Seven years later...
Iklas POV:
Do you remember when we were in SS3, and we used to punish anyone who disrespected us back in SS1?" Amal reminisced.
"Of course, at that time, Iklas and Hanan were the head girls," Ifty chimed in.
"And do you recall when someone sent a letter to Iklas?" Hanan added.
They all burst into laughter before Amal mentioned, "I think more than 10 guys asked Iklas out."
"Can you guys please quiet down?" I said to my besties. They were deep in conversation about our secondary school days, and we were currently at Hanan's parent's house.
"Hey, just leave us alone if you're not joining," Ganinan replied. "Alright, let's continue our gossip."
"What time is it?" Amal asked. "It's 4:30," I replied. "Oh, I think my husband will be here any minute," I added, noticing the time. Just then, Abdulkadir, Amal's husband, called. We escorted her to the gate, exchanged greetings with her husband, and returned inside.
Amal got married three years ago, being the first among us to tie the knot. She met Abdulkadir a year after our secondary school graduation, and he's eight years older than her. Both come from wealthy families. Similarly, Hanan and I are also blessed (Alhamdulillah) and lack nothing.
I playfully teased Ify, "I think your husband won't call you," earning a glare from her. "Just wait and see, he'll call me any minute," she confidently replied. Hanan and I continued teasing her until her husband finally called, and guess who it was? It was Sulaiman, her childhood sweetheart and our classmate!
They tied the knot last year. Sulaiman's dad is super wealthy, just like Ify's dad. So, they decided to marry early to avoid any wrongdoing, knowing they had the means to care for each other. When Ify shared the news that she was marrying Sulaiman at 22, and he was 23, we were shocked but thrilled for them because their love is so strong.
We escorted ifty to the car, "sulaimanuu"
I teased Sulaiman, "Hey, when did I become an old man?" He chuckled in response. We bid them farewell and headed back inside.
Hanan playfully asked me, "So, who's waiting for you?" I just smiled and replied, "My lovely car."
"How's Ya Mus'ab?" I inquired. "Yeah, for the past five years, I've been calling him Ya Mus'ab because he's five years older than me."
Hanan then mentioned, "I should be asking you." I confirmed that Mus'ab had gone on a business trip and that when he returned, he would send our parents to propose to her. "I can't wait for your wedding," I expressed to Hanan.
She grinned and replied, "I can't wait to marry your brother," adding a playful wink.
Hanan's face turned serious as she leaned in closer, her eyes reflecting a mix of concern and determination. "You know that he is coming back this week," she stated firmly. I met her gaze, trying to mask my apprehension with a forced smile. "Yeah, I know," I replied, my voice tinged with a hint of uncertainty. "Iklas," Hanan called out my name, her tone soft yet insistent. "You know that I want you to be my sister-in-law, koh?" I could sense the weight of her expectations in those words as I simply nodded in response.
