Journey to Faith//JJk FF

Part 34 🦋

Zara's POV

"Appi, please tell me. You are hiding something from me," Zain's voice was firm, his grip on my hands tightening. "If you want, I can talk to Abbu, right?"

I stared at him with a small, fragile smile, trying to push away the turmoil in my heart. My little brother-my Zain-his eyes held worry, confusion, and a determination I had seen so many times before.

I reached up, cupping his cheek, my fingers trembling slightly. "It's nothing, Zain," I whispered. "I-I am totally fine."

A lie. A soft, quiet lie that tasted bitter on my tongue.

Behind me, I felt the warmth of Rose's hand on my shoulder. She knew. She always knew. She didn't need words to understand the ache buried deep within me.

"You know, Appi," Zain murmured, his voice softer now, as if he could see through the cracks I was trying to hide. "You are the strongest girl I have ever known. But please... please don't hurt yourself."

My heart clenched.

Hurt myself?

Had I not been hurting myself all along?

A woman's tears are often unseen, swallowed in the silence of her sujood, buried in the depths of her prayers. They are whispered in the quiet of the night when the world sleeps, and only Allah remains awake to listen.

"Verily, with hardship comes ease." (Qur'an 94:6)

I had repeated this ayah to myself countless times, convincing my heart that ease would come, that relief would find me. But where was it now? Was this my relief? A marriage I had not chosen? A fate that felt more like a prison than a blessing?

"Zain!"

Ammi's voice echoed from outside, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Zain, bring Zara! The groom and his family are already here!"

My breath caught in my throat.

This was it.

My feet felt rooted to the ground, my limbs frozen. Rose gave my hand a gentle squeeze, as if silently telling me that she was here, that I wasn't alone. But how could I explain to her that this battle wasn't one she could fight for me?

Was this the end?

Should I just accept it here?

"Perhaps you dislike something and it is good for you; and perhaps you love something and it is bad for you. And Allah knows, while you know not." (Qur'an 2:216)

I closed my eyes, the weight of those words sinking deep into my bones.

Had I truly surrendered to Allah's decree, or was I simply too weak to fight for my own happiness?

I had always believed in Qadr, in Allah's perfect plan. But now, as I stood at the edge of a life I had not chosen, I wondered-was this truly what He had written for me, or was this simply the test before the relief?

Would the ease come?

Or was I walking toward a fate that would break me beyond repair?

Tears welled in my eyes, but I blinked them away. Not now. Not in front of Zain. Not when my little brother was looking at me like I was the strongest person he knew.

I forced a smile and took a deep breath.

"Let's go, Zain," I said softly.

And with that, I stepped forward, even as my heart screamed for me to turn back.