Lovebirds

twenty-four

After the concert fiasco, Naira thought the boys deserved a good meal for their hard work. She took them back to the company and ordered catering from a local halal deli she knew of. When she was a kid, Daris and her would constantly beg their father to take them there. 

There wasn't a lot of halal food places, but when there was, she frequently supported the businesses. This deli, in particular, had her favorite dish of all time, a chicken steak sandwich wrapped with a special green dressing that added spice and sweet all at once. Her mouth watered at the thought. 

Within a few minutes, the delivery boy arrived, and the Red Knights flocked him with hungry growls for their meal. She expected this much, giving the delivery boy an apologetic smile. 

"You deserve an extra tip for that," she smiled, pulling out her wallet. "They tend to be animals when food is on the table."

"Hey!" they yelled behind her. 

The delivery boy laughed. "No worries, I've seen worse." Taking the money from her, he tipped his cap in her direction, winking. "Have a good night, folks."

Naira turned back to her boys with a frown, watching how they devoured everything in the bag. A part of her was relieved that they didn't take the stalking fans to heart or judged her for her miscalculation. She should have known better and strategized accordingly, but she didn't. 

Yet they didn't hold it against Naira. Not once did any of the Red Knights ever make her doubt her abilities. If anything, they were the first to jump at her defense. Her gaze softened as she stared at them, observing the way they punched each other and laughed, how their weary eyes brightened by the presence of their friends. 

There was a reason for the popularity. No matter how much fame and fortune they received, they nurtured their friendships, strengthened their bonds, and never abandoned each other. What they had was a brotherhood. 

Rayan seemed to catch her gaze. "Aren't you going to join us?" he asked, walking over with her sandwich. "You worked hard too, you know."

"I need to pray Isha (night prayer) first," she said. "I'll be back in a few."

He raised a brow at her. "Can't you pray later?" 

"I can, but I would rather pray now," she trailed off, glancing at the door. "After the hectic night we all had, I need a moment with my spiritual side." 

When she turned back to Rayan, she was surprised to see the look of awe that crossed his visage. His emerald blue eyes stared down at her lovingly as if he admired her faith. There was a lingering sadness beneath the surface, a hidden darkness that he concealed. 

He scratched the back of his neck. "Do you always... pray?"

"Of course," she said, slightly offended that he would assume otherwise. "Salah (prayer) is one of our pillars in Islam. Without prayer, the soul can't rest and the heart can't heal. It's a part of our mental and emotional health."

Rayan weakly chuckled. "I know that. I meant do you always pray when you feel stressed or overwhelmed." 

She nodded. 

"Why?"

"Because it makes me feel closer to Allah. It makes me realize how life is a speck of dust compared to what really matters. It makes me understand the weight of my choices."

For a moment, he was silent. His visage etched with ambivalence as if he'd never heard of the benefits of prayer. Her mind wandered back to the day she found his file. Was he told the opposite about why Muslims pray?

She bit her lip, wondering if it was wise to bring up his family. Inhaling a deep breath, she remembered something from her youth, remembered a time when she was lost in her faith. She didn't understand why Muslims prayed and she hated being told what to do. What she failed to understand was that there was a reason for what Muslims did in their daily lives. Each part had a purpose just like prayers. 

"I used to hate praying," she confessed in the silence between them. Naira laughed softly at herself. "I thought it took away time, that it was a waste for me to spend a few minutes a day in worship when I could be making my dreams come true."

He turned to her, curious. "What made you change?"

Her eyes met his in unwavering intensity as she held his gaze in the fierceness of hers, engulfing him in her past epiphany. "I realized that not everything is in our control. There are some things that are left to fate, and whether we like it or not, we have to accept what isn't in our control," she said. "Prayer is the border between the two. We put all our effort into life and then our prayers ensure the rest."

Rayan chuckled deeply, the baritone caressing her skin in his gentle aura. He placed her sandwich on the counter, pocketing his hand. "That's definitely one way of looking at things," he agreed. "Prayer and fate, huh?"

Before their conversation could continue, Kyle hollered over at them. "Yo, lovebirds! Are you going to eat or not? I'm not leaving leftovers." 

Shaking his head, Rayan grinned at her, a smile that caused her breath to be hitched at her throat. "I'll catch you later." 

A part of her wanted to keep talking to him, to hear him speak to her in hushed tones, to lose herself in the light-hearted conversations, but she stopped herself. Naira watched Rayan walk away and approach the rest of the band members. 

The office lights caught his sparkling gaze, his chest rumbling with laughter at something Kyle said. They teased and joked with each other as if they were siblings, as if they grew up together. For a brief moment, Naira wished that no darkness would ever tarnish them, that the weight of their jobs would steer clear of their happiness. 

But wishes weren't always meant to be. 

----

Do I remember all of Tomoe's funny moments? Yes. Do I remember the new set of chemical reactions for my exam? Of course not. 

Spring break was too short. I am SAD. 

Back to the book. I was deciding whether I wanted to flesh out their backgrounds more, and I decided I will. We're going to approach such deep, serious topics about the industry :D Hope you're ready for it!

Why do you think Rayan was asking questions about prayer? 

Don't forget to vote, comment, and follow!