Behind the veil

Chapter 3

Leaving the coffee shop she took her small vintage-looking camera and hung it around her throat. She remembers when her dad first had brought it home. He had covered it in a silk looking fabric and as she took it out she could see the small white letters spelling out Leica. On the bottom of the camera house, she could see her initials engraved.

She held her camera up and focused it on the leaves while she stood under the trees. The soft sunlight seeped in between the autumn leaves. And so, she clicked a picture. Not being all to satisfies with it she took more some in colour and some in monochrome. After the not too short "date" she took the bus back home. She looked out of the window and could faintly see a reflection of the brown niqab she was wearing with a soft honey-like jilbab. She still vividly remembers the first time she wore it. Her mum had said no and her dad didn't see a need to, but he loved her more than anything and in the end, ended up supporting her with her choice.

As she got home, she left her camera on the shelf and took her mushaf. Once again she headed out and went to a small lake nearby. She had brought some bread for the ducks and she would herself a nice seat on top of a cliff. She opened the mushaf and recited with her soft melodious voice. As time flew by she saw the sun had started setting. She hurriedly ran home just in time for Maghrib.

Today, was another day where she had to eat dinner alone. It was at times like this when she felt the most lonely when eating alone. She took a shower, got some homework doner and tucked herself into bed. The warm blanket covering her, and as her head touched the soft pillow she was once again thankful for being alive. Sleep slowly took over her, and soon it became morning once again.

She made a rather quick breakfast, got changed and threw her backpack over her shoulder. She took the rode the bike to school feeling the air hitting her face, well, her glasses and niqab. As she approached school she could already see one of her friends waiting for her extremely happy and the others well, obviously, they'll be late. Why? No reason at all. The first lesson started, it was a lesson about different diseases. After reading so far you would probably imagine her studying literature somewhere, in a small school in the corner of nowhere. But, no, She studied medicine at one of the top universities and in the evening she would go to an Islamic university for extra lessons. She enjoyed this part of the day, she loved gaining knowledge and she loved gaining knowledge in areas she loved.

During recess, she would hang out with her closest life companions and friends. As the lesson ended she took her backpack and jacket and looked out for her friend. From afar she could see one of them in a pink jilbab being all hyper, this was the most positive one of her friends, named Asia. She had paired her pink jilbab with a white niqab and we all knew she had an even more pink lipstick on her underneath all that. She had liked to dress up and put makeup since high school wanting to impress her future "hubby". Much to her friend's favour, she got married the last year of high school and this couple made her eyes ache out of their love for each other. She always pitied them, her eyes.

At the end of the hallway, she could see her other friend waving her hand trying to walk over and in the process managed to stumble over a chair and stamp on her dress as she was trying to get up making her fall down again. This one friend was such a child and this time she didn't pity her eyes, she pitied her brain.

They all said some harsh jokes now and then but they were not shy when it came to showing affection for each other, they trusted each other and were very close. They would often beat some sense into each other's brain and cut the chase, they were also very honest with each other because that's what friends are for, helping you to improve for the better not limit each other. Helping each other learn and picking each other up in the process.