The Hooded Hijabi

Past Revealed

I put the pen down as the invigilator instructs everyone to check their details on the answer sheets and put them aside to be collected.

Twenty minutes later I walk out of the huge hall and stand under a tree outside. Rachel joins me a minute later, saying,"At last!", she inhales deeply and continues,"You smell that? Ah, freedom!"

"How'd it go?", I ask, holding my statute book in my hands.

"I think, I'll pass. But then I messed up Natural Law's question a bit. I don't know, man. All I care about is going home, shoving all my books and notes in the closet and going out on a much-awaited date with my man!", she says excitedly.

I let out a little air out of my nose while smiling faintly. "What about you?", Rachel asks.

"I wrote on Feminism instead of Natural La-..", my words are cut off by Rachel. "I meant, what are your plans for tonight, you idiot!", she says, rolling her eyes.

"Plans?", I say sounding a little surprised as if the concept of 'plans' or fun was alien to me. "Um, I don't know. Sleep, I guess. Need some catching up to do.", I shrug as I reply.

Rachel shakes her head in disappointment and opens her mouth to argue when Becky shows up. "Rachel! Amina! Oh my God, guys! That was THE most difficult exam EVER!", she cries out. "What was wrong with the examiner? And that question on Fuller-Hart debate? Oh God!"

"Uh, what Fuller-Hart question?", I ask, frowning. "Y'know, question number three?"

Rachel and I share a glance and speak in unison with a poker face,"It wasn't."

Becky goes red in the face and grabs me, whining and complaining while I smile, shaking my head yet again.

My phone begins to ring and my heart almost races. It happens every time because then all I can think of Blackmailer's call. My muscles relax as I see Fatima's name on the screen.

"Amina!", she exclaims in excitement as soon as I pick up the phone. "Bhai's awake, Amina! Bhai's awake! He just got up!", she says through her tears.

Goosebumps run down my legs as I try to comprehend the words I had been so eagerly waiting to hear. "He's asking for you. Where are you?", she asks, ecstatic.

"I....uh...", I stammer and breathe deeply unable to speak. "Just get here ASAP, okay?", she says and cuts off the line.

I turn to Rachel who is asking me why I look so stunned. "He's...awake.", I say, my voice barely audible. She throws her arms around me and holds me tightly in her warm and soothing embrace.

I inform Ma and Ali who already knew and were on their way to the hospital. I hug Becky and Rachel goodbye and turn in a hurry to leave - my face glowing with a smile - when Mustafa shows up.

He opens his mouth to speak but I walk past him hurriedly while waving. I hear a distant voice ask Rachel,"What's with her?"

She replies,"Azan jus-...", and then I'm too far away to hear their conversation.

He's awake! Ya Allah, he's awake! My Azan is awake! Oh ALHAMDULILLAH!! I get into a cab and raise my hands to thank Allah for His Mercy. The twenty minutes drive feels like eternity and I open the car's door in a flash as soon as we get to the hospital.

"Azan!", I whisper, smiling as I look at the hospital building that I had been visiting these past six weeks. I walk to the main gate but suddenly, a hand grabs me by my waist and covers lower half of my face with a handkerchief.