My Habibi

Chapter 19

When they finished dinner Syed Shed and Warda walked to her room upstairs. Syed smiled when they entered the room. Warda gave him a questioning glance. He pointed to the window. She slapped his arm as she sat on her bed.
"You know tomorrow we have to give our presentation." She said. Dear trembling out of her voice as she spoke.
"Our deal was I would do research. You would present." Syed sat on her carpeted floor. Looking up at her.
"I get nervous if I have to speak in front of others..." she said slowly.
"But when you speak your poetry you are not nervous." Syed said.
"But that's because I am focusing on the lines and the tone. I don't have time to be nervous.... this..."
"Is no different." He finished her sentence. "I will be there."
"You barely helped at all. You should present." She pleaded with her eyes.
"I will end up hurting everyone. It is better you do." She sighed. After a long silent pause Syed finally asked her. "Did you mean what you said?"
"About loving you?" He nodded his head. "Well yeah. I mean it."
"But you do not know me." He simply said.
"But I know you enough to know you care about me." She moved next to him on the floor. As she stole a glance at the door to make sure no one was watching. "You help me in ways I cannot help myself. You give me strength Syed." She whispered his name as she rested her head on his shoulder. He felt a strange sensation within him. Not one he was used to. As he slowly placed his hand on her head. Rubbing her temples he could tell she was crying.
"You cry a lot." He whispered. She laughed as she cried. "It is ugly. You should be happy." She looked at him in his eyes. For once he was not showing anger or rage in his eyes. Instead she saw something else.
"Syed.. do... you love me?" She asked slowly.
"Ask Allah My Dear Warda. If I love you let him guide you to me. If I don't then he will guide you to where you need to be." Syed slowly got up.
"No stay." She pleaded.
"Where? This is highly inappropriate for us." He said as he walked to the door.
"Syed please.... Stay." She pleaded again. He nodded and she pulled out a Musallah. She knew her family already finished praying Isha. As he led her in Salah she never realized how much emotion could be put into Qur'an recitation. If I love you let Allah guide you. She played those words over and over as they prayed. When they finished she hugged Syed from behind. Resting her head on his back. She loved him. And she knew he loved her. As he rubbed her hands and slowed his breathing.
"Warda is he spending.. oh sorry." The mother said as she walked in.
"It is fine Mrs... uh" Syed forgot if she mentioned her name or not. "Warda's mom." He finished.
"Will you be spending the night here?" The mother asked.
"I think that would be asking too much." He said as he stood up. Warda couldn't say anything. Her mother would not allow it. After Syed left and Warda was laying in bed she kept playing the events of the day over again. She smiled as she drifted off to sleep. Ready for anything.