MINE (EDITED)

chapter 12

Here's an update for ya!  ❤

The sound of my alarm blaring through the stillness of the morning jolted me awake. 8:00 AM. Oh Allah, I have classes today! I groaned, blinking away the sleep that clung to my eyes. I had barely slept the night before, too excited to finally be getting into a routine here in Manchester. But there was no time to waste.

I scrambled out of bed and rushed to the bathroom, splashing my face with cold water to wake myself up. After a quick shower, I picked out my outfit for the day—a pair of black ripped mom jeans, a light brown sweater, and a matching scarf. I slipped on my white Nike canvas sneakers and did a quick touch of makeup, just enough to feel somewhat put together.

Hunger gnawed at my stomach, but I didn't have the time to make a big breakfast. I opened the fridge to find it empty, so I pulled out some leftover pizza from the night before and heated up two slices. Grabbing a glass of apple juice, I quickly scarfed down my breakfast. It wasn't gourmet, but it would do. I grabbed my bag, my keys, and hurried out the door.

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The day dragged on with a mix of lectures and assignments, but finally, it was time to meet my friends. After class, we all decided to meet up at Zizzi, an Italian restaurant, to unwind and have some fun. I ordered Pasta Della Casa—my usual favorite—and the others each picked their own dishes along with drinks. It was nice to see everyone again; we had all been so busy with schoolwork lately.

As we ate, the conversation flowed naturally. Jackson and Alex were cracking jokes as usual, while Amelia and Malia were deep in conversation about the latest book they were reading. Meredith seemed preoccupied, but we all knew she had a lot on her mind with midterms coming up.

By the time dinner wrapped up, I was feeling full and satisfied. The laughter from the group echoed in my mind as I left the restaurant. I said my goodbyes and headed home.

I had been friends with Amelia, Malia, and Meredith since our first year of uni. We were inseparable, always studying together or hanging out in the city. Jackson and Alex had joined us later, in the second year, and they fit right in with the group. But it was Amelia who'd only come into the fold last year. The five of us were a tight-knit crew, always looking out for one another.

I showered and changed into a pair of comfortable sweats when I got home, knowing that I was going to do absolutely nothing for the rest of the night. I plopped down on my bed and opened Netflix, looking for something to watch.

Just as I was about to hit play, my phone buzzed. It was a FaceTime call from Ni'imah.

I grabbed my turban and quickly answered.

"Hey, Ni'imah!" I greeted her with a wide smile.

"Layyyla!" She screamed, her voice so loud it made me wince.

"Do you have to scream every time you call me?" I said, holding the phone away from my ear.

"Well, Saboda fiancé dinnka ce, that's why I can't help myself!" she teased, laughing loudly.

"Ni'imah," I groaned, "What's up? When are you coming to visit?"

"I'm getting ready for the airport now, that's why I called you," she replied, her voice filled with excitement.

"Okay, so why aren't you calling me with your phone?" I raised an eyebrow, but she explained that her phone was charging in the living room, and she was in Baba's living room with Muhammad.

We chatted for a while, catching up about everything that had happened since we last spoke. The excitement in her voice was contagious, and it made me feel a little less lonely. As much as I loved Manchester, I missed my family back home.

After a while, I started to feel sleepy. I bid Ni'imah goodbye, told her to travel safely, and recited my duas before falling into a deep sleep.

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I woke up early for Fajr prayers and checked my phone afterward, only to see that I had missed a call from Malia. I quickly dialed her number, and she picked up after a couple of rings.

"Hey Leyla!" She greeted me warmly.

"Hey, Malia! I saw your missed call," I said, still lying on my bed, feeling the warm comfort of the blankets around me.

"Yeah, I tried calling you last night. You must have been asleep," she said, sounding slightly apologetic.

We chatted for a while about life, school, and what had been going on with our respective families. I could tell that Malia was stressed out with assignments, and I offered some advice before we hung up.

Just as I put my phone down, I remembered that Ni'imah was coming to the UK today. Finally, I wouldn't be alone anymore. I smiled to myself, grateful that I wouldn't have to spend the weekend by myself. Plus, it was Friday. A perfect time to relax.

Ni'imah had told me that she and Muhammad were coming to Manchester first before heading to Leicester. They were bringing their firstborn, Loubnah, and their baby, Nadia. I was really excited to see them all.

🌻🌻🌻

Later that evening, I decided to cook a really spicy bowl of noodles. It wasn't anything fancy, but I loved how satisfying spicy food was after a long day. I plopped down in the living room with the bowl in front of me and turned on Two and a Half Men, a comedy I had been watching to unwind.

I laughed along to the jokes, trying to forget about the stresses of the past week. After finishing my noodles, I washed the bowl and sat back down in my cozy corner with my phone. I wasn't in the mood to watch anything else, but I was ready for some more conversation.

My phone buzzed again, and to my surprise, it was a FaceTime call from Nabeel. I had been meaning to call him earlier, but I had gotten caught up with everything else. I smiled as I answered.

"Yakışıklı ağabeyim! My handsome brother" I greeted him, "I was about to call you."

"Benim güzel kardeşim, really?" he asked with a playful wink.

"I really miss you. I swear," I said, my voice filled with affection.

"I know you do," he replied, his usual teasing smile evident even through the phone.

"So how's Florida? How's everything there?" I asked, eager to know how he was adjusting to being back there after a short break.

"Florida's fine, Alhamdulillah. It's hot as usual," he replied with a sigh. "How's Manchester treating you?"

"It's fine, Alhamdulillah," I said, shrugging slightly. "It's a little lonely, but I'm managing."

We continued chatting for a while, mostly about random things, before he asked, "Ya Meena's not there yet?"

I shook my head. "No, she's not here. Ya Muhammad is on a work trip to Prague, and Ya Meena is in Paris with her husband and Nasreen. So, it's just me for now."

Nabeel and I talked for about 20 minutes before I told him I needed to go to bed. I also chatted with Ibty and a few friends before finally putting my phone down and drifting off to sleep, thinking about everything and everyone.

Hey guys❤ sorry for the late updates☺ hey!! If you're a teen wolf fan and haven't watched the last 2 episodes of season 6, I advice you to do so because its litt mehn✨✨💃🎉