15-08-2025, 11:25 PM
(This post was last modified: 15-08-2025, 11:25 PM by matiba2025213. Edited 1 time in total. Edited 1 time in total.)
Chapter 23: Wasim & Jamal (Act 18)
Lina sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers fumbling with the buttons of her blouse as she tried to steady her breathing. The room was quiet, save for the soft hum of the air conditioner, but her mind was anything but calm. She could still feel Jamal’s hands on her skin, his lips trailing down her body, and the way his voice had trembled when he confessed his age. She shook her head, trying to dispel the memory. Focus, she told herself. You need to focus.
Jamal stood by the door, pulling on his shirt. His movements were slow, deliberate, as if he too was struggling to process everything that had happened. He glanced at Lina, his dark eyes filled with a mixture of guilt and longing. “I know you must hate me,” he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Lina looked up, her eyes meeting his. “I don’t hate you, Jamal,” she replied, her tone soft but firm. “But... this can’t happen again. I have a husband. A life. You’re just... young. Too young.”
He nodded, his expression pained. “I know. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I just... I got caught up in the moment. In you.”
She sighed, standing up and walking over to him. For a moment, they stood there, inches apart, the air between them thick with unspoken words. Then, slowly, hesitantly, Lina reached out and placed a hand on his cheek. “You’re going to be okay,” she said gently. “You’re bright, Jamal. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you. Don’t waste it on... on something like this.”
His eyes searched hers, and for a moment, it seemed like he might say something more. But then he simply nodded again, leaning slightly into her touch before stepping back. “I’ll go now,” he said, his voice steady but tinged with sadness. “You should... get some rest.”
“Wait,” Lina said suddenly, her hand dropping to her side. “Take this.” She reached into her purse and pulled out a wad of cash, holding it out to him.
Jamal stared at the money, his brow furrowing. “What’s this for?”
“For the dresses,” she explained. “The ones from Wasim. Consider it payment for everything. And... a little extra. For you.”
He shook his head, taking a step back. “I can’t take that.”
“Yes, you can,” Lina insisted, thrusting the money towards him. “You need it more than I do. Please, Jamal. Use it for something good. For your future.”
Hesitating for a moment longer, Jamal finally reached out and took the money, his fingers brushing against hers. The contact sent a small shiver through her, but she quickly pushed the feeling aside. “Thank you,” he said softly, tucking the cash into his pocket.
They stood there for another moment, the silence stretching between them. Then, without another word, Jamal turned and walked out the door, leaving Lina alone in the room.
She let out a long breath, sinking back onto the bed. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions...guilt, relief, and something else she couldn’t quite name. She knew she should feel happy that it was over, that justice would be served and she could move on with her life. But a part of her couldn’t help but feel a strange emptiness.
The sound of a text notification broke her out of her thoughts. Lina reached for her phone, seeing a message from Rahim.
Rahim: Where are you? I’m here.
She quickly typed out a reply, telling him she’d meet him outside the security officer station in a few minutes. Standing up, she smoothed out her dress with the one Wasim had given her and took a deep breath. It was time to face reality.
The ride back to the security officer station was quiet. Jamal drove carefully, his eyes focused on the road ahead. Lina sat behind him, her arms wrapped loosely around his waist. The warmth of his body against hers was comforting, but also unsettling. She knew she should keep her distance, both physically and emotionally, but it was harder than she thought.
When they arrived at the security officer station, Jamal parked the bike and helped Lina off. She adjusted her dress and gave him a small smile. “Thank you,” she said softly.
He nodded, his expression unreadable. “Take care of yourself,” he replied before turning and walking away.
Lina watched him go for a moment before heading inside. As soon as she stepped through the doors, she saw Rahim pacing back and forth in the waiting area. When he spotted her, he rushed over and pulled her into a tight hug.
“Lina! Where have you been? I was worried sick!” he exclaimed, his voice filled with concern.
She hugged him back, feeling the familiar warmth of his embrace. “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice muffled against his chest. “I got... held up.”
Rahim pulled back slightly, cupping her face in his hands as he looked her over. “Are you okay? What happened?”
“I’m fine,” Lina assured him, forcing a smile. “It’s a long story. But I’m here now.”
He nodded, though his eyes still held a hint of suspicion. “Okay. Let’s get this over with so we can go home.”
They walked over to the front desk together, where Bimo was waiting. The inspector greeted them with a polite nod.
“Thank you for coming,” he said. “Let’s get started.”
After filing the report and providing all the evidence, including Jamal’s witness statement, Lina felt a sense of relief wash over her. Bimo assured her that Kartini and Wasim would be brought to justice.
“We’ll contact you once they’ve been apprehended,” he told her. “Until then, try to stay safe.”
“Thank you,” Lina said sincerely.
With that, they left the security officer station and headed home. As they rode back on Rahim’s bike, Lina leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. She closed her eyes, letting the wind rush past her as she tried to push all thoughts of Jamal out of her mind.
When they arrived home, Rahim helped her off the bike and led her inside. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close once more.
“I missed you,” he murmured against her hair. “I missed you too,” Lina replied softly.
They stood there for a moment, just holding each other in the quiet of their living room. Then, slowly, Rahim leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.
Lina sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers fumbling with the buttons of her blouse as she tried to steady her breathing. The room was quiet, save for the soft hum of the air conditioner, but her mind was anything but calm. She could still feel Jamal’s hands on her skin, his lips trailing down her body, and the way his voice had trembled when he confessed his age. She shook her head, trying to dispel the memory. Focus, she told herself. You need to focus.
Jamal stood by the door, pulling on his shirt. His movements were slow, deliberate, as if he too was struggling to process everything that had happened. He glanced at Lina, his dark eyes filled with a mixture of guilt and longing. “I know you must hate me,” he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Lina looked up, her eyes meeting his. “I don’t hate you, Jamal,” she replied, her tone soft but firm. “But... this can’t happen again. I have a husband. A life. You’re just... young. Too young.”
He nodded, his expression pained. “I know. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I just... I got caught up in the moment. In you.”
She sighed, standing up and walking over to him. For a moment, they stood there, inches apart, the air between them thick with unspoken words. Then, slowly, hesitantly, Lina reached out and placed a hand on his cheek. “You’re going to be okay,” she said gently. “You’re bright, Jamal. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you. Don’t waste it on... on something like this.”
His eyes searched hers, and for a moment, it seemed like he might say something more. But then he simply nodded again, leaning slightly into her touch before stepping back. “I’ll go now,” he said, his voice steady but tinged with sadness. “You should... get some rest.”
“Wait,” Lina said suddenly, her hand dropping to her side. “Take this.” She reached into her purse and pulled out a wad of cash, holding it out to him.
Jamal stared at the money, his brow furrowing. “What’s this for?”
“For the dresses,” she explained. “The ones from Wasim. Consider it payment for everything. And... a little extra. For you.”
He shook his head, taking a step back. “I can’t take that.”
“Yes, you can,” Lina insisted, thrusting the money towards him. “You need it more than I do. Please, Jamal. Use it for something good. For your future.”
Hesitating for a moment longer, Jamal finally reached out and took the money, his fingers brushing against hers. The contact sent a small shiver through her, but she quickly pushed the feeling aside. “Thank you,” he said softly, tucking the cash into his pocket.
They stood there for another moment, the silence stretching between them. Then, without another word, Jamal turned and walked out the door, leaving Lina alone in the room.
She let out a long breath, sinking back onto the bed. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions...guilt, relief, and something else she couldn’t quite name. She knew she should feel happy that it was over, that justice would be served and she could move on with her life. But a part of her couldn’t help but feel a strange emptiness.
The sound of a text notification broke her out of her thoughts. Lina reached for her phone, seeing a message from Rahim.
Rahim: Where are you? I’m here.
She quickly typed out a reply, telling him she’d meet him outside the security officer station in a few minutes. Standing up, she smoothed out her dress with the one Wasim had given her and took a deep breath. It was time to face reality.
The ride back to the security officer station was quiet. Jamal drove carefully, his eyes focused on the road ahead. Lina sat behind him, her arms wrapped loosely around his waist. The warmth of his body against hers was comforting, but also unsettling. She knew she should keep her distance, both physically and emotionally, but it was harder than she thought.
When they arrived at the security officer station, Jamal parked the bike and helped Lina off. She adjusted her dress and gave him a small smile. “Thank you,” she said softly.
He nodded, his expression unreadable. “Take care of yourself,” he replied before turning and walking away.
Lina watched him go for a moment before heading inside. As soon as she stepped through the doors, she saw Rahim pacing back and forth in the waiting area. When he spotted her, he rushed over and pulled her into a tight hug.
“Lina! Where have you been? I was worried sick!” he exclaimed, his voice filled with concern.
She hugged him back, feeling the familiar warmth of his embrace. “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice muffled against his chest. “I got... held up.”
Rahim pulled back slightly, cupping her face in his hands as he looked her over. “Are you okay? What happened?”
“I’m fine,” Lina assured him, forcing a smile. “It’s a long story. But I’m here now.”
He nodded, though his eyes still held a hint of suspicion. “Okay. Let’s get this over with so we can go home.”
They walked over to the front desk together, where Bimo was waiting. The inspector greeted them with a polite nod.
“Thank you for coming,” he said. “Let’s get started.”
After filing the report and providing all the evidence, including Jamal’s witness statement, Lina felt a sense of relief wash over her. Bimo assured her that Kartini and Wasim would be brought to justice.
“We’ll contact you once they’ve been apprehended,” he told her. “Until then, try to stay safe.”
“Thank you,” Lina said sincerely.
With that, they left the security officer station and headed home. As they rode back on Rahim’s bike, Lina leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. She closed her eyes, letting the wind rush past her as she tried to push all thoughts of Jamal out of her mind.
When they arrived home, Rahim helped her off the bike and led her inside. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close once more.
“I missed you,” he murmured against her hair. “I missed you too,” Lina replied softly.
They stood there for a moment, just holding each other in the quiet of their living room. Then, slowly, Rahim leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.
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