Amaar

Chapter 1

"Salam Alaiki ya Ma." I greeted my mom and gave her a peck on her cheek. "Wa'alaikis- salam Hazee, any luck?" She asked with excitement. I let out a sigh.
"I'll have to wait till baba travels again." Her excited smile immediately falls.
"Don't worry habibi, you'll get the job, insha Allah." My name is Hazira and I'm twenty years old. I graduated from college eleven months ago. Personally, I think my father and my mom were a match made in heaven. Why? Because my dad is super strict when it comes to ibadah, unlike mom, who'd let you leave the house without covering your face (after much persuasion that is). After my schooling, I was planning on getting a job. Where I live here, men have more dominance over women but Muslim women especially have no right. We can't do this, we can't do that. So I came up with this plan. Knowing my father would never agree to let me get a job, I decided to do it behind his back (like when he travels) and tell him afterwards, with reasons as to why I should work. But since I'm a Muslim, there's no luck and it would honestly take a miracle to get me hired. My mom supports me though and it's good to know your mother has your back but I'm honestly starting to lose hope. "I'll go change Mama." I smile weakly. I was tired and worn out. And emotionally, I felt cheated. I took a shower and threw in a yellow shirt with a pair of black jeans. I went downstairs and ate my lunch, before retiring to my room to mourn over my loss with chocolates.
****
"Welcome baba." Sadeeqa, my sister and I say in unison. We said our Salams and sat down for dinner. I kept on having this feeling at the back of my mind. Like an inside voice telling something bad was gonna happen.
"So, Hazira, what are your plans now that you're done with school?"  Sadeeqa and I exchange glances.
"Well baba, I guess I have nothing to do. So I was wondering may be I could get a job?" I kinda ask, scared of his reaction. But he didn't do anything. He just raised a brow as if saying, 'what?'
"What I mean is that baba, instead of wasting my time at home doing nothing, I could get a jo-"
"Hazira?" He interrupted me calmly. Oh boy, here we go.
"What completes half of your Iman (faith)?"
"Uhm, Taharah?"
"And?"
"And?"
"So you don't plan on getting married for the rest of your life." Oh god, I never thought of that. Okay, may it crossed my mind a few times but let's be honest, who would want to marry a complete stranger? Definitely not Hazira, that's who.
"I-I do baba. Bu-"
"Then it's settled, you're getting married and I know just the person."
I knew it! But that didn't surprise me at all. If he hadn't already planned that, he wouldn't have brought it up. And whenever baba makes up his mind, everything is final. I looked up and met his hazel eyes starring hard at me. I gulped and quickly darted my gaze back to my plate. Nothing was said after that (to my relief). After dinner, I went upstairs and prayed Isha. I took a shower and went to bed, feeling emotionally drained.
*****
The next morning, I woke up to wonderful news.
"Your dad has traveled." Mama answered, when I asked where he was. I ate my breakfast happily, daydreaming myself getting the job. It wasn't everyday that dad travels a day after he just came back. I threw on a blue shirt and a black skirt. I wrapped my hijab and pinned it, not bothering to cover my face. I kissed my mom good bye and scurried happily.
******
"Salam Fatie!" I hugged her. I was feeling down because as most of the times of my life, I've been rejected. But nothing Fatima can't fix. She just got married to Abdul and sometimes I envy her just a bit. He parents aren't strict and let her throw birthday parties, date, be on social media, get pedicures and manicures, apply make up and other cool stuffs. Oh ya Allah, what am I thinking?  Astaghfirullah.
"Hey Hazee." She hugged me back. After five minutes, She and I were sitting on her bed with a hug bowl of strawberry ice cream.
"And he brought up marriage. Marriage Fatima! How can I marry a complete stranger?"
"Maybe you could court him?"
"You talk as if you don't know my baba." She gave me a weak smile.
"Well, whatever you do, just know that they're still your parents and want what's best for you. Allah too is with you.  Just pray to him, he has a reason for everything."
"I guess you're right. Allah Hafiz, look at the time. I gotta go help mama make lunch."
"Bye Fatima."
"Buh-bye." She waved and saw me to the door. I entered the house through the back door and man, did it smell good in the kitchen.
"Is someone visiting mama?" I asked, oblivious to the reason why she and Sadeeqa were in such a rush. They've made a huge bash of Samosa, meat pie and cup cakes. And for dinner, they made mashed potatoes, some curry and mom's currently preparing the beef gravy.
"Your dad's coming back with visitors." She replied, wiping her sweaty face with her handkerchief. I checked my wrist watch to see the time.
05:49
"Wow, okay then." I unwrapped my hijab and placed it on the counter. We finished the gravy and then we all went upstairs to pray Magrib. After that, I went downstairs. Mama, baba and Sadeeqa were there with the visitors. I went over to say Salam.
"Salamu Alaikum." I greeted the couple. The woman was short and fair. She had a very expensive, red abaya with a grey hijab wrapped loosely around her neck. Her husband was wearing a black kaftan. He was tall, a bit taller than my dad. And when my gaze moved to the next person, I gasp silently. The man looked like he was in his early twenties. He had a dark brown hair that was styled to look like he just woke up from bed. Nonetheless, he looked breath taking. His coffee brown eyes stared emotionlessly into my hazel ones. He was wearing grey shirt with a pair of blue jeans. I blinked my eyes rapidly and turned my gaze away, my cheeks heating up.
"Oh my, you must be Hazira, I'm Aunty Shiva and this is my husband, Ali." She smiled.
"Nice to meet you." I smile back.
"Why don't we sit down for dinner?" My mom said, leading them to the dinning room. Mama and baba sit across each other. Sadeeqa sat next to me by my left, and across aunty Shiva. By aunty's right, their son, I am guessing, sat across me. And by Aunty Shiva's left, sat Uncle Ali. After serving ourselves, mama dives straight into discussion with aunty Shiva and somehow got me involved in whatever they were saying.
"I've heard you're done with college Hazira, yes?" I nod.
"That's amazing! You can start working in New York." I was confused and didn't know what she meant but surprisingly just ignored the fact that she said that. I just smiled and continued eating my salad.
*****
After dinner (and dessert), mama and baba said they wanted to talk to me, so they sent Sadeeqa upstairs.
"Do you remember the conversation we had yesterday?" I nod.
"This is Amaar, you're getting married in two months." I freeze and it seems like time stops. You could here a pin if dropped. I raise my gaze to meet my dad's.  He didn't say anything. He just stared at me as if saying, you better not argue bout this.
"What?" Amaar speaks up. "You told me we were visiting a friend!" He growled. Guess I'm not the only who's parent surprised.
"Well, if we told you that, you wouldn't have came." The rest of the night was a complete blur. Aunty Shiva was talking to mama about the wedding plans, while baba and uncle Ali talk about business. Amaar grabbed his phone, while I sat awkwardly. Finally, they leave. I don't even say good night to my parents and just went straight to my room. I laid on my bed waiting for the tears to come but they never did. Maybe deep down, this was what I wanted, maybe this was best. I prayed my Isha and went to bed, not caring that it was just  09:23pm.