Read story Stranded Bickers | ✔ - FOUR

FOUR

❝Just leave me alone❞

For some very long moments, both of them sat near the edge of the cliff in hopes that someone would notice their absence and the boat would turn around to search for them. But it didn't happen; and they watched with a sinking feeling as the liveaboard got smaller and smaller until they couldn't see it anymore. The dark grey clouds had also reached the island and the wind was blowing even faster than before.

It all felt like a very bad dream to Ifrah, who was sitting on the ground with bent knees and in a deep state of shock.

“Why did they return so soon? It was supposed to stay here for some while.” she had mainly muttered the question to herself, but Aayan heard it and answered;

“It's because of the weather, I think the mainland informed them about the storm and they cut the trip short.” he mumbled and dropped his head before letting out a sigh.

He ran an anxious hand through his hair before covering his face with both hands to grab a hold of his jumbled up mind.

Breathe in, breathe out. Stay calm. Stay the fück calm.

He kept chanting in his head before exhaling a breath and turning to look at his wife. His eyes widened slightly when he caught her frozen state and he internally cursed. He had forgotten that she nearly faced death a few minutes ago and moved forward a bit.

“Uh— hey, how's your hand?” he cringed at the way he said that but Ifrah didn't reply.

All that was going through the chestnut haired girl's mind right now was that he was the reason for their being stranded on this island. If he had just freaking listened to her!

Ifrah didn't respond and moved her legs to huddle them closer to her chest while wrapping her right arm around her knees. Her left hand lied numb at her side. Aayan bit his bottom lip and tried again.

“Listen— ”

“Shut up.” Ifrah's cold voice made him freeze at the spot and a frown appeared on his face. She faced him this time, and his breath hitched when he caught her tear filled eyes.

“All of this happened because of you. If you had not acted like a child and stopped when I told you to, we wouldn't have to be here.”

Annoyance seeped through the raven haired guy's veins and he asked in a low voice; “Are we really going to play the fücking blame game now?” When he caught her steely gaze, he let out a disbelieving scoff. “Oh wow,” he laughed bitterly while staring up at the sky, the wind moving his silky strands in different directions. He faced her again and continued; “Okay then, you are the actual reason, because I didn't want to be here at all. You made us come to this shïtty trip and now we're stranded on an island in the middle of nowhere!”

That was it, he had lost even the little bit of respect she had for him at that moment, and a lone tear escaped from her right eye which she quickly rubbed away and faced the opposite direction. The wind was howling around them, making their hair and clothes move like crazy, and the sun had disappeared behind the thick, dark clouds.

Aayan felt a tad bit bad about snapping at her and clenched his teeth before letting out a tired breath. “Ifrah— ”

“Stop. I don't wanna hear anything else. Just leave me alone.”

She buried her head between her knees and Aayan folded his hands into fists. He sprang up to his feet and picked up his backpack from where he had deposited it in a hurry to save her, and slipped it back on his shoulders. He threw one last look at her figure and stormed out of the clearing without any other word.

If she didn't want him near her, then so be it. He will get out of here on his own, this stupid woman can sit here with her ego for as long as she want.

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Ifrah didn't know for how long she remained in that huddled condition because when she picked up her head after crying to her heart's content, it was nearly dark everywhere. Panic settled in her as she looked around for her stupid husband and he was nowhere to be seen.

Did he just left her? All alone?

Her eyes got wide at the thought and she quickly scrambled up to her feet, but lost her balance due to the shaking of her legs. They were still in the trauma of getting stuck on the cliff edge, she guessed, and tried to stand up again. Ifrah winced as she moved her left hand to her chest and slowly made her way towards the jungle. The leaves were rustling like crazy due to the wind and it seemed like the rain shower would start any moment now.

“Aayan?” she called out while walking slowly into the woods and looking around for any signs of him. A loud thunder clap made her jump and she bit her lower lip.

“I swear if you're trying to prank me, it's the last one you'll ever pull.” she tried to threaten him to make him come out if he were hiding.

No answer.

Ifrah's throat clogged up as a fresh set of tears started gathering in her light hazel eyes. “I-it's not funny, gadhay!”

Oh God! He really left her.

The girl felt the ground shake under her feet— or not, it was her legs which had turned into jelly at the realization, and she leaned against the nearest tree to take some deep breaths. She clenched her eyes shut as another round of thunder rumbled in the sky and her left hand bunched up her blue shirt where it was placed on her chest.

Aayan had went on a lot of adventure trips around the world with his friends during the twenty five years of his life, so it wouldn't be a problem for him to find his way out of here. But her? Not a chance. She was a freelance illustrator for crying out loud! And did a little bit of blogging as a hobby. Ifrah couldn't even tell the difference between fenugreek and spinach, how was she supposed to survive in a damn forest?!

“It's official Aayan Abdullah! I hate you! I hate you with all my heart, you son of a rotten biscuit!” she wailed while tears ran down her cheeks like streams and her body raked with ugly sobs.

He was such a... a... sarra hua anda!

She stood there sobbing for a while and looked up when she felt a drop of water land on her hand. It was going to rain now, how fantastic. She sniffled and gazed around the trees, it was full dark now.

“I will stop insulting you if you appear out of the bushes... ” she voiced out her thoughts in a defeated whisper.

A beat of silence passed before;

“Really?”

Ifrah was so lost in her misery that she didn't realize he had replied in real and said; “Yes.”

“And you will treat me with respect?”

“Yes.” she chocked on her tears.

“Hmm, make a promise then.” His deep voice was teasing her and she nodded her head in a haze.

“Oka— ”

Her brain screeched to a halt at that moment, and she whipped her head on the left to see him casually leaning beside her against the tree with his forearm rested on the bark. He cocked a brow at her stunned expression and opened his mouth to say something but was forced to stagger back when Ifrah launched herself at him, and he caught her in his arms.

Now it was his turn to be left speechless as his wife stained his shirt with her tears which were a combination of fear and relief, and Aayan reluctantly wrapped an arm around her while patting her head awkwardly with the other hand. The couple stood there in the rain as they got soaked, but neither of them let go.

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N O T E

Oye hoye...