Zahra

25: Two hijabis are better than one

Me: Like how long?

Hassan: Since I met you I guess.

I gulped as I felt my cheeks flush, my English homework forgotten as I stared at the messages. Were we flirting? On my God, was this what flirting was like? I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head, then racked my brain to come up with a topic that didn't lead to dangerous waters, before I got swept up in the dopamine rush.

Hassan: say, have you been to the community mosque before?

Okay, that I could work with.

Me: now that you mention it, I haven't. kinda crazy since I've been here for almost six months.

Hassan: can you come for Maghrib and Isha?

Me: to the mosque?

Hassan: yeah, I know it's not mandatory for women to come, but you really gotta see the mosque. It's amazing, also it may or may not be an excuse for me to see you outside of school... purely Halal of course.

I laughed and looked at the time, Maghrib was in an hour and twenty minutes.

Me: I guess I better speed up my homework then :)

I dropped my phone and did my Physics and English homework faster than I had ever done before, while I kept reminding myself that I was going to the mosque to pray, not to see Hassan.

Okay firstly to pray, then see Hassan after. Priorities.

After I finished my homework I strode over to my closet and flung it open, I fished through my abayas trying to decide which one to wear, before settling on a loose dark grey one with billowy sleeves, secured to my wrists with elastic. I tossed the abaya on my bed and picked a black scarf to go with it, the prayer times app on my phone started calling the adhan right then and I speed walked to my bathroom to make ablution. I threw the abaya on and fastened the scarf round my neck, then I inspected my face in my mirror, I patted my cheeks and applied lipgloss before stopping myself.

What was I doing? Why was I acting like I was going on a dinner date and not to the mosque? I shook my head and wiped the gloss off my lips with a tissue, Astagfirullah.

I slipped a pair of sandals on, then grabbed my phone and handbag and went downstairs quickly, I intercepted Zayd in the living room just as he was leaving.

"Hey wait up", I called out, "I'm coming with you"

Zayd raised his brows in surprise, "why?"

"Do I need a reason to want to go to the mosque?", I turned to Mom who was in the dining room with Nana, "it's okay right?"

"Of course", she nodded and smiled, "now hurry up so you don't miss prayer"

I waked past Zayd and went outside, he regarded me for a few curious moments before unlocking the car. I got into the passenger seat and brought out my phone to send Hassan a text.

Me: I'm on my way

Remember Zee, I thought to myself as I put my phone back in my bag, you're going to pray, you're going to pray.

Zayd pulled out of our driveway and onto the road, the streets looked so different at night. At that moment I realized that I hadn't really gone anywhere since we arrived in Toronto, gosh how much of a homebody was I?

"I still think it's weird how you suddenly want to go to the mosque after all this time", Zayd said after a while.

"Drop it", I shot back, "at least I'm not sucking someone's face"