The Two of Us

Chapter 3 - A Little Glimpse

Chapter Three - A Little Glimpse

Sabrina's head hurt. A boy who had ruined her junior high years and had pretty much set all of Vancouver's Arabs (except Emaan) on her, had just asked her hand in marriage. Not only that, but he was a former gang member, possibly still did drugs and had nearly ran over a guy because he was too drunk. Naturally, she was hesitating. And naturally, her parents were too. Though they didn't even know the whole story. And for some reason, Sabrina didn't want them to. 

"So, let me get this straight." Her father said, his brows drawn together in confusion. "This boy, Khalid - who bullied you because you were Indian - now wants to marry you?" 

Sabrina shrugged. Her mother had explained the situation between Khalid and Sabrina, based on what he'd said when he'd proposed. Her father had sat back in shock after learning that his daughter had been bullied for nearly her entire Junior High years.

"Am I missing something here?" He asked, seriously.

"We got over it, I guess." Sabrina answered. "He said he felt bad about it."

 "But why didn't you ever tell us?" He went on, confusion turning into anger. "Why did you just keep quiet and pretend everything was alright?"

"Hamaad," Sabrina's mother said sternly, in hope to curb his anger. Putting her hand on her husband's shoulder, she turned to Sabrina. "Your father is right though, baita. Why did he bully you in the first place?"

"I may have insulted him and all Arabs in general." Sabrina mumbled, averting her eyes.

She'd felt so ashamed and weak. She didn't want her parents knowing and taking the matter to the Principals office and blowing it out of proportion. Then everyone would have hated her even more. Oh, Sabrina, we see you've gone to the principal once again, haven't you? She could almost imagine Leena's cronies gathering around her and spitting out something like that. Sabrina shuddered.

"Sabrina!" Her father gasped. "Why would you do something like that?"

And that was where she had to mumble out a "I was just mad" and shrug it off. Because she couldn't tell her parents that she was accused of snitching out Khalid for doing drugs. They wouldn't want a druggie as their son in law and despite Sabrina's hesitation at accepting his proposal, she at least wanted to give him a chance.

"Well, no use whining over something we cant change." Sabrina's mother sighed. "What are you going to say to Khalid?" She asked Sabrina.

"But Yasmeen, why are we even considering this. No, of course." Her father interrupted.

"Oh, Hamaad, people change. Its not like he bullies her anymore. And if I remember correctly, you were quite...bossy once too, in your youth." 

Sabrina was surprised to see her father's face turn pink. He looked like a little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar, and Sabrina had to stifle a smile behind her hand. Hamaad turned to his wife and with an almost sheepish grin, shook his head and replied.

"But people change." He sighed and turned to his daughter. "So?"

"I dont know." Sabrina answered, truthfully. "I need to think about it."

There was no way she was going to tell her parents the whole truth. They would never consider letting their only child getting married to someone with a history as dark as Khalid's. They may think that people can change, but if they knew everything about Khalid, that belief would fly out the window. They had limits and Khlaid's criminal record crossed pretty much all of them. She wanted to think it over. She wanted to be sure that he was actually serious about letting her help him and then she would make her decision.