Love, sabr and lots of dua

chapter 9 - end of exams

It was the end of exams, and Amira's heart felt lighter, as if a massive weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She sat on her bed, no longer needing to worry about studying or preparing for tests. For the first time in weeks, she could truly relax.

That day, she spent time with her family-her six siblings. Amira loved spending time with them, and today was no different. They had visited an animal farm, laughing and taking cute pictures for Instagram (and maybe for Zayd to see, too). Afterwards, they headed to Burger King, where Amira indulged in her favorite meal: chili cheese fries, a Whopper, nuggets, and Pepsi.

As the day came to an end, Amira felt content, but her thoughts kept wandering back to Zayd. She wished he could have been there with her, sharing these special moments. More than that, she dreamed of a future where Zayd would know her family and love them as much as she did.

"Inshallah," she whispered softly to herself, as her heart quietly held onto the hope of that day coming true.

Later that evening, as she and her friends made plans for the upcoming holidays, her phone buzzed.

Zayd: Slm

Amira's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly responded.

Amira: Slm :)

She waited for him to reply, her mind racing.

Zayd: Wud?

Amira: Making plans with my friends.
She replied excitedly, eager for the break after all the stress of exams.

Zayd: Lekker.
His response was casual, but Amira couldn't help but smile.

After a moment of hesitation, she typed her next message.

Amira: Wanna join us?
She hit send, hoping he'd say yes, already imagining how much fun it would be if he could come along.

Zayd: I really want to, but I have classes 😩. I'll let you know when I'm free.

Amira smiled at his response. Even though he couldn't make it, the fact that he wanted to was enough to make her day. She put her phone down, still thinking of him, but content with the thought that maybe one day soon, they'd have more time .

It's been a day since Amira's conversation with Zayd. She was scrolling through her phone, re-reading their last messages when a new notification popped up.

Zayd: "Salaam. I'm free on Thursday if you and your friends are still going to the beach."

Amira's heart skipped a beat as she read the message. She could hardly believe it. Zayd was actually free, and he wanted to join her and her friends! She quickly sat up, typing back.

Amira: "Salaam! That's great! We're definitely still going. It'll be so fun to have you join us."

She paused, staring at the screen, before sending another message:

Amira: "It's gonna be chill, just snacks, swimming, and a little picnic on the beach."

Zayd: "Sounds lekker. I'll see you there."

As soon as the message was sent, Amira let out an excited breath, flopping back onto her bed. She could hardly wait for Thursday. She grabbed her phone and messaged her friends about Zayd joining them.

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The Morning of the Picnic

Thursday arrived faster than Amira had anticipated. She and her friends had planned everything-beach towels, a mini speaker for music, plenty of snacks, and a picnic spread with sandwiches, fruit, and, of course, her favorite chili cheese fries.