Changing His Ways

PROLOGUE

Life for Shoaib was hard enough without me deciding to barge in there and try make him a better person. He wasn't always this 'bad boy' who dealt drugs in the alleyway at night, he was never one to smoke outside the gates of school and he definitely wasn't one to speak back to his parents.

I knew though that this was something he never planned on letting happening to him. Playing basketball was something that he used to do with my brother. Flashing me a smile at the end of Jummah was what he used to do. Painting was what he was fond of.

Though I didn't think it would ever come to an extent where things would go horribly bad that he would end up in jail for a month. No Muslim would ever just stand there and let this happen, especially not me. This bad act is just a façade whether anyone wants to believe it or not and sometimes I wonder if he himself knew that.

Looking at him right now scoffing at what his parents were saying to him made me realise just how much of a help he actually needed to break away from his habits that he's grown into. Many attempted but none achieved the possible outcome they wished for.

Seeing him walk away without a hint of regret made me want to follow him; though I couldn't. Edge of curtain in hand, I broke away from the horrible sight that just happened in front of me. I hadn't seen Shoaib for a whole month and the day I see him come back is the day he also chooses to walk away.

I had made my decision when the police first came knocking on the door that summer day when the entire Arab population decided to have a get together the day after Eid and how embarrassed his father was watching him smirk in the police car, hands handcuffed behind him. How his mother begged and cried for her forgiveness of her son to be let go.

None of this affected him though; he was just as proud of his decision on getting arrested that he didn't see his parents' humiliation. No parent should live to see the day when their child is in trouble without any guilt in their eyes.

The choice of going to the bad side was his. Though the choice of bringing him to the good side is mine. I, Umaymah Abdul am changing Shoaib Ali's ways.

"A Muslim is a brother of (another) Muslim, he neither wrongs him nor does hand him over to one who does him wrong. If anyone fulfils his brother's needs, Allah will fulfil his needs; if one relieves a Muslim of his troubles, Allah will relieve his troubles on the Day of Resurrection..."

Asalaamalikum, this will be the sequel to 'My Choice' and I decided to post the prologue beforehand, which seems silly, but I wanted you guys to see what I hand in store next. This is about Aliza and Isa's son, so I hope you guys will like it!