Where Are You?

CHAPTER TWO~

  I went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for my loving family. My mother was already cooking some eggs on the stove. "Assalamu aleikum," I greeted her while kissing her cheek. "Wa aleikum salaam, Ahlam." She replied with a loving smile. I clutched both of her shoulders gently steering her to a chair. "Just sit and I'll prepare breakfast." I Said.

Sighing she complied because she's knows I won't let her cook no matter what. Yep, I can be stubborn at times. My father says i got that from my mom. My mother is sweet, caring and speaks her mind; she's also brutally honest and stubborn. On the other hand, my father is the quiet type and a very logical person. Despite, their varying personalities they understand, support and love each other.

"Who's the person behind that smile? "

"What smile? " I asked confused.

"Please, don't even try to deny it," she said in a sing song voice. "So who's the man, mmmh?"

Oh, how I wish...

"It's not what y...."

"You don't know what am thinking. Now, out with it. " She said with a tone of finality. Gosh!

"You do know curiosity killed the cat, " I told her smirking.

"It's a good thing am not a cat then." She answered with her own smirk. I groaned. This made her smile.

"Fine, fine i was thinking about you and dad and how different you guys are."

"Awww, really? Well don't worry honey you'll find someone who truly understands and adores you InshaAllah. I always pray for." She said sincerely. I quickly turned to the stove and blinked away the traitor  tears before they fell. Marriage is a touchy subject for me.  The eggs were already done and i was just brewing a pot of coffee for my brothers. My mother can't stand coffee but she's a huge fan of tea. Sniffing, I told her to go wake up the boys. After fajr the always go back to sleep and waking them later is a task in itself. But my mother wakes them instantly, I don't know how she does that.

I have four brothers. Three are older than me and two of them are married leaving Ibrahim, who is two years older than me and my baby brother Yusuf. Ibrahim is in college and Yusuf is a senior in high school.

After graduating high school, I refused to go to college instead I enrolled myself at the Masjid for Islamic courses and my parents were happy with my decision.Especially my father, speaking of which, I dearly miss him. He left last week for a business trip and the house seems really empty without him.

I felt someone pull my hair(I never cover my hair when am alone with my family) I turned and saw Yusuf smiling at me sweetly, "Hi sis! "He said energetically and to think he just woke up. "Hi baby brother," I cooed pinching his cheeks.

"Please, there is nothing baby about me," he said while air-quoting the word baby.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, shorty, " he replied smugly. True he was taller than me. Some people even thought he was older than me.

"Whatever, " I dismissed turning serve him his breakfast. Wait for it... Wait for it...

"Am really sorry Hala, please don't be mad." Ha! Sucker.

"Sis...? "He was poking my back now. "Look I swear I didn't mean t... "

"Relax,  will you? I was just messing with you," I laughed. Yusuf is just so gullible. But he's my favorite brother and we are really close.

"Phew!" He said wiping fake sweat from his forehead.

"You're still here? And where's Ibrahim? Boys you'll be late now get moving. "Mother was saying. I quickly passed Yusuf his plate and started piling Ibrahim's with food,  who entered the kitchen a few minutes later. He was returning to college today after a two weeks break. He mumbled a 'thanks' and started eating.

"Honey, I invited Laila for lunch today. Just us girls." She said happily.

Laila Hassan, is a she-devil, but my mother is fond of her. She pretends to be oh so caring and loving infront of her.  I think she likes Yusuf and I suspect mom knows too. She hates my guts and I really don't know why. But I just hope she fails in her mission. My mother always praises her; how she's a good girl, a practicing muslimah, oh and how she's 'really mature' for her age. Whatever, that means. She's a year younger than Yusuf but I hope I'll never have her as a sister in law. Much less because she got married to Yusuf, my favourite brother.

I internally screamed. "Great," I said with fake enthusiasm.