Never Lose Hope

Chapter Thirteen

A/N: Chapter Fourteen is written, and ready to upload. But... I'm not going to upload it until this chapter get's at least 20 reads, so go share the book with your friends and help me get noticed. Thanks. 

I sit in my bed hugging my knees together, I can’t go to sleep because every time I close my eyes, I see Amo Hamada with a smile on his face. I let a few tears drop from my eyes before I get out of bed. I walk down to the kitchen to see Jihad getting a snack. Once he hears me crutch my way in he turns around surprised. “Sara, what are you doing out of bed so early?” He asks concerned.

            “Couldn’t sleep.” Is all I tell him while grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

            “Do you want to talk about it?” He asks looking at me concerned.

            I look at him and shake my head. “What’s there to talk about? He’s dead, he’s not coming back.” I say with a frown on my face.

            “Sara, you know I care about you right?” He asks. I nod my head to answer his question. “And you could talk to me about anything, so if something upsets you, see me  as a friend. I’ll be there for you.” He tells me walking up to me.

            I pull him into a hug and cry into his shoulders and he just rubs my back comfortably. “I miss him so much.”

            “I know you do, he was there for you for most of your life, it’s totally understanding, but he’s in a better place now. And you have all of us for you when you’re going through a hard time like this.” He whispers in my ear as I let out a choked sob.

            “It’s just so hard. I just wished I called to check on him more often, I didn’t even know he was sick. He was so healthy when I lived there, and then all the sudden he dies of a heart attack? It doesn’t make sense.” Jihad let’s go the hug and puts his hand on my shoulder.

            “It’s hard, I know, but it happens to everyone. There was nothing you could do to stop it from happening. Everything is written, so just embrace the good memories you had of him. That’s all you could do for him.” He tells me wiping at both my eyes with his thumb. “You can’t always cry, you just have move on. Yeah you grew up with him, he practically raised you, but you had to move on with your life. You have your whole family here to help you through this tough time. I’m here for you, and as I can see, so is Troy.” He jokes.

            I shove his shoulders and roll my eyes. “This isn’t a time to joke around. So just stop.” I say looking to the floor.

            “I’m not kidding, that kid really cares about you. I don’t why he does, but how could you not tell, he was there for you when I couldn’t  be. Don’t ignore it, because if one thing leads to another he’ll think you’re leading him on. He really likes you. Even baba knows.”

            “How can he like me? I mean look at me. I’m a broken girl.” I say.

            “You’re not broken, things happen in life, it’s a test. Don’t treat life like a joke, don’t ignore Troy just because he likes you. I don’t know how he’ll act if you don’t talk to him again. But he does care about you.”

            “Even if he did like me, nothing could happen between us, I’m Muslim.” I say crossing my arms.

            “Doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to talk to him, going out is another story, and he already knows that. So just talk to him. Get to know him a little bit. If it works out he could always convert.”