripped her dress.

I saw red in a moment but Kam acted first. "Get away from her!"

That was all the warning Teriq got before Kam lifted him up, pummeling him to the ground.

I stared at Asa who was crouched on the ground, weeping, horrified... Broken.

My earlier proposition now stung like a thousand wasps in my heart.

That's all you ever wanted, right? An easy fuck!

Asa... My heart broke for her.

I glared at Teriq who was on the ground, getting beat up by Kam.

This bastard.

I snapped. In that moment, I snapped, I suddenly understood how possible it was to kill for love.

My breathing, coming out in pained drags, my fists tightening.

This bastard doesn't deserve to live!

"Amir, what are you waiting for? Take her home! And this time, fucking do it right!" Kam's voice snapped me out of my reverie.

I suddenly became aware of the present. The now.

Asa wasn't mine to take care of, but Allah, I'll protect her with my dying breath.

I crouched towards her, she flinched away from me, sobbing painfully, hugging herself as if she wanted to squeeze out of existense.

"Don't touch me. Please."

"Asa, it's me." I pleaded with her, but kept my distance. "It's me, Amir."

"You want what they all want."

I snapped my eyes shut, trying to quell the guilt. The pain. My heart broke to pieces for her.

"Asa, I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. I was a fool for suggesting something like that. A selfish fool."

She looked at me with big coffee black eyes and for the first time since I met her, I didn't see the ice witch. I saw a girl.

A scared little girl, with frightened eyes.

A broken princess.

My heart crept into my throat, choking on a sob as I took in her broken, pathetic posture.

I'm sorry. I love you.

I reached out to her again and this time, she let me. I picked her up, carefully.

"There's a back door!" Sahar was telling me. "I'll show you."

In no time, I strapped Asa to the front seat of Jordan's G-wagon.

"Kam, Kam is in there."

I gritted my teeth, hating my irritation at the fact that Kam was the first person she thought of in her clearly shaken up state.

"Kam has Jemi. To be honest, I'm more worried about the guys there, than about those two."

A small smile touched her lips before she inquired about Kosi and the rest and I informed het they were safely at home.

I secured the seat belt around her, my breath, hitching, when I saw the rip at the side of her dress, handprints on her upper arm. Nail marks.

Bastard.

I inhaled a shaky breath. Stood up, took off my jacket and carefully wrapped her with it. She welcomed the warmth, hugging it to herself and covering up her exposed chest.

Asa... Asa, I'm so so sorry.

I didn't know I was crying until the tear slipped out. I wiped it quickly, burying my face in my hands.

I had one job. One job to do. And I royally fucked it up.

And Asa got to pay for my fuck up.

I crouched down to take off her heels. There were scars and handprints on her ankles. They looked faded and I frowned, my heartbeat accelerated.

Asa...

What has this girl been through?

I thought she was asleep already but when I got into the front seat, speeding back home, she croaked out.

"Kosi." She sounded groggy, like she was already falling asleep. "Kosi is back there."

I chuckled. She had asked me about them about a moment ago but I replied her.

"No. After Sahar came to tell us something was wrong, we made her order an uber with Dave and Jordan. And don't worry about Lola. She left the party early with Osahon."

"Jemi?"

Was she hallucinating?

"Helped take out those lowlifes guarding the door."

I clenched my teeth, gripping the steering wheel tight as I remembered everything that just happened... That could have happened...

Asa...

"I'm sorry, Asa. God knows I want to be the one punching the life out of Teriq right now." Just one... I should have at least, landed one punch.

She was shivering. "It's not Teriq's fault."

What?! I slammed on the brakes, reflexively turning to look at her.

"Asa, What did you just say?"

And why will you say something like that?!

It took a moment before she replied tiredly, "I said, it's not Teriq's fault. It's my fault. It's all my fault." She whispered the last part.

I felt like screaming.

"For Allah's sake, Asa, why would you say something like that?"

She was crying now, choking on sobs. "I'm the one. I make boys want to do these things to me."

The guilt came back with full force.

"Can a no-strings-attached relationship work between us? Can I be your number two?"

All I could think about was having Asa in the shallowest way possible. One that didn't involve commitment, one I could pretend she was mine and I was hers, no matter how little the time we spent together was.

"Asa, if it's because of that shit I said back at the house, I'm so sorry. I'm a bastard and I may or may not have been horny at that moment."

She shook her head. "Amir, you don't understand. I should have known better than stepping out in that dress or walking out on you like that. There is something wrong with me.."

She was wringing her fingers together now, body trembling violently.

Asa...

Her voice was a broken, pathetic whisper. "I swear, there's something about me that makes boys act this way towards me. There must be something I'm doing that makes them act like animals. I deserved everything I got."

My heart summersaulted.

"For fucksake, Asa, don't talk like that."

Please...

"But it's the truth!" She yelled, now, sitting up. "Everything I just said, I'm sure of it, Amir. Do you think Teriq is the only one that has tried to force himself on me?!"

I froze, remembering the scars on her ankles, the cold detached look she usually had in her eyes.

"You... You mean... You." I gulped, staring at her.

How many Teriqs has she had in her life?... How many went all the way?

She looked away from me.

"Asa... Has anyone forced himself on you before?"

I knew the answer before she even replied.

She drew in a shaky breath, her voice trembling. "That's none of your business."

"Asa, you don't mean-"

"I said, it's none of your business!" She screamed at me.

I gulped. It started making sense now. Everything. Her scars, her coldness, panic attacks.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! I didn't know that, Asa. I'm so sorry."

"Can we not go there? Please, I don't want to talk about this."

I snapped my eyes shut now, earlier statements Kam had made started making sense now.

"It's okay, Asa. I know I triggered something again. I should know better than acting like a damn animal."

I felt even sicker now, remembering my earlier proposition.

"I want you, any way I can have you."

"That's all you wanted, right?! An easy fuck!"

I closed my eyes. Asa... I'm so sorry, Asa.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about this." I said, softly. "But can I ask one question?"

She nodded.

"Does Kam know?"

She considered the question for a moment. "Yes. Yes, Kam knows."

Of course.

"He's the only one?" I whispered.

"The only one that believes me."

"I believe you, Asa." I'll believe anything she says.

"You don't even know the whole story."

"It doesn't matter. I believe you."

"It won't change anything, now, would it? What's done is done."

My heart went out to her. I loved her. I really did, and just spending time with her only seemed to deepen my feelings for her.

I didn't care if this was toxic anymore. I wanted to keep her safe. Wrap her in a blanket and tuck her away from the rest of the world.

My princess.

I'll protect her. I'll die trying.

I started the car again. "Kam is so going to kick my ass when we get home."

She shivered. "He won't do that."

I looked at her, skeptically. "It's not as if I don't fucking deserve it. I had one thing to do and I fucked up. I'd never forgive myself if Teriq had his way with you. Just remembering the way he tried to defile you, Asa, that shit is fucked up."

"Kam would never hit you." She maintained stubbornly. "You're his friend."

I gave her a long look. "Asa, Kam would kill for you. Friend or foe."

She didn't say anything and I was sure she didn't believe me.

By the time we reached home, she was fast asleep.

I gathered her into my arms, taking her inside. Kosi and Lola kept badgering me with questions but in the end, they understood that she needed space.

I took her to her room, placing her gently on her bed.

I knew I should have just left her peacefully, but I sighed, sitting on her bed, brushing her hair out out of her face and staring at her, sleeping.

When she's like this, she really looks less like a witch and more like an angel.

I shivered again.

Just realizing how cold it was, I pulled the covers up, wrapping her gently in it, smoothing out her hair, my fingers, lingering on her cheeks. Her chin. Her lips... Beautiful.

I'm whipped, I realized, fucking whipped.

I took off her earrings and necklace, and turned up the heater beside her.

I gazed at her again now, a war, going on in my heart.

I sighed, rubbing my face. I'm so fucked. I'm so so fucked.

Brushing her hair out of her face, again, I bent and pressed a soft kiss her forehead.

Goodnight, princess. I whispered softly.

She murmured back something incoherent and I spent a full five minutes staring at her before I got up, straightened my shirt and made to move out... Until my eyes caught something on her reading desk.

A pretty little notebook, decorated with gold glitter and ash margins.

It belonged to Asa, obviously, but she didn't look like she could own something like that. It was too... Pretty.

I walked to the desk, picked up the book. Opened. My curiosity, getting the best of me.

"

' ."

Which didn't make any sense, i continued reading.

"

'

.

. .

-"

I frowned, flipping through the pages.

"

.

' , ,

.

.

' ."

My heart skipped and I closed the book quickly, suddenly realizing what I was reading from...

Asa's diary.

I was snooping through her private life and that was wrong on so many levels.

I gazed back at her, sleeping peacefully on the bed, my heart tightening, breath, hitching. I gripped my chest, trying to calm my breathing, lungs on fire... It felt like I was feeling her pain... I felt like I could bear it all for her... If only she'd be happy in the end.

Sighing, I dropped the book, turning the lights off, before I slipped out, soundlessly.

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