Cinderella? NO

ABDALLAH

"I heard you visited your place. I thought you hated it." Dad said "I hate it and will always hate it. I had to go there and take care of something and I did" I frowned. Every child of my dad is entitled to an island with everything he/she possess. Maids are there, money is there...everything that any one of us possesses. Somethings you don't even know until you go there. Last week was the first time I visited mine. I heard Mahmood ruined his. I think he sold it or something. My dad calls it 'your dignity' he believes without the place, his child is nothing. Only the owner has power over anything there. Dad cannot spy on us there nor control the place. It is like a refuge but till date, Mahmood doesn't know. He wouldn't have lost it. The ruler before my dad; his brother, ruled in his place. Unfortunately, he died after 10 years of taking the throne. My dad chose to rule in the palace; centre of the city. The place reminds us of the kind of power we possess; the weight of my crown, the control I have over people(servants)...In that place, I can ask for a human for dinner and I would get it because nobody would know. I hate the place so much. Mum calls it Jannah(paradise), I call it Jahannam(hell). That's why whatever I have there, has the initials of 'ABD'(servant) to remind the people taking care of the place that I am also a servant; servant of Allah(swa). I shouldn't have taken Maryam there, I don't know why I pulled a stunt like that.
Now I feel calm, I know whatever the case maybe, Maryam loves me so much. I could see it in her eyes that night, the passion, the fear (of losing me), but I could also see the fear of the crown. I am going to fight. I don't care what dad thinks. I am bringing her home. We are getting married by the will of Allah. I am going to face dad, the society. I am going to break barriers!!! My phone startled me and I almost jumped. It was Imran.
"Heyyy Imran, salam alaikum dude"
"Wa'laikumussalam. You sound happy"
"Of course. I feel good. Rocking!"
"Are sure you are alright? I am freaking out."
"Of course I am fine. Life is too short to worry about stuff that pass. What's up?"
"Just called to check up on you and Alhamdulillah I am happy you are fine."
"Yeahhh let's go for a ride or mountain climbing. How about that?"
"Cool"
Imran was just staring at me and wondering what gave me that spirit. "Spill it bro" he tapped me "How are you fine? Very fine. Tell me your secret." he looked curious "Is Allah Imran. I woke up like this. I feel hope in everything and I feel at rest. After all what is meant for me, will never pass me and what is not meant for me, will never reach me. And Maryam, I am not stopping. I am going to fight for her, with the world." Let's go. I led the way.
Everything feels good and right. I felt like I have been fuelled. Though I had no support from anybody yet, but I felt it coming. Loading. Mum has been avoiding me for few days now but it doesn't bother me much because when I saw her the last time, her face was like telling me something. Like she's thinking and I should wait. Though she didn't talk to me but I felt like she needed space to figure things out and all I did was pray and have sabr(patience). After a very long time dad called me and asked to go fishing together, it went well but it was so awkward because he kept staring at me but didn't say much. Though I know he did it to show people, but It felt so good to be with dad without arguing or worse. I thought he would talk to me about Maryam. He didn't. I know he's also curious about what I went to do at my place but he has no right to ask. My dad is difficult to deal with sometimes (all the time) but I have this soft spot for him and sometimes I look at him and feel sorry for him. Allah(swa) has given him abundant wealth and the whole of Dubai and so many children but he is not happy. Allah mentioned in the holy Qur'an that in akhira your children and wealth will not benefit you but for my dad, even in dunya they are not benefitting him at all. Sometimes I feel like hugging my dad and telling him 'everything is going to be okay' but I have 0% assurance of that because Allah says "I will not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves". Dad is doing nothing about the condition of his house and mum is not helping the situation in anyway. My mum is always buried in supplications and Qur'an but I wonder what she asks Allah to give her. What this house needs is love, compassion and trust. Maybe all she does is ask Allah to give Mahmood whatever he wants and to protect him. Mahmood doesn't even pray but has the fattest bank account, marry the most beautiful girls and sometimes just date and dump them. There is no famous Arab or international beauty that Mahmood hasn't touch; models, actors even athletes. I wish he could take the crown from me. It feels so heavy and I don't feel the weight on my head, I feel it on my chest. Sometimes I lose my breaths when I remember the responsibilities that lie ahead.