Gamble

6. Something new

I woke up at dawn with the realization that my alarm didn't go off today and I was close to missing Fajr salah. I hastily did my ablution and stood to pray, as slowly and carefully as possible. After I finished I lay back down but sleep never came.

45 minutes of tossing and turning and I finally gave up. I rose and did my ablution again, in case I somehow dozed off unknowingly. I opened the Quran and read Surah Yaseen for my parents. Something I did every day since the accident. The tears that rolled down my cheeks were beyond my control. I then prayed few rakats of nafil for them. This was also part of my routine now, though the numbers depended on the time I could sneak out in a day.

It helped to pass time. Instead of sitting there pondering over and over on the memories, I did something that would actually help them. They were Allah's and he took them back when seen fit, who was I to complain?

I got ready for school and walk down the stairs where Aunt Aalia was making egg white omelets and Uncle Amir was already seated on the dining table, scrolling down on his phone.

I take the phone from him and place it on the farthest corner of the dining table, out of his reach. Upon seeing what I did Aunt Aalia smiles and gives me a thumbs up. "No phones on the table." I remind him the house rules Aunt Aalia had set. "Asalam-u-Alaikum." I then said in an exaggerated cheerful tone.

"Waleikum Asalaam" he smiled back, "Not my fault if my wife takes a lifetime to cook breakfast."

"As if you could do it any sooner" she replies.

"Yusur dear would you mind checking up on Zehra. I did wake her up but I guess she wasn't completely awake." Aunt Aalia said as flipping the omelet.

"She did wake up pretty early yesterday. In fact she was the one who woke me up." I added when I stood up.

"She only wakes on time when it suits her." She raises her hand, the one with the spatula. "She is going to get married in less than 6 months. What will this girl do there?"

"Oh she will learn when the time comes. Both of our daughters are exceptionally responsible. Uncle put up. "Unlike you" he says the last part in a whisper, so that only I heard what he said. He winks at me and I snicker.

It took me a moment to realize that he meant Zehra and me as his daughters.

After school Zehra drops me off at the mall quite close to our house. I heard there was an open spot at the makeup counter and I, being pretty good at it, chose to apply. Not that I needed the money, my father had a fine job and he had saved up a lot. I could've easily lived off of it in years to come. And Uncle Amir was a businessman himself and never did I doubt that he would ever leave me alone where money was concerned. I just wanted to busy myself, to get my mind off things and besides it was never a bad idea to earn a few pennies more.

An hour later I walked out the mall, with a new job up my sleeve. Grey clouds rolled over on the sky and a cold wind caught up. I shivered, pulling my jacket closer around myself and started walking quickly, in an attempt to get home before rain threatened to pour. I reached home just as the first drops of rain splattered on the rooftop.

The house was warmer than outside so I shrugged off my jacket and proceeded to the kitchen where I could hear Aunt Aalia and Zehra talking. Both of them stopped and looked at me, their eyes full of expectation.

"I got it!" I answered their silent question.

They both let out their breaths they had been holding.

"Dinners on me today." Uncle Amir announced just as he entered the kitchen, drops of water marking his path as he had just taken a bath.

I had already asked them whether I should take up a job or not, and they had told me to take it without any hesitation.

They hugged me in turns and I then went to my room, to change so we could go out to have dinner regardless of the ruthless weather.

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I'm sorry I know it's a short chapter BUT I will upload another one today so no worries ^.^

Oh and speaking of make-up, it would mean the world to me if you could follow me on instagram (perfectlypositive999). I post my own eye makeup and stuff.  (There's a follow for follow rule for me) Thank you :)

Loads of love,

Your friend :)