Chapter 14: Reverberating Silence

Aisha's POV

I sob against the pillow. It was wet from my tears but I couldn't stop crying.

Why was I questionable with what I wore?

Why do I always have to cover myself?

Why was Islam so hard to follow?

I let myself cry but no one answered my thoughts.

I hear the adhan calling and I lift my head only to lay back down.

Why do I have to pray to a God who doesn't even answer my prayers? I finally got up, changed into my pjs, and went to bed again.

I tossed and turned but couldn't sleep so I stayed like this and closed my eyes. Minutes later I heard the door creak open and a figure sat on the edge of my bed.

I knew it was my mom when I felt her hand run through my hair.

"I know you're not asleep. Let's go down and have dinner." Mom speaks.

"I am not hungry," I reply, turning to the other side.

"You're showing me attitude when you know you're at fault Aisha? Are you going to do this in susral(In law's family)?"

I sit straight and look her in the eyes. "What wrong did I do if I wore that dress? It's just a dress. Everyone wears it these days. You didn't have to be so mad to hit me."

"You still don't think you're at fault here?" I stayed silent and her mouth formed into a grim line. "I think you're in some bad influence. You better stay away from such people."

"Or maybe I have finally been able to see and live for myself." Mom's eyes almost bulged out of shock.

It was the first time I had ever talked back to my mom. It didn't feel good but a part of me screamed to voice out my thoughts.

"What's going on with you?" She sounded concerned but I was in no mood to talk to her right now.

"I am not hungry maa. I have an early class tomorrow so… Good night." With that, I pulled the sheets over my head and it took her a while but she left the room without another word.

Somewhere in the night, I hear a buzzing sound, fiddling around the pillow. I pick up my phone and place it against my ear without looking at the caller ID.

"Hello?" I spoke in a grumpy voice.

"You were asleep?" David sounded from the other end and suddenly I opened my eyes and sat on the bed and looked at the bedside table clock. It was two in the morning.

"Umm… Yeah… Is everything alright?"

"No."

I rubbed the sleepiness out of my eyes and I was fully attentive. "Why? What happened?"

"I miss you."

Heat rushed to my cheeks and I bit the smile that was forming on my face.

"I miss you like crazy. Why am I the only one missing you?"

"Because Mr. David I have a busy day ahead of me tomorrow."

"I bet it can't be as busy as mine."

I plopped on the bed and continued to talk and couldn't hold off time until the Fajr (before sunrise prayer) adhan call.

"Don't you think we should hang up the call now?" I yawn.

"On one condition."

"What is it?"

"Think of me the whole day." A giggle escapes my lips and he snickers. After finally struggling to hang up the phone, I finally went to sleep while placing the pillow over my head to avoid the calls of 'Hayya Alas Salah (Hurry to the prayer)'.

~~~

Hazek's POV

The teacher dismisses the class and Mahir and I get up from our seats and head outside.

"Are you sure about this?" Mahir asks and I nod my head without a second thought.

"I find no other way than to talk to her."

We walk straight towards the girl sitting in the courtyard along with her two other friends. After reaching close to them I cleared my throat and caught the girl's attention, sitting on the grass.

"If you don't mind, there's something important I want to talk to you about," I state while looking down at the ground.

"With me?" The girl in question asks and I nod my head. "What about? You can talk here."

"It's something personal. It's about Sana." The three girls shared a look before the one in the middle nodded and stood up just to follow me behind.

We stood at a distance while Mahir and her friends waited for us.

"What is it?? She enquiries.

"Sorry, I overheard your conversation with your friends yesterday, miss…"

"Rafia."

"Miss Rafia, you said something about Sana that she isn't trustworthy and-"

"Why do you want to know about her?"

"I'll be honest with you. She is best friends with my fiance."

Her eyebrows suddenly raised in question. "Aisha… Is your fiance?"

I bit my lip. Why did I say fiance? I could have just said, Cousin. "Aisha is also my cousin."

"I am sorry but… You two seem to have very different personalities… nevermind. Ummm..."

"Hazek."

"Hazek, what do you want to know about Sana?"

"Should I be concerned about her friendship with Aisha?"

She didn't meet my eyes and chose to stay quiet for a few seconds. "I'd be very cautious of her if I was in Aisha's place. You better warn your fiance."

"The thing is… Aisha won't listen to me and you're my only hope to make her understand."

"And do you think she'd believe me and not her so-called 'best friend'?" She emphasized the word 'best friend'.

"That's why you need to trust me."

"Hazek, give me one good reason why should I trust you with my secret?"

"Is your secret more important than some woman's life? What was written did happen to you but does it mean you'll not save someone you could have?"

She was quiet, too quiet and I knew I had won her trust.

~~~

Aisha's POV

"You were sleeping throughout Sir Jawed's lecture. Everything alright?" Sana asks me and I pull myself up from the desk, tiredly.

"I didn't sleep at night." I groan.

"Ehmm… someone's thoughts consumed you all night?" She smirks.

"No… He called me and I had to pull an all-nighter."

"Ooohh… things are getting hotter." She winks at me.

"Gah! And I fought with my mom." I pull my hair. "She saw me coming inside with that Western outfit on. I don't know what made me think I'd safely reach my room without anyone noticing."

"Hmm… Let me guess, your mom scolded you and you whimpered in a corner?"

"Actually I did quite the opposite."

"What?" She looked at me with wide eyes.

"I told her I had enough of her backward thinking."

"Oh my God!" She grabbed me in a hug which surprised me. "Atta girl! You deserve to live your own life."

"I don't know Sana, I feel bad after doing it. She's my mother, after all, she devoted her life to bringing me up and here I am questioning her-"

"Aisha, mother's all do that. It's their job, besides you have lived enough on her instructions Now you're grown up and you get to decide what's right for you." Her phone buzzed and her eyes lit up after she picked it up.

"You see the effect you're creating on the internet? Just because I tagged you in the video I got so many followers and likes. I am getting brand promotion emails! Don't you ever doubt yourself?" She gave me a small hug and soon got busy with her phone meanwhile I was left in turmoil.

~~~

Hazek's POV

My mind couldn't fathom the information Rafia enclosed for me. It never occurred to me that Sana could be the kind of person to destroy someone's life. I thought she was spoiled and irresponsible because her mother was always away from home but she was hiding a lot behind her vivacious smile.

I entered the classroom and the first person that caught my sight was Aisha. She seemed worried and dejected as she looked outside with those downcast eyes.

My eyes moved towards Sana who was busy filming herself on her phone, not caring about what her best friend was going through in her head.

I was partially responsible for the way Aisha looked. I didn't ask why she sought interest in the online world, and I didn't try to know her better but just forced my beliefs and social norms on her, She ought to repel and reject me as a result.

But what do I do now? How do I talk things out with her?

As if my thoughts were answered, Aisha stood up and left her seat, walking closer to the threshold of the class where I stood.

Just when she was a few inches away from me, I spoke.

"Aisha." I didn't meet her eyes but she turned around and stopped in her tracks. "Are you alright?"

For a mere moment it felt that no one was in the class but us and our silence reverberated throughout the classroom. A silence that was comfortable and needed no words to nullify it. A silence that spoke a thousand words without expressing.

As silently as she had come, she walked away, leaving me with speculations.