She's The One

Chapter 9

UNEDITED

The dinner will be held tonight. I was so nervous, it was my first time gathering with non-muslims. I didn't know what will happen, it might be dangerous for sure. Besides, there would be tequila and they would.. oh no. I shouldn't go. I didn't need to go, do I?

How could I not? I was the new employee, I needed to go to the dinner so that I will get to know the unfamiliar faces I'd never saw. The pictures of non-muhreem men lingering on my mind. What if they touch me? What if they toy with me? 

What if questions literally sucked me up. I was in the office and it was break time. Jade was having her lunch with a group of people which also consisted men. By the time she asked me to follow up, I shook my head for a no. How could I eat with men near me? Wait. Apparently I've ate near men. It was Peter, right, wait. No. That was a request from my mom. If I'd ever let myself near men, I wasn't going to forgive myself. For me, it was a huge sin and I couldn't bear from it. 

Speaking of which, I should call my mom for an opinion of hers. I dialled her number and her voice heard after the third beeps. Yes, I admitted, I did count for beeps. "Assalammu Alaykum, Aisha'." My mom greeted me. "Ummi, you know right, a rocket launched hours ago." I sounded like a kid informing news. "Yes, I always catch up with things. Why?" She giggled at the end of her words. 

"It's just that, um, a celebration dinner will be held tonight.. Shall I come?" I straight-forwardly stated. I was kind of nervous to ask permission from my mother. Please say no. I didn't want to go. "Sure, you can go. But.. there will be men, right? Promise me you won't talk to them except for Peter. I mean, you can talk to them but not chat." Her voice gone firm. 

I nodded as if we were talking face to face. 

"I don't want to go..." I dragged the 'go'. I heard a sigh coming out from her. "You should. You're a new employee. You need to go. Tell them Muslims also have a great minds." I giggled as I heard. "But, there will be mennn..." I once again dragged the 'men'. "Keep the distance, try to control and lower your gaze." Ummi gave me spirits, thanked Allah for this lovely and caring mother. 

"Fine." I tried to not scoff, or whine. She was my mother after all. "Hey, it's break right? You should eat." She asked. "No, there will be men in the cafeteria." I said. "Then, what about the office? There are also men, right?" She sarcastically said. "Yeah but there are only Anthony, Jake and another one which I don't remember."

"You talk to that Anthony and whatever name that is?" Ummi sounded surprised. "Y-yeah they just introduced themselves. I didn't really talk to them. I only let Jade," I truthfully said. "Okay, then. Please, mind the ikhtilat (intermingling)" 

"Okay, I will without no doubts." I confidently stated. Ummi just hmmed before asking, "Go and eat something." I shook my head before I realised that we were on the phone. "No, I will just stay in the office." I said. 

"Go or else I'll call Peter." She threatened me. My jaw dropped. "Since when are you close with Peter?" I frowned; tilted my head a bit. "He's a good guys, really." My mom flatly said. "Ummi! He. Is. A. Jewish." I said- almost angrily but I maintained to keep my voice low. "Okay. I'm hanging up. You need to eat during breaks start by tomorrow or you can just bring food from home." My mom said motherly. 

"Okay." My mom just hmmed before ended the call with salaam. I replied the salaam and put my phone aside. Things got too messed up. I wasn't jealous of Ummi and Peter but I didn't want him to get my mom's side when the fact that he was just my boss whom I barely knew? 

I hardly knew him, he could be an ax murderer who masked under a title.

I put my head between my arms as I rested my head against my arms. "Aish, eat this."