"If you close your eyes and dream you can be anything you want to be." - Zubair Hassan, FH.
CHAPTER FIVE: Young Love
Amara Abdullahi
Amran. Is. Pregnant. I'm still trying to process this. I'm happy for her it's just I wish she would've said something sooner. I wish she wouldn't have yelled at me the moment I came home, so that she could tell us the way that she wanted to in the beginning. I mean I'm her sister for crying out loud! We talk each other about everything. I hesitantly knocked on my sister's and Nur's room and waited for her to open the door. "Go away!" Amran yelled from the other side of the door. As usual I went against her wishes and proceeded to let myself into her room. "Damn it Mara do you not know what go away means!?" She snapped.
"I'm just trying to be here for you, Unni. I was wondering if you'd want to go visit mom later to deliver the good news." I suggested. A look of confliction flashed in her eyes. I just hope she isn't still mad at me like she was before. Like I said before, we're sisters for crying out loud and sisters fight a lot. I mean have you seen Sister, Sister? Granted I was only 2 when it came out but still. My sister and I use to always watch reruns of it, I only watched it because I thought Tyreke was cute and Jordan was funny, oh and I just loved Roger. Alright, I'm getting off subject. Anyways Tia and Tamera always fought but made up at the end of the day.
"How do you think she will react?" She asked hesitantly as she looked at her stomache. I smiled as I walked up to my sister and placed an arm around her shoulders. "I think she'll be happy that she'll have a grandchild. I also think she'll be happy for you and Nur." I said reassuringly. Amran then looked up at me and smiled widely. I wish she would smile more often. None of us, well except for Mahirah, have been smiling much lately. We've all been so consumed in our daily struggles that we never really have time to take a second and just breathe.
"Okay," She said as she got up and wiped the tear streaks off of her face.
"Let's go."
I walked closer to her and linked our arms together as we walked out of her room with a new attitude. "Is everything okay?" Hamid and Nur asked in unison as they rushed to our sides. Amran and I looked at each other and gave them both a smile.
"Everything's good." Amran Started with a sigh.
For once in our lives since forever, everything felt fine, Alhamdulilah.
* * *
"Wow I can't believe I'm going to be a dad." Nur gushed as he stared at Amran with adoring eyes. Mashallah they both seemed so genuinely happy and excited to be parents. "In Shaa Allah, I promise I'll be the best dad ever to our little girl or boy." He stated with outmost sincerity as he held my sister's hand. In Shaa Allah, I also vow that I'll be the best Aunty that I can be, I wouldn't let anything bad happen to my niece or nephew. I wish he or she grows up to be loved and well taken care of. Even if our family may feel broken right now, I hope that it'll become enough for the baby.
"Aw honey I love you, and I also promise I'll be the best mom for our little baby." Amran said with also the same amount of sincerity like Nur. Right now we're all getting ready to go to the hospital to tell mom the awesome news. Kenny and Jamal are still in the living room with Hamid and Mahirah. I should probably go and leave these two love birds alone. I quietly got out of the kitchen and walk inside the living room where everyone else was and sat down. The moment I did, Kenny's eyes locked with mine. He had a certain look in his eyes that I can't exactly describe. It was like a combination of empathy and respect, weird.
"Sorry guys, I didn't mean to put you two in an awkward situation." Hamid said as he picked up Mahi and put her on his lap. Zubair and Jamal looked at each other then at Hamid then at me. "It's fine, you guys have a really interesting family." Zubair said with a smile. "Tell me about it!" Hamid replied with a sigh. "So how did the situation even start?" Hamid asked as he looked at me. Great now all of them are looking at me.
"Well it started when trouble maker over here got me detention." I replied, glaring at Kenny. For the first time Zubair looked at me with regret in his eyes, does he feel bad? Am I being too harsh? Maybe I should tone it down? "But I'm over it so we're all good for now." I added, hoping that it will ease the tension that I just created.
Zubair Hassan
Is she ever going to forgive me for it? Now that I see what she goes through I understand why she acts the way she does. I understand every moment is preicous and every moment she has is a moment she could spending with her family. She could be with her mom, or helping her pregnant sister out or even spend time with her baby sister. I feel bad, really bad. Have I even truly apoligized for it? I looked at my watch and got up from the couch. The moment she said that, everyone seemed to have gotten quiet.
I took that as my que to leave.
"I-I should get going." I stated as I got up and gathered my stuff. "Why so soon?" Hamid asked as he got up as well. "No big reason, I just need to pick up my little brother from daycare. Anyways I'll see you guys tomorrow In Shaa Allah." I told them all goodbye and then quickly hopped in my car. My mom is probably mad that I'm picking Uzhair up so late.
* * *
The moment I got home, I quickly jumped on my bed with a thud and stared at the ceiling in front of me. I don't know what it is about Amara but she reminds me of someone that I met a couple of years ago. Maybe it's her eyes? Or voice? It's actually starting to frustrate me.
7 years ago
"No mom I don't want to go to the park!" An 11 year old version of myself complained. Please don't force me to go to the park with Bayla, I silently prayed.
"Zubair please go with her, who else is going to look after your sister?" My mom said as she put her hands on her hips. "Why can't Ismail do it?" I said reffering to my older brother.
I don't usually talk about my older brother for personal reasons. Mainly because he's never home, he goes to the university of California so he never comes back to visit us in Miami. At first we thought it was because he was busy and we understood that. But what I can't understand is the fact that he went away four years ago and never even once tried to come back to see us. He also rarely ever picked up his phone as well. It got to the point where we thought something happened to him so Mama and Baba went to visit him while I stayed home with the kids. His only excuse for not keeping in touch was that he was busy with homework and exams. I honestly hope I don't become like that when I go off for college next year.
"Your brother is coming with me to run some errands, unless you want to do that?"
I quickly shook my head and grabbed Bayla's 9 year old hand.
"Let's go." I said to my baby sister.
The park was right next to my house, walking distance even so it was okay for us to go on our own. I always went to this park whenever I was stressed and wanted to play basketball. Basketball was always my stress reliever.
When I was a kid I had a lot of anger issues and one day I got into a fight and was told to take anger management. My counselor suggested that I should get all of my anger out in a sport. Ever since then basketball was my stress reliever and still is.
Once we reached there Bayla ran to her group of friends that were by the playground. I walked over to where a group of guys that looked like they were in their mid-teens were playing basketball. These guys looked like Ismail's age.
"Can I join?" I asked.
"Are you sure you can play? I mean you're just a kid." A tall guy said as he walked up to me with a smirk on his face. "I may be a kid but I can play." I said as I stepped closer and snuck the ball out of his grasp. Faking left, I went right and threw the ball into the basket.
All of the older guys stared at me in shock while the guy with the big mouth over here, looked at me with an irritated expression. I bet he thought I had no game, jokes on him I guess. "That was just a lucky shot. Do it again but this time with more pressure."
"Fine by me." I responded with a shrug of my shoulders. All of the guys gathered around me and covered each corner. One of the guys legs were far apart, so me being the smart kid I am, went under him and threw the ball into the basket again.
"Was that a lucky shot too?" I asked smugly. "Okay kid, you got game!" He admitted. For the next twenty minutes I played basketball with them until the point I got tired. I then laid down on the grass and stared at the sky ahead of me.
"I see a princess, what do you see?" A girlish voice said from beside me. I looked to my right and saw a girl laying down beside me. She looked so happy laying down on the grass.
"I see a prince standing next to the princess." I replied with a small smile of my own. I don't know why but even though I don't know her, I already felt comfortable around her at the same time. "Me too, I wish I was a princess." She said with a sigh.
"Who says you aren't, if you think you're a princess then you are one."
Now that I think about it, I was probably so cheesy.
"Do you think you're a prince?"
"Hell yeah!"
We both laughed in unison.
"If you close your eyes and dream you can be anything you want to be. Here, try it." I said as I put my hand over her eyes and closed my own. "What do you see?" I asked after a moment of silence.
"You go first." She said with her eyes still firmly closed.
"I see myself becoming an NBA player, playing with Kobe. I see a million screaming fans shouting my name. I see my name on bright lights." I said with a sincere smile gracing my lips. I haven't told anyone what my dream was before and yet here I am spilling it to a complete stranger. I don't even know why I'm acting this way, what's going on with me?
"What do you see?" I asked her.
"I see a world with no violence, a world that everyone is happy. I see my older sister and twin brother getting married and starting their own families, I see my mom and dad growing old together and loving eachother like they did when they first met each other." She said with a sigh. I couldn't help but notice she was talking about everyone in her family but not about herself. My dream sounds so selfish compared to hers.
"That's a good dream and hopefully it'll become a reality In Shaa Allah." I said as I took my hand off of her. "I'm Zubair by the way."
"I'm-" Before she could finish her sentence an old man who looked like he was in his late thirties came up to her.
"Daddy do we have to go so soon? I made a new friend!" The girl who's name I still don't know, said as she got up. I couldn't help but notice when she got up something fell out of her pocket.
"Yes, honey we do. Say goodbye to your friend." Her dad said as he grabbed her hand and gave me an angry look. For some reason the man looked unstable, he was swaying left and right and there was a strange look in his eyes. Was he high or something?
"Bye, I hope we meet again."
Before I got the chance to tell her that something fell out of her pocket, she was already gone with the wind. I then hesitantly grabbed the object that fell and noticed that it was a necklace with a heart shaped lock. I slowly opened it and there was a photo of her and her parents. I put it in my pocket for safe keeping, in hopes that I see her again someday soon.
It was her. After that day I started coming to the park more and more with the hope that I would run into her and return her necklace but she never showed up. She was also the reason why I started to play basketball at that park because I needed something to do while waiting and without me knowing it, that park became my safe place.
Wow, Amara was the girl.
I should've known that the girl I was talking to was Amara, I've been looking at that locket for years. Without thinking twice, I quickly walked into my closet and got the box where I kept the necklace in for all these years. Surely it was still there, all I know is that I need to give it to her.
Maybe she'll remember me once I do.
Maybe she won't hate me as much as she already does.
Amara Abdullahi
"What? That's amazing!" Umma beamed with happiness sparkling in her brown eyes. Amran and Nur walked up to her and gave her a hug. Then me and Hamid and Mahirah gave her hugs."I love my babies." Ma said as tears ran down her cheeks. She seemed so genuinely happy that it also brought tears to my eyes as well. I love seeing her smile. Knowing that she's happy makes me happy as well.
"Mom I'm so happy that you're happy!" Amran said with a smile planted on her face.
* * *
Today was the day Nur and Amran were suppose to go to their first doctor's apartment for the baby. Hamid and I decided to stay home today so we could be here for them. Plus it doesn't hurt not having to deal with all of the drama that comes with high school, even if it's just for one day. So here we are at home waiting for them to get back. I was keeping myself busy by reading my favorite boom which was The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini while Hamid was watching the NBA finals. We were both rooting for Miami Heat to win. "Come on pass the ball to Lebron!" Hamid yelled at the TV. Yeah, we Abdullahi's get worked up when it comes to basketball.
After about another hour, we were still chilling in the living room. "I want it to be a boy, they're easier." Hamid said as he put his phone down on the table beside him. "No way. I want it to be a girl, they're cuter." I said with a yawn. "If it's a boy he's definitely going to be fighting off girls, we have it in our genes." He said with a smirk.
"And what girls are you fighting off?" I retorted with a laugh. He gave me an annoyed look which only made me laugh more. "All of them actually." He said as he crossed his arms.
"Name one." I challenged him.
"That annoying girl Brenda, all of your friends!"
"They're thirsty high school girls. Your point is?"
"Whatever."
I couldn't help but let out a laugh.
* * *
"How did it go?" Hamid and I asked them once they came back home along with Mahirah. "Great actually, the baby is healthy."
Alhamdulilah was the only word that came to mind the moment Amran told us the amazing news. "Who wants to go out to eat?" Nur asked as he sat Mahirah down. Apparently she fell asleep on the way back home. "Me!" Mahi beamed, immediately opening her eyes. "You were pretending to sleep?" Nur stated as he crossed his arms around his chest, faking being upset.
"Maybe?" She responded with mischievous look on her face. We all couldn't help but laugh at her cuteness. After a couple of minutes, all of us were getting ready to leave to go out to eat.
By the time we got back home I was so full that the first thing I did was lay down on my mattress. It didn't take long for my eyes to start to feel more and more heavy until pretty soon I could barely keep them open. I then recited my duas underneath my breathe and then drifted off to sleep.
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Unni- Older Sister [Korean]
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