Accepting You

Chapter Nineteen

"You have to tell her man," Dawood frowned. "You have to tell her asap."

"What would I tell her exactly?" Yusuf clipped, even though he already knew. 

Imam Abdullah said the same thing as Dawood when Yusuf told him what happened when he broke the news about Asiya to his family.

"Uhh, I don't know," Dawood scratched his chin theatrically, "Gee, how about, hey Asiya, the room you're going to walk into this weekend is going to be full of people who don't like you!"

"Only my mum and aunt are attending. It won't be full of people," Yusuf mumbled.

"Stop taking the piss, man," Dawood snapped.

Yusuf stretched his body out on the floor while his brows knitted together. "I'm scared," he confessed quietly.

It had taken his mum a week to make up with his aunt Hina, but less than twenty-four hours for his aunt to decide that she would be following Yusuf and his mum to meet Asiya's parents.

Yusuf's mum had reassured him that aunt Hina had promised to be on her best behaviour at the meeting. So, was it worth Yusuf exposing his family's skeletons, especially when the information could kill his relationship with Asiya?

"I understand. Your family sounds, no offence, but yikes," Dawood said. "However, Asiya deserves to know where she stands with them. If she were my sister, I'd want her to know so she could decide if the guy was worth it."

Dawood's words rippled through Yusuf, making him shiver.

Yusuf's brows tightened as he prayed Isha salah. Failing to concentrate, Dawood's words moved through Yusuf's mind like a pendulum.

Decide. If. He. Was. Worth. It.

If Yusuf's worth was being assessed by what had happened so far, he was certain he wasn't worth it. 

Because Yusuf knew Dawood and Imam Abdullah were right. Yusuf knew what was right, and that was telling Asiya. 

However, doing so felt like he would be pressing the blade Asiya could use to kill him into her hands.

Yusuf wanted to protect her, but selfishly, he also wanted to protect himself.

He loved her.

His use of the word love may have been premature, but Yusuf's feelings were so strong and felt so deep like they were running through his bloodstream and pumping through his heart.

No other word would do his feelings towards Asiya justice.

Yusuf was speaking to Asiya and could see her, but he still yearned for her. Yusuf needed to marry Asiya. If he could sink his hands into her and melt his body into hers, he would. That was how badly he wanted to be with her.

The thought of losing Asiya caused cracks to splinter through his heart.

He couldn't lose her.

-

Yusuf's eyes absentmindedly tailed the commuters passing through Kings Cross as he waited for one of the busy billboards to display what platform his train would be docking on.

"Asalamu alaykum," a small voice greeted him from behind.

"Wa alaykum salam," Yusuf responded. 

He knew it was Asiya before he turned around and saw her. 

"What are you doing here?"

Asiya put her bag on the floor, uncapped her cardboard cup of tea and smiled. "What do you mean what am I doing here? I'm waiting for the train, silly. Our families are finally meeting. Remember?"