The Perks of Being a Hijabi

Chapter Thirteen

The next day at school I walk up to Samia. As usual she's taking with Garo and Khadijah.
"Um, Samia can we talk? Alone?" Samia says goodbye to Khadijah walks toward me. She looks worried.
"I know it was you Samia," She looks at me with shock in her eyes.
"What?! What are you talking about?"
"That picture that Stephanie posted, I know that it was you in that picture. I have proof, the clothes in the picture were the same clothes you borrowed from me." I look at her sternly.
"Zainub, I-" I cut her off, not wanting to hear anymore of her lies.
"No, there's nothing to say, you joined Stephanie in trying to make my life a living hell! You tried to break my marriage up, more than once!" I don't notice, but my voice begins to rise.
"Listen to me Zainub," Samia grabs my arm as I'm about to turn away from her. "Yes I did help her, but. But, I wasn't in the picture." I look at her with confusion.
"I'm not stupid, of course that was you." I retort.
"Apparently you are stupid, because that really wasn't me. Stephanie forced me to take a random pair of clothes from you," She slowly exhales. "She said if I didn't do as she said she would hurt me in some kind of way. Now that I understand what I did, I feel selfish and like a coward." I try to look at Samia in the eyes, but she looks away in shame. "I did this to my best friend..." Her eyes begin to brim with tears.
"La la hubibti, don't cry, don't cry." She begins to sob quietly, I allow her to rest her head in my shoulder as I engulf my best friend with a hug.
"I forgive you for the sake of Allah, and because you are my best friend. Samia, I love you like the sister I never had." She looks up at me, her face covered in snot and tears. I laugh at her snot covered face, she slowly joins my laughter.
"It's okay, all I have to do now is get Hussen to forgive you!" She gives me a weak smile and we walk to lunch. We walk together to lunch. As we enter the cafeteria, I notice Hussen looking up from his meal. Our eyes quickly meet, but I look away shyly. Samia looks at me weirdly.
"You okay?" She must have seen me blushing. I nod and sit down at a table with our other friends. During the lunch period, I tell my other friends everything that happened between me and Samia.
I feel relieved as I walk out of the bus and into my neighborhood.
"Hey Zainub!" I turn around and see my little brother Asim jogging toward me.
"What's up lil bro?" He finally catches up with me and joins my slow pace.
"Nothing, I just wanted to walk with you." I snort at his reply.
"What?" He exclaims. I shake my head and we enter our home.
"Asalamualakum Zainub and Asim! How was your day?" Ummi walks out of the kitchen holding a knife covered in lettuce pieces.
"We're good Alhumdulillah." Me and Asim say in unison. Ummi walks back into the kitchen and Asim goes upstairs to change. I follow Ummi into the kitchen.
"Umm, Ummi, is Babs okay?" I've been hearing my father coughing very roughly, and it's been worrying me for so long. As I speak, Ummi's smile fades.
"It's just a simple cough." She says quickly proceeding to her work without eye contact. Weird.
I rush out of the kitchen and up the stairs to greet my father. When I approach the door I hear a fit of coughing.
"Baba? Are you okay?" I knock on the door as I enter my parents room. Baba is curled up in ball on his bed, covered in large blankets.
"Alhumdulillah, *cough* fine *cough*!" His eyes were weary and tired.
"Inshallah you will get better Baba," I reply and leave to him to rest.
When I reach my bedroom, I sit down at the edge of my bed. I whip out my phone and dial Hussen's number.
"Asalamualakum, Hussen speaking." I laugh at his formalness.
"It's me, butt head!" I say through giggles.
"What's up with all the name calling?" He sounds offended through the phone. I tell Hussen all about how Stephanie was the one behind all of our problems and that Samia was forced by her to help her. Hussen eventually forgave her.
"We need to show that Stephanie a piece of our minds!" Hussen exclaims.
We end the phone all with our salams. This marriage is really strong, I think to myself.
Thank you Allah, you have made everything so much easier to overcome, it's as if we can get through any obstacle with ease! Oh Allah, you have blessed our hearts with so much forgiveness, I hate to think a moment without forgiving someone.

The next day was Tuesday. For some reason Tuesday has always been my favorite day of the week. I brush my teeth, and get ready for school. (Note that I didn't mention praying, hint hint) I go downstairs only to find Ummi and Asim eating.

"Where's Baba?" I ask as I pour milk into my coffee. No one replies back, so I repeat myself. Ummi looks at me with sadness.

"Your father's condition has been getting even worse, I'm planning on taking him to the doctors when you guys are at school inshallah." She looks down at her food, I can tell that she's lost her appetite. Suddenly, Ummi's phone rings. She picks it up puzzled.

"Asalamualakum Zaria," Both me and Asim sit closer to Ummi.

"Oh, okay, I'm fine with that. Okay Wa alakumusalam!" She hangs up the phone and smiles weakly at me. "Zainub, instead of having your wedding a week after school ends, it's gonna be the day after school ends. I'm not surprised that they would push the wedding closer. I biss my head and walk out the front door.
And right outside my door is Hissen, waiting to pick me up.

"You could've just came inside," I say as our hands loop into each others.

"Nah, it's fine." We walk together to his car. I love the way he holds my hand, so firm, like he doesn't ever want to let go. I love how our steps fall in unison. We are one, he is my other half and I am his. I never thought completing half of my deen would be this amazing.

"Umm, hello? Zainub? You still in there?" I woke up from my trance to find Hussen waving his hand in front of my face. He's holding the car door open for me.

"Oh sorry, I was just thinking," I sit in the passenger seat with Hussen beside me.

"What were you thinking about?" He asks as he starts the engine. "Were you thinking of me?" He smirks at me and I playfully punch his arm.

"As a matter of fact I was thinking of you," his face lightens up more. "You better not become more coincided as you already are." He laughs as we drive to school.
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I hope you guys liked that chapter! Sorry i haven't been able to update for so long, school is always in the way! *Ugh* Anywho, I'm not going to hold a cover contest anylonger. Also, should i start putting translations for my non-Muslim readers?? Give me all of our feedback, good or bad. Pray for our Ummah, and pray for freedom for our Ummah as well! May Allah bless you all!
Peace out
-Sumi_love