The Perks of Having a Nikah (A Muslim Love Story) *BACK 2023*

09.

❝The Prophet [ﷺ] said:
"O' People! Remember Allaah! Remember Allaah!"
[Saheeh al-Jaami', (No. 7863)]❞

I lie down on the bed, screaming into my pillow, with the crazy afterthoughts of what just happened with Zane. Did I actually just say all of that to him? I feel kind of bad, but then again, I don't because he was crossing the boundaries and I was tired of it. How am I going to tell Ummi, Abi, and Maryam about this, though? SubhaanAllah. I can hear my heart pounding in my chest.

I call Fadwah and tell her what happened. "Oh my Allah, I'm coming over right now."

"No, it's fne. It'll just make it more awkward." I roll around on my back and cover my eyes with my left hand.

"You sure? I'd be over in less than ten minutes."

"No, it's fine. Can I sleep over tonight?"

"Yes! Ask your mom and come. My parents wouldn't mind."

"Alright, in sha Allah. I'll ask and text you." We say salaams and I hang up.

"Ughhhhhhhh!" I get out of bed, my hijab and niqab still on. I knock on my parents' door and hear a faint come in.

"Assalaamu alaykum. Can I sleep over at Fadwah's tonight?"

Ummi looks at me quizzically. I can hear Abi brushing in the bathroom. "Dear, why do you have your niqab on?"

I whisper-shout. "Because Zane's here."

She says nothing but looks at me weirdly again before saying yes. Abi also says yes and I hug them both before I head to leave. First stop, the bathroom. I grab my toothbrush and head to my bedroom. I get a big Victoria's Secret bag that has been sitting in my closet for a while. I put a pair of pajamas and fuzzy slippers in there along with an extra set of clothes.

As I go down the stairs, I pray to Allah that I don't see Zane. Unfortunately, but not surprising enough, he's there. I try to walk past him and unnervingly enough, he doesn't even look at me. He looks up from his phone once, looks at me with a bored expression, and goes back to typing on his phone. I guess I deserve that, but he deserved what he got coming to him, too.

"Assalamu alaykum." I yell out. As I open the door, Zane comes up behind me and opens it the rest of the way for me, holding it open like a gentleman. "Baarak Allaahu feek but I told you, I don't-"

"Who said I was doing it for you? I'm going somewhere too. You're not always the center of my attention, you know." He snarls harshly. "Are you going to walk or what?" His handsome face contorts into an impatient one.

"Sorry." I say in a low voice and walk out. What's gotten into him? You did, you idiot.

I proceed to walk down the streets to Fadwah's house. It's not that far, a few blocks away. Funny though how by the time I was there, I was tired of walking. I reach Fadwah's door in twenty minutes and wait another minute before it opens. I enter and close the door behind me. "Oops." I shrug my shoulders innocently at my best friend. "Forgot to text you." I take my niqab off over my head and shimmy out of my leather jacket and abaya.

"Forgot to text me my butt." She rolls her eyes at me.

"Are your parents here?"

"When are they never here when you come over?" She says sarcastically. "They're in the living room." I start walking. "Oh, and you might want to put that back on. We have a guest over."

"Really Fad? You wait until I take it off?" I throw my abaya, khimaar, and niqab back on. I put my leather jacket on my arm and follow Fadwah to the wide living room. This place was like my second home growing up in friendship with Fadwah.