The night outside was calm, silver-blue, the city lights blinking below like lazy fireflies. But inside Ababeel's living room, a war was brewing. One girl with a metal bat. One guy is clinging to the balcony like a guilty spider.
Ababeel narrowed her eyes.
Her brain was already spiralling:
"To be honest, I DO NOT believe his story."
"Look at him—jumping into people's balconies like it's his Sunday hobby."
"Is he a PERVERT OR SOMETHING?"
And then her imagination betrayed her—
She pictured herself bonking him on the head, heroic music playing, her imaginary superhero cape flapping majestically behind her as she shouted, "Justice FOR GOTHAAAAAMMMMM!"
Meanwhile, Habeel was having his own mental meltdown.
"Why is she awake in the middle of the night? Is she nocturnal?"
"Do you greet people with a bat here? Is this a cultural thing??"
"She's probably the psychotic one—claiming someone else's house! What if she climbed in?!"
Ababeel stepped closer, bat raised.
"I don't buy your story," she declared, voice filled with righteous suspicion.
And then—
poke.
She jabbed him with the bat like he was a suspicious avocado at the grocery store.
Habeel gasped dramatically, pressing a hand to his chest. "HEY! What is that for?! I'm not a raccoon!"
"You climb like one," she shot back.
His jaw dropped, thoroughly offended.
He straightened up, still half-crouched on the balcony but trying very hard to look dignified.
Habeel squinted at her. "Okay, Miss Batwoman—if you don't believe ME…"
He crossed his arms. "What proof do you have that this is YOUR house?"
She blinked. "Excuse me?"
He lifted an eyebrow, suspiciously. "What if you climbed here, too, huh? What if you're the intruder?"
Ababeel stared at him in absolute disbelief.
"...ARE YOU SERIOUS?" she asked, pointing at herself. "I'm in pyjamas."
"Maybe you robbed the real owner and took their pyjamas?" he countered confidently.
"What kind of thief steals pyjamas!?"
"A cosy one?" he offered.
She groaned, pressing a hand to her forehead. "Oh my God, you're actually insane."
Habeel pointed at the bat again. "I think we've established that YOU'RE the insane one. Normal people don't poke strangers with metal objects."
"You were trespassing!"
"You were threatening!"
"You climbed my balcony!"
"You look like you're about to kill someone!"
Their bickering echoed out onto the balcony, loud enough that a pigeon sitting on a nearby streetlight briefly considered filing a noise complaint.
Finally, Ababeel threw her free hand up. "Listen. I'm giving you one last chance. Explain yourself PROPERLY. Or I'm calling the police."
Habeel raised both hands in surrender, sighing. "Okay, okay. Fine. But for the record—I still think you might be the bigger criminal here."
She lifted the bat again.
He squeaked instantly. "NO! Okay! Story time! Just—just put that thing down!"