TALES OF THE HEART (EDITING)

chapter 8

Sayyid's POV

I've been thinking about Aidah a lot lately—the way she smiles, the way she talks, and the way she laughs. The way she carries herself with such grace and how she calmly approaches everything makes her truly unique. There's just something about her that keeps drawing me in.

I think I'm falling for her. We've been friends for almost a month now, and I really want it to be more than just friendship. It's been a month since the fair and since I last saw her. With Hammad not around, I haven't been to their house lately, and I find myself missing her more than I expected.

"Samad?" I called, looking up from my phone.

"Yeah man, what's up?" he answered, glancing up from his phone.

I decided to share with him that I really like Aidah, even though I was still contemplating it. I knew Samad all too well; he would tease me mercilessly and probably say, "I told you so," which would definitely get on my nerves. But I brushed off those thoughts and decided it was time to man up and tell him anyway.

"You know, I think I like Aidah," I finally said, the words spilling out before I could second-guess myself.

Samad looked up from his phone, dropping it onto the center table. "I knew it," he said with a huge grin. "About damn time, bro!"

"Seriously, man, I knew it all along, but I wanted you to realize it first," he added, still grinning.

"Well, now what am I supposed to do?" I asked, feeling a bit overwhelmed. "What am I supposed to say to Moh?" I added, a touch worried about her older brother, who is also a good friend of mine.

Samad chuckled. "Hammad will surely understand. I mean, he's her big brother, so he might not be thrilled about it, but I'm sure it won't be a problem. Aidah is a mature woman; she makes her own choices."

I nodded, telling Samad that Aidah and I chat once in a while on Instagram. "It's not much, but it's enough to keep me thinking about her," I added, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness about where things could go.

"I'll talk to Maryam, her friend. From there, we'll figure out what to do," said Samad, his tone thoughtful as he considered the best approach.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks, man," I said, grabbing the remote and switching the channel to a sports network where a match between Arsenal and Chelsea was playing. I wasn't really a fan of either team, but it was something to watch while I gathered my thoughts.

My phone started ringing, and I checked the caller ID to see Mami's name pop up. "Assalamu Alaikum, Jam banduna Mami," I greeted her in Fulfulde.

"Okay, I'm coming," I said, ending the call and turning to Samad. "Mami wants me to take her somewhere. You in?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nah, man, I should probably head home," Samad replied, shaking his head.

I nodded and made my way to my room to change. I quickly threw on some camo shorts and a black short-sleeve shirt. Then I switched to a navy blue kaftan from a brand owned by Hammad's younger sister, Fatima Amma, who is also a friend of mine. I grabbed my phone, slipped on my glasses, and put on a pair of black Russel and Bromley slippers. After spritzing myself with Tom Ford perfume, I headed over to Mami's side, feeling ready for whatever the day would bring.

I found Mami and my sister Sauda in the living room, both looking nicely dressed. I squatted down respectfully to greet Mami, and she returned the gesture warmly. Once she stood up, we headed outside to the parking lot. We got into Mami's car and drove out of the compound, the familiar streets unfolding before us.