Gravity

Chapter 13.

“You said you were shipped so like you were shipped with Omar.” – Haneen Muhammad, Gravity.

Chapter 13.

 

☻Safa Muhammad ☻

Ramadan was in less than a week. Due to my final exams and various tests, I haven’t been able to catch up on a lot of stuff in my family. Zaipee and her family had left about a week ago. Things were back to normal and I was pretty much ok with being Omar’s fiancé now.

“Ok mama. Bye”, I said as I finished my breakfast. I had to be at my university in 20 minutes and it was exactly a 20 minute drive from here.

“Bye?” my dad said. I sighed. Lately baba has been teaching us the importance of saying Salam. I smiled.

“Assalamualaikum”, I said. He smiled.

“Safa, where is your ring?” my mom asked when she saw my ring finger empty. I was trying to not to wear it very often. Why? I had no idea.

“Um... It’s in my room”, I replied hesitantly. My mom squinted her eyes. “Why is it in your room and not where it should be?” she asked. I rolled my eyes.

“Mama, I go to university to study. Not to show off my engagement ring. Don’t worry, no one has ever proposed me and no one is going to. I’ve been ordered and already shipped”, I told her casually.

“Oh my gosh! Was that supposed to relate to something?” Haneen said. I furrowed my eyebrows.

“Get it? You said you were shipped already so like you were shipped with Omar”, Haneen tried explaining. I still didn’t get it.

“You know how people ship two people and create a mash up name?” she tried again. I rolled my eyes.

“There is no ship name for me and Omar Alhumdulillah”, I said as I picked my bag up. “And don’t even think about it!” I warned her. She narrowed her eyes.

“Fine! Just go and stay in your boring world nerd”, she said.

“Now that I come to think of it, you and Omar are a perfect match! Zayan told me that Omar also doesn’t take any interest in this kind of stuff”, she told me. I glared at her.

“Omar and I aren’t a perfect match, ok? Stop saying that”, I said. She laughed.

“Deny it all you want but-

“Assalamualaikum mama!” I said loudly so Haneen’s voice could not be heard. I picked up my bag and walked out the house. I started up my car and drove away.

20 minutes later, I parked at my university’s parking. I was walking to my class and someone tapped my shoulder. I looked and saw it was Abdul. Abdul had been my friend ever since high school. He helped me with everything first in high school, then in college and then coincidently, we both decided to go to the same university.

“Hey! What’s up?” I asked as I shook his hand. He smiled.

“Nothing much. Just studying”, he put his books up for me to see. I laughed.

“And you?” he asked.

“Same. Busy with everything. I have to do so much”, I told him. He smiled and looked down. He didn’t look too happy today. Something was wrong.

“What’s wrong? Is everything ok?” I asked him. He looked at me.

“Congrats on your engagement”, he said. I smiled.

“Don’t congratulate me”, I said without thinking.

“What? Why?” he asked.

“Um… I mean… it’s just an engagement. Congratulate me on my real big day”, I smiled. His fake smiled was too obvious to not be noticed.

“Are you sad because I didn’t tell you?” I asked him directly. He looked at me and shook his head.

“Abdul, I’ve known you for a long time and I know something’s bothering you. Come on, tell me”, I pushed him to spill his words.

“I don’t know how to say this but I was hurt when I heard you were engaged”, he confessed. I furrowed my eyebrows.

“Hurt? Why?” I asked him. I would understand if he said he was hurt because I didn’t tell him but he was hurt because I was engaged?

“Never mind”, he said and started walking away.

“Abdul”, I stopped him. He turned around. “Tell me, please. I’m your best friend and friends don’t have secrets”, I said.

“I think this one should be kept a secret”, he replied calmly and then walked away. I stood as I watched him enter the building. Why did he want to hide something from me? I decided to ask him again after my class. I ran inside the building since the class had started 5 minutes ago and since I was graduating in 6 months, I needed the most credits I could get to earn my PA degree.

After class I didn’t find Abdul anywhere. I realized he had left when I didn’t see his car in the parking lot. I was still curious to know his secret. I was not going to leave his side until he spilled the secret.

After dinner the following night, I sat in our backyard as I studied for my test. Haneen brought my coffee and sat beside me. I realized only after a few minutes that she was staring at me.

“What?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Nothing”, she said.

“Haneen stop staring! It’s getting creepy”, I told her when she constantly stared at me for good 2 minutes.

“Safa, tell me something. Your friend Abdul, what’s his deal?” she suddenly asked. I looked at her.

“Abdul? How do you know him?” I asked her.

“I don’t. He called me today. I have no idea how he had my number in his cell phone”, she said.

“What did he say?” I asked her, completely ignoring her comment.

“This is a very serious matter Safa”, she tried acting professionally.

“Haneen spill it!” my voice got louder.

“He told me he was hurt because you were engaged”, she began.

“I know. But why?” I asked her. I just needed to hear what his reason of being hurt was.

“Wait, how do you kno-

“Just tell me what he said!” I cut her off.

“He likes you. No wait, he LOVES you. He is in love with you”, Haneen finished. I stared at her in awe.

“He said that?” I asked and she nodded. “He told me he’s been feeling this way since you guys met in high school”, Haneen told me. I closed my books. I couldn’t believe it. Abdul and I were best friends but I had never thought of him the way he did. I felt uncomfortable with being his friend now.

“I never thought he had such a cheap thinking”, I began. Haneen stared at me.

“He told you to convey his message to me, didn’t he?” I asked her. She nodded. “Well duh. Why else would he call me?” she said as she played with her hair.

I looked down. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m actually glad I’m engaged”, I spoke. Haneen’s expressions changed as she looked at me.

“No way! You finally like Omar?” she stood up. I stared at her and then looked down.

“Maybe.”