Shirk in Disguise

Chapter 26

"So, have you decided on your course of study yet?" Azeema asked Bilqees as they were sprawling on her bed in the tastefully furnished room she had all to herself in Bilqees's home. A couple of years had passed and the two were back home on holiday and were getting ready to write their final secondary school leaving examinations as soon as they resumed school.

"Ah, I don't think so. Left to me I'd prefer just lazing around at home," the seventeen-year old Bilqees replied lazily. "I'd gladly take a break from the four corners of a classroom!"

Sixteen-year old Azeema fixed her a stare that seemed to say, Like seriously?? "What on earth would you be doing at home?" she asked her.

"Resting and waiting for a rich suitor of course!" Bilqees replied without shame.

"OMG Friendy you're something else!" Azeema exclaimed. "If people like you who were born with silver spoons snatch away all the rich suitors, what would happen to all the poor girls?" Even though Azeema seemed to be completely accepted by the Marzuqs' family as one of their own, she still never forgot her roots. She was poor too.

"Oh, never mind," Bilqees replied offhandedly. "We'll employ them as house-helps and maids!"

Much as she tried concealing it, Azeema couldn't stop a fairly painful expression from appearing on her face. Thankfully, Bilqees didn't notice. Therefore, she turned the statement into a joke and thumped Bilqees's back playfully. Bilqees reciprocated and the two girls momentarily became kids as they played with pillows for a while until they collapsed on the bed, breathless.

"Rich suitor or not, I'm not staying idly at home and become a couch potato like you," Azeema said, still a bit breathless from the pillow fight. "I'm thinking of going for entrepreneurship."
"Well, to avoid being lonely at home, I just might consider enrolling in a fashion institute," replied Bilqees.

The two friends then turned serious and began weighing their options. It was a tough world out there. Besides, Azeema, in particular, really wanted to become independent to avoid being a burden on anybody. Be it her mentors, the Marzuqs, or her prospective fiancé.

Azeema finally stood up, phone in hand, and started putting the room in order. Bilqees, who was watching her, noticed that she was working rather mechanically.

"What's up, Friendy?" Bilqees fired at her with a knowing look.

Azeema let out a sigh. Bilqees knew her so well that she could detect the faintest change in her countenance. "Oh, I just remembered something."

"What's it?" an inquisitive Bilqees asked.

"It's this thing with Faysal..." She still referred to their relationship as 'This Thing' even after more than a couple of years.

"Okay..." Bilqees began before being cut off by the familiar ringtone of her friend's phone.

Azeema quickly turned her attention to the phone without hesitation. Without being told, she knew the identity of the caller; He had a unique ringtone.

"Here we go again..." Bilqees muttered under her breath. She stood up and made her way out of the room ostensibly to give them privacy but really because their exchange of love made her heart bleed. Plus, she knew Azeema wouldn't miss her for at least a couple of hours...

Bilqees's mother found her in her room half an hour later, crying her heart out. She was lying face-down on the comfy bed, her head buried in the soft pillows.