Inevitable Flaw

Chapter 2: Norm

The nostalgic reverie slits in half until it blows away into a deafening ringing noise. My ears eventually digest the foreign invader.

I separate myself from sleep to an ocean of hollow darkness that laughs before me. My alarm continues its howling. It takes every inch of effort to move from the warm sanctuary of my covers.

But I do, and my hands sponge frostbite as punishment.

The time pressures me to torture my entire body out of bed. It wins. I let my feet hover over the wooden floor and contemplate life through the clock's ticking. After gathering goose bumps, I get up.

I laugh at the thought of showering this early. But I am my own fool because I do take one, the most scorching one possible.

Once my body reaches its daily heat tolerance, I exit the shower to follow a ray of light in between the cracks of my inched door. As soon as I smell eggs intermingled with toast and tea, I grab the nearest blanket and race down the stairs into the kitchen's warmth.

"Assalaamu 'Alaikum mama," I whisper.

"Wa Alaikum Assalaam," she returns.

"Is dad still not home?" I whine.

"He left early in the morning to work on that important court case," she replies, adding the last pieces of toast to the plate that housed the rest of them.

"Oh," is all I manage. This month didn't feel as wholesome without every family member present.

"Mm, I am hungry," Aasif comments as he invites himself to the toast in my hand.

"Rude," I grunt while rolling my eyes at the childish face he makes.

We bring the food over to the dining table and eat until Imsak. After my phone plays the Azhaan for Fajr prayer, we pray together in the living room.

"Are you ready for this year?" mama asks tenderly, just as Aasif and I are taking a seat across from her.

"I think so," I reply with profound hesitance while playing with the ring on my index finger.

"This year is the foundation for post-secondary and then medical school," mama lectures, reminding me of the familiar words I have been used to every since I vocalized my future ambitions.

"I know mama," I nod, not daring to make eye contact with her. Just the mere thought of these expectations brought my stomach into knots.

"Your father and I have worked really hard to give you two-" she glances between each of our faces- "the privileged lives you live today, and this only happens if you work as persistently."

I just nod. This happens every school year, it's basically tradition.

I stare at the ceiling for a while before she comes to sit next to me.

"I have really high expectations for you," she whispers in my ear through an embrace. Not sure how to respond, I return her hug, glancing a look over her shoulder at a curious Aasif.

"I will be at the clinic fairly late, so don't expect me to be back until sunset," mama notifies, cutting the grip she has of me.

"Okay," I respond.

She runs up the stairs and leaves Aasif and I to lounge on the couch. For about eternity, I daze in and out of Aasif's gaming world before reuniting with sleep.

"Wake up, it's 7:00!" Aasif alarms, his voice a little distant. He begins shaking me, lacking gentleness.

I open my eyes to a blurry face and groan away.