The mansion looked lively we drove in through the gate. The whole mansion had been decorated with string lights,hanging fake flowers and rose petals on the ground.

The only sound that could be heard was that of the Somali song being played by the speaker. The organisers had arranged and decorated the tables and chairs in the lawn.

"Huda, need to go," Mahdi said and I nod in understanding . I came out of the car and waved him bye. Watching as he reversed the car and zoom off,my thoughts suddenly became jumbled.

I couldn't go in , I didn't want to. It would only raise my blood pressure if I had an encounter with the brides to be or Sama.

I sat down on the floor and stared in space. Knowingly ill be witnessing a whole lot of drama in the next few days did nothing to relief me of the pain I suddenly feel in my chest anytime my mind wander back to my past.

"Thank goodness you're back Sis,everyone's been asking of you".

I sighed, " I need sometime alone, so leave me"

I felt her sit on the ground beside me and I stiffened. She was too close for my liking.

"Do you know what I always taught of your personality?"

I didn't react to what she said , and just shut my eyelids practicing my breathing exercise.

" I used to think of you as the most confident and outgoing among us. You used to have this friendly aura around you and that was why I started having kids talk to me back then in school. They all thought of you as a cool big sister-" she stopped talking.

I opened an eyelid and observed her,she had brought out her cellphone and was typing something in it. A minute after,she showed the phone to me,and u had to squint my eyes to see what it was.

"This is Alysha, we became friends few weeks after you stopped by at our school to warn Jamal about bullying me. Since then,she'd tried to meet you in person and at several times came to our home but you were never around during those periods-"

" Enough Anisa,could you just let me be. You're my sister and I don't want to get harsh on you,so please do me a favor-"

"What's that?" She asked scrunching her eyebrow.

" stop trying to bring back what's been buried about my past. It hurts...it really does. I have tried forgetting everything that has happened and fortunately I did. I want you to respect my decisions, okay?"

I closed back my eyes trying to calm down my racing heart when I suddenly felt a weight on my body. It took me a minute to register the fact that Anisa was hugging me.

" I'm so sorry," she murmured into my ear.

Awkwardly, I pat her on her back. " it's alright... now you can let go of me".

However she refused. Either she didn't hear me or decided not to answer me 'cause she didn't pulled away.

" I think I should go upstairs and rest, I'm pretty much exhausted, "

Halfway, I turned back to look at her. It wasn't her fault but rather her mother's, so there was no need of making her feel bad. I shot her the best smile I could muster and turned away walking to my room.

"Isn't that Huda?" A woman spoke out catching my attention.

I stopped on my tracks,my back towards them,and my right hand in a fist.

" I've heard that lass is rude and ungrateful, " another chirped in.

Someone abruptly coughed, and they suddenly became quiet. Too bad, I wanted to hear more of their opinions about me.

"Wait...she's the one that recently got-"

" it would have been better you called me to sit and speak directly to my face instead of gossiping within each other," I slowly approached them,my eyes raked over them accessing their features.

The first woman had black hair with an unattractive nose ring, the second had her hair in a high ponytail with her scarf draped over her shoulders, while the last one had a very light brown hair which stood out as every heads where either black or deep brown .

"Watch your tone, girl" the nose ring lady warned pointing her index finger at me.

I swayed the finger away from my face hissing. "Haven't you heard that I'm mannerless? Considering you and Surayya are close buddies,you must have heard about my attitudes by now,"

Suddenly,someone approached us. I knew that footsteps well enough ,so I just tilted my head slightly in her direction. By now,most of the women's attention were on us.

" don't talk to our guests like that," she hissed.
" apparently the 'guests' don't behave like civil ones,so I'm just keeping them in their rightful places,"
"Surayya, your sister is rude. She's got no right to speak to me in that tone and manner," the nose ring lady said with annoyance.
I narrowed my eyes at her . " and you think you've got the same right to speak ill at my back?,"
I closed the distance between us . " that is so hypocritical, don't you think? I-"

" that's enough, Huda-" Laiqa pushed me away from her . ''please go upstairs, will you?"

"Bravo bravo... this show would have been great if only wasn't the main character,"
My head suddenly began to ache and my vision blurred. Pushing past Laiqa and Surayya, I hastily walked to my room.

I knelt on the floor and pulled the small wooden box closet,then opened it and took out the familiar container . I swallowed few of the pills and opened the standby bottle water on my nightstand, gulping it down .

The pain subsided after few minutes and I collapsed on the cold floor exhausted.

My hands were shaking uncontrollably as I tried getting a hold on my cellphone which was on the bed. I couldn't breathe properly with my nose,my chest felt constricted and my vision was even more blurry.

Crawling painfully to the door,I locked it. I realised my phone was still in my hands and I dialed Mahdi's number. It rang but he didn't pick up. After two more attempts ,I stood up and lay on my bed .

"Argh!"

My whole body ached. The pains increasing with every passing seconds.

"Argh!"

I put my face in my pillow and tried calling Mahdi again. My eyes drooped and the last thing I recalled was the unfamiliar voice who kept on saying 'Hello?' .