Take off your Hijab (Rewriting)

C'mon, Azad!✅

"Our bond isn't made of moments or about being blood related, it's built on the spaces between them—the silence, the struggle, the knowing that no matter what, we'll always find each other." – Azad to Amal

Amal's laughter rang out like music in the room, a sound so rare lately that it left everyone momentarily caught up in its warmth. The joy in her voice radiated outward, filling the space, wrapping around Safia and Azad like a soft blanket on a cold night. But as Azad's gaze lingered on her sister, her smile faltered, her heart tightening with the realization that this happiness—however beautiful—was long overdue.

Azad's brow furrowed. "Wait, hold up—" she blurted out, voice shaky as the laughter faded. Amal raised a brow, her face still relaxed, but Azad's frown deepened, her next words coming out slower, tinged with a sorrow that made Amal wince. "Why didn't you tell me it had gotten that bad, Amal?"

Her question hung in the air, heavy with everything unsaid—years of pain, secrets revealed in that one, raw speech on stage. It wasn't just the speech, though. Azad could feel the weight of all the nights Amal had spent suffering in silence, the battles she had fought alone.

Amal's smile faltered, her gaze dropping to the floor as she exhaled, trying to keep her voice steady. ""Because I just I wanted to go through it alone, you did that too and I wanted to be able to deal with it by myself."" There was a quiet determination in her words, as though she'd long since convinced herself this was the only way.

Azad shook her head, her chest tightening as her emotions rushed to the surface. "Like an idiot!" she snapped, but her voice cracked at the end, a tremor of heartbreak she couldn't mask. "I told you, Amal! We're sisters, regardless of anything. You're supposed to lean on me!" Her voice was rough with the worry she had bottled up, all the nights she spent wondering how bad things had really gotten. "I freaking love you—why can't you see that?"

Amal tried to brush it off, a small chuckle escaping her lips as she playfully scolded, "Don't curse near the baby." But there was no lightness in her eyes. The tension was far too thick to be swept aside by humor.

Azad and Amal turned to see Abtal standing across the room, bouncing their baby in his arms, his gaze flicking between the two sisters. He was trying to suppress a grin, though it was clear he'd caught every word of Azad's outburst.

"Sorry, Abtal," Azad mumbled, guilt tugging at her as she realized she might've let her emotions run too far.

But Abtal's smile remained, his voice calm, supportive. "Congratulations, sister-in-law," he said softly, glancing at Amal. "You handled it like a boss."

Amal beamed, giving him a quick high-five, careful not to knock the baby out of his arms. "Thank you, brother-in-law! I had to be my own boss. Couldn't let anyone else do it for me, if I did then I wouldn't have been able to give that beautiful speech"

"True, you honestly did great"

"Thanks"

Azad's heart twisted painfully as she watched their interaction, disbelief coloring her tone. "You're seriously encouraging her in this? Encouraging her to hide more things?" She stared at Abtal, struggling to wrap her head around his nonchalance. "Unbelievable."

Abtal, still calm, shrugged with a soft chuckle. "Sometimes, that's how people need to handle things. She needed to do this on her own, Azad. And she did. You've got to respect that."

Azad's frustration mounted, her voice nearly breaking. "But she doesn't have to do it alone! Why are you making it sound like she should?" Her gaze flicked to Amal, seeing her sister nod in silent agreement with Abtal, and it stung.