Ms.Independent & Mr.Egotistical

1. Finally

        I was the odd one out of my family, I didn’t get drunk on my ass every single day but I also didn’t wear a hijab. My sister Daniya was the religious one and played naats on her phone. Leena on the other hand was not religious at all one. My brother Omar got drunk every night, but prayed Fajr the next morning. But here I am, I try to pray five times a day and I love a good concert. I tried to follow my religion while I balanced a lifestyle I enjoyed. I’m pretty proud of myself. I’m twenty-four year old woman with a well paying job, and I have my own place.

            I walked to the kitchen, so I could grab some snacks for my very pregnant sister, Leena.

            “My god Serena, Julian wants to paint the room a vomit green color. I don’t know how to tell him, that the color is terrible,” she said with a sigh. Leena was technically kicked out of our family. My dad and mom did not accept the fact she married a Roman Catholic man named, Julian. Julian is nice and really educated. Like he’s graduated from Harvard Law educated. He’s attractive, polite and really sweet. Any girl’s parents would accept him. Except mine, remember that fact that he’s Roman Catholic? My parents crossed the line at him not being Muslim. He didn’t convert because he was a slightly religious person. It didn’t help the fact that Leena wasn't what you call a strict follower of Islam. And when they got married two years back…my parents and Daniya banned her out of their lives.

            I could never abandon my older sister; she is two years older than me. She was my partner in crime when we were younger. It’s not like Julian is a terrible person. I may not agree with my sister’s religious beliefs but she is still my sister. Omar could careless about what my sister did; as along she loved the guy he’s good. My condo is like buffer zone for my family, when everyone got here they were neutral. My dad used my place as an excuse to see my sister (daddy’s little girl).

            “Earth to Serena!” she said to get my attention. I snap attention back to her. I patted her back.

            “Struggles must real for you, huh?” I asked while I put the oreos down in front of her. She looked down and smiled.

            “Very real…but you brought a solution to everything.” She said. The doorbell rang.

            “What? Are you gonna paint oreos all over the walls?” I asked her as I walked towards the front door. I opened it to see my brother Omar. He leaned in for a hug, so in return I gave a big bear hug.

            “As-salamu alaykum! You better put something else on otherwise someone is going to give you shit.” He warned me.

            “Walaikum assalam….what are you talking about?” I questioned him while I looked down at my sleeveless shirt.

            “Shut up you dweeb! Serena don’t listen to him. As-salamu alaykum, Serena!” Yelled my sister Daniya. I say my salaams and helped my sister in. She walked down the pathway to my condo while being latched onto my four-year-old nephew, Atif. Daniya’s husband Asim carried tray of food behind her. I slapped Omar’s arm as he walked in.

            Daniya is the oldest out of us four. She older then me by six years Daniya isn’t what people think she is. She’s the type person who does follow Islam in a very traditional sense. But she does not impose her religious beliefs onto anyone else, but sometimes she does it without realizing it. I admire that she reads the Quran everyday with diligence even though she already has it memorized. She expresses her religious attributes in amazing ways. But sometimes it does take over her life in a literal sense. I mean she married Asim, through an arranged marriage. Call me a romantic; I feel like people should meet their other half with an unexpected way.