Beyond The Stars

Nosy Uncles and Running Away

I run a hand through my hair and try to look as old as I can get. After a few minutes the man says Salam as he passes by and I reply with a smile. I walk up to the imam, a new older looking man today and put my hand out while saying my Salam.

"Walaikum Asalam son how may I help you." He says with a gentle smile, he looks oddly familiar but I shake the thought off and say, "well you see, me and my uhm..girlfriend wan--"

"Oh Astaghfirullah Astaghfirullah no no why would you do that, you can not have one of those!" He rushes out and I awkwardly put my hands up in surrender form.

"That's why I came here today sir, we want to get married, get it all halal and stuff you know." He looks me in the eyes before smiling, "good boy good good MashAllah. Now where's the family and ya Allah why at this time. I must be home in thirty minutes or my wife will have my head."

"The thing is we want to do it secretly--"

"What no!! That's never good!" He says facepalming himself.

I stare at him for a few seconds before clearing my throat and saying, "uhm wait no that came out wrong,what I mean is that," I quickly scrounge my brain for some other excuses,"both our parents and relatives have died oh they have tarnished into an abyss of lost souls and we just want to get married so we can produce a new generation." I say acting out emotionally and fake sobbing a bit.

He raises an eyebrow at me, I let another small sniffle out and he pats my shoulder. "Alright uhm very well. Get your uhm woman I'll get everything else needed.." I thank him before turning around and walking to the entrance. From there I cut the act and suck in all the fake tears.

I quickly text Rafa and she emerges from the woman's door with a grin, I smile right back and say, "I made up some lies--"

"You lied!! Mikhail you can't lie in a masjid are you crazy!?" She bursts out and I slap my forehead. Stupid me. "I'll ask for forgiveness later but right now, we're a go to. Say bye bye to your last name Rafa--"

"Rafa!?" I turn as the imam appears out of nowhere and Rafa gasps. "Uncle Laith...hahah uh, what a surprise..hi?"

Uncle Laith!!?!

She makes frantic eye contact with me as the imam, or Rafa's uncle looks between the both of us. "Wait woah wait." He stammers out as he clutches some papers and a pen in his hand.

"You're secretly marrying this man!?" He bellows as Rafa shakes and nervously laughs, "no no uhm Uncle Laith you see we uh RUN MIKHAIL RUN!!!"

With that she picks up her fluffiness and pulls me by my jacket's hood out of the masjid. I gasp as her pulling nearly chokes me before turning around and yelling back, "WHY ARE WE RUNNING!?"

"RAFA YOU BETTER COME BACK HERE!" Her uncle screams as he staggers after us, I look around the huge parking lot and see the car in the distance.

"DONT TELL ME MAMA UNCLE LAITHY PLEASE!" Rafa screams back as she tugs at her skirts and rushes ahead. I look back seeing her uncle lean on his knees short of breath due to his old age.

He waggles a finger at us, "YOU HARAAMIS WAIT TILL I SEE YOU TWO AGAI-," he hacks up his lungs before continuing, "IM GOING TO PURIFY THE ORGANS OUT OF YA!"