The Two of Us

Chapter 12 - Promise

Chapter Twelve - Promise

Khalid chewed the inside of his cheek, as he stared at the clothes on his bed. He reached for a red tie, stopped and turned to a blue one. I should have asked Sabrina what color her dress would be today, he thought, mentally groaning. He knew her favorite color was blue though. Blue it is, he shrugged, picking up his blue tie and fixing it on. 

A few days ago, they'd gone over to Sabrina's house to read surat-al-Fathiha as it was a common Arab custom that marked the beginning of the marriage process. The local mosque's imam was there and a few friends were invited. Jamaal had tagged along too, probably just to see Emaan but Khalid couldn't care less. He basically stared at Sabrina the entire evening - very carefully as her dad was nearby. He remembered that she was wearing something scarlet as it made her eyes light with a playful fire, but he couldn't remember much about what she was wearing as he was too distracted by her face. He still remembered wanting to reach out and touch those soft lips. They'd looked so...he shook away the thought, guiltily.

I'm fantasizing over her lips. Oh my God, he thought incredulously.

Not that there's anything wrong with that, I mean Im about to get married to her anyways, he argued.

You're so head over heels for her, a voice chanted in his head. 

So? he replied to himself, irritated.

He glanced into a mirror to make sure his hair looked good. He'd always had that brushed back, silky hair that could make any girl stop and stare as he ran a hand through it. He hoped it had some effect on Sabrina, but then again, she didn't care much for outer appearances...

As he polished up his dress shoes, he pondered over the effect she had on him. Never had a girl so forcefully jumped into his life and taken his breath away. He was in love with her from the beginning, the first glance, he dared to say. Ever since elementary, when she'd walked into the classroom and he laid eyes on her for the first time. She was stunning back then and even more so now. The day she'd hurt him by insulting his Arab roots was the closest he'd ever come to feeling utter betrayal. He'd never expected that from her. Never. 

But he couldn't blame her. He'd started it. He'd caused it. He'd basically set it up to happen. He'd broken the only promise he'd ever secretly made to her. That he'd never hurt her. 

But he did and she hurt him back. 

How cold it felt to have the love of your life stab you with your pride.

Khalid got up, checked the mirror one last time and hurried into the kitchen where his mother was busy on the phone, making last minute preparations. He checked the time. They still had an hour to get to Mahraja Banquet. He bit his lip just thinking about it. He sat down, and pulled out his phone to text Jamaal and get his mind off of things and settle the nervous flutter of butterflies in his stomach. His dad came in a few minutes later, grunted a greeting and sat down at the other end of the table.

Khalid was just about to pocket his phone when his dad cleared his throat.

"Listen, son." He began, sounding uncomfortable. "I just wanted to congratulate you and tell you to keep your head on. Don't mess this up, you hear?" 

Khalid narrowed his eyes and wondered what kind of person congratulated someone on their engagement day by telling them not to mess up. He decided to shrug it off.

"Uh, thanks. I wont." He replied.

His dad scoffed, as if to say 'sure you wont' but didn't say anything back. They spent the next fifteen minutes sitting in silence. Finally his dear mother walked in and declared with a joyful voice that it was time to go.