The Things We Do

TWENTY EIGHT

"Oh..." Timi trailed.

"But I'm not going to stop you from dating or whatever this is going to lead to." Tari added immediately. She must've seen the look on slight disappointment on Timi's face.

Timi couldn't believe it. Him, going on a date. Dating?

Asides that, there was something else.

"I wish I could say the same thing about you and Ahmed." Timi looked up at his sister. "I don't like him..." he shook his head, "no, that's putting it lightly. I hate Ahmed. The guy is...he's just not someone I want to see you around."

Timi didn't sound angry or bitter but he'd meant what he said and he hoped Tari would see that.

His sister only stared back at him for a while. She sat next to him afterwards but still didn't say anything until she suddenly chuckled. "Imagine if mum and dad gets wind of this."

"Yeah, we would he beheaded?"

They both snickered awkwardly.

"Out of all the people on the world..."

"We chose Muslims," Timi completed.

Tari turned to him. "But that doesn't bother you, does it? It doesn't matter, right?"

Timi shrugged. "It honestly doesn't. At least I know that now." He nudged Tari and they shared a smile. "And besides...I kind of talked with Zehan..."

Tari didn't say anything, she only looked back at him to hear what he'd say next.

Timi shrugged once more. "He's a good person. The way our family have been treating their family...it's just not fair."

"You know that's not our fault," said Tari. "We were always told to stay away from them when we were kids. Tamara took it to the next level and up until today, she sees them as bad people."

"I also saw them that way," Timi said immediately, pointing to himself. "I followed what dad always said. They were nothing but...murderers. The Muslims."

Tari sighed. "Remember that Zehan and his family weren't the ones who killed dad's parents."

"Trying telling that to dad," Timi scoffed. "All he knows is that Muslims had invaded their house in the and shot his parents. He said the Muslims were following their religion. Therefore, they were serving the devil."

"Jihadist," Tari mumbled. "That's what he'd called them."

"Yes."

"Heaven knows I don't like talking about all this stuff and I don't care either," Tari stood to her feet. "I believe that everyone is free to practice any religion of their choice. As long as you don't bring harm to others but you respect them, we're cool."

"I wish everyone thought about it like that,"

Tari patted Timi on the shoulder. "Don't think about it too much. Get up and get going, Amira is waiting for you."

• • •

Amira saw her parents out the door as they left the apartment. She nodded to all her mother's instructions as she helped her old husband out the door.

"We are already late for the check up, let Ahmed know his food is in the kitchen whenever he decides to return," said Mrs. Yusuf before heaving a sigh. Even she looked tired and restless.

"Yes, ma," Amira mumbled as they walked out through the door.

"And if I were you, I would start studying hard," said Mrs. Yusuf. "Your exams are around the corner and you know what happens if you don't come first."