Take off your Hijab (Rewriting)

Commitment And Intimacy ✅

As silence settled over the table, the tension shifted, lingering in the air like the aftermath of a storm. Zach realized, with an unsettling mixture of emotions, that while his heart raced at the thought of her acceptance, it was also that very spark in Amal that kept drawing him back, and Zach came back multiple times after that day... and all he could do was ask the question why.

THIRD PERSONS POV

The atmosphere in the room was thick with tension, the silence louder than any words. Azad and Safia went about their tasks with quiet determination, but their glances kept drifting toward Zach and Amal, whose strained conversation had become impossible to ignore.

Zach, who usually kept a tight rein on his emotions, seemed on the verge of cracking. His voice, though steady, carried a weight that Amal couldn't ignore.

"Honestly, I just want to understand why you're still angry at me," Zach said, his frustration evident but still searching for clarity. "I really am asking."

Amal, who had felt the anger simmering just beneath the surface, couldn't contain it any longer. "You want to know why I'm angry?" she asked, her voice tight with emotion. "Because after everything, you didn't even try to reach out. I was here, trying to make sense of things, but you... you just disappeared." The words felt heavy in her chest, like stones she'd been carrying for too long. "I tried calling, Zach. You shut me out."

Zach's face tightened, and for a moment, he looked away, struggling with the weight of her words. "It always comes back to this, doesn't it?" he muttered, almost to himself, barely loud enough for her to hear.

"Yes, it does," Amal shot back, her eyes searching his face for any sign of understanding. "It's always been about this—about you not being there when I needed you."

Zach took a deep breath, his voice quieter now. "I didn't call because I couldn't pretend everything was fine. I didn't want to lie to you, Amal. I couldn't just be your friend after everything... after what I felt."

Amal's heart skipped a beat at his words. Her anger faltered, replaced by confusion. "What are you saying?" she asked, her voice small despite the storm raging inside her.

Zach ran a hand through his hair, his gaze flickering between the floor and her face. "You asked me to call you when I could be... normal again. Just your friend. But the truth is, I couldn't pretend anymore. I've always wanted more."

For a brief moment, Amal was quiet, the full weight of his confession sinking in. She was afraid to say it aloud, but the question that burned inside her was already making its way to her lips.

"So what, now you want more than just friendship?, Commitment?, intimacy and commitment?, really Zach?" Her voice held a touch of bitterness, but it was the uncertainty that cut through the most. "We've already talked about this Zach,—there wasn't supposed to be any romantic feelings left, Zach."

Zach's expression softened, making it obvious that, but his eyes held a rawness that made her chest tighten. "Maybe we can't control what we feel. Maybe it doesn't need to be love right away. Maybe it's enough that we're here, trying."

Amal shook her head, a small, sad laugh escaping her. "Trying isn't enough, Zach. You don't just 'try' your way into love. And I don't want to be... a test, or a 'maybe' for you."

He stepped closer, his voice lower, filled with an emotion she couldn't quite place. "If it was about finding something easy, I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be standing here with all this—if it wasn't worth the risk."