INFATUATED

Chapter-11 : Patience

Shayba's P.O.V.

The next morning I wake up with a bitter feeling as the first thing that came to my mind was yesterday's conversation with Zawad bhai. Argh!!

I am really pissed off about him now. I know this guy is going through a lot of pressure but after all he is a Muslim, right? How can he talk about his own religion so cruelly?

As usual I got ready and went to the class with Farhana and Nadia. They both asked me several times what happened to me but I always replied with a "Nothing." I know they were not satisfied with my answer but thanks to Allah they didn't interrogate me more except giving me a "You're insane!" look.

All the day I was thinking about his words and some awesome comebacks came to my mind that I could have said then. Now I'm repenting for it. I don't want to see his face anymore. That's why I shouldn't have gotten angry with him and come out without telling anything wise. I should have told him a thousand things about Quran and its significance.

Now it is lunch time. I,with four of my friends took a table and sat down to eat. Their funny conversation had almost changed my mood when suddenly a figure appeared beside us and uttered,"I need to talk to you." We all looked up only to find Zawad bhai directly looking at me. Oh goodness! What now? I thought with a bitterness in my mind.

All the eyes turned to me with great astonishment, as if they just saw the crush of the varsity proposing to me. I don't know if they are surprised to see HIM finally talking to someone after these many days or for thinking that we are in a relationship.

I glanced at him with exasperation and asked bitterly, "What?"

"ALONE."

How could he say that in front of my friends????? And that too in such a suspicious way??? I looked at Tonima whose jaw had already dropped and eyes teary as if she never expected such a betrayal from me. What the heck is going on!

"Guys I'll be back."saying this, I got up from the table and followed him. He walked quickly in front of me without even looking back, hence I became obliged to hasten my steps to keep track with him. Weird. What if I don't go with you,huh?

He stopped after reaching at a serene place where there was no one in my sight. Ya Allah! I remember the Hadith immediately, "When two people are illegally alone, then Devil is present between them as the third one." Oh Allah please help me leave this world place as soon as possible...!

He stopped and looked upwards at the sky with his brows frowned. "Sit." he ordered me showing a bench beside the walking lane. I sat down waiting patiently for him to talk as he got totally lost in his thoughts. What are you thinking now? Huh? Making your speech ready? At last when I was too tired of waiting, he glanced at me to say,"I'm sorry for yesterday's behavior. I didn't...want to make you cry."

WHAT???? You care about my crying but aren't the least bit sorry for commenting in such a way about Quran????? I mean seriously????

"You think apologizing to me will solve everything?"

His eyebrows got crinkled again. "What else do you want me to do?"

I sighed,"Zawad bhai, repent for not believing in the verses of Allah and talking in such an indecent way about it. There is no point in being sorry for me. Don't come to me to apologize. Be regretful to Allah."

He became super confused. Clearing his throat, he said,"But you wanted me to change my perspective,right?"

"Yes."

"Why should I do that? There is no reason for me to believe what you just blabbered. What did you say last night? Yes, Allah doesn't burden a soul beyond what it can bear? Woah! I mean how funny is that?!? WHY is He then making me suffer so much? Can't He see how much pain I am going through? Why does my mom have to live such a deadly life although she is a Muslim? What was her fault,huh? And why doesn't Allah help me when I need Him the most?" his eyes were full of tears while saying this.

He turned back to hide that from me but kept standing still in that position for minutes. I could clearly understand that he was sobbing and trying heart and soul to keep that hidden from me. So I thought it would be right to keep quiet. Sometimes you just need to give yourself some time to pour all the pain out through tears.

Gathering my words,I uttered after a while,"Everything happens for a reason,Zawad bhai. You may not understand the reason now but one day you will. Allah says,"Indeed what is to come will be better for you than what has gone by." Yessss, I may not know what you're going through and may not understand your situation but I can at least assure you that everything will definitely make perfect sense some day. Don't be upset."

He wiped off his face with his hands and then turned to me. "Then what do you suggest?"

"Just keep faith in Allah. And pray to Him to give you and your mom strength to encounter the reality and patience to endure this time,ok?"

No reply.

"Death is to come to all, right? But being frustrated and leaving the regular life for that is never the solution. You have to accept the reality.. Trust me, Allah will soon remove all the worries away. Indeed with every hardship there is relief."

He took his seat on the bench and keeps quiet as though he had lost all the energy to stand again. Sitting in the other corner of the bench, I kept quiet too gazing down. There is nothing else I could say to console him. My heart started to beat faster for being so near to a non mahram guy, and that too alone. Oh Allah! Please help me. I wanna get rid of this isolated place as soon as possible.

"I have to go to Chittagong every weekend.... To make my mom feel that I am always with her... I have to take over my dad's business which I never wished to do.. And this... will totally ruin my studies, my grades that I was always aware about will decline... The dream.. that I always cherished in my mind you know...to teach in U.o.E, will never come true. What do you think? Will I ever be able to happy again?"he asked me while examining his hand.

"Ing Sha Allah. I believe you will be."

Silence.

Before I could say something, suddenly his eyes glistened and he asked me hopefully, "Will you go with me this time Shayba?"

"WHAAAAT??? WHERE???" I almost freaked out with my brows frowned.

"Forget it. My brain is not working well. I'm spitting rubbish all the time." He got up. "Bye!"

"What do you mean? Can I help you somehow?"

"Yes. Go home."

I replied with a mixed feeling of surprise and confusion, "Ummm okay. Allah Hafez."

He abruptly stopped in the midway and turned around. Making me even more confused, he kept looking directly through my eyes for a while. And then murmured in a low voice, "Allah Hafez."

"Zawad bhai, pray Salah regularly. I can guarantee that you'll feel heavenly great after each waqt!"

"Ok I'll try."

"I can remind you everytime if you want." I regretted instantly for what I said just now as his eyes shimered with hope, "Will you? Please?"

I couldn't reply. How weird it is going to be? I can't call him every time!

"Please Shayba? You will help me out with this,won't you?"

I felt really awkward to see him acting kinda dependent on me. But only to help this poor soul, I said, "Yeah. Sure! Why not?"

"Then call me,ok? Take my number."

I secretly let out a sigh as I was compelled to ask, "What is it?"

He uttered the numbers while I saved it in my phone. I have to call him five times a day? Like seriously? Damn man.... I can't call you at every dawn to wake you up for Fazar!

Without any reason I don't know why I have a feeling that I'm going to regret it later.

I returned to the canteen consoling myself again and again,"You are doing this to bring him to the right path Shayba. There is nothing wrong about it. Ya Allah! Guide us both."

Reaching to the canteen,I found my friends long gone as I was too late to have lunch. I have a practical class in the lab now. So I started walking there with a hungry stomach, some confusions kept stuck in my head,Where did he ask me to go with him? And why? Why does he talk out his mind to me that he never does with other girls who are dying to gain his attention? Ya Allah! Please save me from anything sinister and Haram.