The Year of You (on hold)

chapter 1

It all started that year when the heat was most unbearable, and we were fasting.

My older brother brought him over a few times to spend the night. Since it was the month of Ramadan and we all had to get up early anyway, my sister and I didn't sleep. Neither did my brother or his friends.

"Muneerah, can you please make us suhoor?" (breakfast) my brother Yunus called to me. By us he meant Nabeel, Ahmed, and himself.

"Of course my lovely brother," I say, actually trying to make him mad. Instead I hear the boys chuckling in the basement, which upsets me. So while kneading the dough to make roti, I pretend that I'm punching and rolling around my brother and his idiot friends. I was completely unaware of the footsteps coming the stairs, so I was shocked when my sister, Safiyah, hurriedly motioned for me to put my hijab on my head. I push back my unruly Egyptian curls and try to tame them beneath the scarf I hastily attempt to secure with no pin.

The knock on the door reminds me that I had actually locked the boys in the basement, so I took on the job of opening it. I almost prayed to myself that Nabeel was the one coming up, but I stopped myself. Lucky thing it was Ahmed, because if Nabeel saw me dressed like this I'd be embarrassed.

"When are you guys going to bring down the food?" Ahmed asks, rather hungrily in my opinion but I don't say anything.

My voice is small when I tell him, "In a bit."

After we've sent down the water and rotis and chai, Safiyah and I sit down to have our own suhoor. While we're clearing away the table, I go to remind the boys what time fajr is, and at the same time, Ahmed delivers the dishes to me from the stairs.

I felt quite satisfied that they didn't leave anything in their plates, and Ahmed actually complimented my cooking.

When they leave later on in the day, I'm asleep and I wake up hearing my brother Yunus's cheerful voice talking to my mother.

"The entire time Nabeel kept saying what a wonderful sister I have, because Aisha doesn't do anything for them!" My mother says something that I cannot hear, followed by more cheerfulness from Yunus.

"No! Nabeel and Ahmed were both really surprised at how hospitable we are, they kept asking if Muneerah stays up on a daily basis or if they were disturbing her sleeping hours. The thing is, they're actually really well mannered when they're guests at other's houses and they don't like to feel like a burden."

Now I can't stand the heat in my bed so I get up and head down stairs. I am greeted by a half angry mother and an ecstatic older brother.

"Who told you to make suhoor for them Muneerah?" my mother asks me before I can say asalamalaikum. "Asalamalikum mama, I made suhoor for my brothers and Yunus asked if I could make a little more because Nabeel and Ahmed were over." I replied. "Walaikum asalam" she says to me flatly, "you mean he asked you to serve them? you're bringing friends over so your sisters can serve them?" I don't know why my mom is so angry, I thought feeding a fasting person gives you more hasanat*. I decide to walk away from her and my brother reasoning with each other, and continue on with my morning.

I never thought my life would turn out the way it did. Who ever thinks they'd get what they want?

Dictionary:

* hasanat - good deeds.

A/N: hello and asalamalaikum! this is my latest story, i'm going to try my hardest and stay consistent with updates, and inshallah i'll finish this one accordingly. hope you all enjoy, and take care!