“Love doesn’t come from the people – it comes from Allah (SWT).” -Yasmin Mogahed
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We were going to land in 30 minutes. Hafsa and I had just finished gobbling on some food and water. It was actually fun to be sitting by hafsa this time. Every now and then, the girls in front of us turned around and gave me and hafsa a smile. I didn’t know what they were trying to do. And I didn’t want to be tricked into something horrible again.
*FlashBack*
“Maryan, can I ask you something?” I said hesitantly, as maryan sat down next to me. “Sure”, she gave me a bright smile.
I smiled back. I didn’t how to be more polite when asking about the counselor. I could tell they were a lot closer than Yusra had defined. I took a deep breathe.
“Are you somehow… related to the guidance counselor?” I finished with a slight smile. Maryan’s face had a sudden expression change. She swallowed her food and looked at me and smiled.
“No”, she said quickly and turned back to her sandwich. “Why?” she asked as she took her last bit of the crust-less sandwich.
“Because I see you talking to him a lot. I was just wondering if you were because no one actually talks to him anymore”, I confessed. She grinned.
“He’s been very nice to me since the day I came here. First, he helped me get over the fear of new people and new school. And second, he never fails to make me laugh with his jokes. He just makes my day better.. that’s all. Nothing more”, she assured me.
“Oh… but don’t get too close to him. About 6 months ago, he kidnapped a girl from this school and…”, I stopped talking. I didn’t want to use such ridiculous words in front of her, even though reading her facial expressions, I could tell she knew what I was about to say.
“What? You think he would disgrade himself like that?” she laughed. “Its not just me Maryan… it’s the whole school. The whole town infact. Everybody knows about his true personality. You could be the next victim. You should back away a little”, I warned her.
“Hamna, you shouldn’t believe everything people say. Someday people can also spread lies about you and would you like that? I don’t think he’s bad in anyway. And if he really did kidnap her, then why hasn’t the principal fired him yet?” her voice was loud and strong.
“Because-“, I began.
“Because they don’t have any evidence right? Right, Hamna?” she said, staring at my face.
I nodded. And it was the truth. No one had the evidence that the Counselor really was a kidnapper and did actually kidnap Cassey. But everybody knew. And believe it or not, it was all true.
“I thought you were different”, she looked at me, picking up her bag and her lunchbox. I saw her walk away until she was inside the school building and could no longer be visible.
I surprisingly started believing all that she said. Maybe she was right.
*FlashBack Over*
“Our plane will be landing in 15 minutes”, the air hostess spoke as quietly as she could. I gave Hafsa a “I told you” looked and she laughed silently. I buckled up my belt again and opened my window. As the plane descended, the sun, which was now about to set, shone on my face.
“Hamna”, my mom whispered from across of us, where she was sitting. She was pointing at my seat belt and I gave her a thumbs up as to tell her that I was already buckled up.
Every sound and volume lowered as the plane lowered because of the elevation of the plane. My ears started hurting and in the last ten minutes, I could even feel myself tear up. The pain was severe and it wasn’t the first time. Before this, I had sat on an airplane about 18 times and all the 18 times, the same pain accured as the plane started landing and started descending.
The only thing that would make this better right now would be if the plane crashed and we didn’t have to go through another five minutes of the landing process. I looked at hafsa who was also chewing a gum. She had her own allergies and if she didn’t chew something, her nose started bleeding.
I could barely hear anything but I did hear hafsa say “We’re almost there”, when she saw my teary eyes. I closed my eyes and leaned back on my seat. If only there was a dua or a Quranic Ayah I could remember right now that would make this better. Unfortunately nothing came to my mind. So I decided to pray to Allah in my own words instead.
“Oh ALLAH, you’re the king of all the kings so please make this pain go away and add noor in me and my family. Ameen”, I said in my heart.
Just then I heard the wheels open and then I opened my eyes and looked out the window. I could the see the airport and all the other planes landing. A squeal of happiness escaped my lips. The pain was also getting better. Indeed Allah is the most kind and the most merciful.
About 4 minutes later, our plane touched the ground. Hafsa let go of my sweaty hand. We both smiled at each other. New york city.
“Alhumdulillah”, I said, as the plane came to a stop and all the passengers started unbuckling their seatbelts. Hafsa and I also stood up and started taking the bags out the storage above us. We were in new york city. Even though before leaving I was sad and down, after landing in the real new york city, I felt a gush of excitement build up inside me as thought about how I will actually be able to witness the times square.
“Hamna, take the bag!” Hafsa said, bringing me out my exiciting thoughts. I took it from her and started walking behind my family.
“What were you guys even thinking?” I said, scanning the old ancient closet that had about fifty-thousand spiders crawling inside it.
“Hamna, for the 100th time, this is temprorary. What were you expecting? A Taj Mahal? This is new york and we’ve only been here for I think 2 hours. Finding a house or even a small apartment is a struggle in this city”, Hafsa said, plonking on something that ‘looked like a bed.’
“I was at least expecting our own home”, I was disappointed. My mom and dad told me that we’ll be living with one of my mother’s aunts for a while until we find an apartment. The aunt’s name was Aamina and she was a divorced woman who lived alone in this ancient apartment. It had the look of some place that had never had a cleaning lady in it before.
“Well there is no way im sleeping on this bed”, I said, pointing at the ‘thing’ Hafsa was resting on. Almost everything had dust on it. I scrunched my face in disgust and sat down on the couch. I looked up and saw Hafsa was sleeping already. I rested my head on the armchair and also tried to sleep.
*FlashBack*
I sat down on one of the chairs in my class and thought about what maryan had said.
“Would you like if someone spreads lies about you?”
She was right. I would hate it. But then how come I believed everything about the counselor? Maybe maryan was right after all. He wasn’t bad. Maybe he was good. Maybe he really wasn’t a kidnapper. And what if someone framed him of being one? I scratched my nail as I thought about it.
“Maybe I should go and apologize to the counselor. But why me?” I wondered out loud.
“Because I should. I was also the one who gave him a glare everytime he looked at me. I will go right now”, still speaking to myself, I made my way to the counselor’s office.
Hafsa’s voice kept echoing in my head as I walked.
“This maryan girl doesn’t seem right. Back away a little. She could be leading you to something unexpected.”
I had ignored her for 2 reasons. 1. Maryan’s ghost had taken over me. Everything she did and said felt and seemed true. And 2. She was now my bestest friend in school.
Reaching the office, I knocked on his door lightly. My heart was racing since I knew, deep inside, this wasn’t the right thing to do.
I looked up as the counselor opened the door and smiled as if he was expecting me.
“Come in Hamna”, he said opening the door all the way so I could get in. I hesitated a bit but then walked inside. I rubbed my hand nervously as he closed the door behind me.
“Oh Allah – Just keep me safe”, I made a dua in my heart as I sat down. My hand had never been this sweaty in my life and all of a sudden, I regretted coming here.
“Its been a while since we have talked”, the counselor began, scanning my face. “And it was devastating for me since I like you so much.”
I looked at him in disgust. Did he just say that?
“I just came here to apologize but I guess you took it in the wrong means”, I said, getting up. He stared at me as I picked my bag up. I started walking towards the door when I felt his hand on my wrist. I pulled my hand away immediately.
“Im sorry Hamna. Its just 7 months of people accusing me of doing something I didn’t do has really put a negative impact on me. I never meant to say it. You’re like my little… sister”, he said, flashing a smile. I stared at him and he stared at me. Looking so close at him I realized he was no more than 23 years old.
My parents have always told me to stay away from boys and counselor was a special kind, my parents had told me to be aware of. And I did as they had told me - until now. I should have never came into his office. The world wouldn’t have ended if I didn’t apologize for all the glares.
“I have to go”, I started towards the door again.
“Please… stay”, the counselor spoke softly. I turned around and looked at him. He gestured me to sit down and I did.
“Im sorry if I angered you a bit but of course I cant hide the truth. I really do think you’re pretty”, he gave me the grin and i felt like I was being hypnotized.
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Thankyou for loving the first chapter so much - and so here's the second chapter. Hope you all love it just as much.
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W/salam!
-BritishHolic A.K.A. Amal