Majesty Of The Heart

Chapter 2 - Judgements (Aiyla Siddique's POV)

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Chapter 2 - Judgements (Aiyla Siddique's POV)

"Humans could be the vilest creatures on Earth."

Someone had said that to me once, but being the optimistic I was, I never believed the girl who told me this. I was in my senior year of high school at the time and used to babysit my neighbor's two children. One was in her first year of high school, Secondary one and the other one was an adorable two year old. Since the toddler's sister was young herself, her parents often requested me to keep her company and help her out with her little brother when they went out.

It was a dark day. Clouds covered the sky and rain fell in buckets. The chilly breeze even crafted its way in to the house, despite the windows and doors being closed. Layla, the young girl, had just come from school. Her hijab was all messed up, and her face covered in tear tracks. She sat down silently beside me on the sofa, and before I had time to ask her what happened, she said words that marked me. I didn't get to ask her what happened that day, or why she thought so about people. She wanted space and I gave it to her. Eventually, she seemed to get better, she made friends and started liking her school.

But I digress.

Her statement made me think. What could have made her think like that? Bullies? Teachers? Relatives? No matter who or what it was for her, for me, her statement was finally validated today.

Not all of my mom's friends were "true friends". Some of them were just here for gossip, and my mom being the nice person that everyone took advantage of, she just couldn't let them down on the offer. To her, not inviting them or rejecting their offer to come over, was misbehavior, impoliteness. But her politeness has put me in trouble today.

All of the women had stopped their conversations. My mom's real friends, the ones I actually did admire and respect, try very hard to divert the Bengali Hawks Association's attention from me and Mr. Blue Eyes. Unfortunately for me, they fail greatly.

The BHA (Bengali Hawks Association) gape at me with wide eyes. But their stupor doesn't last, because one of them finally opens her mouth.

"Aiyla, you should be careful. Thankfully it was us, but if it was someone else who saw you now, where would your family's reputation be? You aren't a little kid anymore. You've grown and need to take account of that."

"It was just an accident, none of them saw where they were going-" my mom tries, buts is cut off by another one of her 'friend'.

"Well she should see! After all, she's a girl. Girls need to be very careful. It isn't the boy who should watch out, it's the girl that should."

Angers boils in my veins, but I stay silent. I go through ideas in my head, searching for a way to put these ladies back into their place without being disrespectful. Because respect always goes a long way.

"Pardon me auntie, but in our society and time, girls are treated fairly and Islam treats women even better. So based on Islam, it is men who should be careful. We as women don't need to thread lightly just to please men's unrealistic propositions. I wear a hijab and do all my duty as a Muslim, and men should also do their religious duties. That should be what men look for in their spouses, not how many times a girl bumped into a guy by mistake" No one stops me and for once my mom smiles at me while I fend for myself. That's new. I thought my mom would tell me off for being disrespectful even if I was trying my best to be  respectful.