The Two of Us

Chapter 13 - Trouble

Chapter Thirteen - Trouble

Sabrina couldn't go to sleep.

Today I got engaged to Khalid, she repeated in her mind. But no matter how many times she chanted it in her head, she still couldn't quite believe it. She never imagined she would be getting married to such a handsome guy. Appearances mattered little to her but still, she only ever dreamt of having a husband as good looking as Khalid. She sighed, trying not think about the way his dazzling blue eyes practically melted her soul into a puddle today.

Her mind replayed the whole event - cutting out Hiba's horrible presence - and she sighed, wishing she could stay there by his side forever, frozen in time. His laugh was stuck in her head and she could swear she could still smell whatever intoxicating scent he'd been wearing. Sabrina buried her head into her pillow and let out a small scream.

Oh my Allah, I'm totally smitten.

She had never been this head over heels over anybody. Sure there were the occasional crushes, the dont-look-lower-your-gaze-omg-I-want-his-face crushes, but none them affected her like this. None of them had her envisioning his eyes or the way his lips curved when he smiled or fighting to keep him out of her thoughts 24/7. And Khalid? She'd been friends with him in elementary, enemies in high school and now: engaged and soon to be married in University.

She groaned into her pillow again and thought. Okay, but we're getting married. I'm allowed to be smitten.

She turned back to face the ceiling, sighed contently and groaned for the third time as she realized that justifying her feelings for Khalid was not going to help her fall asleep.

* * *

"Asalaamu'alaikum, baita." Her mother greeted cheerfully, placing her breakfast in front of her. "How did you sleep?"

Sabrina yawned and mumbled. "Beautifully." 

Lie. She couldn't go to sleep and stayed up until Fajr and even after Fajr it took her two hours to doze off. Her mother gave her a knowing look and turned to her father and smiled. He looked up at Sabrina as she dug into her breakfast.

"Don't you have work today?" He asked, casually.

Sabrina froze. She'd taken a few days off for the engagement and promised her manager she'd make up for it by working on the weekend. Which meant today and tomorrow. Her dad looked up from his tablet, his eyebrow raised as Sabrina scrambled from the table and nearly sprinted to her room while gulping down a glass of orange juice and a plate of scrambled eggs.

* * *

"Oh la la." Sabrina's co worker, Thalia, greeted her as she ran into work, nearly an hour late. "I thought you said you were getting engaged yesterday?"

"I...did say that." Sabrina answered, confused.

"So why're you late today?" Thalia asked, her smile growing wider.

Sabrina shrugged. "Woke up late."

"Mmhmm." Thalia smirked. "I mean if it was your wedding night, I'd understand."

Sabrina's face went pale. "I don't- I...you. Oh my God."

Thalia danced around her, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Sabrina watched her, shaking her head and trying to prevent her face from flaming up. 

"You're evil." Sabrina finally managed.

"Oh, come on, I was just teasing." Thalia said playfully. "So what'd you wear?"