ALONGSIDE YOU

27| Code 407

Cumar Xirsi Husseins Pov:

You:

Meet me at the park now.

Ahmed Abdul:

Auzubillah, it is 12 o'clock at night, bro! I'm tiredd.....

You:

Code 407

Ahmed Abdul:

Coming. Just stay right there.

I still remember the day when I had to see my mother take her last breath. It was the most painful experience I ever had to go through. The pain was indescribable, and it's something that still haunts me to this day.

But now, Ugbad's rejection is a close second. I didn't think it could hurt this much, but it does. Every time I think about her telling me that she doesn't want to be with me anymore, I feel like my heart is being ripped apart. It's like I'm reliving my mother's death all over again.

I send Ahmed a message, just three words: "Code 407." It's a signal we agreed upon years ago, back when my mother was in the hospital. Code 407 was her room number, and if I ever needed him, I just had to say that phrase. Ahmed would be there for me, no matter what.

Back then, it was all about the pain of watching my mother suffer. Now, it's about a different kind of pain. Ugbad's rejection stings worse than anything I've felt since my mother's death. It's not the same, of course. Losing her was a thousand times worse than being turned down by a girl. But still, this pain is real. It's raw.

Code 407 is my lifeline. Ahmed is my best friend, and he understands what I'm going through. He knows that Ugbad was more than just a crush to me. She was a lifeline too, in her own way. And now that lifeline is gone.

---------

As I stood there, staring at the ground, lost in my own thoughts, I heard Ahmed's footsteps approaching. I looked up and saw my best friend standing there, wearing his gray joggers and a white T-shirt. I realized he wasn't kidding when he said he was tired.

"Hey man, what's up?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

Ahmed didn't say anything. Instead, he walked up to me and put his arm around my shoulder, leading me toward a nearby bench. We sat down, and I could feel his hand on my back, reassuring me that he was there for me.

"So, what's going on?" Ahmed asked softly, looking at me with concern in his eyes.

I didn't say anything at first. I just sat there, staring into space, trying to gather my thoughts. But eventually, I found the courage to speak.

"It's Ugbad," I said, my voice trembling. "She doesn't want to marry me anymore. She says she's not ready."

Ahmed looked at me sympathetically, nodding his head in understanding.

"I'm sorry to hear that, man," he said.

Ahmed took a brief pause before speaking again. "You know, Cumar, there's no guarantee for what will happen in our lives. We can plan as much as we want, but things won't always go as we've thought."

I nodded. He was absolutely right, but it was hard to accept it when I felt like my life was in chaos.

"But even if things don't go as we want, it's important to remember that there will always be a new day. A new opportunity to do things differently and Allah always has a plan, " Ahmed continued.