Petals Of Grace

Weird or Awkward?

Azraq's POV:

Rain? Seriously? The first day as a head secretary and my co-workers will see my Celine loafers drained. I looked at the watch and suddenly my 'meeting' with my dad slipped through my mind. This is awkward cuz my talk with him never went so smoothly.

I knocked at his door fixing my watch, barely dodging the rubber toy bullet from Afaan. Isn't that dude supposed to be at school right now?

"You called me, dad?", I asked getting inside the room, looking at the phone for my schedule.

" Yesterday night", reminded my father. Oh yeahhh what would be my excuse this time?

"I was actually tired, dad. Trust me. Plus, the loads of office just caught me in", I remarked, keeping my tone as polite as possible. I started typing fast in the heated argument with Nathan.

"When is your off time, today?"

"5 in the afternoon, as usual."

"And when will you come home?", I was indeed shocked. He kept his tone soft, not keeping any hint of anger nor disappointment. I quietly put my phone back in my pocket. Something surely is coming, I can sense that.

"I'll be back for dinner."

"I want to go out with you after dinner", Man up, Azraq! Man up!

"Sure uh, may I know the reason, father?", I'll be greatly beaten by Cart tonight, no doubt. " I mean, it's not pretty usual for you to talk with me so...nevermind", I didn’t gave him a chance to respond to me before I got out. I was my holding breath for a long time!

"Mom, is dad okay?", I asked her while she was packing Afaan's lunch. She suppressed her laughter for a reason I got no idea of. What's wrong with everyone today?

"Ofc, Az. Everything's fine. Are you gonna go without having breakfast today, too?", I looked out the window of he living room. The rain has lightened a bit. It may disappear after sometime.

"No, I'll have it, today...", this brought a smile to my mom's face which reached her eyes. Have I been that bad the recent days?

I sat on the chair beside Afaan, who is reading a story of a Prophet, driving his face side to side putting his face on his car with the book in his hand. I ruffled his brown fluffy hair a bit, earning a chuckle. Isn't he supposed to shove my hand away sticking his tongue out at me? Weird as always.

" You're gonna get beaten by my future sis-in-law, Azie", mumbled Afaan out of the blue. "Before you interrogate, I saw it in my dream"

Me? Beaten by my future wife? After staring at him for a solid minute awkwardly, I stubbed his toe under the table. Man, he got tall. He tried to stub me back but failed, earning another jerk on his knee. He placed the book aside. I got ready to stub him again but started laughing when he tickled under my sock with his toes. All of a sudden, I let out a painful groan hittin' my elbow to the side. The cheeriness on his face was gone.

"You good, Azie...?", asked Afaan cautiously. I just nodded sneering and grasping him into a tickle trap. He started coughing eventually due to his immense laughter.

"Enough of the drama. Azraq, stop acting like a 6 year old kid. Afaan, apologize. You both, eat carefully without any sound and get out-", there Af goes interrupting mom's lecture.

" What?!? Aziee will take me to school today?", Af shrieked. Ok, is this a good thing or a bad thing?

"Apparently, yes", two words have put my bro in fire. "And Azraq, you can't take the car today. Your bus card is in your dressing drawer"

I nodded at almost every word of my mom eating my sandwich peacefully. It's strange how everything can smell fishy and weird yet so pleasant at the same time.

I pull my phone back, reading Carter's newsent text.

Gonna spare you tonight, dude. Got a date with Eleanor Barlowe. - Carter

Eleanor? Isn't her sister's name Darla?  - Azraq

Why do you care? Don't tell me that she's your ex.  - Carter

Yupp - Azraq

I put my phone back before he started cursing. "C'mon Af, 4 minutes and 57...56...55...",  I started to tease him, causing him to gobble down more quickly. I started to pretend with my hand to make a camera roll at him

Zahrah's POV:

I went in the bus, taking deep breaths. "Cool down,  Zahrah. You're not going to die. It's your first day and you have to act professional!", I repeated to myself, looking for a seat but guess what? There was only One Vacant seat in the whole bus and the window seat was taken by a man. Ya Allah save me! The back seats were taken by women so went there to stand and started doing Istighfar to relieve the unnecessary horror inside of me.

The man looked back at me confused. His outfit looked like he has dealt with a kid. His hair was slightly messy at some places that I don't think he's aware of. He looks so young to have a child. His grey eyes were...so attractive...

"Don't get into the haram zone, Zahrah", my consciousness poked in. I quickly averted my eyes from him when I noticed he was staring at me.

All of a sudden he got up freeing his seat, muttering "You may sit". His deep voice was....Ya Allah Astagfirullah!

I shook my head, "No, it's ok. My office isn't that far. I can manage", I tried to keep my gaze down. Why is it so awkward!?

"I understand that you can't sit with me. I'm just offering politely. Your loss, then", with that, he went back on his seat. What? I secretly rolled my eyes. Hey, I know it's rude but I can't help it! Just about 10 minutes anyway. I wouldn’t have taken the bus if I had not slept after Fajr prayer today. Luckily, no man got on standing in the bus after me.

Here, my phone started buzzing wildly with it's natural sound effects. C'mon, I'm in no mood of talking! I got out on the next stop and as my anxiety is almost always less likely to favour me, I almost tripped on my abaya while getting out, causing some people to chuckle. I gave a sigh looking at the man who were suppressing his laughter looking away. I swear I... Astagfirullah! Why my eyes are just directing to him?! I quickly mumbled a sorry to all and got out.

My first day spoilt on the transport. What a day!

La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah.

Azraq's POV:

That girl is something. Firstly, she rejected my offer and secondly, she captured my attention. She was covered but my shameless heart huh. Why would I even fall for a Muslim woman in the first place? I shrugged all those off telling myself that this was all meaningless. The bus stopped another time but I couldn’t tell it. I was deeply absorbed in thoughts about her eyes. Her blue eyes...wait, wasn’t it my stop?!

Then I noticed the young late teenage girl sitting beside me. I diverted my gaze from her.

I started tapping my foot anxiously for the next stop. I looked down at my famous loafers. I sighed. Indeed, my fate today seems to be written in one word 'Weird'

....

Author: Such a weird meetup, wasn’t it?
As usual, please let me know your opinion, whether good or bad. I'll need to improve as the readers' likes.
Another thing, feel free to point out my mistakes. I apologize in advance for that.
Gudbye!