Seher

Chapter 1

Seher's POV

Today was Friday and i had my day off from work. School was closed due to summer break and i was utterly bored. Ali was somewhere with his friends and ammi abbu both were at work. Ammi had scolded me countless time to call her mom. And stubborn me would rather get beaten with her shoes then to call her that. It just didn't felt right.

Sighing, i went to the kitchen. Ammi and abbu had shifted from India to Canada 15 years ago after my grandfather's death. Since then we've hardly been in contact with anyone. Ammi says we don't have any close relatives since abbu was the only child of my grandparents.

The fridge was full of chocolates and fruits. Soemwhere deep inside i found the pack of steak i had hidden a few days ago and left it to defreeze. I don't know why i loved meat so much, i could hardly go a couple days without having a go at it. That's why I learned to cook it myself since it wasn't like the maid is always in the house. Being self reliant in cooking is a blessing.

Just then my gaze fell over the green silky material peeking out from under the sofa. My hijab! I had hidden it last night there before ammi came.

Moving like lightning i reached to the scarf and again tried to wrap it around my head. It stayed for a couple seconds before it bunched around my neck and i failed miserably.

"Ah, maybe next time."

I cooked, cleaned and did my homework. Some would say it is so tiring being this perfect, jokes on me actually since i was good at all things i didnt had a passion for and bad at everything i wanted to learn. So you see, i was far from perfect.

The door opened and Ali came in with his soccer dudes. God, i hate his friends. Obnoxious, rich and idiots. they needed a serious attitude adjustment.

"Is there anything to eat, sister?" He asked one hand openif the fridge other hanging around some girl in barely any clothing, though other people would call it cheerleading outfit.

"Yes, there is steak enough for you on the counter but tell your friends they have to eat somewhere else."

"Don't worry, Seher. The only thing i would like to eat is you."

"Gross, Dylan. Super gross." Rolling my eyes and disgusted I walked back into my room and closed the door. Soon the sound of music was blaring in the house and even at that the music was so loud that it felt like someone was banging pots and pans.

Ughhhh. Why did i have to take the room upstairs again if I had to go down and take care of pests time after time?

The woodstep creaked a little as I looked at Ali. Dancing in his dirty soccer uniform. Ya Allah when will this boy get some real brains?

"ALI!" I yelled and then my eyes fell on the girl on his arm. Blonde hair, blue eyes and everything else was better left unsaid about her clothing.

Suddenly the music stopped and back at my looking with fire in his eyes was Ali.

"All of you can go home." My voice was taut with anger. I didn't expected from him anything like this. Does he forget that he is the older sibling. He should be the one stopping me from diverting myself from the straight path.

When everyone left. Ali came upto me.

"How many times have I told you to not call me Ali in front of my friends??"

"That's your name, isn't it?" He was taller and more intimidating and I would have never interfered with his little unannounced party if I didn't had the headache from failing in my secret arabic classes I was taking online to read Qur'an.

But he didn't know that.

"Seher, why are you so....i mean what is wrong with you? Kids our age miss school, go out with friends, party and try to become popular. This is ordinary and you are ruining high school experience."

"And how exactly am i doing that? This is my home too. You can't just bring over your friends without asking if I'm okay with it. You don't see me bringing my friends over."

He opened his mouth and then whatever he thought he shouldn't say, he said.

"That's because you don't have any friends. You don't talk to anyone. Nobody likes you at school and i have to feel ashamed telling someone that you are my sister."

Nothing came out of my mouth. He had already left. The front door slamed shut as I sat on the floor.

Great, now even my brother hates me.

I looked down at myself. My khakhi pants bigger than my size and my tshirt loose on my frame. My hair that I stopped cutting after freshman year was in a bun. I know what I looked like without any makeup. I looked like I didn't give any f*cks.

The only thing that hurt was that Ali didn't thought I was good enough.

Abbu came close to 7 in the evening. Ammi was already in the kitchen. She came early today because I called her saying I wasn't feeling well and luckily her boss let her go.

"So Dawud, should we tell her?"

"Tell me what?"

Both of them shared a secret smile.

"Well-"

Suddenly the door flew open and Ali came in slamming the door shut he stumbled in the hallway
He was drunk? Again?
Astaghfirullah.

Ammi rushed after him as he kept on mumbling to himself how Beth had cheated on him.

Ammi worried looked at me and both of us shut his mouth before he could utter another word. Abbu continued to stare daggers at him.