HAYYAH...

Three

It's another day at school, I'm in my white sweats and sneakers, staring out the window dazedly, how was everything else before Father started his transit?

We were happy, had the best moments, smiled, mom would be busy day in, day out, working on all sorts of vaccinations and machines, Trying to work up any science that could help me.

She'd stay in the Research Laboratory for days, and Dad would take my hand and lead us there, he'd convince her to rest, take a break, we'd joke, I'd tell her how filthy she was because she hadn't had a bath and she'd smack my head, but still grab a shower.

We had the most PERFECT times.

Guess there's nothing close to perfect in this world, there was always going to be a flaw, a loophole...

I thought every family in the world was bad, like the ones I used to....

Nevermind.

But when I finally got to meet MY family, I realized just how beautiful it was to have a family, I realized the world doesn't consists of the vain and the corrupt alone, I realized there were such good people in this world, such beautiful, good hearted people.

But these past few months, all my beliefs just came crashing, bringing all of my happy illusions to it's ruination.

What was it?

His betrayal?
His mutating mind?
Or his wavering love for my mother.

Forget sunnah, is he really that capable of handling two wives?
Does he have the willpower?

The strength?
The mental capability?

I know it gets overwhelming as time goes on, says why he always had to transgress those negative impacts on us,
The tolerable ones.

It was never this way, Mother keeps saying he'll come back to his senses, I don't think so, Call me a kid if you must just because I'm sixteen years old BUT, I've had far more insightful experiences than a 90yr old lady would.

And I'm not bluffing.

I just wish things could go back to how they were,

WISH...

Well, If I ain't being delusional.

I hear clumsy footsteps and a smile grazes my lips, the familiar fresh fragrance engulfs me and i feel a sense of peace and warmth, one I hadn't felt in weeks.

"I've looked all over for you" her voice is calm, collected, but the tremor that overwhelms her voice didn't go unnoticed by me.

She's stressed.

I looked up at her and see her brown eyes swollen and bloodshot, gawsh, just who dared to make her cry?!

"What happened?" I asked, my brows furrowing.

"Khalid..." She mumbles and I'm almost on the verge of laughter...

"What did he do oo" I asked.
Her lips curl slightly into a charming smile, "he didn't do anything..." She starts and pauses.

"Well, to hurt me at least" she says and takes a deep breath, then crashes onto me like she's lost her breath, I roll my eyes as I grab the small of her back and steady her into the bench beside me.

I don't miss the infatuated look in her eyes and I roll them again.
Gawsh🙄

Ruru can be such an assh_....

No swear words.

"I was returning from Mathclub when I ran into McAllen..."

"I swear to Ghad, I would..."
"Geez, call down gurl. He actually turned around and ignored me" she said when I was about to spit FIRE.

Okay....

"But then his friends started picking on me, calling me cover girl and stuffs, they wanted to remove my hijab... Forcefully

Oh my Ghad! I was so panicked, I was already so out of breath but then HE came" she said, there was this glossy hue in her eyes when she said HE.

"Wait, Khalid?" I asked.

"Duh, why do you act like a dummy sometimes?" She asks with mock annoyance. I roll my eyes and she continued.

"And then, the gorgeous P.E substitute coach punched them all to the ground" she said, adding some dramatic sounds.

I snort, "Khalid would never do that" I say.
" But he did, he punched them all" she said and my jaw hung loose.

"Wait, you mean Khalid punched people, like... Literally fought those guys?" I asked.

" That's what I was saying, ugh! What's with your brain gan sef?" She questions.
"E don fry na, na you chop am" I reply,  sarcasm dripping from my tone, it was her turn to roll her eyes.

"But now, his job is threatened" she says.
" Sdat why you're crying?" I asked.

"Partly, because I was touched that HE would actually defend me, but he did that at the expense of his job, it makes me feel awfully guilty" she sighs, I place my arm around her neck and squeeze her shoulder gently.

"Khalid never needed that job, to begin with, and you don't have to feel guilty, he did his duty, he protected one of the most important people in his niece's life, and that's something I have to thank him about"
I grin.

I won't tell her he's working there because of her, won't tell her what I felt was his emotion when he punched those guys.

She shouldn't have an idea of how...

Intrigued he is by her, and he doesn't know I know.

Hell, they all don't know how much I know.

"Ru" I called, she placed her head on my shoulder and hums softly in reply.

"Hm?"

"Yes, Khalid is good looking and he's a great guy, but don't let your infatuation get too far, stay focused" I say, she doesn't say anything for a while before she sighs.

"I get it" she nods.
I rub gently on her back.

"I'll come pick you up, then we'll go to the masjid later this evening, I have a lot to pray for" I say.

She snuggles closer and I smile
"Yeah, me too"