ALONGSIDE YOU

10| Is Jaxton Kincaid defending me..?

Ugbads outfits on the picture above..

Ugbad Mahamed Nuurs Pov

I woke up to the alarm making the deadliest sound in the world, I hate the sound the alarm makes. When I say that I am traumatized and in fear of that sound, I mean it.

It is now 8 am and I am meeting Jaxton at the Richmond Library at 10 am. After yesterday's question, I realized that actually, Jaxton Kincaid would understand something, he was not just ignorant, something in his eyes when I answered the question lowered. I could tell what it was, but I could understand that an answer he longed for was now being resolved.

Allahmdulliah, that is the power of understanding. Ya Allah give me knowledge so that I can give to others. I think to myself.

The conference yesterday was useful and important for many young people, myself included. The whole hall was full, both on the women's and the men's side, and there was plenty of food afterward. People actually asked Mufti Menk something and he answered so beautifully.

Halfway through the conference and when it was about 7 pm in the evening, Ayaan fell ill, and I told her to "let me take you home". But she insisted that she didn't want me and the others to miss this out on this, so a friend of hers picked her up and she went home.

I've sent her many messages but she doesn't respond at all and I'm slowly but surely getting a little worried. Maybe I should just drop by her after I'm done with Jaxton. Yes, let me do it.

I get up from the bed and start to take a few steps toward my closet. What should I wear today? I decide to put on a jilbab which is a mix of turquoise and green, I don't know how to describe the color but it is perfect for the summer weather outside. Wearing a jilbab is a perk because you don't have to style so much, I can just wear the gray Jordans that I bought this summer.

Whenever I think of shoes, I remember yesterday. When Jaxton and I were wearing matching shoes and he pointed it out. Jaxton had forgotten a lot about our childhood it seems, he has forgotten our entire past. And on top of that, he asked me if I know who Carmelo Anthony is. As if I haven't seen that poster 1000 times, just because he kept saying "I'll be a PRO ATHLETE". The fact that he asked about it made me realize that he has moved on because he still blames me for what happened. May his eyes be opened one day Ya Allah.

It actually hurts that as a child your first best friend will hate you for the rest of your life and everything you stand for because of an incident that he thinks is your fault. After all the torment, irritation, and hatred, it is hard to imagine that it started with laughter, friendship, and a playground.

I put on my clothes and just sit on the bed and take out my phone. I look at yesterday's pictures, and the picture I posted of me Cumar, Ahmed, and Ayaan in front of the conference hall. Suddenly I notice my eyes moving towards the side of the picture Cumar is posing on, he is wearing a white thobe and his shoes are white. He smiles widely and stands proudly at the same time as he has his arm around Ahmed.

Cumar is a good person from what I have seen of him, he is also very religious and you can see it in the way he is with others. He is calm, listens to others, and smiles at everyone around him. Yesterday at the mosque, he smiled at almost all the elderly who passed by, and even after the conference was over, we all had to stay behind to help. According to him, it was a good deed that Allah loves, and he is right. That is why after yesterday I realized that he is a person to look up to. It's just a shame Ayaan wasn't around at the end, I wanted her there.

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I find a seat that is close to the window and sit there, I take out the binder and the school computer and start to log in. I see that it is 10:05 and think that surely Jaxton is late.