It's impossible that you're a child. You're a monster. How could you shoot your own mother? The man approached the child angrily, his blood boiling.
The child, crying and struggling to speak: "I didn't mean it. I'm sorry, Dad."
The man's anger grew stronger. He grabbed the child's neck with both hands and squeezed tightly, his eyes wide open with rage.
The child, trying to resist and crying: "Please, let me go. I will die…"
........
Reham woke up from sleep, startled. She grabbed the glass of water beside her.
She went out to the living room.
Her mother was surprised to see her awake earlier than usual.
Reham's mother: "You woke up early. Didn't you wait for my scolding?"
Reham: "I just had a bad dream."
Reham's mother: "Don't tell anyone about it. Just forget it."
Reham: "I'll go to university today."
Her mother smiled happily: "Finally. But are you sure you're mentally okay?"
Reham: "I'm tired of staying at home. If anything happens, I'll handle it well."
....
At the university,
Reham walked nervously, not knowing why — maybe lack of confidence. Reham was very smart and excellent, but she was not very pretty, somewhat overweight—in short, a prime target for envy and bullying.
...
In the lecture hall,
"Finally, you came. Why have you been absent? Are you scared?" said one student with a malicious smile.
Reham: "Nothing, just resting at home."
The student laughed: "Honestly, that's the best decision, so you don't hurt our eyes."
Reham held back her tears and said: "Appearance isn't in a person's control."
The student replied: "The excuse of losers. You might succeed and be excellent, but jobs for women need beauty, and you have none. You might live single forever. I feel sorry for men seeing your face." She smiled cruelly.
Reham tried to hold herself together and almost believed it — until a boy's voice interrupted.
"Oh, Reham, welcome back. You disappeared a lot."
The girl was shocked at the boy's kind welcome.
Reham smiled as if she had won a war. "Thank you."
The boy looked at the girl with a gentle, pure smile and said softly, "Please leave us. I want to ask her something important."
The girl, embarrassed by the boy's politeness and smile, said with a grin: "Sure."
The boy sat in front of Reham, smiling. He was handsome, fair-skinned, with soft hair and green eyes.
Reham, nervously: "Sorry, but who are you?"
Boy: "Oh, excuse me. My name is Ramy Malik."
Reham, smiling: "Like the actor, right?"
Ramy smiled: "Coincidence, nothing more."
Ramy: "I want to ask you something, please."
Reham: "Sure."
Ramy: "I'm new here and heard you're the best student, so please be my teacher. I want to excel like you, and in return, I will do whatever you say."
Reham immediately agreed.
....
Reham returned home.
Reham's mother: "How was your day?"
Reham, happily: "Very good."
Her mother was glad: "Did you manage to do the task?"
Reham: "What task?"
Mother: "Bring a fiancé."
Reham: "Impossible. Is that still a custom in the family?"
Mother: "Yes, in our family's customs, a girl must bring a man to ask for her hand after she turns twenty."
Reham: "That's ignorance."
Mother, firmly: "It's an order and must be fulfilled even if it's a lie."
.....
"You learn fast, Ramy."
Ramy smiled and said, "No, you're the skilled teacher."
After Reham spent a week teaching Ramy, she seemed to be drawn to him and felt comfortable; he was the only one who never bullied her and protected her by being there.
Reham: "My condition for your teaching is to be my fake fiancé."
Ramy was surprised: "I don't understand."
Reham, very shy: "There's a family custom: I must bring a man to ask for my hand when I turn twenty. I want you to be that man, just to fulfill the tradition. After the day ends, it's as if nothing happened."
Ramy smiled: "I will do anything for my teacher."
Reham blushed.
Ramy: "I want to invite you for coffee."
Reham, shyly: "Okay."
....
In the street,
Reham and Ramy were walking when they saw some children hurting a cat. For the first time, Reham saw Ramy's face change to anger. All she had seen from him before was kindness and a beautiful smile.
Ramy approached the children, pushed them away from the cat, then gently petted the cat. Reham smiled, seeing in him the young man she wanted.
...
At the café,
"Where are your parents?" Reham asked.
Ramy was silent for a moment and said, "They died when I was young."
Reham: "I'm sorry for you."
Ramy smiled: "It's nothing. I'm fine. When should I play the role of your fiancé?"
Reham was surprised: "Let's say next Thursday."
Ramy: "Okay, but the lie must be perfect, so I need to get a suit or suitable clothes."
Reham laughed: "Sure."
Ramy: "Then come with me shopping to choose the right clothes."
Reham, nervously: "I can't. Sorry."
Ramy, understanding: "It's okay, I just wanted someone to share shopping with me because after my parents, I'm alone without anyone to help me."
Reham felt a little touched: "I'll try."
Ramy smiled: "Thank you."
.....
A message arrived on Reham's phone with the location where she would meet Ramy for shopping.
The place was almost empty. She felt scared.
Ramy: "Hello."
Reham: "The place is scary."
Ramy smiled: "It is, but we will leave this alley soon, and when we do, you will see the beauty of the town."
They walked...
Ramy: "Thank you for explaining all the subjects. I have become better because of you."
Reham was happy to hear this.
Ramy: "Sorry, but why does everyone always bully you?"
Reham: "I really don't know. I didn't do anything to them."
Ramy: "They're idiots."
Ramy bent down to tie his shoe.
Reham walked ahead of Ramy a little.
"Ramy, why did you come late to university?"
She felt scared because Ramy was not next to her. She called his name and looked front and back, but nothing.
She started having difficulty swallowing and stepped backward until she bumped into something. Time stopped for a moment in Reham's head. She slowly turned her neck to find Ramy smiling behind her.
She smiled and said, "Oh my God, you scared me…"
But she didn't finish her sentence because Ramy injected a syringe in her neck. As soon as he injected it, her eyes fluttered, she tried to speak, and then she fell to the ground, taking her last breath.
In front of her, Ramy smiled.