All The Stars In The Sky

Sky 10.

I walk in and see Hafiz and a friend in the living room laughing their hearts out.

He stops laughing and smiles when he sees me "Yo! Come join us".

I walk over and grab him by the collar. "Is everyone's life just a joke to you?!" I ask angrily.

He pushes my hand away. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Rahama!"
"Oh she already told you?" he asks with a smug smile.

I grab him by the collar again but this time tighter "Is she a joke to you?!"

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you getting worked up for that chick?"

I push him, he falls on the floor with a thud.
"Look Kashim either you say what you came here to say or you get the hell out. Now!"

"Why did you decide to marry her?"
He smirks "Well maybe having someone like her as a wife won't be so bad and if she isn't what I expected well I can marry another" he laughs.

"Do you enjoy playing with people? Is that it?"
"What's this about?"

"I loved that girl".
He stops laughing and just stares at me blankly.

"What?" he asks looking surprised.
"You heard me".

"Don't worry--" I cut him off.
"All I do is worry whenever anything is related to you. You make everyone around you on edge whenever you walk out of the house. You're so irresponsible and immature. You make me and everyone sick. Even your parents can't take your crap anymore. How can I not worry that you're marrying someone like Rahama? I know you'd just end up ruining that girl's life, make it as pointless as yours. I wouldn't wish that even on an enemy then why would I wish it for the girl I love?".

I huff trying to calm down.
"What are you saying? It's not my fault you didn't tell me you loved her, it's yours" he says calmly.

"For the longest time I couldn't stand you but I thought you'd be even more screwed up than you are now if I left but instead this is what I got that poor girl into"

"So?"
"We're done! This whole FREAKING FRIENDSHIP!!! OVER!!" I walk out angrily.

Since Rahama is already in it, the best I can do is try to get him in the right path. If this is the way then I have no choice.

.
.

Hafiz's POV.

10pm?

I stare at the message I sent Kashim 3 nights ago.
Usually that was the code we have for going out but he hasn't replied or even called back.

We have fought more times than I count and we always fix things, we'll fix this too.

I lean on the couch still waiting for him. I know how to get him back to his normal jolly mood.

"Call me when you have the--" he trails off when he sees me.

"What are you doing here?" he asks keeping his blazer on the couch.

I smile "You never replied to my message".
"Was I supposed to? I don't even have your contact".

"Is that a joke?" I smile.
"Hafiz I don't have time to play with you, if you have something to say just spill it".

"Why are you overreacting?"
He laughs "I'm just getting rid of the things that pull me down. I don't want to dragged down when I've worked too hard to get here".

"So I drag you down?"
"Yes. Who else? Rahama? You drag everyone down with you. It's like you feel we're the same people who ran away with you on our graduation but sorry to break it to you but we're adults now. You do you and let me do me but don't show up and act like you know me. I wouldn't want people to see me going around with a child" he picks up his blazer "If you're not here to discuss business then don't come back, go ruin someone else's life".

He walks out.

.
.

I sit in the dark living room thinking about what Kashim said. I couldn't even argue with him because whether I want to accept it or not he's right, right?

The lights come on and I see Mama walk in.
"Innalillahi!" She gasps when she sees me "What are you doing here Hafiz? You scared me".

"Just thinking"
"What's wrong? You sound sad and distraught". She says sitting next to me.

"Kashim and I had a fight".
"Don't worry you'll resolve it, you two always do".

"Not this time. He has really given up this time and I don't think I blame him".

"Why?"
"He says I'm dead weight and it's true. I drag everyone down with me"

"It's not true".
"Really? It's not? It's not true? I'm not immature and irresponsible?" I ask her and she stays quiet.

"You're my mother and I know you don't want to hurt my feelings but the fact is still there. It's time for me to grow the hell up, I'm not a child now and I can't keep behaving irrationally".

"You're getting married and whether you want to accept it or not you'll have to change for yourself and your family. Getting married is the hard part, having children? That's just by the way the moment you get married. I don't want anyone of my children to regret anything in the future"

"It's time to grow up" I smile.
"Your family is here with you no matter what and once you get married you'll have your wife too".

"Thank you".

..