~Iman's P.O.V~
After having Zayn's advice, I felt a little strange. I wasn't used to talking to anyone so openly about my relationship with my brothers like that. I told him about Ayman and his over protectiveness. I told him about Youssef's acting out and how it worried me.
He listened all the time only asking questions when he saw I was confused about something and telling me how Youssef must be feeling, being in his place a couple of years ago.
Unlike Mazen who I forced myself to open up to him in the same way, only getting a shocking reaction from him.
But maybe it was because Zayn was closer to Youssef than Mazen was. Zayn knew him better, he hanged out with him more while Mazen only talked to him a few times before.
Taking a deep breath, I decided to on with Zayn's plan so I just went to Youssef's room and knocked lightly on his door but I got no reply, as expected. I opened the door to check on him but I found him lying on his bed just staring at the ceiling aimlessly.
"Hey," I said in a low voice with a smile.
"Hey," He replied not really paying attention to me.
"How are you?" I asked testing the water.
"Good." His reply was dry. He wasn't pissed just occupied which worried me a bit. I expected him to hate me and Ayman.
"Are you okay?" I asked again to be sure. This didn't feel right.
"Does it matter." He rolled his eye at me but I let it slid. This was more important.
"It matters a lot to me. I want you to be happy." I replied sweetly taking a seat on the edge of his bed.
"Yeah right." He rolled over on the bed.
"Youssef, look at me." I said a little sternly but sweet nonetheless.
He turned to face me looking directly at my eyes. The look on his face made my heart ache, he was really sad, "I love you and I want you to be happy but I'm worried about you."
"I'm not a baby Iman." He sighed but I could see it in his face, he was just tired.
"I know you are not and that scares the hell out of us." I said honestly. He looked confused at me so I went on a little more, "When you were a baby, we could protect you from the world, even from yourself but now we are helpless. All we can do is punish you a little and tell you that you are wrong."
"But it's not working, Iman. What do you get by making me a prisoner in this house? Nothing!" He sighed in frustration.
"What else do you suggest we do then? Here we have a teenager brother who is lying to us and sneaking around. What do you suggest we do to get him to stop? To get him to be a straight man."
He looked at the ground not being able to answer me. I knew he was ashamed of what he has done but he was too proud to say anything. And at that exact moment I heard Zayn's voice echo in my ear so I took a deep breath and talked again.
"Tell you what, if you promise me you wouldn't lie to me and you would be frank with me on everything I'll talk to Ayman for you." I tried reaching out to him. I knew it wasn't the best way but anything is a start.
"What would you say?" He asked sitting a little straighter, paying attention to the subject all of the sudden.
"I'll get him to lay off. I'll get you more freedom if you want only if you be totally honest with me."
"Okay, yeah. I'll do anything." Youssef said eagerly.
"Great," I beamed at him happily. My mission is almost successful, "But we have to make a deal before I go talk to Ayman."
"Sure." Youssef shrugged not really minding anything right now. I knew he wanted more freedom more than anything else.
"You would have to tell me if you go anywhere or if you are getting late, even by text I don't mind but you have to let me know."
"Okay."
"You would go to the meetings with Sheikh Ibrahim but only on Fridays before the Jummah prayer." Youssef nodded and I continued, "And lastly you would remove that tattoo with Ayman tomorrow."
"Why though? Didn't it grow on you?" Youssef wined like a baby and I had a ghost of a smile on my ace. My baby was slowly coming back.
"You could keep it if you want, but if god forbids you die tomorrow what will you tell Allah? It's haram Youssef." I talked in a calm voice placing my palm on his cheek sweetly.
He sighed and closed his eyes for a second, "It's going to hurt."
"But it's going to be worth it." I replied sweetly swiping my hand over his forehead pulling his hair back but not hurting him.
"You are going to get in a lot of trouble with Ayman for it?" He asked in a childish way using his big puppy eyes.
"Don't worry about it. As long as you keep your promise, I don't mind." I kissed his forehead and stood up, "Now go take a shower and get ready for the appointment."
**
Talking to Ayman wasn't that easy. I knew it wasn't but I never knew he would storm at me for defying him. He took Youssef to that appointment and left mad at me that day and I didn't know what to do.
On one hand, I had Youssef whom I made a promise to and I was planning on going with it, and on the other hand I had an angry Ayman who refused the idea of giving Youssef an ounce of freedom.
He lost all hope in Youssef and believed putting him on lock down was the only solution. But we can't lock him here forever. We can't suppress him forever. He needs guidance and love. Trust and respect. And we need to stop babying him.
I called Uncle Adam last night and told him everything. He agreed with me on the idea of giving Youssef some controlled freedom with trust but being careful at the same time. He promised me he would call Ayman and make him change his mind.
This was hours ago and since then I have been waiting next to my phone waiting for Uncle Adam's call to give me some peace.
Hearing that phone ring, I literally jumped from my seat and answered it, "Hello?"
"Al Salam Alykum, baby girl." Uncle Adam's voice always put a smile on my face but now more than before.
"W Alykum Al Salam Uncle, How did it go?" I asked eagerly.
"Someone is a little impatient." Uncle Adam chuckled making me a little flustered. That was rude of me.
"Sorry, Uncle." I said in a low voice.
"It's okay baby girl. I called Ayman. He was a little stubborn as expected but he agreed, given that Youssef has to learn a bit of responsibility so we decided he needs a job. And not just any job but a volunteer in Mazen's dad charity."
"How is that a job?"
"Ayman is going to give him a salary to help with the organization." Uncle Adam explained to me. I thought it was a nice idea. It would help Youssef be a little responsible and he would see how fortunate he was compared to others.
"I think it's great but would Youssef agree to do it?" I was a little skeptical on how Youssef would take it. He wanted freedom and now we were going to tie him down with a job.
"I know you can convince him. When Ayman comes home have a little family meeting to set the new rules and In Sha' Allah everything will work out."
"In Sha' Allah."
The news I had for Youssef made me both happy and a little scared. I knew he would be over the moon with the new freedom he would have but at the same time he was a little spoiled, never worked a day in his life. How would he cope to the idea of working and not just a normal job but helping out in a charity? It requires dedication and passion to make up for the hard work.
I really hope Youssef take it well. Maybe I should go talk to him before Ayman get gets here?
Knocking on his bedroom door, I heard a muffled 'come in' so I opened the door and found Youssef playing his Xbox with too much attention.
"Hey," I smiled lightly taking a seat on his bed.
"Hey." He pulled a smile pausing his game.
"I got good news." I said excitedly making his raise his eyebrows in anticipation, "Ayman agreed to our arrangement."
"Really? Thank you so much, Iman." Youssef jumped from his seat and gave me a tight hug.
"On one condition though." Youssef pulled back frowning.
"I knew it was too good to be true."
"He got you a day job." I took his reaction in with full attention.
His face wasn't really like I had expected. He seemed a bit surprised but that's it, "How much will they pay me?"
"I don't know the details. When Ayman comes, we'll all talk." I shrugged happy that he is not pissed. On the contrary he was understanding and somewhat accepting of the idea.
"Oh, I have to talk to him?" Youssef frowned.
"He may be tough on you but he only wants you to be better." I tried to solve the dispute between the two but it was far from ending. Especially that Ayman wasn't completely on board with this idea.
—
~Zayn P.O.V~
"Who are you talking to Malik?" Louis smirked throwing his tired body on the couch next to mine.
"None of your business, Tommo." I answered annoyed without taking my eyes of my phone as I was waiting for Iman's reply.
Ever since I took the courageous step of emailing her about Youssef, we have been talking on a daily basis. Not just about my religious side or Jo's problem, we've been talking about many things. I've been telling her about my days and my feelings. We had our own sense of humor between the two of us. We even shared some secrets, like the fact that she was looking for a more permanent job now that her degree was out. She still had a lot of convincing to do with her family but she told me she just wanted to have everything else sorted before going in that battle.
"Is it your bird? Have you missed her already?" Louis teased trying to peak on my screen but I caught on to him and closed KIK.
"Huh?"
"Penelope, she just left like yesterday mate." Louis said not so full of himself anymore.
Penelope and I have been on good terms for a while now. She's been on tour with us for the last five cities and we played our roles well to the public for the duration but the behind the scenes weren't so horrible either.
You could say we were almost friends. We talked and laughed. I was generally nice to her and she had been a bit more causal with me. We went on so many 'Dates' that we eventually knew a little bit more about one another.
I realized that she had a tough time dealing with fame but at the same time she needed it, she needed the money and the work, while she knew I had my eyes on someone as she caught me beaming at my screen when Iman messaged me on KIK.
"Yeah mate, I know." I rolled my eyes at him putting my phone in my pocket before taking the Xbox controller to distract myself from Louis.
"So you two are good now?" Louis asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, I guess." I shrugged not really paying attention to the subject as my phone vibrated notifying me with Iman's reply.
"I'm happy for you and all man but, don't get too caught up in this. You know management will break you two in a month or less." Louis advised me but I was too busy ready Iman's message.
'Yeah well, I'm not getting my hopes up. All of the job's I have applied to so far had given me the cold eye.'
My smirk appeared out of nowhere reading her reply to me. This was my chance to jump another two steps with her. I knew she wanted a good paying job in marketing as she had told me it was her passion but so far she had failed in her search.
With my connection, I knew I could offer her a good job in the most respectable marketing companies there is but I had a better idea.
'Why don't you apply for 'Khayan'? It's a publishing company located near us and their marketing department is amazing.'
My stomach was now on edge. If she accepted my offer, I knew my chances with her would double. She would see me more, and she would be more comfortable talking to me. Heck, I would have an excuse to stop by her work more often.
'I would love to work for it. It's one of my favorite publishing companies. But they don't have an opening.'
That's it. this is my chance to be the hero and rescue the day for her.
"Mate, are you even listening?" Louis frowned at me drawing all my attention back to him again.
"Yeah yeah, don't get my hopes up, management won't let us date. Got you." I mumbles typing my reply to her.
'Don't worry about it, just go there tomorrow, and ask for Sid Khan and he'll hook you up. ;)'
I was so drawn into my conversation with Iman, that I hadn't even noticed how rude I was to Louis just now making him a little pissed but rather more interested in what was taking my attention from him that he started peaking on my screen and snooping around my private conversation.
"Who is Iman Saleh?" Louis question made my heart literally stop.
***
A/N
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