The Bends : Chapter Eighteen

"Life was not as simple as it is, there were so many restricted boundaries hovering against me. I'm drowning in silence within my own pool of maze. The more I struggle to free myself from my entangle web of life, the more complicated it gets." Aden close the cover of Zhorif's journal and place it back by the side of his bed as he lays on his pillow and had his eyes focusing on his collection of his photo shots which he had taken earlier before he left his home towards the misfortune town. Aden realised that Zhorif was living two lives...within those cheerful and chirpy attitude which Zhorif had potrays all along throughout their friendship, there were unfortunately some hidden sorrow which Zhorif had seal within himself. And then he sat up on his bed as he heard the sound of a motorbike had enter at the front of the garden porch.

"Aden, I'm back." cried Aleeya as she swung open the door, bringing in some groceries and she quickly place them on their dining table.

Aden, walks out from his room and as he saw the groceries on the table, suddenly he remembers the lady which he had help earlier that afternoon. It seems strange to him, but he simply can't ignored this feeling of wanting to know more about her. He recalls on how the way she had stared at him, and not forgetting the motherly touch which he had felt from her soft but delicate fingers.

"Surprised, I'm cooking for dinner today." utters Aleeya cheerfully as she begins to boil a pot of water as she decides to cook some noodles with bits of chicken meat and salted eggs. "Mum call just now, they both won't be back until tomorrow as they both need to settle few more things on Maya's case." continues Aleeya while she rinsed the cut up carrots and potatoes in the sink. However, Aden was still in his daze and did not respond to her words. "Hello, are you here with me?" asked Aleeya feeling annoyed.

"I'm sorry Aleeya. I must be lost." utters Aden with solemness in his voice.

"What's wrong?" asked Aleeya as she add in the wash vegetables into the boil noodles and together with the salted eggs and some garlic.

"This morning, while I was having a cup of coffee by the cafe, I met a strange middle age woman." said Aden as he begins to reflect back about the incident which occurred to him that morning.

"You've got a crush on her." jokes Aleeya as she grin her darlie smile.

"Yah, right!" utters Aden with a smile. "There was something unusual about how I felt about her, as though I've meet and known her somewhere at a point of my life, but I can't recall when or where." continues Aden intensely.

"Aden, maybe you have been too hard on yourself. Maybe you should take a breather." exclaimed Aleeya as she begins to become concerned about Aden's sudden change of mood.

"How did you both met anyway?" asked Aleeya curiously as she sat across Aden awaiting anticipating for Aden to relate back the details of incident during that morning. Aden rub his fingers on the dark coloured wooden table top of the cabinet.

"By accident." replies Aden as he begins to relate back about that incident. "And another strange thing is, Zhorif had apparently left his journal for my keepsake. We barely known each other but yet he had simply given his precious secret thoughts to me as though he has been anticipating his death is coming any time soon." trails Aden with sadness in his voice.

"Aden, things happens for a reason. Nobody expect things would turn out this way, cause our chapters off life has been written without us knowing what the next line will be, and lead us too...however lessons of previous chapters will definately turn the bends straight back to it's origins...a well-earned lessons for us to reflect back and amend the wrong deeds to something up right." utters Aleeya much to Aden's surprised as he smile.

"You have change." said Aden.

"Maya has change me. I was always being so selfish and complained about simple little things, however after seeing and knowing Maya..and all the horrible sufferings which she had to endure had definately opens up my thought that I am still lucky to have the people around me who loves and cares for me. I should appreciate those close to me." continues Aleeya as she had her eyes focus on Aden's.

Aden smile lovingly towards his sister. "I'm hungry now. I guess your noodle is ready." exclaimed Aden as he stood up and prepare the noodle bowls with the folk and spoon placing them neatly on the table while Aleeya brings in the pot and begins serving her tasteful noodle..thanks to her mum's recipe.

"I really miss your cooking mum." exclaimed Thaqif as he brings the dirty dishes into the sink and help her with the washing. His mother limp back towards the couch, as she rest her tired legs on the foot stool and rub the warm ointment on them. After Thaqif had done with the dishes, he came closer towards his mother and sat beside her. And then he begins to massage his mother's ailing legs and feet while his mother had her eyes on her beloved son with tears in her eyes.

"Please forgive me Thaqif, for not being able to give you all the needs which you had always dreamt off." said his mother sadly.

"Mum, you have brought me into this world with love..and that's all matters to me." replies Thaqif with a smile. "And by the way mum, please don't bring any strange people into our home..it can be risky."

"Who would want to harm an old lady like me?" asked Sarah as she wipe her falling tears and replace that sadness with a smile instead.

"Mum, thankfully..he's a nice fellow. What if he turns out to be a robber?" asked Thaqif with intense in his tone.

"Rob me of what? My jars of cookies." cried Sarah with a laughter. Thaqif smile upon hearing that remarks from her as he shakes his head. Sarah looks at his son again and suddenly she begins to recall back about Aden and the sense of huge lump begins to form in her broken heart.

"How could I be so cruel to leave you like this Aden? I have brought this misfortune to myself. I have been a fool..been blinded with this materialistic needs and colourless promises. I have made Thaqif suffers so much due to my own mistakes." thought Sarah to herself as her tears begins to well up in her wrinkle eyes again.

"Mum, you are crying?" asked Thaqif with a shocked as he held out his hands to wipe the tears of her face.

"You have suffered so much because of me. Thaqif stop getting yourself involve in all this negativity life which you are leading right now." requested Sarah as she pleads with Thaqif cause she knew Thaqif was not a sailor like what he had claimed himself to be when he needs to leave their home for more than a week.

"Mum, what I'm doing right now, got nothing to do with my previous black listed life. I'm doing this for our future...cause I wanted to give you a better life. You have been suffering too long mum and as a son I'm going to change that." exclaimed Thaqif. Sarah looks at him lovingly and then she smiles. She begins to fall in dilemma about Aden. "Should Thaqif be made known about his half-brother or should it just let it be her precious little secret."

"If times can be retreat back towards the past, history will definately be not the same again. The saints will not be slain and the dark souls will be cage. What if Pandora did not open the box? Will our world still be safe from all the evil, the greeds and the illness. If Pandora insists of opening up the box even she has been warned against it..supposed I was to be by her side..would I slain her am I that strong enough to stop her?" Aden place the open journal on the coffee table as he pinch the bridge of his nose while shutting his eyes. While Aleeya was busy with her maths revision cause once her school re-opens, it was final year examination for her.

"So have you decides, what thesis would you be enrolling in once your result were out?" asked Aden.

"Biological science or anatomy..anything that relates to medical line I guess." replies Aleeya as she continue busy carculating the maths equation on her notes.

"Wow, that's deep. I'm sure you will definately achieve that goals. Mum and dad will be pleased if they knew about the choice of your thesis." utters Aden.

"I prayed my application will be accepted at one of the college here which offers those subjects." exclaimed Aleeya as she tapped the pencil on her head..trying to figure out a way to simplify the sums. When suddenly, her mobile phone which was by her side rings. Aleeya picks it up and saw it was Thaqif on the line. Aleeya refused to take his call and place her phone on coffee table as she continues with her equations. In another few seconds a message tone came from her phone again.

"I'm right across the road opposite your home." it was Thaqif.

"Crazy." hissed Aleeya as she deleted his message and refused to barge. Aden held Zhorif's journal in his hands however he had his eyes focus towards Aleeya's instead. And yet in a few more seconds another message tone came from her phone.

"Ten more steps, I will be right in front of your door. Smily..Smily." Thaqif was not giving up it seems. Aleeya quickly gets up and peeped through her living room window and it was true enough Thaqif was walking closer towards their home.

Aleeya dashed towards her phone and dial for his number. "Don't you dare. Stay put where ever you are right now, cause I'm coming out." cried Aleeya as she doesn't sound pleased at all. "Aden, with all this maths problems and equations, I really do need some fresh air outside." cried Aleeya as she walks closer towards the door.

"Don't be late Aleeya." warned Aden sternly cause he knew it wasn't about her maths problem but her problem with Thaqif.

"Ten minutes. I promised." said Aleeya as she steps out from her home and walk towards Thaqif who had apparently being waiting for her.

"How did you know where I live?' asked Aleeya looking cross towards Thaqif.

"Well, I have my ways." utters Thaqif with a grin. "I have bought something for you." continues Thaqif again.

"A bunch of flowers? Do I look like I really need these bunch of flowers from you?" cried Aleeya furiously as she feels irritated with Thaqif's gesture. "You disappeared from my life for almost two weeks and then suddenly you came back bringing me this." utters Aleeya again as she sway the flowers to and fro right in front of his face. Suddenly Thaqif brings her closer towards him and kisses her lips. Aleeya stood froze on the ground as she drop the bunch of flowers and held her arms around the back of his neck.

"Don't you ever do that to me again." said Aleeya as she looks into his greyish blue eyes.

"You meant the kissing or leaving you for another two weeks?" asked Thaqif with a grin.

"Both." replies Aleeya. "Where have you been anyway? Don't I have the right to know?" asked Aleeya curiously she brings Thaqif towards the wooden bench which was place at the side walk along the pathway.

"I'm on a special assignment actually." replies Thaqif shortly and suddenly he turns solemn again. "Aleeya, I'm serious about being with you, however for the next few months it won't be easy for us to meet and contact each other cause my job prevents me from doing so."

"Are you an agent or something?" asked Aleeya again.

"No..I'm not qualified enough. I'm working under cargo now, to get extra income for my mum. Therefore, I need to travel a lot and this had eventually restrained me from calling you." exclaimed Thaqif as he place his helmet right beside him. Aleeya looks at the bunch of pink roses with some mixed of lavender and bring them closer to her nose as she begins to inhale the sweet fragrant of those flowers. Thaqif held out his hands as he gently caress Aleeya's fringe off from her brow and looks straight into her doe eyes with a smile.

"So how long will you be around before you need to be off for your next trip?" asked Aleeya.

"A week exactly." replies Thaqif shortly as he looks away from her eyes.

"Are you happy with this choice of job which you are doing right now?' asked Aleeya again with concerned in her voice as she notice Thaqif seems to look dejected and remoseful about something.

Thaqif remains silence as he hung his head low looking at his boot. "There's going to be a lot of changes involving my life." utters Thaqif.

"I don't understand." replies Aleeya as she looks intensely towards Thaqif.

"Do you love me?" asked Thaqif and Aleeya apparently looks shocked and surprised with his question.

"Thaqif, as I had said earlier, I can't promised you anything about our relationship..cause I'm afraid." replies Aleeya as she looks at Thaqif's intense but cool features.

"Yes or no?" asked Thaqif again expecting and exact answer from her.

"I don't know Thaqif. I don't know." utters Aleeya as she stood up from the wooden bench and stood at the sidewalk along the concrete pavement. "The fear of losing you is too strong for me to ignored and the desire of wanting to be near you..is simply agonizing."

"You don't trust me?" asked Thaqif as he stood up and stand close beside her with his arms around her waist. Aleeya looks into his unique eyes but without saying any words.

"Please understand about my current situation right now. My examination is just right around the corner and I'm serious about setting my goals straight for my future." utters Aleeya as she breaks the silence.

"I'm sorry. I've been thinking about myself and unknowingly had neglected about your future plans." said Thaqif as he shakes his head. Aleeya brings her face closer towards Thaqif and brings her lips closer to him as she kisses him much to Thaqif's surprised and he hold on to Aleeya's body.

"I think that should answer your question about trust." said Aleeya softly as she brings herself away from Thaqif's arm. "I've got to go." utters Aleeya as she took the flowers in her hands and headed back towards her home. Thaqif remains at that spot until Aleeya was out from his sight. And then he put on his helmet and rode back home.

Aleeya place the bunch of flowers on the coffee table as she begins to continue with her maths, however she seems to be distracted when suddenly she recalls the words which Thaqif had spoken to her..changes involving his life..what could it be? Thought Aleeya to herself.

"More additional problems on your maths?" asked Aden sternly. Aleeya remains speechless but a doubtful thoughts could be clearly seen on her face. "Aleeya, don't get too deeply attached all right." warned Aden however he playfully tugged Aleeya's fringe off from her face. Aleeya nodded with a smile.

"To earn a good name for yourself...through selfishness and deception it seems to be so much simpler but at what cost, your inner guilt and integrity...and your own self respect. To be known as to be someone who will look up on you, as you walk around this lane with so much pride in your head but...at last your soul is empty.Hollow with gaps of desperation for some piece of dignity to fill up those emptiness." Aden tears well up as he close Zhorif's heart breaking words of sorrowfullness.

"Oh Zhorif, why did'n t you let me listen to your pleas while you are still here with me?" cries Aden to himself as he lays on his bed and shut his eyes. Aden can't help but the guilty sense which he had felt about Zhorif's death will definately haunt him for the rest of his life.