Alone

A Stranger

After lunch Amira and I walk around outside. I guess she can tell that I'm feeling a little blue because she tries to cheer me up by making goofy faces and jokes.

"Maybe you should go to get a new hijab!" she finally says, at a last ditch effort to cheer me up.

"I already have a bunch..." I reply, still feeling sorry for myself.

"You could get a new one for the wedding?"

"No, I don't need one..." I say, thinking about the wedding.

"Stop!" her sudden yelling brings my face up and I look at her. "Stop being so down! May I remind you that you want this marriage as well!"

"You're right...maybe getting a new hijab is a good idea."

"Good! We can ask your mom to go to the mall?"

"I think I'm just going to go alone. Okay? I need to be by myself right now."

"Oh...okay well I guess I will see you later..." she says and walks home.

"Okay, thanks for understanding!" I say after her although I don't really think she understands at all.

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I walk into Ardene's to get a terrible looking headband. Even though they look terrible on the outside they make some really nice under scarves. I get a nice white one and then I go get a nice white scarf.

I don't want to sit around and I have a few hours to kill. I texted Baba and he's not picking me up until 5:00.

I decide to walk to the library because, why not? Its a change from Wattpad, right?!

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I sit down on the hard, wooden chair and press my back against the old, familiar oak. The familiarity is comforting in times of trouble and I relax in the silence and calm of the library. I used to come here so often as a child. Too many times I've thought about my problems in this chair. Now I do it again.

I love this library. It's an old library, as soon as you enter it you are hit with a smell of must old paper. I love the strange mismatched book heights and colours, the dust on the shelves and the way that the librarian smiles at me whenever I look at her. I love the brown-green carpet, the old wooden tables and the matching wooden chairs.

I think of everything that is wrong with the wedding. I don't want to but I cant help but remind myself of my life in this chair. Stop it Aleena!  I quickly chastise after thinking about my future husband and how unhappy I think he will make me.

I pray to Allah for forgiveness for even thinking of not going along with the marriage! I want to do this! I'm sure of it. Of course I do. 

To take my mind off my wedding I browse some books. It would be nice to slip out of reality for a while.

---------------------------------------------------

Half an hour later, I'm back on the wooden chair, reading my book. I read for a little while, really enjoying the book. I decide to check it out and the others I had collected.

I walk to the librarians desk and I hand her my library card. Placing the books on the desk she smiles at me.

"I thought you would never get up from that chair!"

I smile back. "What do you mean?"

"Well it's been a couple of hours you know." she looks at me with general concern.

I check my watch. YA ALLAH 4:30?!

I check my pockets for my phone to text Baba I might be late. Seeing it is dead I almost scream out loud. This is NOT happening!

The librarian hands me back the books and I put them in my bag and bolt out, quickly thanking her.

As soon as I get outside I see the grey thunderclouds. I run all the way to the meeting place before the rain starts to fall. I get there just as the rain begins to splatter around me. My watch reads 5:02. Not too bad.

Even though I am standing under a tree, it doesn't stop me from getting soaked to the bone. It doesn't help that every time a car passes a bit of water from a nearby puddly splashes even more chilling water onto my already shivering body.

Where is Baba?!

I cannot believe this is happening. I'm going to be in big trouble if Baba doesn't come soon!

"Hey, you!"

I turn towards the voice and I see the silhouette of a guy in the frame of a doorway. Warmth spreads to me and the light from behind the door lights up the street around me. I squint at the silhouette before I realize I should lower my gaze.

"Who are you?" I inquire

"My name is Yahya, why don't you come inside, it must be freezing and wet!"

"No thank you."

"Are you sure? Are you getting a ride home?"

"Yes I am."

"Well you can still wait in here if you want."

The inviting lights behind him suddenly go off. The power!

"Well...you're welcome to knock on our door anytime, okay?"

"Umm."

Suddenly I hear a woman's voice and I squint at the girl in the doorway. She's wearing a hijab! I need to get out of the rain anyways..

"Wait!" I say as the Yahya closes the door. I rush to the porch.

"I do need to get out of the rain."

I thank both of them for letting me into their house. I want nothing more than to get out of my wet clothes but I know I have to wait until I get home.

Yahya (who apparently recognizes me from school) and the girl I saw earlier (I learn it is his sister, Ali) live with their parents in the house. They are waiting for relatives to visit which is why they were watching out the window when they saw me sitting there for a while.

"You must be so cold!" says Ali. They offer me blankets and a warm spot by the fire they make and I thank them profusely.

"I do need one more favour." I say. "Do you have a cell phone I can use to contact my ride?"

"Of course." says Yahya and fishes his Apple device out of his pocket. I quickly dial my house number and my mother answers.

"I'll come pick you up immediately!" she says after a brief conversation. I sigh with relief and hand the phone back to Yahya.

As soon as I get home I'm greeted with many hugs, questions, and kisses. And then, yelling.