The Love I Was Looking For (Halal love story)

||Chapter 20: Farewell My Love||

It's now May, the final month until summer break. Two wholes months of no school, what a delight. For most people anyways, for me not really. However, this year it's different. I have Sajid with me now. 

"Aisha Aisha, earth to Ishoo, are you there?", Sajid says as he pokes me with a pencil but the eraser part. I shook my head and turn to him. 

"Huh did you call me?" I look at him confused. I hear the other students giggle and laugh softly as I turn around and look. "Ahem, Aisha please pay attention as I go over the review guide for your semester exam", the teacher says. I sit up and look at the teacher as she continues to teach.

Sajid also giggles softly. I pout and he just laughs more. I wonder what will I do with this boy? After class we head to our next period but it seemed like our teacher wasn't here so we were split. When we're split it means that few students get split into different classroom for another teacher to watch us when we don't have a substitute. 

"Room 231", Sajid says. "Isn't that Shyla and Harris's class". Sajid looks back at an old screenshot Harris sent of his school schedule. "Yeah, it is", he says putting his phone away in his pocket. 

We start heading upstairs to the upper 200 building mainly where English and reading classes are. As we walked towards the end of the building we reach room 231. I knock on the door as a teacher opens it and takes our attendance. 

Shyla and Harris were both surprised as we walked through the door. We sat next to them as the class was settling in. 

"Hey guys, I'm so happy we're able to be in one class together". "For real, but like end of course exam guides and stuff sucks", Shyla says as the teacher passes around the study guides. "True, we're lucky our teacher wasn't here today to even have gotten one for Chemistry". 

As Shyla and I talk we find Harris and Sajid watching cricket. Me and her look at each other so confused. Sajid takes Harris' phone and displays it for us as well. Not going to lie, Naseem Shah is kinda fine-

The teacher walks towards us and stands there, "What's more important right now? Watching a match or passing your exam?", she said. 

We all look at her unamused. "Passing the exam...", Shyla saying quietly". "Good, now I want the first two pages done by tomorrow thats homework", she says as she walks back to her desk. When she wasn't looking we all went back to watching the cricket match. 

Of course we all knew that Pakistan was going to beat Australia. Even though Shyla is from India and Harris is Bengali, they will still support Pakistan. Desi's for desi's of course. Anyways, the day went on class after class and getting study guide over study guide until we ended up with 7 of each.

It's really hard having 7 classes with 7 separate exams to study for. Once I got home from school, I was so excited to just close my eyes and rest. But like moments later, I got a text on the group chat saying if we should have a study party at the library everyday this week. 

To be honest, I was tired but since it's for a good cause, sure why not. I told my parents and my dad decides to drop me off. 

I meet Sajid, Harris and Shyla at a table with a white board and I set my stuff down and sit my Shyla. We decided to do the hardest subjects first to get it over with. Quizzing and testing each other on the material was so fun and helpful, where we actually learned the concepts on the exam. 

A few hours later we had to leave, but I felt like it was a productive study session. A week passes and it's finally exam week. All our 7 periods have an exam each. 1 exam on Monday and the rest of the week there are 2 exams. Friday was for any makeup exams for students who missed any. Starting off strong Sajid and I had our History exam. 

Saying the dua for success: 

{Rabbish rahli sadri wa yassirli amri wah lul uqdatan min lisaani, yaf kahu kauli"}

"My Lord, expand for me my breast [with assurance] and ease for me my task and untie the knot from my tongue that they may understand my speech."

And with Bismilliah(In the name of Allah), we started our exam having hope in Allah (swt) that we pass. Day after day it's the same thing, filling in our name, student number and bubbling answering on our scantrons. 

Inshallah we all pass in the end, making so much dua and praying to Allah (swt) for the best. As the final exam concluded, the bell rings and Sajid and I walk to Harris and Shyla as we all happily march out of school not coming back for a while.

During the start of summer we all hung out here and there but as June started Sajid has been a little off lately. 

"SAJOOO", I spam. I keep texting Sajid and I only get dry responses here and there. I really hope he's okay. It's been hours and hours of waiting and he usually doesn't do this. I wait a little longer and look back at my phone to see a text from him.

"Hey, Aisha I need to talk to you about something important", it said. I stare at the message before opening it. I'm going to be honest, I get so scared when people say things like that. Allah khair kare, I slowly open the message and text back, "Jii (Yes)". 

He texts back saying, "So, I have bad news.. You know how I'm an exchange student for this school year? Well now that it's over, I have to go back to Pakistan-".

After reading that my heart dropped. I completely forgot he was just studying abroad in the Us and that he came from Lahore. I start tearing up a bit. There's no way that the boy I love so much is leaving my side already. 7,000 miles away from me, would be the hardest thing. 

My hands tremble a little has a start typing slowly. What should I even say... My whole mind is a complete blur at the moment. 

He texts something before I even could reply. The message says, "Meri jaan I know it's going to be hard for the both of us but, we can still text and call. Just not seeing each other and having to deal with the time difference can be solved. I love you Aisha and I will never stop loving you.

With those words, I start tearing up more. Wallah, I love him so much. I just don't know if I'll ever adapt to that type of change. 

I slowly start typing, "Yeah, that's true.. I'm going to miss you so much". Waiting for a reply he texts back saying, "I know I will too, but you have to trust Allah (swt) and just pray that inshallah we can get our nikkah done soon"

I start typing once again, "Inshallah, I'll always keep you in my prayers". He texts back, "Same here, but be strong okay we will get through this, but for now farewell, my love.. til Allah (swt) reunites us once again...

~Fi amanillah

I leave you in the Care of Allah