RIDE OF A LIFETIME [COMPLETED✅]

Chapter 17

   The drive to school was as usual. We talked a bit about my exams, school, he asked about Zahra and I told him how she had left me on read and hasn't replied to any of my messages.

"Don't let it get to you. You've done beautifully well already so submitting alone won't be hard." He briefly looks at me with a smile before returning his eyes to the road.

"I know but we were supposed to do it together.." I look at my laptop "...it doesn't matter I guess. What are your plans for today?" I change the topic.

"Well, I'll be going to the boutique later insha Allah to meet with the staff about the new prices. Mubarak will be there too." He cheered. "Oh..that reminds me, he sends his regards." He adds.

"That's very nice of him. Tell him I say hi too." I've never met this cousin of his but the way he speaks fondly about him tells me just how close they are.

  We soon arrive at the school gate and somehow coincidentally Zahra was just arriving too. She proceeds to drive into the school with our car right behind her. Not a heartbeat later she parks at the parking lot and Ziyad stops by the side of the road.

"I'm gonna go now, I'll call you when I'm done insha Allah" I say distracted.

He says something I didn't quite hear so I reply with "Ameen" before stepping out. She steps out almost at the same time too and we make eye contact. I hear Ziyad's car zoom off behind me as I make my way to the classroom door.

I try to walk past her but then Jamil steps out the passenger side of her car and I freeze in my steps. I haven't seen him since...well...since the time he tried to grab me.

Zahra strolls to where I was stuck in my steps with him by her side. She looked almost sad, guilty and regretful.

"Hidaya...I..." she trails off. "I don't know where to begin honestly. I..."

"Then don't." I cut her off and there is a brief awkward silence.

"I'm sorry, for everything. I jumped to conclusions without even hearing both sides, and I'm so so sorry for that." She looks down.

"Sorry? Zahra I sent you a message last night and you didn't even reply. I've been making efforts to...I don't know.... make everything okay but you kept ignoring me and now you're sorry?" I say feeling my anger rise up.

"Hidaya what could I have possibly said? I felts really bad and there were so many times where I tried to message you but found myself at loss for words. Which was why today I decided to come early so we can discuss things." She sighed.

"Well Zahra you've made it clear, clear as day that you're on your brother's side and that's very okay." I glance at him, his eyes where down too. He looked embarrassed.

"Please, let's just talk..." she pleads looking at me.

"I honestly don't want to hear it. I'm just glad you're here, we can go submit this project and get it all over with." I rebutted.

I try to walk past her but she holds my hand.

"Hidaya please ki tsaya kiji..." she gets interrupted.

"HEY...WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?  WHAT THE HELL DID I TELL YOU?"

I know that voice...Ziyad?

We all follow the voice that thundered behind us and it was Ziyad. He stood there with an expression I've never seen on his face before. Anger. Ziyad was angry.

His eyes darkened to an almost unrecognizable level. The frown on his face made me tremble.

"IM TALKING TO YOU." He points at Jamil.

"Look man I don't want any trouble, I'm just here to make things right." Jamil talks for the first time.

Ziyad slowly but intimidatingly walks towards Jamil closing up on him. His broad figure almost making Jamil disappear.

"I told you to stay away from her didnt I?" He gritted with closed fists.

Told him to what? When? Where?

I step in before things get worse. "Ziyad nothing happened, they were just apologizing."

"What's going on here? Who is this?" Zahra asks.

The tension intensifies as we were all dreading what we thought was gonna happen.

"Look, sir I don't know who you are but you need to step back." Zahra says pulling Jamil back.

"Ziyad what's going on?" I say and only then did his gaze return to me.