"What exactly am I explaining?" Aashiq asked me. I rolled my eyes for the umpteenth time. For the last hour, we'd been sitting at my faculty's garden and no words left Aashiq's mouth except him asking what he was meant to explain.

     "For the last time Aashiq, explain what the hell happened in my lab." I hissed. Aashiq smirked and sipped from his mocktail, then said,

     "Haroun is my cousin. Rashcid, he's also my cousin."

     "That doesn't explain anything." I folded my hands over my breasts while glaring at him.

     "Haroun is among the few good jinns we have. Unlike me, he's Muslim. Explains why he goes about his normal jinn activities without interfering with humans. Rashcid on the other hand is the son of Zouzoula. You don't want to ever come in contact with Zouzoula, trust me. Like humans have presidents, the jinn nation has a president, or a king rather. And that king is Zouzoula. He never bothers about petty jobs because the lower jinns are there to do them. Whenever a jinn is given a hard assignment and he or she does it, that jinn gets the chance to sit beside Zouzoula. It really is a great honor sitting beside him. Rashcid and I have never liked each other. There was this time Zouzoula gave us an assignment, the same assignment. He said whoever was able to finish first would not sit beside him but sit on his throne for a whole day and command the other jinns. Obviously, I did it first and got to sit on the throne. Rashcid hated me more since then. Little wonder he came to try hurt you today."

"Oh wow!" As much as I wanted to end our conversation, I was tempted to ask more questions.

"What was the assignment about?" I asked. Aashiq shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"We aren't allowed to speak of whatever goes on in our world to outsiders." he said.

"Liar!" I glared at him.

"I swear Aisha. I'd tell you if I could. Come, I'll drop you off at the hostel." he said, then got up and held out his hand to me. I took it and allowed him walk me to his car. After strapping me in, he turned to the driver's seat. I didn't know what he took me for, but I felt like a child whenever he strapped me to the car seat.

When we got to the hostel's parking lot, I got down and began walking towards the doors. Aashiq hollered at me through the window. I turned around and gave him a questioning look.

"I'll pick you up by seven. Remember the party?"

I sighed. After the events of earlier, he still wanted to take me to a party?

"Not interested." I waved him off.

"I'll be outside by seven. Do not keep me waiting." With that, he reversed and pulled out of the lot.

"Bastard!" I walked into the reception and said hi to the receptionist before taking the elevator up to my room.

After about an hour or two of sleep, I got up to see Aashiq sprawled on the bed Preeta used to occupy. He had a chocolate bar in one hand and his phone in the other.

"Aashiq!" He turned to look at me, then smirked.

"You're awake habibti."

     "You fucking idiot! Stop coming to my room unannounced. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

     "Why are you always so rude? Get ready, it's almost seven."

     "I'm not going to any party. I'm tired. I. Need. To. Rest." I turned over and faced the wall.

Aashiq didn't utter another word. Since I had my back to him, I didn't know what he was doing but I could hear him shuffling around. Soon after, he dumped some clothes on my body.

"Change into any of these, let's see which fits better."

I looked at him in bewilderment. "Are you being serious right now?"

"Don't make me put it on for you." he said. Something in his tone made me know not to argue with him any further.

I got up begrudgingly and walked into my bathroom. After a quick shower, I put on a jean trouser and a chiffon top. I went into the bedroom to see Aashiq going through my underwear drawer.

"What exactly is wrong with you?" I shouted.

"What is this you're wearing? I don't like this one bit. Wait." He disappeared and reappeared after a minute with a shopping bag in his hand.

"Are you crazy?" I asked, examining the short gown he brought with him. It wouldn't get past my mid thigh if I wore it.

"Go on and put it on." There was finality in his tone.

"I cannot go out exposing all my body." I stood my ground.

"I don't have time to waste Aisha. We're getting late for the party."

"If you really want me to go to the party, you'd let me wear whatever I want."

"I cannot have you embarrass me by dressing like this."

"Well fuck you!" With that, I stormed into the bathroom with my pajamas in my hand. I peeled off the clothes I had on and changed back into my sleeping wear. When I reentered the room, Aashiq was nowhere to be found.

"Fucking bastard!"

I tried hard to fall back asleep but it was nearly impossible. After hours of tossing and turning, I eventually fell asleep.

     "Aisha, you have wronged me greatly and you'd pay for it."

     "What are you talking about, Aashiq?"

     "You denied me the pleasure of seeing you in that dress, now watch me get pleasure from stripping you off your pajamas."

     "You've got to be kidding me." I laughed awkwardly, putting my arms across my chest.

     "You wish, habibti." He licked his lips and gazed at me, eyes filled with lust.

     "What are you doing?" I asked as he inched closer to me. He didn't reply. His eyes had turned a darker shade. I moved back until my legs hit the side of the bed and I fell on it.

     Aashiq smiled and caressed my cheek. "I've been waiting for this day."

     "What are you talking about?" I tried to sound confident but the waver in my voice proved otherwise.

     "This." With one swift move, he tore my pajama bottoms off my body. I felt naked and violated.

     "Please don't do this." I begged. My begging fell on deaf ears as he ripped my shirt off my chest, leaving me clad in only my panties. I covered my breasts with my hands and begged him not to do whatever it was he wanted to do.

     He roughly pulled my hands away and pinned them to the top of my head.

     "Aas–" He covered my lips with a hungry kiss, cutting me off.

     "Damn! I've always wanted to do this." He trailed kisses down my neck and stopped between my breasts, then looked into my eyes.

     "I'm sorry your first time has to be this way." With that being said, he tore my panties off and the rest were a blur.

     I awoke with a start. I sighed in relief that I was only dreaming but when I looked under my blanket to see me unclad, and with the piercing pain I felt between my legs, I knew it wasn't just a dream.

     Aashiq had raped me.