His Niqabi Girl (Book 2)

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Elham.

"He did a really great job here" Sufy said to me, as I showed him around my art studio. I was yet to use anything in the studio as I wasn't ready to ruin how beautiful it was just yet.

"I have to admit that, yes" I replied.
Ummi had just left some moments back and it was now Imaan, Yasmeen, Lakshmi, Aseeyah, Farhanna, Asaad, Hadeel, Sufyan and I that were left.

The others were in different parts of the apartment while it was just Sufy and I in the studio.

"So, Sufy. Tell me, why have you been acting distant?" I asked.

That was a question that had been on my mind for a while and this was the perfect opportunity to address the matter.

"How have I been distant?" He asked me.

"Why're you pretending like you have no idea what I'm talking about?" I questioned him.

He sighed. "Fine. What makes you think I'm being distant?"

"A lot of things!"

"Like?"

"Like when was the last time we spoke over the phone? And please, don't say we've both been busy. I'm not buying that today" I stated firmly.

He sighed again. "Elham?"

"Yes?"

"You know you're like a sister to me. And I'd do anything to protect you. Whatever I do, is for your own good" he spoke.

I nodded, urging him to carry on.

"We've come a long way. However, you're married now. And I'm about to be married as well. And our partners, do not view us as siblings, because we're not" he pointed out.

"Do you get where I'm heading at?" He asked me.

I shook my head. "No"

"We're really close, but we're not siblings. We can get married if we wanted to. This would obviously be a problem in your marriage and mine. Our partners wouldn't be comfortable if we continue being as close as we used to" he revealed.

In that moment, My chest felt heavy. This was a breakup, a friendship breakup.

"What're you implying?" I asked him with teary eyes. Perhaps it was the fear of letting go, the fear of loosing my bond with a true friend, because I couldn't control my tears.

"Come on, please don't be dramatic. Please Elham. Look, You can't tell anyone this but Yasmeen and I have had countless fights, and it was about you. About how close we were. Asaad and I also had a conversation at the hotel before you two got married, and he wasn't being very straightforward because he was trying to be respectful, but from what I deducted, he wasn't comfortable with me being around you either" Sufyan stated.

"What?!"

"Elham, they both have the right to feel the way they do. I'm not saying we can't be friends. We can't just be as close.
But I'm still your Sufy?" He said to me.
A tear escaped my eye.
I knew he was right and I couldn't be mad at him.
I wasn't supposed to even have a boy best friend in the first place, I guess we all just have our imperfections. But he was right, and I had to agree that it was long due and the best thing to do.

"Right" was the only thing I managed to mumble before walking away.

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"Do you have some peanut butter and lemons?" Imaan asked me. We were currently in the guest room, with Yas and Lakshmi as well.

"Why do you need any of those?" I asked, scrunching my nose.
We were all here because it was just more comfortable as we could take our hijabs off and I could take my niqab off as well.
We couldn't do that in front of the men.