chapter 10

As the days went by Stella got close with Fatima, their friendship grew stronger. Stella started to learn many new things from Fatima about her religion and practices. They started to spend more time together apart from studies and as Stella's interest outgrow, Fatima started to tell her more about her family and Islam. Even Fatima suggested her translations of Quran and she read them with absorption. Obliviously she started to practice all the good things that she learned from Fatima and her family. And her continuous arrivals at Fatima's home, when made her fall for Mustafa, she was not aware. Unknowingly, she was not sure about her feelings or about Mustafa's, but every time they see each other, their hearts pound differently. Despite being aware Mustafa also could not stop himself and still he wanted to be close to her. And Stella also got to knew that he will not marry a non-Muslim, but she was not yet ready to accept Islam. She just wanted to go with the flow, as her exams getting nearer, she didn't wanted to entangle herself into new problems.

Her mother noticed the gradual but positive change in her daughter. Her friends got more fondant of her because the change also made her attitude more positive than usual. Life was being easy with Stella and she didn't wanted to face any further hurdles.

It was a sunny day, she decided to go to the library to fetch some books, needed for the assignment. Unexpectedly, when she was looking for her book, someone already picked it up at once. As she looked upwards, he was Mustafa. As usual he was at library for his office work.

Mustafa was a engineer. He was around 28, completed his studies back in his homeland and afterwards came to St Andrews with his family, where he started his career as a engineer. He was a cheerful man just like his other siblings, but was very devoted to his religion, and after several unplanned meetups with Stella, he got feelings for her. He didn't wanted to enforced his religion on her that's why he didn't said a word but he started to like her more than every day.

" what a coincidence!" He exclaimed with excitement. Stella was also surprised to see him. "yeah I wasn't expecting" she replied. "well, I can see you also need this book" he started conversation as they began to sat on the nearest table. " yes I need it to complete my assignment" she said. " ahh! I also need it for my office work" he said laughing. "well then you can have it, until you complete your work and then you give me" she tried to present a solution. " I see, I don't need this book much, you can have it" he said smiling and lend the book towards her. "But in return, can we have a coffee together" he continued. "sure no problem" she answered but inside she felt like he was offering her a date, but she backed away her thoughts by putting a full stop, that he is a Muslim.

They went to the nearest coffee shop and sat by the window seat. After giving their orders they stared, like they don't know where to start the conversation. But Mustafa finally uttered his word after a moment of silence between them. "well I think I should marry now".

It seemed like he was trying to put pressure on Stella but instead he presented  like he wanted a suggestion. Stella was startled by his words but she calmed herself quickly and replied "well, you should". "what do you mean?" he didn't know what he was trying to ask. "I mean, you have meaningful job and a good looking face, and complete family, any girl would like to marry you and you should marry if you want to" she explained. He didn't seemed to be happy with her reply but he put courage to state his real words, despite knowing the physical and mental state of each other. "I want to marry you Stella!".

Nor she shook, neither got disturbed from his confession but she was surprised from the sudden offer, or private truth for which she was not yet ready to uncover.

"So?" the only word she could utter. His efforts and high expectations seemed to be broken with this word in reply. "so I want to ask, will you marry me?" he put himself together again.

she wanted to answer this question honestly, but something seemed to be stopping her from inside and she couldn't figure it out. There was a break of silence between them and a long pause, but they were reading each other's eyes and were trying to seek answers. The only thing in his eyes, she could see was honesty and loyalty and his patience for the desirable answer