Ready? For Marriage!

Chapter 1

Chapter One

I look up at the clock to see that there is ten minutes remaining. I look at my paper and blank out for a couple of seconds before getting my act together.

I start writing furiously. My hand is starting to hurt but I carry on, ignoring the pain.

Come on Afaaf you can do this. Don't think about the pain, don't think about the pain, don't think about the pain. It'll be over soon.

I come to a halt as I realised I've finished. Alhamdulillah. I look at the clock to see that I have about a minute and half to read over what I've done. Quickly I bend my head and start reading and correcting my mistakes. I'm on the last sentence as I hear the invigilator say "Your time is up. Put your pens down. Stay quiet the exam is still in progress, until all papers are collected." Sighing I put my pen down and close my paper I make a small dua to Allah. Hoping I'll be able to get the grades I want.

As I wait for the invigilator to call us to leave the exam hall, I get a nervous and exciting feeling in my stomach. Today after a very long time, 3 months to be exact, I'm going to be seeing my father who went on a business trip to Australia. It's been too long since I've been in his presence and hugged him. FaceTiming is not the same.

I get up as I hear the invigilator dismissing us, I walk out of the hall, heading straight to my car. Sadly I don't really have any friends in university, I guess that's a good thing, keeps me more focused on my studies. I've just finished my last exam of my second year in university, I'm twenty years old. I'm studying optometry, I guess the desire to do so is because I've been wearing glasses ever since I was eight. Oh how the glasses back then were so ugly. Now I go for contacts and when I'm feeling lazy I wear my geeks as I like to call them. Today is one of those days.

I push glasses up as they had slid down my nose and get my keys out of my bag, I get in my car and begin my drive home.

*****

Twisting my keys into the lock I open the front door of my house and scream "Assalammu alayakum". I close the door and begin to remove my shoes, all of a sudden I'm attacked by my younger brother shooting fake bullets at me, with his stupid toy gun. Fifteen and he is still so childish. When do boys grow up.

I'm about to shout at him, when I see a smile on his face, one that tells me he is happy. Dad must be home. I run into the living room to see my dad sitting down with my grandmother (my dads mum) and my mum. I scream which diverts their attention to me. They looked like they were having a serious conversation but whatever it was about, it can wait. My dad stands up and opens his arms, I run into his arms and whisper a salaam in to his chest and tell him I missed him. He smiles at me and kisses my forehead. Daddy's home!

*****

My brother, Dad, Mum, Grandmother and I sit down to eat. I look down at the table and my mouth starts watering. Another good thing about when my Dad comes back, my Mum cooks the special Pakistani food, you know the ones only seen on occasions. And my Grandmothers has cooked biscochitos, a traditional Mexican sweet dish. Another thing you might want to know about me I'm half Pakistani, my mum being full Pakistani, a pathaan to be exact, and a half Mexican as my Dad is fully Mexican,. I'm a mix of things but I am more intwined with my Pakistani heritage as I live near my mums family and hang around with my cousins a lot. I know some Spanish not great at the language but I can have a conversation with someone in Spanish, probably will only last three minutes though before I start slipping up.

My Dad's voice drags me out of my train of thought as he asks "How was your exam?" That's a question I hate answering every time I come from an exam. You have to watch what you say so when you get your results you won't be teased about how you thought you would do well, and you hadn't.

So I went for my usual reply. "Alhamdulillah Papá, it was good. Not excellent but good. Insha'Allah I do well." Everyone chorused an "Insha'Allah" to my statement.

*****

After we finished my brother and I helped my mum clean up the table and washed the pots. As my mum was leaving the kitchen I went to walk out with her when my brother pulled me back.

"What do you want, Muhammad?" I asked him turning around expecting there to be a mischievous look in his eye but he looked serious.

He hesitated before he said, "I overheard Amee and Papá talking and I think this time they were serious."

"What about?" I replied although I had an idea in my head of what it was about, but they'd know not to do this while I just had a year left of uni right.

Muhammad took a deep breath before whispering. "About marriage. Afaaf, I really think they are serious they were talking about.. what could be your future spouse and everything."

I looked at my brother and smiled although he could be the most annoying thing on the face of the Earth he still managed to have my back. I smiled and nodded at him to say thanks for telling me as I didn't know what to say. He walked out of the kitchen into the living room and I walked after him.

I've talked about marriage with my parents multiple of times, I was okay with the idea. I mean someday I'd have to get married. But I thought we'd agreed after university when I'd finished my studies. Then again Muhammad could of heard wrong.

I stopped myself from thinking more about it and focused on what was going on. For all I know maybe Muhammad is trying to prank me.

*****

Hope y'all liked the first chapter. I can't wait to release more chapters. Just warning you, I might introduce the guy a bit late as I want  you to see the close relationship between Afaaf and her family, so you can get to know them a bit more.