****************************************
THERE WILL BE SOME KOREAN IN HERE BUT DON'T WORRY CAUSE I ALSO PUT IN THE TRANSLATIONS :)
****************************************
"If sleep were a person then I'd marry it." -Amara Abdullahi, FH
CHAPTER TEN: In France
Amara Abdullahi
Today was the first day of Ramadan so Nur woke us all up for Suhur. Amran was the only one who doesn't have to fast because you know... she's pregnant. I don't mind waking up at 4 AM and eating, I actually like it. I love the feeling of Ramadan. I remember as a kid, Hamid and I would stay up all night just watching movies until it was time for Suhur. I really miss doing that but sadly we can't do it anymore. It also sucks we're not spending it with our mother. After I ate a quick bowl of cereal and drank lots of water, I waited until prayer time then prayed in my room. After I was done wth my salah, I crashed back into my bed and went to sleep. Oh god I love me my sleep. If sleep were a person then I'd marry it.
* * *
I suddenly felt someone pushing me from side to side softly and let out a groan as I tossed over to the other side of the bed and tried to go back to sleep. That's when I felt ice cold water trickling down my back and jumped up in the air. "Ahh! I'm so going to kill you Hamid!" I shrieked as I ran after my twin who was also running at an incredible speed. "I pushed but you didn't wake up! What else was I suppose to do!?" He asked with a laugh as he continued running at the same time. What else was he suppose to do!? What does this kid mean, how about ask!?
"Oh what about this!? Amara wake up! Allah gave you a voice for a reason!" I shouted as I dodged a chair he put in front of me. I didn't run track for 5 years for nothing bro! I thought to myself. He quickly ran inside his room and shut the door with speed I've never seen before. I then looked at my soaked pajamas and groaned. I hate it when I'm wet! Ugh, I'm gonna kill this kid. Ya Allah give me patience with him, I prayed.
* * *
We only have one more day until our trip to Europe and I can't believe I'm going to spend almost half of Ramadan over there. What I'm really excited to see is the Eiffel Tower especially if we go around night time. It would be amazing just looking up at the star filled skies while standing on one of the most famous places in the world. That's always been a dream of mine and now In Shaa Allah that dream will hopefully become a reality. The best part is that I'm going to be there with the people I care about. The only thing that would make it better is if my whole family could come as well. "I'm going to miss you Umma." I confessed as I kissed my mom on her forehead. "Na do!" Mom replied, using her mother tongue. "Saranghae, Umma." I replied as a tear unknowingly rolled down my cheeks. Todaym I was the only one that came to visit Umma because everyone else was too busy and said that they'd come later. I also wanted some one on one time with my mother.
"I love you too, honey."
"Umma, do you want to go outside today?" I asked with a bright smile on my face. She nodded her head happily and I helped her stand up. After signing mom out for just a couple of hours, the first place we went to was our house. She changed into different clothing and after that, her, Mahirah and I went out. "I want to go to... the mall!" Mahirah exclaimed while jumping up and down happily.
"Kaja! " Umma said with a huge smile on her face. I love seeing her smile so widely, like there was no bad in the world. If only there wasn't, if only bad people didn't exist imagine how much this world would be.
* * *
Today felt like a day that only happens in books or movies. It just felt so nice and blissful being here with my mom and my little sister. I love taking mom out of her small bedroom which she barely ever leaves and seeing her smile. I probably would've lost it if I was in that room all of the time. "Mara do you have to leave?" My baby sister pouted as she looked at me sadly. "Aw I'm only going to be gone for two weeks. Can you hold the fort for that long?" I responded as I crouched down to her height. Only Allah knows how much I love for this little girl, she's always been our light in the dark tunnel. She can make even the saddest of souls feel happiness again, alhamdulilah.
"Yes, just hurry back." She replied with a sigh.
For a kinder-gardener I think Mahi is very mature, she isn't like all of the kinder-gardeners. She already knows right from wrong without a dad to help her through it. All she has is mom, Amran, Hamid, Nur and me. And I think that's enough. "I'm going to yell at Oppa if he gives Amran any sweets!" She exclaimed with a determined look on her face. I couldn't help but let out a kaugh knwing Mahirah, if Nur did she'd just snatch the candy out of his hands, yell at him, then eat it herself. I know I would as well.
"Good, yell at Oppa and tell him it's not good for the baby!" I said with a smile. Then what happened next totally took me by surprise, it's like my whole world crashed down after mom said that sentence. "Baby? What baby?" She asked confused. I looked at her with furrowed eyebrows, she forgot Amran was pregnant? No, ya Allah please don't let this be happening. In that moment, it felt like my whole world was crashing down in a matter of seconds.
"You know Umma, we already told you..." I stated in a confused tone. "Amran is pregnant." I repeated in hopes that she'd remember. She just shook her head from side to side. Oh Allah...is she forgetting?
"Who's Amran? Who are you?"
I could barely breathe, it's like the breath got stuck in my throat. Tears came to my eyes as I stared at my mother. "Mom..."
"Why do you keep calling me mom?" She asked. Oh no, please no Allah don't do this. Don't let her forget us. Ya Alllah please! "Haha I'm just kidding." Umma said with a smile. W-What? I almost had a heart attack! "Umma! Don't play like that! I actually believed you forgot about us." I said as I wiped my tears away with the palm of my hand. "I'm sorry honey, I was joking around." She said as she hugged me and Mahirah. "How could I forget about my girls?" She added.
"What kind of joke is that?" I asked as I let out a sigh. "Please don't ever do that again."
"I'm sorry, that was a mean prank." She responded as her grip around us tightened.
* * *
The first day of Ramadan went by easily but I know that it's today that's going to be the struggle. After we ate suhur and prayed, Nur, Amran and Mahirah came with us to the airport where our entire class was waiting. Wow, it's happening, we're actually going to Europe. It's all just now sinking in."Okay don't forget to call us once you reach there In Shaa Allah. Don't leave each others side either! Got it?" Amran said as she looked from Hamid to me. Given by how overprotective Amran is over us, people would probably think she was our mom or something. Hamid just nodded his head up and down while chuckling. "Okay, Ummaa!" He said as he put am arm over her shoulder.
"I'm being serious here!" My sister snapped as she shoved his arm away. "Alright guys, we really have to go." I interrupted as I looked at my phone. I bet half of our class is already there waiting for us and I don't want to be the last ones to arrive.
"Wait, Unni and Oppa can I go with you guys please!? I want to go! I want to go! I want to gooooo!" Mahi pouted once more as she looked at us. Hamid crouched down in front of her and held her on his waist like he always does. You see Hamid and Mahirah have a special kind of relationship, I think he acts more like a father to her than a brother. That's actually a good thing that he does that because she grew up without one.
"We'll be back before you know it Mahi." I replied with a smile."Yeah just two weeks, how many days is that?" Hamid asked her. She counted with her cute chubby little fingers. "One week is 7 so... 7 x 2 equals...14." She answered with a proud smile."Okay just keep counting everyday and on the 14th day and we're back, In Shaa Allah you'll receive lots of gifts from our trip. There are you happy now?" Hamid stated as he planted a kiss on her forehead.
She started jumping up and down once he puts her on the ground. It's so cute how she's doing a little happy dance.
"Yes!"
"Okay, lets go now."
"Bye!" All three of them called out in unison. I gave a hug to my two sisters and a smile to Nur because I can't exactly hug him.
"Be safe you two, you know how much I worry." He shouted once we started walking towards our group of classmates.
* * *
Once our bags were done being scanned, Mr. Miller called all of us back to the group. I stood next to Amelia who was bouncing up and down in sheer joy. I'm so excited for this too, I still can't believe it. "You know you have a lot of energy for someone who's fasting." I noted as I looked at her bouncing body.
"I can't help it."
I then looked around our class and noticed Zubair, he looked... really good today. Okay what am I saying? Snap out of it Mara! But something about him was off... could it be because he was fasting? He just looks gloomy. His eyes snapped to mine and at that exact second I felt my heart skip a beat. What is wrong with me? He then gave me a slight smile and I couldn't help but return it. I then quickly averted my gaze and turned back around. Something is seriously wrong with me today.
* * *
I sat down in the window seat with two seats beside me empty. I wonder who I have to sit with for the next almost fourteen hours, please Allah don't let it be anyone who annoys me or talks too much because all I want to do is sleep."Guess I'm seating here, right next to... Mara?" A familiar voice said from beside me. My head quickly snapped up and a huge smile formed on my features once I saw Ahmed's familiar grin. I'm so glad it's him I'm sitting next to."Thank Allah." I said happily. He put his luggage up on the shelf above us and sat down comfortably. "So 15 hours of just sitting in a plane thinking of food... great." Ahmed stated sarcastically. It is kind of a bummer, right now if I were at home I'd be doing something to make me stop thinking of food. But now that's all I'm thinking about.
"I know... but it's okay we can get each other through it." I replied thinking on the positive side."You're right, so what's up?" He asked as he turned to face me fully."I don't want to talk, lets play a game instead." I offered in an excited tone. His eyes brightened up as a mischievous smirk played on his lips. I know that smirk, it's the smirk he has when he wants to play a prank or something. This has trouble written all over it. But then again, Ahmed invented trouble. The fun kind of trouble of course."I love those words." He replied, still grinning like an idiot.
He quickly got out of his seat without saying anything. What is that boy up to? I thought to myself feeling anxious for some reason.
* * *
Five minutes later Ahmed ran back to his seat while laughing slightly. I just stared at him as if he had three heads or something."What did you do?.." I trailed curiously. "You'll see once we land." He replied then plugged his headphones in.
Ahmed Abdulrahman
Man, he's going to be so mad once we land but hey who cares right!? We're still in the plane now and Amara has fallen asleep peacefully. I analyzed her face, her perfect bone structure, long black eyelashes, smooth looking tan skin, her Asian eyes that I always loved. Wow, I seriously need to grow up! Her head slowly started tilting my way until it hit my shoulder as if it belonged there. I then froze, what should I do!? I don't want to wake her up. I really don't want her to move, the feeling it... it just feels so right.
Zubair, who was sitting in front of us turned around and his eyes met Amara's head that was on my shoulder, he had a weird look in his eyes that I can't exactly explain. Is he jealous..? Amara's eyes slowly fluttered open and she looked at me with alarm in her eyes as she sat up.
"I'm sorry I must have dozed off..." She trailed with her cheeks turning a deep red. She looks cute when she's embarrassed. I should've woken her up, the shaitan was just telling me not to. What is wrong with me? Why am I so weak when it comes to her? Ya Allah please help me. "I-It's fine." I stuttered as I cleared my throat.
Third Person
A man with a black leather jacket stood at the France airport waiting for the two twins to finally arrive. He's been waiting for hours for them. The man with the jacket then picked up his phone and called a secret number and waited for the other line to be picked up. "I'm at the airport." The man spoke through the phone. "Good, wait for them to come and when they do follow them. Make sure not to be seen or the whole plan will be ruined." The guy on the other line replied. "Why can't you just go up to them?" The man asked feeling slightly annoyed by the whole situation. He just wanted to meet them normally, not do all of his!
"Just do as I say and follow them, never let them leave your sight."
*****************
Na do- Me too
Saranghae, Umma- I love you, mom
Kaja- Lets go
Unni- Older sister