Hasrat

Hasrat 2

I sit down on the bench and stretch out my legs.

Alireza hands me my falooda.

"Oh, if Grandpa finds out you're with me, he'll chop your head off."

The corners of my lips lift.

I immediately lower my voice, imitating Grandpa.

"Out with that good-for-nothing boy again, huh?"

Alireza frowns.

"Was I all of that?"

I nod.

He laughs, then tilts his head with a mischievous smile.

"So, did you enjoy your dinner last night, Ms. Afaq?"

I glare at him.

"Shut up."

His laughter gets louder.

"Well, why don't you just marry Zand already? Then you'll finally be free from Grandpa!"

I take a spoonful of my falooda.

"Who said I want to be free from Grandpa?"

He tilts his head.

"The evidence."

I glance at my watch, and my eyebrows shoot up.

"Oh, no. I'm late!"

I stand up quickly, pick up the brochures scattered on the ground, and hold them against my chest.

"I should go, Ali."

He nods.

"Be careful... and tell your grandpa you were with Pari."

I frown.

"Who is Pari?"

A huge grin spreads across his face.

"My name. That's what they call me at home."

I laugh and wave goodbye.

If I didn't have Ali...

I don't know how I would survive this life.

I stare at the street, watching the bus I might miss any second.

I quicken my pace.

Without paying attention to what's in front of me, I rush toward the bus stop.

I crash into someone.

My brochures scatter across the ground.

Without even looking up, I apologize repeatedly.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

I drop to my knees and start gathering the papers.

I watch the bus leave with a disappointed sigh.

The man I bumped into reaches down toward the brochures scattered on the ground.

The expensive Rolex on his wrist catches my attention.

I look up to see him.

His attention is fixed on the paper in his hand.

Then his eyes move to my face.

His brows draw together.

He's probably around twenty-eight or thirty.

Dark eyes.

Dark hair.

And unbelievably handsome.

My eyes move over his face, and I can't help but wonder...

What is someone like him doing in a place like this?

His brows are tightly furrowed, and he looks at me sharply.

There's something about the way he stares at me.

So intense.

So full of dislike.

It sends an unexpected shiver through me.

I quietly apologize again under my breath.

He stands up, completely indifferent, steps right over my brochures, and walks away.

I glare angrily at the footprints he leaves on my brochures.

Under my breath, I curse him.

*******

I zip up Grandpa's bag.

Grandpa walks into the room.

I get up from the floor and place the bag beside the door.

Without paying any attention to me, he searches through his closet for clothes.

I take a deep breath.

"Your pills are in the small pocket of your suitcase. Don't forget to take them on time."

He doesn't say anything.

I watch him for a few seconds.

"When are you coming back?"

A faint smirk appears on his face.

"Can't you handle being away from me?"

I lower my eyes and reach for the door handle.

"Excuse me."

I leave his room and let out a quiet sigh.

I go to my room.

It doesn't even take a second before Nahal throws the door open.

I frown.

"What now?"

She laughs.

"Grandpa left."

I nod.

"So?"

She tilts her head.

"Farzaneh is going to her friends' house too."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I'm throwing a party here tonight."

"What?"

"You can go to your friends' house too!"

She pauses.

"Oh... right. I forgot you don't have any friends."

She shakes her head from side to side.

"Do whatever you want."

She walks out and slams the door behind her.

I press my hands against my head and mess up my hair in frustration.

The loud music is getting on my nerves.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

I throw the book in my hand aside and sit down on my bed.

I stare out the window.

Then suddenly, I remember the basement.

I stand up, grab my book, and put my scarf over my head.

I quietly open the door and step outside.

The sight of the dimly lit space and the party happening downstairs makes me frown.

I walk down the stairs, asking myself the same question over and over.

Why does a nineteen-year-old girl have to do this?

The smell of alcohol and cigarettes fills the air, making my stomach turn.

I hug myself as I walk past groups of boys and girls laughing and moving around, completely lost in their own world.

When I step out of the mansion, I let out the breath I've been holding.

I take a deep breath.

A few people are still in the garden.

Without drawing attention to myself, I head toward the back of the garden.

I turn on my phone's flashlight and make my way through the winding path.

I unlock the basement door.

I barely take two steps down when I see someone's shadow in front of me.

At first, I think I'm imagining it.

Uncertain, I turn around in the darkness.

Before I can even understand what's happening, a hand shoves me.

A small scream escapes me as I tumble down the remaining steps.

My head hits the floor.

A warm trickle of blood runs down the corner of my forehead.

My phone falls beside me, and the battery comes loose.

The basement sinks into complete darkness.

My body trembles with fear.

The shadow moves closer.

I push myself backward with my hands.

My words get caught in my throat.

"W-w-who are you?"

His hand grabs my throat, and with one movement, he pulls me up from the floor.

My back slams against the wall.

My breath catches in fear, and my chest rises and falls rapidly.

The smell of alcohol fills my senses.

He's drunk.

This man is drunk.

I can't see his face in the darkness.

All I can hear is his heavy breathing, sending chills through my body.

I scream for help.

I kick and struggle.

But he's so much stronger than me that I can't do anything.

The darkness around me feels suffocating.

I can't breathe.

He whispers near my ear.

"Do you really think anyone can hear you?"

My hand grabs onto his clothes.

"Let me go... please, let me go..."

He throws me onto the old wooden bed in the basement and towers over me.

My terrified breathing grows louder.

I know I might pass out.

So why am I still awake?

His hands tear at my coat, ripping it away from me.

I scream.

I cry.

He doesn't care.

The more I beg, the more he enjoys it.

The more I struggle...

The more trapped I become.

Until I can't breathe anymore.

Until I understand nothing.

*********

I slowly open my eyes, pain spreading through my body.

A few tears slip from the corners of my eyes.

An oxygen mask rests over my face.

Alireza's familiar voice reaches my ears.

"Nafas... are you awake? Can you hear me? Can you breathe?"

My hand lifts weakly, gripping his sleeve.

"A... Ali..."

He runs a hand through my hair.

His face is red with anger, but he's trying to stay calm.

"It's okay, sweetheart... It'll be okay."

My face twists.

My body aches.

Every muscle feels tense.

I push myself up using my arms.

He tries to stop me, but he can't.

I climb down from the bed.

Ali grabs my arm and whispers softly.

"Don't go out now."

I look up at him.

"He thinks you're unconscious... If he finds out you're awake, he'll kill you. Don't go, Nafas."

A sharp pain spreads through my chest.

My hand presses against it.

The door suddenly flies open.

I jump.

Grandfather is standing in the doorway.

He turns to Ali and shouts:

"Get out!"

Ali hesitates.

"Grandpa..."

His voice shakes the entire room.

"I said get out."

I remove Ali's hand from around my arm and shake my head, telling him to leave.

With hesitation and worry written all over his face, he finally lets go and steps outside.

The moment the door closes, Grandfather walks toward me.

Fear and pain settle into every cell of my body.

He reaches me and slaps me so hard that I fall to the floor.

My hand flies to my cheek.

I swallow a painful groan.

He shouts:

"So now you're going to ruin my reputation?"

"Now you've reached the point where you do disgusting things just like your mother?"

My hand grips his sleeve.

Out of anger.

Out of frustration.

Out of pain.

He pulls me up and slaps me again.

His hands blur in front of my face.

"One day..."

"One day you couldn't even handle my absence!"

"You throw a party in my house!"

I shake my head from side to side.

"No... no... I..."

"Grandpa..."

He grabs my arm and throws me into the corner of the room.

His cruel laugh makes me tremble.

I know this side of him.

I know what comes next.

His hand moves toward his belt.

No...

No!

My hands grab onto his pants.

"Grandpa, please..."

"Grandpa, I'm sorry..."

"I swear I don't know what happened!"

"Grandpa, I swear I didn't throw a party!"

"Nahal is lying!"

"I didn't ruin your reputation..."

"He assaulted me."

His hand slips away from his belt.

A mocking smile appears on his face.

"That's exactly what he says too."

He pulls my hands away and walks out of the room.

It doesn't even take a second before Ali rushes back in.

He quickly helps me up from the floor.

I sit on the bed and grab onto his arm.

"What is happening, Ali?"

"Who is he?"

Ali frowns.

"I don't know..."

"I just know that he knows your grandfather very well."

His head lowers.

It's hard for him to say the words.

I squeeze his arm anxiously.

"Nafas..."

"I think... Grandpa..."

"To keep the police and forensics from getting involved..."

"I don't know, but I feel like..."

"Maybe he's trying to settle it with him."

"To protect his reputation and all that."

"How?"

He swallows.

"I don't know."