Beautiful Things (A Muslim Love Story)

Chapter Nine: Emma

I hate Emma. I despise her for being foremost rather beastly. She doesn't love anyone but herself. She's so selfish and disgusting! Emma doesn't love anyone. She never said how she loved anything or anyone, because to her love is too serious. She hasn't even said, "I love you" , except to her own parents! She's almost sixteen now, she should be a little more mature, like me. I'll be turning twenty one in a few months time, and I'm so distinguished, aren't I?

-Excerpt from Asiyah's mind

BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG.

I held my head in my hands and sighed loudly. My parents were at a city council meeting at Great Wormwood Court, leaving Emma and I behind. Emma seemed to really need me now, because she started to pound on my bedroom door.

"WHAT?" I yelled, flinging my door open.

Emma. 

Her hair had been tossed around like salad. Her eyes were wide and filled with fear. The worst was her face, it had gone pale and was white as chalk. 

"Asiyah," she began. "My friend is in the hospital. Please take me there. Please."

"Emma, I don't-"

"Please, Asiyah!"

I felt really bad. "Okay. Which hospital?"

Emma wrapped her arms around me, which was quite the shock.

"Asiyah, thank you so, so much," she said.

"Do you need me to stop by and get anything for your friend?"

"Yes, I need you to go to the flower shop and buy some roses."

"Roses?" I asked, confused.

"Yes."

Okay.

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Somethings in life are unexpected. Like now, driving with Asiyah. I can't wait to start driving lessons, because she's slow in her hot green Ferrari which is supposed to be fast, so that's unexpected. I wish life wasn't so unpredictable, because I expected this but I didn't expect that. I think that every unexpected moment that comes in life is like a lesson, each time you get smarter on what will happen. But of course, that's just an expectation.

-Excerpt from Emma's mind

Oh my God. MY HEART IS HAMMERING AGAINST MY CHEST.

When Asiyah drove into the hospital parking lot, I felt as if someone had just stabbed me in the stomach. I didn't want to go inside because I was worried how bad it would look, but I wanted to go in.

I thought of the text Delina had sent me.

Omg, Emma, guess who's in the hospital?

My eyes filled up with tears. I ran towards the hospital entrance knowing I needed to get in.

...................................................................................................

"Name of patient you're visiting?" the hospital secretary inquired.

"Um-" I started. Asiyah was standing right next to me.

"Hey Asiyah, isn't that Almas?"

Asiyah jerked her head behind her.

"Where?" she asked. "Where is she?"

I quickly whispered the name of whom I was visiting to the secretary. She took our information then allowed us to visit for up to twenty minutes.