Kissa

"I Stood With The Truth"

KISSA

Chapter 13: "I Stood With The Truth"

Haris turned and walked away. His steps were heavy, full of pride.

I went to my room too. The sound of the door closing hit straight at my heart.

My heart was restless. Our own people stood on both sides.

The fight was between family.

One was right, the other was wrong.

And I had made my decision. I Stood With The Truth.

Haris was my brother, but he was wrong.

My conscience did not allow me to stand with him.

Blood ties were not broken. But the tie of truth was stronger.

I sat on my bed and covered my face with my hands.

How could a brother stand against justice?

How could I stay silent and call it loyalty?

My phone screen lit up. It was a message from Ali.

"What is happening?"

I replied: "Preparing for war" and added a laughing emoji.

A message came: "Are you coming to the rooftop?"

I wrote: "Why not say directly that you want to talk?"

After two seconds a reply came: "I need you right now."

Reading that line, I stopped. Ali needed me? Advocate Ali?

The man who never asked for help was asking now.

I put the phone aside and went toward the rooftop. My steps were fast.

The house was quiet. Everyone was asleep except two restless souls.

Wind was moving through the trees outside.

It felt like the night itself was holding its breath.

I climbed the stairs. I opened the rooftop door.

Ali was sitting on a chair. He had a file in his hand, but his eyes were on me.

Our eyes met and a smile came on his face.

A tired smile that carried years of stress.

Ali said in a low voice: "Why could not you sleep?"

I shrugged: "My mind and heart are not connecting. That is why sleep is missing."

Then I asked: "And why are you awake? Do you not have court tomorrow?"

He did not answer right away.

Ali took a deep breath and opened his eyes: "I have court tomorrow. That is why I am awake Kissa. When I open the file I see Haris's face. When I close it I see the farmer's eyes."

My mouth opened: "Which case? The landlord and farmer one?"

Ali smiled a little, but the smile did not reach his eyes: "No Kissa. Haris and the farmer. Tomorrow the argument will not be only about law. It will be about relationships too."

My tension increased: "What will happen now Ali?"

Ali looked straight into my eyes: "That is what we will see Kissa. Whether justice wins tomorrow or relationships lose."

His words felt like stones dropped in still water.

I had never seen him so broken before.

The courtroom was his battlefield, but family was his weak point.

I stepped forward: "Ali I will come too tomorrow."

Ali smiled, but there was worry in his voice: "You cannot come Kissa. It is difficult. Haris will be there."

I insisted, keeping my voice firm: "It is not impossible right Ali? I will wear a mask.

I will wear a veil. I will get lost in the crowd. But I have to come tomorrow.

I want to see how truth speaks."

He looked at me like I was talking nonsense.

Ali fell into thought. Moments passed. Only the sound of wind was on the rooftop.

The file in his hands seemed heavier with every second.

I could see the storm hidden behind his calm face.

He was choosing between law and blood every minute.

Then after deep thought he said: "Okay. I will do something. I will get you a seat in the back row. But cover your face. I do not want Haris to get angry with you because of me."

I stayed silent. Then I said in a low but sharp voice: "I am angry with Haris Ali. I am thinking of telling Dad. Maybe the case will be solved at home. There will be no need to go to court."

Hope lit up inside me for a second.

Ali shook his head. His voice became heavy: "No Kissa. Now this case has spread like cancer in the body. It has reached the roots. Now only surgery can cure it. Medicine will not fix it."

I laughed, but my eyes were wet: "Ali you too. Where do you take things. Just hearing the word cancer makes my heart sick. Did you not have any other example? Something lighter?"

Ali smiled and for the first time lowered his eyes: "Kissa, talks about truth are always heavy. Wounds do not heal with light words."

I stood up. I placed my hand on Ali's shoulder: "Ali you should also sleep. Tomorrow is a very important day. Rest your mind. Tomorrow I do not want to see a tired Ali. I want to see a strong Ali."

He nodded but I knew he would not sleep.

The weight of tomorrow was sitting on his chest.

Saying this I left. I did not look back.

Because I knew if I looked back, the burden in Ali's eyes would come on my shoulders.

I came to my room and set an alarm on my phone. I wanted to sleep.

But maybe sleep had lost its way.

The rooftop wind, Ali's tired smile, Haris's heavy steps.

Everything was dancing in front of my eyes.

I looked at the ceiling. The ceiling was looking at me.

Questions had settled in my mind.

Would Haris see me in court? Would Dad find out?

Thinking like this, I do not know when sleep came. I did not even realize.

Even in dreams there was the noise of court.

The alarm woke me in the morning. It was eight o'clock.

There were voices downstairs. Everyone was awake.

I got fresh and started going down the stairs.

My feet felt so light as if I was walking on air, but there was a burden on my heart.

Seeing me everyone said: "O wow Kissa! So early today?"

Noor clapped: "Claps are due! Kissa and morning sunlight at eight?"

Everyone started clapping.

I felt shy and warned Noor with my eyes.

First Haris asked, mixing fake concern in his voice: "Kissa are you okay? Is your health okay?"

I asked, looking into his eyes: "Why Haris? Why did you ask that?"

Haris said, avoiding eye contact: "Kissa it is only eight and you are at the breakfast table? You do not wake up before ten."

I said, looking at everyone, each word like an arrow:

"Why Haris? Do only sick people wake up early? Or when conscience wakes up, sleep runs away on its own?"

Haris's face turned to stone for a moment.

No one spoke for two seconds.

Then the silence broke.

"Wah Kissa wah! What a wise thing you said" Noor said and made a crooked face.

But I knew Noor had not understood the point.

She was always taking my side like before.

Her loyalty was blind but warm.

Ali was silent. As if his body was here but his soul was somewhere else.

He was staring at the file on the table.

Dad also noticed this. He asked Ali: "Ali son what are you thinking? Your face looks down."

Ali came back to his senses: "No uncle, nothing. Just like that. I was looking at the file late at night."

Dad narrowed his eyes like a father: "Son such deep silence does not happen like that. If there is something, tell me."

Ali smiled, but a sword was hidden in the smile: "Uncle, I am gathering words. Today the landlord and farmer case is in court. There will be noise there. That is why there is silence here uncle. So that words come out with full power."

Dad patted Ali's shoulder with prayers: "Best of luck Ali. May God help you. People of truth always win son."

Haris's face became hard, his jaw tight.

But he said nothing. Because he knew Dad did not know anything.

And telling Dad was a bigger problem for him than losing the case.

Ali pushed the chair back and stood up.

There was confidence and deep seriousness on his face.

He straightened his coat and picked up the file.

The room suddenly felt smaller.

"I am leaving" he said and walked out. His steps were steady.

Our eyes met for only one second.

I wanted to say with gestures: "Did you forget me? I had to come to court too. Do you remember the promise?"

Ali gave a slight nod. Meaning: "I remember Kissa. Get ready."

The door closed behind him. Silence fell.

Haris was staring at his plate as if it had answers.

Dad was slowly drinking tea, lost in thoughts.

Noor broke the silence with a fake yawn.

I stood up quietly and went to my room.

I opened the wardrobe and took out a dark veil.

My hands were steady but my heartbeat was fast.

Today I would see truth speak with my own eyes.

I checked my phone. There was no new message from Ali yet.

Maybe he had already left for court.

Maybe he was repeating his arguments in his mind.

Maybe he was praying for strength.

What will happen in court today?

Whose side will the decision be on?

Will justice be louder than family ties?

Watch all this in the next chapter.

To be continued...