Unexpected Promises

Chapter 2 ✓

Atifa's pov :

"I missed you so much bhai. Where were you? I even got hurt but Amira and Atifa api helped me." Alayna's bubbly voice brought me out of my thoughts. She was talking to that man, who I realised, was her brother. But the question still remained, where did he come from? How did he know she was here?

Being a niqabi, I felt like disappearing from there. But I couldn't just turn around and leave without being noticed and without questioning him. I wished the earth would swallow me to save me from this awkward situation.

"Assalamualaikum." A deep velvety voice brought me out of my raging thoughts. I glanced up to see him looking at me. As soon as our gazes met, we looked away.

"Walikumussalam." Instead of a strong and firm reply, my voice came out like a soft whisper, which I wasn't even sure if he heard.

"Uh, Jazak Allahu Khairan for helping my sister. It really means a lot."

"Wa Antum Fa Jazak Allahu Khairan... How... Did you come in here?" Furrowing my brows, I asked him, confused.

"You don't know?" He frowned. How could I know? What was he saying? What was even going on here?

Before I could reply or contemplate anything else, ammi entered the room through the other door. "Assalamualikum Ammi."

"Walikumussalam Atifa, I see you guys have already met. That's nice." She smiled, confusing me more. She knew him? She brought him here? And she was smiling? That was a good thing but it still didn't add up or answer any of my questions. Ya Allah please help me!

"Yeah, I brought him here." Before I could ask anything, she told me.

"Oh... Okay, I- I will set the lunch up." Mumbling awkwardly, I rushed towards the kitchen. In my haste and worry, I hadn't even realized it was past four already.

Just as I finished setting up the table, Amira entered the kitchen with a silly grin adorning her face.

"What happened?"

"Nothing." She hopped around happily. "Ammi was asking if the table was set."

"Yeah, you can call everyone for lunch. It's ready." Heading back into the kitchen, I told her.

"Okay!" She chimed before running away. Weird.

As everyone sat on the table, I stayed in the kitchen to refill the bowls.

"Atifa, why don't you join us too? It's pretty late already so come and eat." I wasn't expecting ammi to notice my absence. And I definitely wasn't expecting her to ask me to join them. I wasn't even sure if I heard her right!

"Yes api, aaiye na." Amira leaned back to look at me through her chair.

(Yes, please come.)

"No it's okay ammi, you should start." I replied hesitantly, without leaving the kitchen, hoping she would hear me anyway.

A relieved sigh escaped my lips when I didn't hear any response. Grabbing the only chair present in the kitchen, I started reading again.

I would've loved to join them for lunch, only if that guy wasn't present there. Sitting there meant compromising on my deen, on my niqab, and I wasn't going to do that.

The lunch went quietly for a while, until ammi decided to break the silence and ask him questions. "So how old are you?"

After a while, I heard him reply coldly. "Twenty-two." Was it rudeness which I heard? I didn't know, his voice was a bit hard. Like he was trying to control his anger.