Our Space

Chapter 9

Before anyone could have said anything to Sami, he was bent over with his hands on his knees, struggling to breathe. He was having a panic attack at the worst possible time. His heart beat fast and loud while beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

Sami despised this feeling and he began to tune everything out; the crazy girl crying in front of him and her shouting father. Her mother was trying to calm everything down while her siblings stared in shock. Sami closed his eyes and tried his best to focus. He had to get his breathing under control.

Taking slow and deep breaths, Sami prayed to Allah for help. To just regain control over himself again. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He sensed it was probably one of Hareem's brothers.

"I didn't do anything! I didn't... I didn't do anything," Sami clarified, not daring himself to look up.

The hand was jerked away and Sami forced himself to stand straight.

"Be gone my noon tomorrow," Hareem's father said and Sami nodded, unable to form the words to defend himself.

Sami dragged his legs past everyone, up the stairs and to his room. He closed the door behind him and sat on his bed, holding his hands together to stop them from shaking.

This was bad. Really bad. Who knew what they thought of him now. And if the news reached Muhammad's wife, which it most likely would, what would Muhammad say to him?

Grabbing his phone, he called Muhammad to tell him what had happened before anyone else could. The phone rang for a while before it went through to voicemail so Sami rang again.

"Asalamu'alaykum," Muhammad said when he picked up. "Listen, Sami, can I call you back later?" Muhammad asked.

"O...okay," Sami replied, not knowing what to do now.

"Are you okay?"

"I'll tell you about it... When... When you're not busy," Sami managed to reply, his breathing still not as normal as it should be.

"Wait a minute." There was some shuffling before Muhammad spoke again. "What happened?"

"Hareem. She told her father that... That she likes me and I like her. I don't! Not anymore."

"Whoa, what did he say?"

"I have to leave tomorrow," Sami replied, running a hand through his hair, wishing this was all a dream. "Thought I'd tell you the truth before you find out from them."

"Where are you gonna go, man?"

"I'll work it out. Just thought I'll let you know. I didn't do anything!"

"Okay, I believe you," Muhammad said and Sami felt a little bit of relief.

"I'll talk to you later then," Sami said.

"Alright. If you need anything, just call me, yeah?"

"Okay. Asalamu'alaykum."

"Wa'alaykumusalaam."

For a while, Sami sat there, wondering where he would go. Eventually, he decided he'd check into a hotel and buy a flat as soon as he could. He knew he could survive a couple of months with the money he'd saved up. Hopefully by then, he'd have a better job too and things would get better.

With that plan in mind, Sami started to pack his belongings.

The whole night, Sami was in and out of sleep, continuously being awoken with his fears and worries which would prevent him from sleeping again.