Assalamualaykum Wa Rehmatullahi Wa Barakaatuhu (Peace be upon you with God's blessings and prosper)
So I've had one or two requests to get the greetings and words in arabic translated because some of you don't exactly know what they mean. So when I have the time Insha'allah (If Allah wills it) I will. For the time being I'll translate every phrase in arabic to english as the story goes on. But at the moment I'm going through my last year in high school so there's a huge possibilities that my chapters will not go higher than 2-3 pages and the definitions may come up later than expected and for that, I'm sorry. But I will try my best to get the book as well as the meanings or index done as soon as possible. But since new characters are coming in... the story just keeps going on.
I'm really sorry about the late update as usual... this chapter took me THE FULL DAY FROM 6 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING TO 11 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT to write out... and I'm as tired as ever! I had a biology research project due last week. So I couldn't update. But here's an update.. so enjoyy!
Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu ^_^
Samaar's POV
I woke up at six o'clock in the morning and prayed Fajr (morning prayer) on time. I couldn't sleep the whole night and it surprised me every morning how regular my prayer schedule was even if my sleeping schedule wasn't.
I stayed awake till the afternoon. Sheath said he was getting off work at three o'clock in the afternoon. It was only 1 o'clock when I decided to take a bath and get ready for the day I've waited for the last two years. Aakifah came out of the shower after I took one. When she saw me all dressed up, she gave me a look and asked me what the special occasion was. I told her this before I went to sleep just yesterday. Why doesn't she remember?
"Did I over dress?? It looks weird, doesn't it??" I asked panicked.
"No you look cute... but... OH!" She exclaimed with her mouth wide open. Then she closed it and smiled, pulling me into a huge bear hug. "My baby sister's gonna go meet her hubby, eh?" I twisted my face, pulling out of her hug. "What if this whole marriage thing doesn't go as planned?" I asked her as I frowned. She frowned back. "I'm saying... What if I divorce him?" I asked her. She had a serious face on for a moment. But then she burst out laughing. She sat down on the bed next to the chair I was sitting on. The desk held my coffee mug, hot and full of caffeine.
"Stop saying 'If' you shaytan (devil) wannabe. You're in your second stage of life and all you do is sulk about how you might never do well in everything you do. You were worried about high school, yet you got accepted into a great university. You were worried about having to marry a irresponsible, abusive man, yet Allah blessed you with a modest and caring man. Instead of worrying why don't you start thanking Allah. You waited patiently for the man of your dreams. You tried hating on guys. You ignored them and you didn't even care what they said behind your back. Think of this marriage as a reward from Allah. You! You're the one receiving this reward. Be thankful. You don't know how proud I am to have you as my younger sister. I'm glad I don't have to watch over you because even if I do I know you won't do anything bad." I sulked again and she threw her towel at me. "Now when are you meeting your prince charming again?"
I unconsciously got up and said "Now...Assalamualaikym (peace be upon you) Aakifah." I left the house thinking I'd take a little walk. When I checked my phone after the walk I found that it was only 1:30PM. What? What? What? I thought the day of judgment was near... WHY ISN'T TIME GOING ANY FASTER?
Wait... calm down Samaar! I should just get it over with since I don't have the patience. I know patience is a virtue, but at the moment I'm a wife. And a wife's gotta do what she does best- be a princess. Hahaa...
In no time I was already at his workplace. I went in without hesitation. I made up my mind and sat at a nice clean table... yup I just sat there doing nothing. When a full minute passed of staring I pulled out a book for my English course. I started flipping through it and highlighting until I could feel someone staring me down. Oh... this whole day I was supposed to be meeting Sheath but I never once thought of him since I entered the store. I slowly looked up at him, and saw him frowning. My mouth was wide open.
"Um..." I was about to come up with an excuse but I was interrupted.
"Would you like to order yet?" He asked. I let out a small laugh and shook my head.
"Orange soda?" I asked. He wrote on a slip of paper and passed me my bill. I thought they gave these at the end of the meal? When I saw what he wrote, I made a face. On the bill, there wasn't a price but a question. What are you doing here so early?
"I'm not a patient person?" I said slowly. He nodded and left. After a few seconds he returned with an orange soda. When he was putting the soda down, he whispered into my ears.
"I'll come in two minutes." He said and then left. The restaurant was empty... like literally. I guess the business's runs low in the mornings and afternoon because the last time we were here the restaurant was flooded. I looked around admiring the interior designing done to the place. The walls were tinted with silver smudges over black and gold stripes. There was a nice pond near the entrance with amazing fish in it. When I walked in I almost tripped over into the pond though... Let's keep that a secret though!
He came out with a coat on and his usual pair of glasses. To be honest, he looked really cool and I had no way of... describing it. Well every person is beautiful in their own way. We are Allah's creation after all and Allah makes no mistakes!
He sat down directly in front of me. I really didn't want to drink in front of him. I felt insecure. But at last I drank one sip at a time and he just watched me.
"I thought you were working until 2:30PM today." I said quietly.
"Nope. The restaurant's empty and there's a lot of workers today so I'm free to go whenever." He answers just as quietly as I did. "Shall we go?" He asks me right at that moment when I'm trying to drink up my last sip.
"Where?" I choke a little and he glances at my face. He looks back down and asks me if I'm okay. I nod.
"Well... I don't want to eat here. That's for sure." He said, looking behind me. He was making a really angry face in that direction. He got up and I got up after him and took a peak at who it was. It was the same girl he was talking to from last time. This scene might have ruined all my hopes. What if he's dating that girl and want to discontinue this whole marriage thing. Just thinking of that make my blood boil. I guess I was right about the blood boiling part because I felt the back of Sheath's hand on my forehead.
I give him a solid blank look and he puts on a confused look on his face.
"What?You seemed like you had a fever." I gave him another look. He put down his hand and sli them in his pocket. "Let's get to the restaurant. I'm starving." Speaking of food. I wonder where we were going...
"Can't you tell me everything right now?" I asked. Sheath had already started walking ahead of me. When he heard me speak, he stopped and turned around.
"Your impatience is beyond my control. Imagine how many years I had to wait for this day to come." He said in a clear voice. But even so... I think I heard wrong since he wasn't so close to me and the words I heard gave me hope.
"What ar...?" My phone started ringing. I wonder who it is. "Assalamualaikum. Aakifah what's.... Hey! What's wrong?" Aakifah wasn't breathing properly.
"My stomach... There's something wrong with it." Her breathing was getting worst.
"Aakifah... you took pain killers didn't you?" I asked, freaking out inside.
"Yes... but they're not working!" It seemed like she was in a lot of pain. Sheath was standing still waiting for an explanation.
"Okay, fine. Don't worry! I'm coming home and I'll take you to the hospital Insha'Allah (If Allah wills)!" I hung up and before I could stay calm. "I have to go.. I have to... Aakifah needs to go to the hospital!" I knew what I was doing. I was being hysterical. I went to the side of the rode and stopped a taxi. Sheath put his hands on my shoulder from behind and pushed me into the taxi. He came in too. He told the taxi man the address and we were home in no time. Instead of calling an ambulance, Sheath made the taxi man wait outside just in case it really needed a hospital's attention. I went in first and found Aakifah laying on the ground with her hair messed up.
"Don't worry... Wait. Sheath's here too to help. So calm down Aakifah." I tried being calm but it just didn't work because my hands started shaking as I put her hair in a pony tail. I got her to wear her hijab as she already had her abaya on. She wasn't breathing properly and her stomach was hurting. She's never acted like this for the last seventeen years of my life. I went to the door and got Sheath to come in. She was sweating. I got her to stand up and became her right side support and Sheath became the left side support for Aakifah as she put her hands around us both. We got to the car and told the taxi driver to go to the nearest hospital near us. Sheath asked Aakifah if we should call the hospital while we were getting to the hospital. She said there was no need but she passed out the next second and I told the axi driver to hurry it up.
"Sheath! What's wrong with her?" I asked, panicked.
"Calm down. We're almost there. Pray for her and read the Ayyatul Kursi. Insha'Allah everything will be fine." He was calling the ambulance the next second. After checking her pulse and getting down the symptoms straight.
We were in the hospital in no time. Since Aakifah had already passed out we had help getting her inside. After some time, we met her doctor.
He said it was appendicitis and that she would be fine after the surgery. While me and Sheath were there I called Ruhi and her mom and my parents as well. Obviously Sheath called his parents too. Sheath helped me fill out the forms at the same time.
When my parents found out, all they could do is worry. They began planning a trip to come here to look after her. Later on I told Yusra to make Dua for her, and when Khatirah texted me asking if I was busy I also told her about Aakifah's situation.
It was around eleven thirty at night. My eyes were hurting from the strain as I waited in the lobby for my parents. Sheath was standing outside, leaning against the wall waiting for them as well. I opened the door and walked out and stood a full metre away from him.
"Today was hectic." He said with a shiver. It was cold, really cold and I hadn't brought a proper jacket.
I nodded in reply. "Yeah... Thank you..." I said, finally.
He didn't say anything for the moment. He started walking to the lobby door. He opened it and waited for me to go in first. "Let's go." He said.
I walked in. He brought me a hot chocolate from the Starbucks in the hospital and we went back to the lobby to wait for my parents.
"Today, I thought I'd get the truth out of you. But I guess today's just not the right day." I said.
"It's not like I want to explain everything to you right now... because it's just not right. Especially since your sister is in this state." He came closer to me and smiled. "You're really tired."
"Yeah, but I'll live." I said, trying not to close my eyes. At the corner of my eyes, I saw a care pull up and my parents were rushing in. They passed right pass us in the lobby and started walking really fast. When I caught them. My mom hugged me and asked if I ate and about my eating habits. When I didn't see Sarah, I asked my mom about her.
"Well Samaar, your father is holding her." I looked over and I saw Sarah in my dad's arms sleeping with a black jacket over her. Her hood was covering her head.
"Ruhi's waiting at the front to take you to her house. We'll stay here today. Sheath how are you these days?" Sheath smiled a genuine smile and gave her a hug as he said he was perfectly fine. We both started walking to the entrance and when we saw Ruhi, Ruhi waved at us. She was exhausted. Well mostly because she was at the hospital for more than 2 hours when she should have been asleep just like me. She gave me a hug and said salaam to Sheath and took me home in her car.
"Are you alright?" She asked, sleepily.
"Yes. How about you?" I asked. "You look like your about to kill someone with those eyes."
"That someone will survive. Don't you worry, Samaar." Some time passed before she spoke again. "Samaar... I was thinking. Since life is short, I guess I should start wearing a hijab, right?" This woke me up from my deepest sleep.
"No way! Are you serious! That'd be so awesome!" I said in a surprised voice.
When we started talking our heads off again, we got to the dorm a couple of minutes later. I grabbed my things and some of Aakifah's so I could take it to the hospital the next day. We went to Ruhi's house. When we went upstairs we shared the room that belonged to Ruhi. I was too tired to do anything. So after I prayed Isha Salat (one of the five daily prayer) I put on my alarm for the morning prayer.
Today wasn't the best day. But Alhamdullillah (all praise is due to Allah) that this day wasn't any worst than it could have been.