Life Of Afreen

Chapter XXIII

'Remember, your Lord proclaimed: I shall give you more if you are grateful; but if you are thankless, then surely My punishment is very great.'
           {Surah Ibrahim:7}

Chapter 23

"Were you able to come up with a topic for your final project?" Yusra's voice jolted Afreen of her thoughts, bringing her back to reality.

"I can't seem to decide on the two I have at hand," Afreen started, her features giving no hints to the wounded chambers in her heart. "What about you?"

Yusra sighed dreamily at that and replied, "My mind has stopped working, it's preoccupied with someone else's dream."

A pain she didn't even know she could experience gnawed at her inside as Afreen saw Yusra peek over the desk and look towards Fahad's office.

Did she really have to witness all this?

Maybe because the news from yesterday's phone call hadn't settled in yet, the universe was doing it's best to throw it at her face.

"So let me fill you in about last evening" Yusra said, her lips curving up as her eyes held stars.

No, please, No!

"Of course! I've been dying to hear all about it" Afreen gushed, trying to act like someone who'd be happy to hear this news.

"Ok so," Yusra began, her cheeks the shade of red as her smile showed off her perfect row of teeth. "When I went home yesterday, I asked mom for details, she only told me it was someone from the office. I tried thinking of our colleagues but couldn't come up with any picture in my head. And when they finally came, I walked into the living room and sat in a corner with my head downcast the entire time. Then I was asked to sit beside his mother who was seated opposite to him and when I looked up, imagine my shock when I locked gazes with Fahad. Can you believe it was THE Fahad?"

"It is hard to believe" Afreen laughed.

I should have been prepared for this.

"So what changed your mind about adding salt in his tea?"

"I fought the Shaytaan in me. Gosh Afreen! It still feels like a dream. You should have seen how adorably nervous he was at first and don't even ask when dad asked him a few questions. He was so cute I can't even begin to describe" Yusra punctuated her sentence with another dreamy sigh and Afreen found it difficult to swallow the lump in her throat.

"May Allah increase your happiness and may the two of you be the coolness of each other's eyes," she prayed, her words coming right from her heart as she bit her lip to stop the rush of emotions she felt.

She was happy for her, but at the same time, she was beginning to lose every ounce of strength she had remaining in her.

She didn't know why she not only fell in love with a guy who wasn't aware of her feelings, but she also had to see her friend starting a life with him beside her.

Every little dream she dreamt, she was seeing it fulfilled in front of her eyes. The only difference was that she was the dream while someone else lived it.

"Ameen Thumma Ameen" Yusra replied to Afreen's earlier du'a and then said, "Alhamdulillah, although things seems bright on both our sides, mom's asked them for a few weeks time before giving the final answer. Insha Allah, she'll give the reply very soon and we'll fix the wedding dates."

The word 'wedding' sounded so heavy on her ears that Afreen involuntarily felt herself shake.

Yusra was talking about the wedding that Afreen had planned for herself, including all the intricate details. And now, that wedding would soon be finalized, but she wouldn't be the bride.