ALONGSIDE YOU

Forever and ever is not just a phrase but a promise, an ongoing saga that unfolds in the classrooms, sports fields, and hidden corners of their lives. In a world defined by stark contrasts, Ugbad stands at a crossroads. She finds herself torn, faced with a challenging decision: whom should she stand alongside in a world that insists she choose a side? While she has always been certain of whom her heart desires, she now faces the question of Cumar the perfect muslim goldenboy, or Jaxton her childhood frenemy who makes her question the line between hate and love.

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But suddenly, I look up, our eyes lock, and a small smile forms on my lips. I gaze deep into her eyes, finding them as enigmatic as a moonless night sky, a beauty only she possesses.

I take a step closer, and I can see raindrops clinging to the fabric of her black hijab. "I'm already home, Uggy. You're my home now. Ever since I've known you, you've been my home. You're the home my Maker chose for me in this dunya, and I pray also in the akhira," I say, breathless and overwhelmed by the depth of my feelings.

She is in shock, her dark eyes reflecting a mix of surprise, disbelief, and perhaps the realization of the depth of my love for her.

"Say something, Uggy," I plead after a few seconds of her stunned silence. I begin to doubt if she looks at me the same way.

"Well, I do have something to say," she says slowly, her gaze still lowered. I wait anxiously, my heart in my throat.

"And what is that, Uggy?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

"You are a coward, Jaxton, that's what you are." she says, her words piercing through me.
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I reminisced about the journey of falling in love with her, realizing that it hadn't felt like falling at all. Instead, it was like walking into a familiar house and instantly knowing it was home. With Uggy, love wasn't a leap; it was a seamless integration into a life that felt complete.
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