The Perks of Being a Hijabi

Chapter Two

The entire school day I couldn't stop thinking about my conversation with Hussen. He was just perfect. All of a sudden I felt horrible! Ahudubilah! How could I have let myself fall for some guy? I was a Muslim woman for crying out loud! The thoughts of Hussen were pushed away by my religious ones.

"You okay?" Samia tapped my shoulder as we sat down in the bus. "You've been really quite today."

"Yeah, just tired." I tried to put on my best tired looking face.

"Okay, what ever you say so." Samia turned away to look out the window. I can't believe I'm admitting this, but the entire bus ride home all I thought about was Hussen.

When I got home, Baba and Ummi greeted me at the door with huge smiles on their faces. Something happened, something big.

"Why are you guys hugging Zainub so much but not me?" Asim scowled at me.

"Maybe because they love me more Asim." I smirked at my little brother as he stuck his tongue out at me.

"We love you both equally, we are only hugging Zainub so much because we have something to tell her that we ate very happy and proud of." Ummi wrapped an arm around Asim and kissed his forehead.

"What is it Ummi?" My stomach began doing cart wheels and flips. Ummi and Baba walked over to the couch.

"Come sit down with us Zainub, Asim go in your room and pray Dthur." Asim ran upstairs mumbling to himself.

"What is it Ummi, Baba?" I asked again. Baba and Ummi looked at each other with ginormous smiles on their faces.

"You have been asked for your hand in marriage!" They both said in unison.

"What??!!" I screamed. "Ummi, Baba? who is this man?!" I couldn't believe my ears, what about Hussen? "Ummi I'm not ready, I-I haven't even finished school yet!"

"You'll be getting married after this year, this is your last year in high school so you're fine." Baba took my hand in his big hands. "Remember Zainub, you'll be able to meet your new husband soon, but this is your choice, okay?" Baba smiled weakly at me while Ummi smiled like a madwoman.

The only thing I understood in this conversation was that I was getting married to some random guy that I didn't even know.