Deen or Dunya

Chapter 2

Isaac's POV:

I have known Fahim for about 9 years now and we are best friend... no brothers. We tell each other everything and although he is Muslim and I'm, not we respect our differences. Thankfully I'm slowly opening up to Islam through Fahim's guidance. I wouldn't trade him for anything.

I walked out of class with Fahim beside me. There was a break before the next class, so we decided to go to the cafeteria to relax. I turned the corner and Fahim spotted two girls looking in our direction.

"Yo Isaac those girls over there keep staring at us, they're so weird" He chuckled in a joking manner. "Mashallah they are pretty though. I know the girl on the left, her name is Zaynah she's in one of my classes." he glanced once more for an oddly prolonged amount of time then turned to sit down at our table.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Fahim questioned me as I had the corner of my mouth raised and my eyebrows furrowed.

I scoffed and shook my head "Don't worry about it"

"You know what Fahim I recognize the girl on the left- I mean Zaynah, she's the girl I keep seeing everywhere" I informed him

"OK and what do you want me to do about it" he chuckled "Remove her from your sights or set your eyes to a filter that blocks her out?"

"Stop mocking me I'm not complaining she's really pretty; she covers herself with a hijab and abaya and I think it really suits her"

"Wow. you crushing then?" he looked at me with a goofy smile on his face.

"Grow up Fahim" I turned to face Zaynah and saw she was gazing at me or at least I think she was. she didn't look very focused. I went to rest my head on the palms of my hand when I realized that if she was staring at me, I didn't want her seeing at me with my hair a mess. I didn't have enough time to style it this morning, so I just wore it how I got out of bed.

I ran my fingers through my hair trying to neaten it up then looked back at her, but she had her face turned away from me and her hand was covering her mouth.

"Did that make me look uglier? she didn't look too impressed... I think." I pestered him.

"Bro why are you stressing. calm down why do you even care?"

"Presentation is everything bro" I winked at him as I ran my fingers through my hair once more.

"Dude your weird" he shook his head at me then slowly moved over to look out our mates that sat beside us.

Usually around this time of the day I have a small snack but oddly enough I wasn't very hungry today, so I sat at the table with nothing.

They were all talking amongst themselves about a stupid competition they were playing to see who can get the most girl's number by the end of the party. Of course, Fahim excluded himself from the ridiculous conversation and just like him, so did I.

I have no interest on girls or the party. It's not even my party it's for my sister's 18th birthday however she is a saddo with no friends, so she told me to invite as many people as I wanted to make the atmosphere livelier.

"Isaac, I hope you invited lots of good-looking people!" one of them shouted at me.

"I invited everyone I know so don't worry about it." I replied halfheartedly. Almost annoyed even.

As I sat by the table, I had nothing better to do, listening to these guys useless conversation was a waste of time, so I yet again glanced over at Zaynah to see what she was doing.

This time she was in an odd position. She had her head clasped in the arms of a girl that's maybe an inch or two shorter than her. The girl's hair was wavy and mid-length and she wore a troublesome grin in her face.

Zaynah was eventually released from the girls' grip, and She looked around with her face expressionless, but it was obvious she was embarrassed.

I sat and watched her scan room until she caught me staring and her eyes locked with mine, I let out a laugh and watched her face flush as she faced palmed herself.

"Cute" I mumbled.

"You're going to stare a hole through her" Fahim delivered me a firm smack on the back of my neck. "Just go talk to her"

"But-"

"Then don't" he interrupted.

"Wow your help" I scoffed

"That's because I'm only interested in my wife to be"

"Your what?" I felt my eyebrow rise a bit.

"She left a while ago" he tilted his head to the side.

"Ha you hypocrite you have a crush on someone as well but you're coming after me" I grabbed his ear and started pinching it.

"OW get off!" he whined

"Zaynah's friend is about to leave I'll go talk to her then."

"What? oh. ok. Just don't touch her." he cautioned me

"Yeah yeah I know " I eventually stood up and walked over to her. She had already spotted me, and she seemed to be fiddling about a lot which made me chuckle.

She was a lot shorter than me so I had to look down slightly so our eyes could meet. Her big brown eyes gazed directly in mine I felt hypnotized till she and began feeling shy.

The way she would get nervous was so engaging it made me want to tease her into doing it more, but it instead made me sound nervous. I wanted to ask her if she could join the party, but I felt my speech slow and stammer I even started combing my hair with my hand and rubbing the back of my head. It took for her to have to lean forwards for my response for me to ask her if she was free tomorrow.

She questioned me and that's when I started slightly regretting wanting to ask her, I felt so stupid.

I then explained to her that I was holding a party at my house but before I could say that I understood if she didn't want to go because she's Muslim she intervened and said it was fine and that she could go I found it very concerning but didn't ask too much about it.

Soon after her friend that basically strangled her announced she wanted to tag along. If I'm being honest, I really didn't want her to come, there was no specific reason except that I Zaynah didn't seem fond of her, I know it's a ridiculous and unfair way to look at people but there was truly no other reason.

However, since she was Zaynah's friend I let it slide but made it that she can't enter at all of Zaynah doesn't attend. I don't care if she sits outside the gates for the rest of the night but her and her other half won't be entering without Zaynah.

I finished off talking with Zaynah went over to my mates because they were calling me for class.

I wrapped my arm round Fahim's neck" Bro guess what I got her number!" I squealed but in a deep voice because we were around other people but, if it were just Fahim and a, I would be jumping around squealing in my highest possible voice I can, it wouldn't be impossible for you to mistake me for a 7-year-old girl.

Along with the rest of the guys we walked out of the dining hall and with the corner of my eye a watched as Zaynah slowly disappeared from view.