Dedicated to @qwertyxfd and @niqabiprincess12
But none of it is supposed to make nonsense,
For sometimes, you break the things you love,
And sometimes the things you love, break you.
~rmdrk
الحام.
Elham.
As we looked at the picture, the three of us stared back at each other.
The crown was getting bigger so I signalled them and we found our way outside it, to an empty classroom.
"Okay so there's nobody in this world that can convince me that Asaad did not do that" Yasmeen said, sitting on a desk, i sat on a desk opposite her and crossed my hands over my chest.
I was in shock. I knew I really disliked Amna and what she did to me was humiliating but wasn't this too much? That was, if Asaad actually did this to help me get revenge?
On second thoughts, why would he even help me?
I shook my thoughts away.
"I feel bad for her" I said truthfully but both girls just stared daggers at me.
"What? She might be a horrible person but what she did was not worth getting her reputation this bad!" I saud in defence.
"Well we're not even sure about who leaked the photo"Imaan pointed out.
I nodded my head, Yasmeen smirked.
"Well I don't think there's anyone else who could dare play with Amna like that"
I sighed.
The bell for the first class rang a few minutes later into our conversation, and we all headed for our classes.
I hadn't seen Amna but i saw Farha walking into a classroom.
The entire day was filled with a lot of murmuring and conversations regarding the photo that had leaked.
Would it be okay if I said i was sort of happy?
I mean, nobody was talking about me anymore!
I shut my locker close and shoved two books into my school bag. I was tired, my heart flustered every time I thought about my mother. I did not know how I was going to do it, but I knew I needed to find a way to help my mother get better.
"Hi, would you like to get some coffee with me?" Yasmeen's voice pops out of nowhere.
"Hi. Yes... I guess. I mean if you can wait until I go home, take a shower and pray?"
"Sure, I need to catch up with a friend anyway. Maybe you text me when you're ready and then I'll come pick you up?"
She asks and i nod.
"Sure" I mumbled
"Are you guys going somewhere?" Imaan asks, approaching us. The hallway was slowly getting emptier.
"Yes, grabbing some coffee at Starbucks and we'll probably just hang around there to chit chat. You should join us"
I noticed the hesitation in Imaan's voice but she agreed in the end.
Yasmeen leaves us, while we walk home.
I greet my mom as i step in, the smell of lasagna hitting my nostrils.
"Hi Ummi"
"Hi, how was school today?" She still looked beautiful even when she was so sick. I quickly remembered my plan but shook my head.
"It was okay" I said , but filling her in about the whole Amna scandal.
"I always knew that girl was no good. I hope she's expelled"
Ummi said, as i stuffed my mouth with food.
"Anyway, I'll be heading out soon with Imaan and Yasmeen"
I informed her and she nodded.
"We should also go out one of these days, watch a movie, go to the park, go shopping, we should have some fun , don't you think?" My mother asked me. I immediately dropped the fork in my hands on the plate, realizing the hidden meaning behind her words.
She wanted us making memories before it was too late. I felt my stomach tighten as I stood up.
"Sure" I muttered coldly, leaving her alone and heading upstairs.
I didn't know how i was going to do it, but I wasn't going to let this woman just go. I needed her in my life, I couldn't survive without her.
I stormed into my bathroom and let myself settle in the bathtub, enjoying the feel of the hot water on my skin.
Whoever said hot baths wasn't healthy clearly didn't know how therapeutic it was.
After I was done bathing, i prayed and changed into fresh clothes. A pink himar and niqab.
For some reason, I used a bit of mascara and eyeliner and proceeded to wear my glasses and sneakers.
We had agreed that Imaan would come over to mine's before Yasmeen drove to pick us up and as soon I shoved my credit card and essentials into my purse, I heard her voice downstairs.
I text Yasmeen.
ME: HEY, we're all set!
It takes a few minutes to get a reply from her.
Yasmeen: kk, I arrive soon!
I walk downstairs and walk into Ummi and Imaan chatting.
"Oh you look cute!" Imaan exclaimed staring at me.
I rolled my eyes.
I hear Yasmeen's honk and signal Imaan.
"This is our cue to leave" I muttered, avoiding any eye contact with my mother while Imaan hugs her, catching up with me at the doorstep.
"Is everything okay?" She asks me, once she's walking beside me.
"Why?"
"I could feel the tension in the room Elham. Are things okay between you and your mum?" Imaan asked as I spotted Yasmeen's car. I didn't know what type of car it was, but it was definitely one of those expensive luxury cars. I wasn't even surprised after seeing their mansion the other day. She clearly had rich parents.
"Don't worry, everything is fine" I smiled at her. She knew it was a fake smile and I was lying, but decided to let it go because we were already standing right in front of Yasmeen's car.
"Hey guys, so here's an update. Amna has been suspended from school and the teacher will be expelled by tomorrow. I honestly wish she were expelled but her parents have a great influence over that school so I guess the school can't get rid off her easily" Yasmeen rambled as we drove off.
"Well, at least we won't be seeing her face or hearing her annoying voice for some time" Imaan mentioned.
"Totally" I agreed.
"But who did that go her anyway?" Imaan asked.
"I have no idea. And she has a lot of enemies so nobody knows which one of them it is. And, I overheard some students talking about how the two of you were probably behind it because of the last encounter that happened at my house. Of course I confronted them, warned them and threatened them" Yasmeen continued rambling. Imaan responded to her while I struggled to find my vibrating phone in my wallet.
Sufy's name flashed on the screen and I picked it up.
He shot me a glare.
"Hello to you too" I said sarcastically.
"Why do you never ever pick up my calls?!!!" He yelled.
"Relax, I only missed one call and I was gonna call you back later tonight" I responded, as his look softened.
"Okay, but make sure you always pick up or I'll get worried that something is wrong with you" He whined.
"Fine, I'll do just that. How've you been? How's school?"
I asked him, changing the subject of the conversation.
"Alhamdulillah. I'll be graduating from high school next week!" He announced.
"That's great. I almost forgot we live in two different countries with different timings. Are you excited? And how're your parents?" I asked , noticing Yasmeen and Imaan were still on the Amna topic.
"I'm excited, duh. Maybe I'll pay you a visit after graduation. Anyway. How're you?" He asked.
I was so happy at the thought of seeing Sufyan after all these years.
"I'm fine. And yes, please come. We have a lot of catching up to do!" Was I really fine? No. Was I going to tell anyone that I actually felt like my life was falling apart? Definitely not.
"Oh you don't have to tell me. I have a lot of people I'm gonna have to handle when I arrive. Starting with that Amna" he said.
I raised my head to notice we were at starbucks.
"Where are you anyway?" He asked . I flipped the call to the back camera. Giving him a view of Yasmeen and Imaan walking into the cafe with me behind them.
"I'm with Imaan and Yasmin. Wanted grabbing some coffee and just seating out" I said
"Sounds like y'all are having fun. But I thought Yasmin was the bitch that let her sister bully you?" I could hear the growing rage in his voice.
Yasmeen stopped in her tracks and turned to me.
"Hey! I heard that!" She yelled, before grabbing the phone from my hands.
"Hey you! First off, I'm not a bitch, you look more like one. Secondly, I don't know what you heard but I most certainly did not watch my friend getting bullied by my sister without saying anything. Now, if you may excuse us, we have some girl time so maybe you call her later when I can't hear your freaking voice, BITCH" and then she ends the call.
At this point, everyone inside the building was staring at us.
I hated the sudden attention we got. Yasmeen took a deep breath while my eyes I scanned the room, and the I literally froze when they landed on familiar grey eyes, boring into mine. He looked like a zombie, a handsome zombie.
My two friends followed my sight line and were almost as surprised as I was.
"Interesting" Imaan mumbled as we finally walked to an empty table.
This better not be some sort of plan between Yasmeen and Asaad to get me to talk to him, because I definitely would not fall for it.
Or maybe I would.
Author's note: Salaam readers! I'd like to apologize for literally disappearing after leaving you all at a cliff hanger. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
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