The other Half of my Deen

part 1

NAUSHEEN’S POV

Some people had come home to see me, they had asked my hand in marriage... My dad wanted me to get married too. I had finished my masters in software engineering. I was 24 and it was a little late for a girl to get married in the place I live. 

I was in the kitchen. I had made some snacks and tea. I was trying to listen to what my parents were talking about. I couldn’t though… I hear Mehak coming (her family is my closest family friend…). She called me to the hall where everyone was sitting.

I started walking towards the hall. With a tray in my hand which is full of snacks and tea. It was heavy. I was scared. Nervous actually.

Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. It was going to fall. I should’ve got snacks and tea in two different trays. I looked up. I saw two ladies (they looked like they’re my mom’s age), and two boys (a couple of years elder to me... I guess!). Looking at them made me more nervous. My heart skipped a beat. And wow. I tripped and fell.

I thought I was unconscious. I could hear my mom shout my name. I opened my eyes… I was confused. I could feel no pain due to the fall and I was lying on a soft bed… but, my heart beat was racing… (I’m sure Ammi could hear it too) and I really thought it was because of the fall that I was unconscious… But... I was getting up from sleep. -.-

It was fajr time, I got up and went into the bathroom to do wudhu, Ammi left to pray in her room. I kept asking Allah, what the meaning of this dream was…

It was 7am by the time I finished praying, reading Quran, and dressing up for college including the hijab. I ate breakfast and left for university. Sharp at 7:30am bus picked us up.

I went to a school which had girls and boys. Consequently, I had many boy friends and not any boyfriend (though I knew it’s not really right to even have boy friends). I didn’t get too close to any of my friends… I don’t know why. Except Ayesha. :-P

I had finished one chapter from the story ‘halaal love’. I looked out of the window, we had already reached university. I jumped down the last step of the footboard of my bus, I looked up and found Ayesha (my closest friend).

We walked into the university building together. We were in third year of college. We went to class and Ayesha told me her sister had joined our university too. She was doing masters in mechatronics. So we would have company to eat lunch with. Yay yay yay! :D

When it was finally lunch time, we walked to the canteen and on my way I saw this bike which really caught my eye. It was a Royal Enfield 500cc. It was my favourite bike, I didn’t know many bikes but this one I wanted for my brother. It’s the best. I was still thinking about the bike when I reached canteen. I took lunch packed from home. Ayesha didn’t. She went to order her food. I kept thinking of the bike. When she came back I was still thinking about the bike. I saw Ayesha had come along with Numara now we exchanged salaams and started eating lunch….

Numara: so, Nausheen? How’s everyone at home?

Nausheen: Alhamdulillah fine! How’s your class going?

Numara: Good. I enjoy studying so much. I have four subjects in this semester and two in next.

Nausheen: That sounds so little. :-P

Numara: But I should start with the research work now and finish in the end of next year.  And I should do it with my partner.

Ayesha: who have you paired up with?

Numara: no one. I don’t know anyone in class, Ayesha. There’s just one more girl in my class and she has decided to work with a guy. I need to ask someone to be my partner.

Nausheen: or someone might just come to you.

Numara: InshAllah!

A week passed. I met Ayesha and Numara every day in the uni canteen. Numara was having a hard time finding a partner for her project.

One day, I was waiting for Numara near the parking area, she was parking her car. I saw that bike again, someone was riding it this time. That bike had gone out of my mind that same day. I saw the boy riding it very closely. He was wearing a funny looking helmet (it was like the one people who work at mines wears). He was wearing ray ban sun glasses, he had little beard, stubble. He was fair but tanned. He wore a dark blue t shirt which had neon graphics. Not just me but everyone was checking him out because of the sound of the bike. He removed his helmet his hair covered half his forehead. He saw me staring at him. He looked at me and smiled. I smiled back, waited for him to come near me.