"You've been spending a lot more time here lately. Is everything alright with you and your mother?" Carla asked me as I finished doing my makeup with the front camera on my Iphone.
"No it's all Alhamdulillah we hardly fight these days. I just have a lot more time on my hands because I got fired from my job".
"Oh amor. I'm so sorry". She said patting my shoulder in a kind way.
"It's okay. You don't have to apologize". I try to sound positive but Clara reads he distress in my eyes.
"You are so clever and beautiful don't feel bad about any of this. Trust me that girl who hurt you will end up losing twice as much. You have such a skill with technology. I wish I could learn things so fast"
"Oh but of course you can" I said, adjusting my position to face her.
"Oh look at that. Look at me. When I was younger I used to have long brown hair. Now with all the chemo I've lost so much of it". She said, looking at her reflection sadly.
I suddenly had an idea.
"What are you doing?" She asked, looking at me confused to why I was taking my hijab off.
I wrapped my light pink hijab into a turban with a bow hijab style round her head.
"Take a look". I said, turning the self camera on my Iphone back on.
"Oh my word. Me amor I look like a princess from a fairytale or even better a hijabi!" Clara said with a giggle.
"Let's take a Selfie." I suggest.
"Why not? It is a rather special moment" She smiled in acknowledgement.
And just as I unlock my phone "Abu Ella I never knew you were one for selfies!"
Rodrigo had come out of nowhere and said making me jump behind Clara's chair since my hair was uncovered.
Uhg, what is this guy's problem?
I quickly looked in my backpack for my instant turban. Thank Allah for them they are total lifesavers.
"Nuriyah, you remember Rodrigo right?" Clara asked me when I came out from behind her chair.
Oh I remember him! "I don't think I've had the pleasure", I said sarcastically.
"Neither did I", Rodrigo said calmly. I guess people like him find it very easy to lie.
"You two did meet I remember it was the day you ran you out of here so quickly".
Clara tried to explain.
"It just came back to me we have met before. Where did you run off to, anyway? Did you finally blow your cover?" Rodrigo said with scoff.
"That's really funny coming from a brainwashed ignorant", I hissed.
"Abu Ella we are going to be late for lunch" Rodrigo said offering his arm to Clara.
"Oh yes. I almost forgot about lunch. Time does fly when you spend it with good friends. Why don't you join us Me Amor?" Clara asked as she got up her chair balancing herself on Diego.
Join?
A whole hour sitting across from Rodrigo "No Thank you" I thought to myself.
"Nuriyah you can't say No. What kind of a Muslim would be other whys"? I heard the voice of my brother in my head.
I could see Rodrigo disliked the idea as much as I did.
"Don't you have someplace to be?"
He asked as though he was setting some sort of invisible line between Clara and me. It was clear as the water that I was annoying him.
