RUNNING

Chapter Eleven(unedited)

“Never a prophet had been sent before me by Allah to his people who had not among his people, disciple or companions those who follow his way and obeys his commands. Then there came after them their successor who proclaimed what they did not practice and practiced what they were not commanded  and he who strove against them with his hand is a believer; he who strove against them with his heart is a believer and he who strove against them with against them with his tongue is a believer; and beyond that there is no grain of faith.” Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).

Maraya walks up and down her room still holding her phone as she awaits Afnan’s return. It’s Saturday and their lecture usually ends by eleven, she knows that Afnan normally take coffee Saturday morning to class and returns to eat after their lecture, after which she can go mosque or library to read.

The moment they finish their lecture Maraya left the class in order to carry out her mission, she is yet to punish Afnan for getting to her about her prayer since that day and she intends to punish her by spoiling her newly cooked. She knows that Afnan is very obsess about her soup whenever she make them newly that she hardly eat anything without using the soup.

Once she entered the room she quickly went to pour salt in Maraya soup so as to render it useless and wait patiently for her to return. She can’t afford to miss the expression on her face when she taste her sweet soup for the world. And even before her roommate returns she started imagining different expressions she will see once she return and the thought of it alone gives her a sense of fulfillment.

She was busy rejoicing about Afnan’s defeat that she did not realize when she fell into a deep sleep.

It was about one when she awakes only to realize that her roommate is yet to return, she is worried about her for some strange reason but she was more worried that her plan may fail. It’s almost one thirty now and she can’t continue to wait for her so she decide to call her and ask about her whereabouts.

The phone hardly starts ringing when she heard Afnan’s voice from the other line.

“Asalamu alaekum.” Afnan cheerfully said from the other end.

“Wa alaekum salam. Are you not coming back to the room?” Maraya asked trying not to sound desperate about it.

“Oh I’m sorry, I forget to tell you. I got a call from my aunt and I have to go home because she said it is emergency so I couldn’t make it back..”

“Are you coming back today or not?” Maraya cut her off impatiently.

“No I will not be coming back till Monday, since I am not coming back you can take the soup I made yesterday if you don’t mind so that it won’t waste. And..”

Maraya hangs up annoyingly. She is so annoyed that she wants to cry. She has wasted her time for nothing. She sits on her bed for some moment to calm herself, “she won’t always be lucky, I will definitely get her for insulting me” she keeps repeating to herself taking  in breathing exercise to release her anger until she felt relieve.

“I just have to throw away this soup before she return.” She walks to where Afnan is putting her dishes and open the soup again. The soup looks so attractive to her that she feels bad to throw it all away, she put a little in her mouth to taste but instantly spit it out due to the salty taste. She is about to lift the pot up when she heard the call to prayer and decide to offer the prayer first.

“I think I need to pray first before coming back to this soup.” She said to herself and walks to the bathroom to perform ablution. Ever since Afnan talked to her she had never miss saying all her prayer at their fixed time because her little advise made her feel guilty about her indifferent attitude to her prayer and for some reason she wants to live more as a Muslimah but right now she is not ready to embrace any change so she will only work on perfecting her prayers.