When Stars are Hidden

Chapter 22

"Fine. You are sacking me away so I'm going to go." She said, acting hurt.
She pulled Naima in for a bone crushing warm hug.
Naima needed it.

"You positive you haven't left or forgotten anything?" She asked again for like the 100th time that day.

"I'm sure. I didn't leave anything for the 100th time today. Everything is set. Trust me." Shegave her hand a light squeeze.

She hugged her back again and said a few words before reluctantly turned to leave.
She waved at Naima as she sat in a cab and it drove away.

A new start.

Belinda had already come to Harvard two days prior.
The second she got to Harvard, she called Naima immediately to tell her how she already loved the school.
That's an IVY league school for you.

She told Naima she was in building 1, room 123, incase Naima wanted to visit. Which she would. Definitely.
Dean and Tawfiq on the other hand arrived in Boston, yesterday.
She hadn't heard from them because she had been busy packing since yesterday.

Naima had to go into the school to get registered and get herself a room.

She was in a white- purple flowered- dress. It was long sleeved and she paired it with a purple bag.
She was wearing a brown hijab which was styled by Aunt Faiza.

'First impressions are important' Aunt Faiza said as she literally forced the dress and hijab she was now wearing onto her.

She had four medium sized suitcases with her.
Naima had thought it was too much, before but clearly not. She actually had a smaller number of suitcases.
Compared to the number of suitcases others had.
Did they bring their whole house or what?

Hopefully she didn't share a room with someone with a million bags.
She just had to find a way to send all her own suitcases in first.

She sighed.

"Little N!" Naima heard someone shout.

There was only one person on Earth who called her that, Dean.

Naima looked around and spotted Dean walking towards her with a grin.
Belinda was right by him and since Dean was there then Tawfiq would also be there.
He was right behind Dean in one of the nicest thobes Naima had ever seen.

So, she had a thing for thobes.

Sue her.

She noticed Tawfiq smile subtly at her as they walked to where she was.
Naima ended up staring at him too long. Maybe because of the thobe he was wearing.

Naima had seen him in a thobe just a few times aand that was if they met at the masjid which was rare. But this thobe was the nicest so far.
It was fully white with his favorite ash color decorating his chest region. It fit him perfectly.

One thing was for sure, he was confident enough to be roaming around a new state he knew nothing about in a thobe.

Most people weren't. And it was understandable.

Tawfiq raised his brows and immediately smirked when he realized Naima still had her gaze locked on him.

Belinda came in for a hug first with Naima.
Whiles the boys just stood there.

Dean still had his grin plastered on his face.
That boy lived of grinning, laughing and smiling at every second in time.

Dean had never tried to hug or shake hands with Naima before. Hadn't even initiated it even. Probably because he was always around Tawfiq so he must have been educated on -don't-hug/shake-Muslim-girls-you-aren't-related-to talk.