DUSTE,

JIGAWA STATE,

NIGERIA.

Zayn blinked when he parted his eye lids. Moving his gaze round the unfamiliar room, he tried to make sense of the events that led there. Releasing a deep breath, he pushed himself up on his hands and tried to sit up, ignoring how his eyes blurred again that moment.

But he couldn't ignore the splitting headache that had him clutching the side of his head.

He faintly heard the door open, and then footsteps approaching him. Something being held out in front of him had him looking up, only for his gaze to fall on the last person he remembered seeing.

"Take this. It'll help" She said, handing him the bottle of water and some pills she had picked up from the side of his bed.

He shook his head, "No. I'm fine"

She hummed, giving him a look of disbelief. "I see" She muttered to herself. "If you don't take it the headache will not go away. But, if you want to keep passing out, then please, don't take it"

That caught his attention, and a second later he was taking the bottle and the pills from her; gulping it all in one go. When he was done, she took the bottle and placed it aside. She watched as he fixed the pillow with a little bit of difficulty, before leaning back. She could've helped him with it, but he looked like the type that won't appreciate such help.

So, she refrained from doing so and allowed him to do it himself.

He gave the room a brief glance again.

"You're in a hospital" She stated, answering his unvoiced question.

He nodded, "Figures" He muttered; before snapping his slightly narrowed eyes at her. "What are you doing here?"

"Personal reason" She answered, folding her hands over her torso. "I saw you pass out and so, brought you here. I guess that makes us even now" Dr. Batoulah said, feeling the weight of what happened to his car lifted off her shoulders.

He sighed again, then shook his head slightly; throwing his head back as he flickered his eyes close. "I told you to forget about it"

"I will now that I've paid you back"

"How long have I been out?"

"For about five hours" Her eyes flickered to the wall clock, "You need to rest more in order to gain your strength" She added.

He shook his head, making a move to shift his legs off the bed. "I don't need it, I'm good"

"Hate to break it to you but I'm the doctor here, not you" She offered him a wide smile was clearly fake as she folded her hands.

He rose a single brow. "You...a doctor?"

"Yes" Her lips curled into a proud grin. It always gives her joy to introduce herself as a doctor because it made her feel the years she spent in medical school, along with the mental breakdown she'd had are all worth it whenever she saves someone's life. "Now believe me when I say you need to rest"

"I have things to do"

"So do I. But here I am"

Zayn ignored her, slipping into his shoes. He pushed himself up the bed. He still had the headache as it hasn't been long since he took the medicine but he will not let that hold him down. He had worked through a harsher situation yet he's alive. Maybe if she knows who he is, she won't demand him to take a break.

He spotted his jacket on the couch, and a made his way to pick it up. When he did, he shrugged it on. "Well, sorry doc, but the things I want to do cannot wait" He didn't wait for her reply as he made his way over to the door.

"Is that important thing talking to Dr. Salma?" She asked, not moving from her spot or turning around to stare at him.

He stopped in his tracks, head tilted to the side slightly and brows drawn in. He turned around, a brow raised and eyes narrowed. "How do you know that?"

She turned around, "I guess it is" She muttered.

"You didn't answer me. How did you know that?" He repeated, his voice coming out low and teeth, gritted.

She didn't get what's up with his reaction. "You were passed out cold in front of her house" She stated, "And her gateman was uttering stuff about how you refused to leave without speaking to her"

That still didn't fully explain to him why she was at that area at the very time. There's still one question running through his head. "Do you know her?"

She sucked in a breath, eyes never once leaving his.

"Well, do you?" He was getting impatient, especially with the way she is taking time to answer him.

Batoulah nodded. "Yes" Her voice came out low. "She's my elder sister"

~*~

Due to the revelation, which Zayn couldn't really understand why it surprised him so much since he barely knows the girl but still. It was probably because she seemed nicer, and they don't really look alike facially.

Batoulah made a deal with him. She'll take him to meet her sister if he rests as she had asked him to do earlier. There was nothing Zayn wanted more than to get answers from Salma so he agreed to it without much of a fight put up.

It's not like she cared about him that she's so adamant on him getting some rest. Well, to some certain extent she did care. But, it's because of her instinct as a doctor. She wants nothing more than to help around wherever she can.

And soon enough, he was out.

Batoulah gave the credit to the medicine he took. It was bound to put him to sleep sooner later. And the minute he slept off, she noticed the wrinkles between his forehead slowly disappearing.

She sighed, the made a move to pull the duvet up to cover him before she took a step back. One thing she realized is that almost everyone looks peaceful when they're asleep—especially since then there's no problem to worry about.

Zayn wasn't any different. She didn't tell him, and she figured he wouldn't want to hear it anyway but he looked much more peaceful when he is asleep. She could tell right form the first day she saw him, and from when he was awake that there's something bothering him.

He tries to hide it well but she saw past that façade he had on. Perhaps, she didn't get everything accurately but there's no denying that something is troubling him. And her elder sister has something to do with it.

At the thought, she spared Zayn one last glance before she turned around and walked out, shutting the door carefully while doing so. Once she was out, she made her way over to the familiar office she had always hated going to but she couldn't avoid it. There were times that she's needed there, or more like, she need to go there.

And the moment was an example.

Without knocking, she walked in after saying her salaam.

Salma looked up from the file she was reading, or more like staring at. She couldn't focus on anything to be honest since Zayn showed up. She couldn't focus on work, both at the hospital and at the University. She hadn't attended any lecture she has, nor did she attend to any of her patients.

She couldn't even focus on her family, and sur enough, her husband was starting to notice her being absent in almost everything. She barely pays attention to him or their child—the one child she was blessed with.

Quite unfortunately, she had difficulty conceiving a child. And when she did, she had a miscarriage. Allah blessed her with a daughter after four years of marriage and facing insults from her husband's family. One thing she was lucky about is the fact that he never married again or leave her side. She was lucky in that aspect.

But, after giving birth, she had fibroid shortly after and after her surgery was told that she could never give birth again. Salma loves her daughter to the moon and back. So, her husband knew something has to be bothering her since she had started to neglect the poor child.

He could tell it has something to do with Zayn considering she became that way after he came. But, he did not say a thing about it. Yet.

Salma couldn't hold back the annoyed snicker when her eyes landed on her youngest sister. "Don't you know how to knock?" She hissed.

Batoulah ignored her. Over the years, she had learned that ignoring Salma is the best solution. "We need to talk"

"Is that why you're here?" Salma closed the folder, pushing it aside. She then took off her glasses, placing it in its case.

Batoulah nodded. "Of course. I didn't come all the way here for a family reunion"

"We're not a family" Salma corrected, sending a pointed look at Batoulah who held back her scoff. "You, your sister and I only share the same DNA"

"And the same father" Batoulah corrected. Honestly sometimes she wonders why she bother to keep up with the woman. She has made it clear countless times that she detests both Batoulah and her sister. "But of course, that doesn't make us a family since he's passed away. I'm sure he would've loved to see us this way if he was alive"

Salma held her hand up to stop the girl before she could go further. "Hold on and keep the heartfelt speech to yourself" She rolled her eyes, "Get to the point and spill, why are you here?"

Batoulah took in a deep breath. She had a reason for going to Duste but after being there, she got a whole new reason to meet her. "Tell me, why are you avoiding Zayn?"

"How did you--"

"And I want the truth Salma. Why? Are you guilty or something?"