The girl

He walks her into the house while everyone comes from behind chattering about the incident.

Latif's mom walks towards Mrs. Mehdi "What happened to your son's manners?"

"I'm so sorry Kush. This was not prevailed"

Latif is very embarrassed as she walks in silence, to her room. Her mom looks over at her dad and he nods for her to comfort their daughter.

Jamal gently rests the wounded girl on a couch. She looks up at him in awe. "Patricia I need my first aid box. Now"

She nods and rushes towards the stairs. "Son, you don't have to do all these. We'd call a doctor for her"

"No, mom. Please let me handle this. I made her fall. So I should be the one to fix it"

He stoops down and looks at her foot diligently. Patricia pelts closer with the box. He takes out his rub and uses it to massage her foot. Myla just stares at him, perplexed.

She moans, biting her lip afterwards, trying to control the sound. He brings her bone in contact and hooks his head.

"Does it still hurt?"

She shakes her head. He presses unto it a little more and she feels herself one step away from sleep due to how fluffy his hands feel on her skin.

His mom walks towards a guest who calls for her and Patricia sits next to Myla as her brother helps her out. The other guest just spaced out, conversing to one another.

"I told you to let me help you but you refused. Just look at what you did to yourself; Too stubborn uh?"

She looks away and he bandages the resolved area on her foot. She knew he'd use that against her. Always looking for a means to boast him self up. Patricia giggles, enjoying their talk.

"Thank you. Even though you did that to make the game end because you knew we'd win" she appreciates looking down at her foot that has been taken care of properly.

His sister is holding her chest to breathe properly, as she watches Jamal's face. His fonts are lifted and he is staring at Myla unbelievably. "I'm loosening this right away" he pretends to want to open the badged leg.

She blocks his hand with hers. "Thank you. I said thank you. What part of it is so hard for you to understand?"

He pinches the bruised area and she groans, smacking his shoulder.

"You won't go home today" He tells standing up.

Myla chuckles "Said who?"

"Me" he answers plainly and she chuckles again.

"I'm your doctor . . . for now. So I prescribe that you sleep over. By tomorrow, you'd be completely healed"

"I'm already healed" she tries to stand and he stops her, his hands restoring her feet in their rightful position "I love your fate. But no"

"So how would I stand up from here?"

Patricia looks at him and Latif's mother comes on display with her daughter. Mrs. Mehdi walks towards them as they come to stop at Jamal's feet.

"We need to talk. Privately" Latif's older version says and Jamal understands what's going on.

He nods, and faces Myla "I'd be back. Don't leave this place. Patri—you know what to do"

His sister nods reluctantly, staring at the others and the family walks away with Latif's dad joining them almost immediately.

What exactly could they want to talk about?

"Is everything ok?" Myla questions and Latif shakes her head "Nope. Jamal was not supposed to carry you. Added upon that, I doubt what that bitch has told her mom"

Oh my god! What have I done?

"Don't think a lot. It's not your fault. In my opinion, Jamal did what anyone with a conscience will do. I respect my culture but that allegation is not right. He didn't do anything wrong"

"What will they do to him?" Myla asks her heart beating rapidly

"Nothing. They can't do anything to him. But her parents may call out the wedding. And our names will be tannish. Especially now that all these eyes have seen"

"B-but I thought these people are extended families"

"Not all of them. Some are friends of friends; family friends. Who knows who's going to take this out there"

"I see . . ." Myla nods.

...

"You must tell that girl to leave this minute. Let everyone see it" Mrs. Kush instructs

Jamal shakes his head "No, I can't. She didn't do anything wrong. And she's not completely well to go home"

"Do you understand the intensity of this act? Leaving a total stranger in your house and lifting her into your arms right in front of your fiancée's presence." Mr. Kush reproaches

"As a man, specifically with the culture you come from, you're not supposed to let your emotions overtake you. That girl is not even Muslim! It's forbidden for you to let yourself get stained by her"

"Stain in what sense Father?" he inquires respectfully, trying his best to control himself.

"Mehdi, talk to your son" Mr. Kush says and his mom looks at him.

"Son, just do this. Trust me . . . she'd understand. We don't hate her. We're just trying to protect our image out there. What will people say about us? Have you thought of that?"

"Mom, she's human and we all are. She doesn't deserve to be treated like that because she sprung her foot. And we should be protecting her. After all we took her into our house, under our hostage. If anything happens to her, we are responsible. Her religion or believe doesn't make her any different from us. So, please stop all this, because I can't do what you're asking of me. I will not!"

"You will not?! Do you even think about what I feel right now? You've changed. Since this girl came into your life, you've been acting weird"

Jamal clenches his jaws, bringing his gaze to his feet.

"She told me everything. You're flirting with that stranger" Mrs. Kush announces

Jamal hangs his head, staring at Latif in befuddlement. He didn't know she could be this naïve and stupid to tell her mom what they are argued about.

"I am not flitting with Myla. I've always treated your daughter with respect."

"You call that respect? By disgracing her in front of everyone" Mrs. Kush says

"She disgraced herself and not me. She would have stayed next to me in helping Myla heal her leg. Just as any reasonable wife will do towards a guest. She's supposed to support and trust me. Not condemn and report me. Is that how you treat your visitors? You should be sending out information that will warrant people to treat others with care no matter who they are. And not worrying about what they will say because the person I carried was not my fiancée. What you render to the world is what they know you for. Try looking into this positively."

Everyone is speechless. They stare at one another and his mom lets out "He's right. I know we honor our tradition. But right now I'd stand with the truth. Which is what my son said."

...

"What is taking them so long? Everyone is gone" Patricia grumbles and Myla ends the call she had with her friends.

She had to tell them about her change of program. Though she didn't mention what happened to her.

Jamal and the others leave the other side of the hall and walks towards them. Patricia breathes out in relief, hopeful that the marriage between her brother and Latif is cancelled.

Mrs. Mehdi and Jamal escorts them into their car and return.

"What happened?" Patricia inquires, her eyes glittering in excitement.

"Marriage holds" his mom says, just between her kids.

Patricia frowns and his mom adds "They just warned that he shouldn't be seen with her anywhere in public"

That is impossible. Jamal won't mind crossing the line because it's useless.

Myla can't eavesdrop their discussion as she seats few feet away, waiting as ordered by Jamal. He walks to her and she renders a faint smile.

He stoops and she is gets the message. She positions her hand over his neck and he lifts her up against his torso. She knows she weighs a tone because of her strong bones, but Jamal is making her feel like a light object.

"I'm sorry I kept you waiting. At least you were a good girl in my absence. So I'm proud of you"

She giggles, struggling to look down from his face but occasionally she hooks her head to pry at his countenance. His expression is unreadable, as he walks with a straight face. She doesn't try to tease or vex him because she's not sure how he'd react.

Once they are out of sight, his mom says, "Do you think your brother has a liking to this girl? I don't know if you noticed this but he just told her sorry for the second time today"

"We have the same minds mom", Patricia says as the memories retell afresh.

To be continued...