Halal Lovin'

Chapter 8

{The next day}

(Conversation in Arabic)

"HANAN!" My mom yells.

"YEAH?!"

"COME DOWNSTAIRS!!!!"

I grunt and get out of my comfy bed. I was listening to BTS's song Fire and had my hair down rocking to the beat.

I go downstairs to see what the problem is.

On my third to last step, I stop. Shocked by who I'm seeing by the door, smirking at me.

His eyes travel from my messy kpop fandom hair down to my 'Jungshook?' shirt and my grey baggy pants.

(Conversation in English)

"Can't block me physically."

With that, I run upstairs and lock myself in my room.

What is he doing here? Why didn't my mother tell me? Is he even allowed to be here before the wedding? What am I supposed to do now? Am I supposed to go back downstairs? What does he think about me now? Is this what my mom wanted me downstairs for?

(Conversation in Arabic)

"HANAN!!! COME DOWNSTAIRS RIGHT NOW!!!" My mother yells once more.

Groaning, I put on an abaya and scarf.

I go downstairs and see my mother and Saif on the sofa talking about something.

"She doesn't know how to cook you know."

"It's ok I never eat."

"She barely gets up to clean. I have to yell at her. It's my fault. I think she's so used to people picking up after her. She's really spoiled you know, " my mother says while playing with the spoon in her teacup.

"Look, Aunty, I understand that your daughter is extremely ugly and all, but I like her fingers. They're really small and chubby, " Saif says with an almost too serious tone and look in his face while wiggling his fingers in front of my mother.

My mother looked up at him with a weird expression.

Just as I was about to walk in, I see the corner of her lips lift up.

"You really are something. I'm not worried about you mistreating her at all. What I'm worried about is whether or not she's really prepared. I don't think-"

"I'm ready, " I interrupted while tieing the knot on the back of my niqab I brought from the cabinet near the front door.

"You just keep getting more and more gorgeous, " Saif says with a laugh.

"Saif came to discuss with you the wedding details, " my mother says getting up and taking her teacup with her. "I'll be in the kitchen."

(Conversation in English)

"Did you call me extremely ugly?" I ask while walking into the living room and sitting on the sofa opposite him.

"Of course, " Saif says with a duh at the end. "I had to show your mom I'm serious about you."

He gets up and comes closer.

" I had to show her I'm serious about us, " he adds not breaking eye contact.

"By insulting me?"

"By showing her I'm honest."

"You're a jerk, " I say frowning.

"Hey hey. Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"Frowning. I just convinced your mother I wasn't gonna hurt you. Haven't you heard of a mother's wrath?"

I laughed then reached up to take my niqab off with my head down so I can focus on the knot I tied.

"I like your feet, " he whispered.

Confused, I looked up to notice him looking down and playing with his pinky. Swirling his fingers from his left hand around it.

"Thanks?" I replied, not knowing what to say.

"You know.., " he trailed, "your mom said we could make out......just a little bit, " he finished making a little sign with his fingers like his sister did before.

"Okay, " I said.

"Really?" he asked in a really shocking way.

I got up and started making my way closer to him.

His eyes start to widen when I extended my arms his way.

Just when my hands are around his neck, I slowly reach towards the center of his head and tie the knot.

"There you go, " I say with a wide grin while trying extremely hard to control my laughter so I don't cause any suspicions from my mother on the other side of the wall.

"What?" he questions.

Then almost instantly, he notices what I just did.

"You said you wanted to try it on, " I say in a casual way. "You look better than me, to be honest."

"You, my dear, are extremely difficult, " he says while trying to untie the knot of the niqab.

"Here, let me help, " I say while chuckling.

Just as soon as the niqab falls off I feel a pair of hands grab my wrists and a pair of lips on mine.

At first, I didn't budge nor did I kiss him back.

His lips trailed off and his grasp on my wrist let go, but his face didn't move.

Just before I could say anything, his head lifted and he grazed my nose with his teeth before harshly biting it.

With that, I smacked him on the arm hard.

"Ouch. What was that for?" He asked while rubbing his arm

"You bit me, stupid."

"I only did that because what we did is a sin. "

"So? How does that explain it?"

"If you get hurt, sin is removed, " he implied while still rubbing his arm. "Now this sin is gone since we both got hurt."

"I'm pretty sure that's not how it works, " I said while getting ready to smack him again.

Just when I thought my guard was high enough, he leaned in while tightly grabbing both my wrist and pulling me closer.

My eyes wide and my breath hitched, I slowly lean back. Although I desperately wanted to repeat the same action, I knew it was wrong.

His hands let go of my wrist and dropped down and around my waist while pulling me in closer to where I can feel his body heat.

"Thank you for saying you're ready when we both know you're not. Wallah, I'll never complain about you not knowing how to cook or being messy, " he says while looking down on me. "And wallah, in my eyes, you are God's most beautiful creation."

And then he tilts his head downwards and kisses my forehead before letting go and getting up.

I think I made it obvious that I missed his touch as soon as it was gone because his next words made it clear he noticed.

"I also wanna keep holding you, but I just want next time to be halal. Bye habibt i. Oh, and by the way, Abeel said hi. That's the only reason I came for. Unblock me, you silly queen."