Arranged Marriage

Chapter 3

That night I reflected on how much my life had changed in just a few days. I had been an upbeat rebel, but now I was a subdued, depressed, unhappy, I didn't even know what to call myself. I remember being nervous, and wanting his attention, wanting him to notice and and actually want to marry me. Then, after thinking a while, I realized I didn't want to spend my life with him. Neither did he, and this was an even greater reason for me to reject the marriage. I let my fears get the best of me, I realized. I should at least try to make this work. Maybe he would open up to me, and we could be friends. I decided to face him, and talk to him instead of being silent.

I replayed earlier's events with the new plan in place. He would greet me, I would respectfully respond. He would be internally pleased, though it was quite obvious he only wanted to be there because his parents made him. I stopped thinking for a second. What if he had plans he wasn't able to finish because of...me? He surely wanted to get educated after college, somewhere about engineering. Or maybe go west and get a job. In school we learned that the culture in the west was different. The women could wear revealing clothing, and say nasty things. We were then instructed that this was unacceptable and degrading. I had also heard in the west, men would want to marry women, but the women could simply say no. In fact, some would say yes, then say yes to other men. Instead if multiple wives some men had here, the women could have many husbands! I felt a smile linger in my head; I was too tired at this point to physically smile. I didn't find this degrading; it was a revolution I wanted to join. I fell asleep with this on my mind.

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of a car honking outside my window. Annoyed, I peeled back a corner of the curtain and peered outside. Oh snap. It was Hassan, a boy who Amina said fancied me. He was just 6 months older than me, and was in my class. I didn't like him very much. I prayed my father was at work; my mother would understand I didn't even want to know Hassan. I rushed down, and saw my father was out. Thank God. My mother appeared from the kitchen, and the look on her face was enough for me to start explaining.

"Mama, it's just this boy in my class, I tried to get him to leave me alone, but he won't. It's not a big deal, just a boy thing. I'm pretty sure he will soon find out I am already marrying someone, and will leave me alone. I'll tell him now, Mama, please don't be mad," I blurted out, knowing half of it was just fluff to make him seem innocent.

"Okay, beta, please hurry, I'm starting to get a headache from all that noise," she said kindly.

As I headed out, I thought about how my mother got a headache so quickly. The sound was muffled in that part of the house, and was just a minor noise no bigger than the sound of crickets at night. I shrugged and promised myself I wouldn't be a complete sissy when I got married.

"Hassan! Get out of here, and you owe me one!" I yelled directly at him.

"Do you like me car, Aisha? I just got it yesterday," he said, completely ignoring my threat from before.

"You better get out of here before my father comes home. He'll be furious when he finds out you came to see me, especially now that I'll be married in two or so months," I said, ignoring his comment from before.

"On one condition, my love. You have to go out with me, just one date, see what it's like. Bring Amina and say you are going with her. I'll bring a friend for her as well."

I was frustrated at this point. Why didn't he understand he could die if my father, or Fareed, found out?

"Did you hear me? I'm getting *married*!" I said, shaking him in his seat.

He was quiet for a second.

"I don't know how to break it to you, but I love you. I'm willing to put my life out there for you, Aisha."

That was way too deep for a 16 year old boy, my brain screamed. Anything to get him away from there, I thought. I decided not to respond and see what he would say.

"Why the silence, my flower?" he asked.

I did not like his pet names for me.

"Don't call me that, I am betrothed to another man," I said stubbornly. Deep down inside, however, I enjoyed the special attention Hassan seemed to give me.

"The only way for me to go away from your house is to come with me, tomorrow," he said playfully.

"No."

"Fine, then I better resume honking this horn," he said and put his hand on the horn.

I remembered my mother's headache and stopped his hand from touching the horrible noise maker. He smiled and held my hand, and I jerked it away. I may have enjoyed his hand on mine, a small part of me reminded myself.

"Fine, but we must go someplace where nobody will see us together. And we must act like we simply met, pure coincidence."

"Good. Can't wait! I'll see you in my dreams," he said, and drove off.

The last part creeped me out a bit, but I shrugged it off. I couldn't let teenage boys scare me, or else what would be next? Little school girls? I laughed to myself, and after making sure Hassan was well off the property, I went back inside.

"So that boy fancies you," my mother said as soon as I got back inside.

"Yes, mama," I said. I felt comfortable around my mother because she seemed to understandS

"He seems sweet, coming here and causing a racket like that just to see you," she said with a smile.

"Yes, mama. Amina says he really likes me," I said shyly. I quickly added, "But don't worry he won't be an issue anymore since now he knows I'm getting married."

My mother smiled and said, "Are you sure? It took a while for him to leave."

"I had to make sure he was gone, or he would come back," I said. This was half true.

She laughed, and I joined her. Oh, Hassan, you truly are the funniest person I know. Oh wait, did I just think something positive about you? I am really messed up.

That night I stared at the ceiling. I called Amina, and told her to meet me at the corner; we were going to walk around the town, and I needed to tell her something secret. She agreed, and now I couldn't stop thinking about going tomorrow. It was completely against the ethics my parents had taught me. I was disobeying my parents, forcing me to half-lie. Half because I told them I was going out with Amina, I just didn't tell them who else. I was walking around town with a boy. Around school, it was okay, but around in public it wasn't. I felt sick thinking about if my parents found out. I thought of all possible consequences, and the shame I would get. I wondered if Hassan would like me after I would be shamed. I realized then maybe I liked Hassan. I definitely liked him better than Fareed, who I barely even knew. I thought Hassan's antics were cute. And he tried so hard to impress me. I sighed. At films they never showed the girl's side of the story, only the boy's falling in love and impressing her. Or maybe they showed only boys who succeeded. At this point my mind was too muddled with thinking and sleep to really figure out my thoughts. I fell asleep, and maybe I met Hassan like he promised in my dreams.

**check back every few days for an update!! All ive been doing in free time is write this..I hope you like it! If you do, please add it to your library, comment, and share! I wouldn't mind if you became a fan...and as always, recommendations always help, as well as any ideas or things you want to happen. Thanks for actually taking time to read this!**