Love for Allah's sake

Chapter 16

 

The buzzing of her phone woke up her from her afternoon nap.

Is Adam. She had been ignoring his call ever since yesterday. Afterall he has no fault in the situation, is just that she's not ready to talk to him.

 
Her phone rang again, this time she decided to pick.

After exchanging salam, he told her he will visit her later.

 
She stood abruptly from the bed and went to the mirror to look at herself. She looked so scruffy and messed up. She lost courage in everything now.

She don't want to form a rift between she and her friend but she has to do something. She want to be valiant in this situation even though she knows she's hurting alot. Her mind is stuffed with a lot of things that she hardly know what to do.

 
Some moments ago, mama had stormed into her room giving her dead glares. She even refused to answer her greeting.

Mama sat beside her and remain quiet for sometime, when she finally spoke, what came out of her mouth was 'why did you fight with Aysha? She told me everything'.

At first she was alarmed but later became calm as she understand mama is just tricking her. Aysha will never tell her anything about the situation at hand, she's trying to tempt her into saying it out.

Zahrah smiled at her subtleness and assured her that nothing happened between them. She wasn't thoroughly convinced, but yielded after many 'are you sure' 'yes I am' business.

 
At about four o'clock, her mother called her from the corridor of her room. She answered and rushed out to meet her mother. Her mother had been meek with her trying to induce her to tell her what her problem is, but she remain resolute. Even with mama's fierce threat and trick, she remained adamant. They will know when it is time, but not yet. She has already decided on what to do.

 
"Zahrah, Adam is waiting for you at the garden." her mother told her when she got to her.

 
A twinge of pain grazed her heart. She never wished to cause pain to anyone, but with the situation at hand, they all have to suffer, the three of them, but for a short while. They will all get over it in the shortest time. It will be as if it never happened.

 
She went back to her room and stood in front of her safe. She trawled for her pink hijab among the heap of ironed clothes in her safe, as pink is her best colour. She knows she has to look happy and cheerful in Adam's presence. The secret of happiness is to dispel worries, forget all problems, pardon those who offended you, smile often and put your trust in Allah. "I will take that path" she said to herself.

She donned on her hijab and nimbled out of her room to the garden.

 
"Assalamu alaikum." Zahrah said and sat some inches away from Adam on the chair he was sitting.
 
He answered her salam and looked towards her. She smiled at him but he frowned and turned away.

 
"Are you angry because I didn't pick your call?"

 
"So you know, I need a cogent reason from you why you didn't pick my calls." He said glaring at her teasingly.

  "Nothing really!" She answered, still smiling.

  "That's not an answer." Adam countered.

She laughed out slightly.

 
"Ok I will let you know but not now. We have a lot to discuss now." she said and looked at him from the corner of her eyes to see his reaction, to her surprise, he looked unaffected, because he has no idea what she's going to tell him.

 
"You finally decided to be open up with me right, is very thoughtful of you since in less than a month we will become one."

He was so thrilled that for a moment, he forgot where he was. He so much anticipate to see that day in his life.

 
"That's not what I mean." she said, slightly glancing towards him.

He looked at her, but the expression he saw on her face stifled his tranquility. "What happened." he asked fretfully.

  "Nothing." She twinkled her eyes in delight and faked a smile.

  "Are you sure?" He became a little bit calm as she smiled at him. 

 
If only he knows what is in her mind, if only he knows the tortuous decision she had made.  She resisted the urge not to cry, for if she cry, she will lost courage to move on with her plan, which she dared not to. After spending sleepless nights thinking of solution, she finally arrived at one, she has to be tenacious in the decision she's about to take now.

  "Are you OK?" he said cutting the chain of her thought.

  "Yes." she responded with a grin.

 
It pains her alot to be pretending as if there is nothing wrong when her heart is shattering into pieces. She has a knack of tackling issues no matter how severe they are, but this, is beyond her capability. Her talent had reached it peak.

  "Adam!" She called in a quiet tone.

Adam stared at her in amazement. She had never called his name in his presence. He had this ominous thought that something is definitely wrong. His body tickled with anxiety as a flicker a doubt flashed through his mind.

"What happened Zahrah?" He queried worriedly.

  "Do you love me?" The question. stumbled out of her mind.

"Of course I do, more than you think of. Words cannot even explain how I feel about you only the heart knows, for it beats faster whenever I thought of you. Don't ask me that question again. It will be as if you don't trust me or you are suspecting me of betraying you?"

 
"Can you do something for me then?" she said tenaciously without minding what he said. 

  "Yes, whatever within my power as long as it does not go beyond the limit Allah have set for us."

"Promise me you will do it for me whatever it is." Her voice held seriousness blended with pain.

 "Do I have to promise, don't you trust me?"

Adam was disappointed by her words. She doesn't even believe him. How could she now that they are some inches away from getting married. He felt a lump of pain ascending up to his chest. He smiled so to conceal his disappointment in her. For whatever she will do to him he will try and overlook it, because he loves her dearly.

 

The breeze blew and caresses her face. She felt a little tranquility in her heart which made her undaunted to her plan.

  "Not only promise!" she said resting her head on her palm. "I want you to take an oath with Allah and the holy book."

 Her words hit him like a catastrophe. A tinge of red flashed through his eyes. He looked at her bluntly. "What are you planning on?" he said, his eyes changing colour from white to tinged red.

 
"Is nothing big, I know you can do it." She smiled pleasantly at him.

 He sighed deep in relieve as her countenance shows no harm.

"Ok I will do it." he said and raised his index finger up pointing to the sky.  "I swear by Allah, whom I worship, and the holy Qur'an, the book of wisdom that I will do whatever Zahrah wants." He put his finger down and looked at her. "Are you satisfied now?"

 
She nodded her head and smile trying to repress tears from coming out of her eyes.

 
She stood up from her seat and walked few steps away from him. She then turned to look at him  her eyes clouded with tears.

 
"I want you to marry Aysha." She said with tears trickling down her chin.

"What!!!!"