A Place For You

A Proposal

"I think Mr. Azer is gay." said Angie, which made all of us choke. It's been a week since we have started our internship at M&D, I have gotten close with my guys and Angie. She is a nice girl to hang around. Also we figured out we need to take the same route to home. Seems like everyone in LA owns a car so she makes me feel better that I don't have one. We were on the train station waiting.

"Really? What makes you think that?" I laughed. She looked at me with a pout.

"Do you have any idea how many times me and girls in my department hit on him? A girl almost went that far to sat on his lap, he pretended that nothing happen. I'm sure that man is gay. He usually hangs around with guys." said Angie munching on her swarma. We have a great swarma place just beside our office. Angie is my BBC Mr. Azer. She updates me every day what Mr. Azer did and didn't everything.

"Wow! I'm glad I'm not in your department. If that guy's not into girls he must hate you guys for annoying the hell out of him." I laughed. Angie nodded seriously.

"Yeah, man. But that guy is an eye candy. I don't know how in earth I'll be able to focus on my work when all I see is Mr. Azer." said Angie and I shook my head. Inwardly thanked Allah for not sending me to Angie's department. One week of Office, we are already buried with work and studies. I don't think we even have time for a joke anymore. Ms. Castle was so right.

There was an announcement for my train, I got up.

"See ya tomorrow, then. Don't try to think much about Mr. Azer." I joked as I picked up laptop bag. Angie shook her head.

"You haven't seen him, girl." Angie said as she waved me bye. I got into my train and took a seat beside a girl who immediately scooted away. I rolled my eyes. These Americans, I don't know when they will finally accept me as their own. I picked up my phone and started to scroll my Instagram. Angie was wrong to say that I haven't seen Mr. Azer. I have sneaked some glances here and there on the lunch hour or when I went to grab some coffee from the 4th floor's coffee machine, as we were out of sugar.

The person who is gonna end up with Mr. Azre will be damn lucky. I mean come on look at that man. As if girls like me have a chance with him. And the same moment a photo of my parents popped in to my feed reminding the promise I made to them. They have always been supportive to my every decision. The only thing they wanted was me to marry a Muslim guy. So far my mother joked one time that she'll be ok with converts. But people seem to be disgusted by my mare sight and I was thinking about someone who is gonna fall in love with me and fall more in love with Allah trough me. Duh, life ain't fairy tale.

Since school, I have been bullied for being brown. Kids called me in names like curry girl, poop coloured girl, ugly girl, terrorist and what not. I thought kids were mean. But High school was the same. But at least I had some non-racist friend. University was a whole other cases. A friend of mine had a broken nose because a guy in the hallway called me curry terrorist. He till this day is one of my very good friends. It's not like everyone is bad. It's just some bad guys out number the good guys. But I still try to hold onto the good.

And I am more than grateful and happy that no one in my department is racist. They are okay with me being brown and Muslim. Though one time Ms Castle told me to dress more formally to represent myself. I told her I can't wear short office skirts even though I haven't mastered up wearing hijab. One Day In Sha Allah.

It was a shock for me to have these supportive people around me compared to my other times with people even now people treated me like a trash bag. I guess it's a part of the test Allah is taking of us.

I walked into my tiny studio apartment. Living in LA in expensive, it is more expensive when you are not even doing a job. I dropped my bag on the floor, then took a long shower. Then made myself a coffee and as I was about to watch Netflix, my phone started to ring, it was sister.

"Assalamualaikum, Apu (sister) ." I said cheerfully.

"Alibaba! Walaikumassalam!" Apu said in her happy voice.

"What's going on? How is my love?" I said. Apu groaned.

"Your love? He is not love, he's a devil. I'm telling you, he pooped today and made a huge fit of it when I tried to clean him!" Apu said. I laughed. My nephew surely is a thing.

"Give him sometime, He's new to the world." I joked and I sipped on my coffee.

"Sure, but I didn't call you to whine about my son." Apu said her voice going serious.

"Yeah, I figures out. What is it?" I said as I looked out of my window.

"As you've already told you don't have a boyfriend and you are okay with Ma Baba looking for a suitor, are you really serious about it?" Apu said. I scratched my head. I have never really thought about it.

"Yes, I guess, I never really thought you guys are gonna go head over heels to find someone for me." I said.

"No, we were not. Ma Baba still thinks you are baby." Apu said and I started to laugh.

"Apu, if you guys are serious, the please don't try to find someone inside LA. I'm sick of travelling." I said. I really don't want to leave LA. What if I get the job in M&D's.

"That's why I called you, Baba's cousin, Abdullah Uncle, you remember him?" Apu said. I tried to remember and I was always bad at these things.

"Anyways, he told Baba about a guy, who in his description is a perfect guy." said Apu and I laughed.

"Doesn't Abdullah Uncle stays in New York?" I said.

"Yes, but someone told him about the guy."Apu said and I slapped my forehead. This is the thing about brown people, they know everyone. Like there are so many links that you are bound to get lost in the relationship maze.

"Some randomass guy told Baba's cousin about a guy and Baba thought he's the one for me?" I joked. MY parents are sometimes hilarious.

"No! Baba just said that Abdullah Uncle is praising so much about that guy, he's worth a shot."Apu said. I thought for moment. It's not like I'm getting married tomorrow. Meeting a person means at least it takes six months before people even make any decision.

"And that guy lives in New York and if I agree to marry him , he'd leave him job to be with me? Is he from neverland? Do I need Peter pan to go there?" I joked and started to laugh. Api scolded.

"No, uf, Alibaba! You always make fun of everything. He lives in LA. He used to live in Boston though" said Apu.

"So you guys want me to meet him?" I said. I was so sure that I'm gonna see that guy and reject him. Why am I finding it so funny?

"Yes, when you come for Christmas vacation. Also Baba said the guy is beautiful." Apu said and I barked a laughter.

"Apu, you and I both know what kind of Baba find beautiful and I don't agree with him." I said and Apu started to laugh as well.

"By the way, what's his name?" I said talking the last sip of coffee.

"Uzair." She said. I nodded.

"You know Apu, if Baba says he's beautiful, I think he needs to stand up in my expectation. There is a very hot guy in our office. Every newbie is like going crazy over him." I said. Apu seemed alert.

"Why don't you give him a shot?" Api said I can sense her smirk.

"Yeah, you should see the girls he doesn't even pay heed to. They are like models out of magazines." I rolled my eyes.

"Who knows, this Uzair guy can out run that hot guy." Apu said I shook my head.

"I highly doubt that." I said confidently.