UMAIRS POV
Haaniyah left with her aunt and grandfather while we headed inside to refresh. Soon, Mrs. Ziyard called us for dinner. As everyone gathered around the table, I playfully shook my wet hair at Tiny, earning a grin from her.
Dinner was amazing—my favorite, chappathi. After we finished, we moved outside for a bit of conversation. That’s when I saw Haaniyah coming out, gazing at the sky. Sulaiha and Hafsa waved at her, and I couldn't help but smile at the sight.
Then Mrs. Ziyard spoke up. "She is a sweet girl. May Allah give her a good partner. I don’t want to see her suffer anymore; she bears more than her age."
I was taken aback. "Why? What does she bear?" I jumped into the conversation, and everyone turned to look at me with curious expressions.
Guilt washed over me for interrupting, and I scrambled to explain. "No, she’s... uh, she’s my schoolmate, and I’ve never seen her suffer. I mean, I haven’t seen her get bullied or anything like that." I nudged Farhan to back me up.
"Yeah, we’ve never seen her, I mean, haven’t seen her suffer," Farhan echoed, though he sounded just as lost as I felt.
"Okay, stop you two. Let’s hear Aunt," Tiny interjected, clearly eager to learn more about Haaniyah.
Mrs. Ziyard continued, "She lost her mother when she was young, and her father remarried. But the new wife seems more interested in Haaniyah’s family money and the house. She has a son and a daughter, and they treat Haaniyah like a servant, turning her father against her. Her mother’s uncle is the one who supports her financially, but she gets very little at home. I can’t understand how a woman can be so evil... Astaghfirullah. May Allah bless her with hidaya."
We all listened in silence, the weight of her words settling over us. I felt a wave of sadness for Haaniyah. How could I have teased her? I should have been more understanding. My heart ached for her struggles, and I resolved to be better, to support her in any way I could.
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HABIBI AND HABIBATI
Romance"But a mermaid has no tears, and therefore she suffers so much more." ― Hans Christian Andersen. You see? she laid her burdens down, And he just picked them up, Threw them over his shoulders, Reached for her hand, And boldly walked out, Into t...
