MINE (EDITED)

Chapter 13

Hey guys sorry for the late update. I've been busy ne. Eid Ul Adha✨

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I stood in the kitchen, stirring the pot of Turkish stew I'd made. The aroma of lamb and spices filled the air, making my stomach rumble. It felt good to cook something familiar, something that reminded me of home. The table was set already—plates, glasses, and silverware all neatly arranged. I smiled to myself, pleased with how everything was coming together. I loved hosting, especially for my family.

After checking everything one last time, I quickly went to my bedroom for a shower. The warm water relax my tense muscles as I used my lavender-scented shower gel. The fragrance was soothing, and as I rubbed on my cocoa butter afterward, I felt a little more at peace. I didn't have to rush this evening. I pulled on my favorite navy blue yoga pants, a white t-shirt, and tied a mustard-colored turban around my head. Comfortable, yet put-together.

When I finished getting dressed, I walked back into the living room to make sure everything was still in place. But just as I was about to sit down, the doorbell rang. I smiled. It was finally time. I hurried to open it, eager to see them.

The moment I swung the door open, Ni'imah threw her arms around me in a tight hug.

"Ni'imah! Oh my goodness, I missed you so much, wallah!" I laughed, squeezing her back.

"I missed you more! How are you?" Ni'imah asked, stepping back to look at me.

"I'm good, alhamdulillah. How about you?" I replied, still grinning.

She turned to her sister, Loubna, who stood beside her holding her baby, Nadia. I bent down to take little Nadia in my arms, and my heart melted.

"Ina wuni, ya hanya?" I greeted Loubna, holding Nadia close to me.

"Lafiya, alhamdulillah. How's school going, Leyla?" Loubna asked, looking around my apartment with a warm smile.

"It's going well, alhamdulillah. Just the usual, you know," I replied as I walked them into the living room, still holding Nadia.

We all settled on the couch, chatting about life, school, and everything in between. I stood by the door for a moment, making sure everything was in order. But just as I was about to sit, a voice interrupted me.

"It looks like I'm invisible here," a voice said, teasing.

I turned and found Muhammad standing in the doorway, looking at me with that familiar shy smile of his.

"Hi, Muhammad. How was the trip?" I asked, my heart doing a little flip. His presence always made things feel... complicated.

"It was fine, alhamdulillah. How about you?" he replied, his eyes lingering on me a bit longer than usual.

"I'm good too," I answered, trying to ignore the fluttering sensation in my chest. Why did he always do this to me?

The group settled down in the living room, and Ni'imah, Loubna, and I made plans to pray. I showed them where the bathroom was, and then I went back to the living room where Muhammad was sitting. I couldn't help but notice how calm he looked sitting there, scrolling through his phone, as if everything were just normal between us. But then again, it never felt entirely normal between us.

"Aren't you going to pray?" I asked, trying not to sound too curious, but the question slipped out before I could stop it.

"No, I've already prayed at the airport," Muhammad answered without looking up, his tone casual.

I nodded, but I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. I just wanted him to be a little more present. It wasn't like he was busy; he was just sitting there, on his phone.