The sun dipped low into the evening sky signaling the arrival evening prayer. Emaan constantly thought back to three days ago when her mother had expressed her feelings. It had been an emotional time for both of them but she was glad that it had happened.
She resumed preparations for prayer, and began. Amina crept into the room and sat on Emaan’s bed waiting. After Emaan finished, she went to sit with Amina. Amina sat quietly crossed legged fiddling with the tassels of her hijab. “You know” Emaan began “I’ve always wondered why you always wear the hijab around the house”.
Amina smiled a bit “It’s because of your uncle and father, I’m not related to them you know”. Emaan had realized that though she had lived with Amina for the past 3 weeks, she knew nothing about her.
“Okay, so we haven’t had a whole “get to know” one another session so why don’t we start now” Emaan suggested. Amina beamed and faced Emaan
“Ahh you’re warming up to my girlish charms?” Emaan giggled and smacked Amina’s arm.
“Alright so what made you want to come to Marrakech?” Emaan questioned.
“Well that’s an easy one, I’ve been homeschooled since gr 4 and I don’t really fit in with the girls my age, so I decided to come here. It’s kind of easier here, girls are understanding and usually share the same interest”. Emaan considered this for a moment and remembered the girls at the mosque.
“I said usually” Amina rolled onto her stomach “Next quuuestion” she chirped.
Emaan laughed, Amina was enjoying this too much. “Okay answer honestly, have you ever had a disagreement with your parents?”
Amina scoffed “Well I am a teenager and parents always seem to see things their way so yup I have, mostly over things like going out and homeschooling”.
Emaan couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Amina; the perfect Muslimah having disagreements with her parents? Maybe she’s not an alien Emaan giggled silently. Amina arched her eyebrow somehow understanding Emaan’s thoughts. “Okay, have your parents ever pressured you into something?”
Amina burst out laughing. “The dreaded marriage topic” Amina sat up straight and gave an amazing Arabic accent “you know Amina your getting very old maybe its time you consider finding a hus-band ya?” Emaan laughed hysterically. That sounded so much like her father.
“Don’t get me wrong, I do want to get married young, it’s just that I’m 18 and I have other aspirations in mind you know”. Emaan understood completely.
As the questions continued, Emaan realized how alike Amina and her were. They both adored chocolate and hated their mother’s attempts at making “very good liver”. Maybe I was a bit too harsh on her in the beginning.
“You know Amina I’m sorry for being” Emaan started, trying to find a suitable word.
“Um a jerk? A physco? An overly emotional teenager?” Amina suggested causing Emaan to hurl her hijab at her.
“Thank you Amina, what you said fits in perfectly”. They sat quietly looking at each other.
“I never thought of you that way” Amina spoke quietly. “When you first got off the plane, ya you looked different, but I knew that you had to be a good person, which I why I kept bothering you and trying to help you, but it ended up with me being a pest huh?”
Emaan stared at her bewildered. “I hope your kidding” she reached out for Amina’s hands “You’re the first girl that I could actually feel normal with, you even tolerated my excessive mood swings, no one has ever done that, no one has ever been that kind of friend to me. Well I can’t even say friend cause your more like a best friend”
A tear welled up in Amina’s eyes and she launched herself at Emaan. “Oh you big lug, I’ve been waiting to hear you say that! I told you you’d be my best friend, oh I knew it!” Emaan laughed and patted her back “I can never tell if I love you or if I hate you” Amina wiped her face and dismissed Emaan’s comment. “You love me okay, that’s final”.
Emaan brushed back the hair from her face. It had grown to since they’d left, It now reached past her ears. She had an idea. “Hey Amina, can you do me a favor”
“Ahh depends, does it involve manual labour?” Amina questioned with a sarcastic grin.
“Well” Emaan responded in a sarcastic manner “Since my hair grew longer, I feel like this blonde highlighter colour isn’t really my style”.
Amina’s eyes glowed “Ooooh makeover?”
Emaan chuckled “An eye for an eye though! If you do my hair, I get to do your makeup alright?” Amina nodded
“Agreed! Let the fun BEGIN!”
ESTÁS LEYENDO
Finding Emaan
Novela JuvenilEmaan is the average teenager who wants to do what she wants when she wants and her parents have allowed it.. until now. When her Mom decides to take a family trip to Morocco where the culture and lifestyles differ from hers, she's faced with one op...
