EPISODE SIXTEEN 16:FEELINGS

CHAPTER SIXTEEN 16.

HADEEZAH'S POV.

"You should understand this better, if you work in fractions, it makes it easier and you might not even need a calculator," Avery said.

Wait, did I mention, Ava finally asked her brother to tutor us, she finally let her pride down. He's been a really good teacher and I get physics and chemistry more now.

"So, I have a basketball game in like thirty minutes, I have to leave soon, would you girls like to come," he offered.

"Don't worry I'll pay for the tickets," he continued.

"I can't come, I have basketball practice at that exact time," I said.

"How about you Avee," he asked.

"I have nothing to do so it can't be that bad," Ava.

"Awwwwn, I wish my brother was here to give me a nickname," I said.

"It's nothing I can't do for my baby sister," he said, crossing his arm around her neck and giving her a peck on the cheek.

"Eww get away from me," she said.

"You and your brother are so cute," I remarked.

"Please, can we stop with the siblings' talk," Ava said.

"Let's get some milkshake instead of all this, you are so cute talk,"she continued.

"No, I won't, it's actually cute," Avery said.

OK, fine then continue, she said.

"I bet l Hadi will be thrilled to hear about the last time you wet the bed," Ava continued.

"Fine, we won't talk about it again have it your way," he said throwing his hand up in the air.

"Now that sounds like a fun story," I said, urging Ava to tell me more.

"Well, when little Avery here was eleven, he wet his bed and he took my dad's suit and you wouldn't believe, what he did with it, he then" -,

"OK, that enough,"he said, covering her mouth with his hands.

"You want some milkshake, let's go get some,"he said without letting her go.

I giggled at the scene, it made my miss my brother a lot, how I wish mom could give me a suitable explanation.

"Hadi, you want some," he asked.

"Hmmm," I said tapping my chin contemplating on whether to go or not.

"Don't worry I'll pay," he said smiling.

"OK, I'm coming," I said.

What, who doesn't like freebies.

We went together and he finally let go off her mouth.

"Ewww, did you wash your hands after the last time you took a shit," she asked, with a disgusted face.

"Hmmm, now that I remember I did not wash my hands," he said.

"What," she said in disbelief.

"I'm stopping at a convenience store right this instant, I need a freaking mouth wash," she said.

"Stop being dramatic, I was only joking," he said.

"Hmm, Hmm, Hmm", Ava let out a sigh of relief.

"You are such a drama queen,* I said.

"That's right I'm a Queen, I'm bad ass Barrister Queen," she said.

"There, there, whatever makes your boat float," I said.

We finally arrived at the milkshake shop and we entered, it had a cool serene and the aroma was delicious.

I couldn't wait to have a taste of the milkshake.

When we got to the counter, there was woman probably in her early twenties, she had a face cap and a company shirt and apron on, blue and Ash in colour.

I got a blueberry, strawberry milkshake.

Ava got a banana chocolate milkshake.

And Avery got ordinary vanilla.

"Why are you so boring," Ava asked.

"I don't know, maybe because my boring is the new interesting,"he asked rhetorically.

"Fair enough," she said.

"And your crazy, is the new normal,"he said.

"You sneaky rat,"she said and she hit his arm playfully.

As we sat to drink the milkshake, I couldn't help but laugh at the way Avery kept on frustrating his sister, her ear muffs were shaped like that of a rabbit and he kept on putting the ears up.

"Avery, I want some cookies," Ava said.

"Are you on your period," he asked.

"Why would you ask me that, you are so disgusting," she answered back.

"It's because you only crave cookies when you are on your period," he said.

"I only came back from America barely eight months ago and you already know this," she said.

"What can I say, I am very meticulous," he said with his pearl whites showing.

"Fine, I am on my period and I crave cookies, get me some please and my stomach hurts a bit, so I can't stand," she said.

"I'm sorry, I don't have the time to wait, my game starts in a few minutes," he said.

"Don't worry I'll get it for her, you can go," I offered.

"Thank you very much much, I'll leave my credit card and you can give it to Ava when you are done with it," he said.

"The pin," I asked.

"Ava will tell you," he said.

"How am I supposed to know that," she asked.

"It's mom's birth year," he said.

"Uhhhgh, bye monkey," she said.

"Bye, rabbit's ears," he said.

"I hate you," she said.

"And I love you too,"he said and he left, the bell signaled his exit.

Such funny siblings.

I stood up to get the cookies, I ordered some Scottish cookies.

I waited for the woman to be done with my order.

The woman kept on giving me weird stares but not in a bad way.

I couldn't tell whether it's because of my eyepatch or because of my headscarf.

"If I may ask and I don't mean to pry, what's this over your head," she asked innocently.

I smiled, "it's called a" -, but someone cut me off.

"Probably because, there heads smell and they are to dirty to wash it, because why would someone wear something like that even when it is 50 degrees Celsius."

"They are all a bunch of fanatics, a certain blonde man with a badge that said manager," said

"Excuse me," I said with a face of disgust.

"What do you mean excuse me or am I wrong or wait are you gonna blow this whole place up, because I said that,"he asked with an evil sneaker.

"Firstly, Mr Manager, I have a right and that includes right to freedom of religion and freedom of association."

"Secondly, I do not wear my hijab because my hair smells or because I'm a fanatic, it because I have been ordained by my lord to do so, you know what I'm shocked as to how dumb you are to think my hair smells, that why I'm wearing a headscarf."

"Thirdly, when last have you been to a church, because I recall the Bible says, be your brother's keeper, not your Muslim brother's keeper."

"Fourtly and lastly, Mr Manager, religion shouldn't be a barrier between us as humans, instead the diversity is supposed to strengthen us, because if everything were to be the same, what fun would there be, there won't be different occupations, different cultural beliefs, different colors, different roles and the likes."

"This headscarf over my head is to protect myself from harm." "You wanna know why."

"Because it's a damn CROWN, placed gently on my head gently by my LORD the most high." I said, with my very last breath.

He didn't say a word, instead he just looked at me, with a face of guilt, awakening and regret.

He left with his head down.

The woman mouthed a sorry to me.

"It's fine," I mouthed back.

She went in and she brought back my order.

"Here you go,"she said and I took it from her.

But she didn't take my credit card.

"Why aren't you taking the card," I asked.

"Mr Tom asked me not to take money from you," she said.

I smiled, "tell Mr Tom that I don't need his freebies that he should focus on being nicer to the other diverse religion, race and so on instead, it will make him better."

"Now, can you please, take the money my legs hurt," I said smiling.

She took the card and she left to be back with a receipt.

"Thank you very much," I said with a smile.

"Come back later," she said.

"I'll sure do," I said.

I got back to our seat and Ava was on her phone.

"I thought you left," she said.

"I got caught in the middle of an issue," I said.

"Which is," she asked.

"Nothing you should worry yourself about," I said.

"All I know is I gave someone a lecture he will never forget," I finished.

She took one biscuit from the plate.

"This tastes like heaven," she said.

"As if you've been there before," I asked rhetorically.

"It's just a simile, she said," laughing.

"By the way, we haven't, checked your, Instagram account for the pictures you posted," she said.

"That's true I totally forgot about it," I said munching on some biscuit.

"How about we do that now," she said.

"Why not," I said nonchalantly.

"Oh My God, OMG," she said dramatically.

"Hey what, keep my posted," I said taking the phone from her.

I took the phone and it was like I needed glasses.

I already have, nine hundred and fifty followers and twenty thousand likes in less than a month on just two photos I took out of fun.

God sure has ways of working his wonders.

"This is so awesome," Ava said.

"I know right,"I said.

"In less that a month you have almost a thousand followers, keep this up and you will have more followers than, Rose," she said.

"I'm not interested in competing with that slimy witch," I said.

"It'll be so good to see her face," Ava said.

"Anyways, I think I should, take more pictures soon to post it," I said.

"Yeah, it'll boost the page and I can be your manager," she said, flipping her hair to the other side.

"No problem, it's settled," I said.

PICTURES OF PINE MARTEN.

"Oh," I said as milkshake split on my dress.

"I need to get cleaned up," I said.

"Oh, the bathroom is that way," she said.

"Thanks," I said.

I got into the bathroom room and I was done with my business in less than ten minutes.

But who would have thought that something bad was going to happen next.

On my way out I mistakenly step on the back of the girl that was at my front shoe.

Oh God, this is not good.

"What the fuck, are you freaking blind,* the girl said.

I took a second look at her and it was one of Julian's sister, the one with the wavy curls,  she was in the school uniform and she was in heels, damn how do they walk in those.

"I'm sorry, I did not mean to do that," I said genuinely.

"Is your scarf blocking your view,or are all you Muslims just hell bent on killing people," she said.

"What, why does spilling milk on you have to with my religion," I said with anger.

"What I'm meant to say was we do not need you Muzlims, in the western world, take your freaking bomb elsewhere," she said.

"What, you are an educated illiterate, now I get the quote is actually true."

"You do not know, what you don't know," I said.

"Who the f*** do you think you are, you will never be on my level," she said and she raised her hand up to slap me and does she think I was going to be a dummy.

I held her hand up and yanked it back.

"Owww," she shouted.

"Who the hel do you think you are," Ava came shouting on top of her voice.

I tried calming her down cause her body couldn't take that this stress.

"Ava, don't worry this is my fight, let me weild my sword,"I told her.

She moved back heeding to me.

"You know who you are, wavy curls, you are an unimportant Queen Bee, who the only my thing that is going to to care about her is her follower count not real human beings," I said.

"You know what bitch, I'm Jillianna Petros, daughter of the richest ranch owner in the whole of South and North America, Asia and Australia, want you did here you are definitely going to pay for it," she said.

"Sorry, spoiled brat, I get it you can't make money without daddy's influence, thank God Africa wasn't part, trust me we do not have time dealing with trash,"I said.

You will pay for this, because I will make your life hell, she said.

"I would like to see you try, Wavy curls," I said and I left.

"Run away you fanatically, brought up towel head whom her parents only taught her how to sail boat because as you can see, oh sorry I've forgotten you are one eyed that's why you always look like the granddaughter of a pirate," she said and her team of idiots made out a loud chuckle.

But you know this wasn't little to me.

I grabbed the milkshake on my table went back and I poured it over her head.

"What the f***, you witch," she said and she raised her hand to slap me again.

As usual, I held her hand and it yanked it back.

"Talk about my parents in a negative way again and you will regret ever crossing paths, with a Muslim girl wearing a hijab called a hijabi using an eye patch and is named Hadizah," I said and I flipped my hijab on my way out.

The bell immediately signaled a customer leaving.

"That was awesome," Ava said crossing her arm over my shoulder.

"Thank you," I said.

"I love it when people are put in there place," she said.

"Ava, I need to get going, I don't want SICO, to report me to coach, these past few weeks he's been teaching me has been hell," I said.

"Sorry babes it'll be all worth it in the end OK, darling," she said.

"Thanks, best -," but I stopped my mouth before saying anything further.

"Bye Hadi," she said.

"Bye Aves," I said.

"So you made a nickname for me too, Aww, that is sooo sweet,"she said.

"Anytime,"I said side hugging her and I left.

I went to school and changed my clothes on the locker room, I left my hijab lose, hoping to pin it properly when I get back to the basketball court.

I sat there because I still had few minutes before practice, I was listening to the Quran from my recorder until I smelt this strong cologne and immediately a smile lit on my face.

KEEP IT TOGETHER ADUNNI.

"Hey," he said and immediately the smile disappeared when I remembered what his sister did to me.

Can you please leave, I hate seeing you right now, reminds me of what your sister did to me, I'm sure the news must have spread," I said.

"So you are mad at me because of my sister, how cliché," he said.

"What do you mean by that," I asked.

"It's expected because of my sister Anna you hate me," he said.

"No Jay, I could never hate you, it's just I don't like it when people bad mouth my religion and talk nonsense about it," I said and I looked away.

He walked forward taking a seat beside me and he leaned close enough for our breath to mingle.

Unexpectedly, he drew my chin back with the tip of his fingers.

What was happening, I thought. But I wasn't even given the time to think.

I looked in his eyes and I was lost in the trance of how black his black eyes are.

Like he held my heart vulnerable.

He took his index finger and he tulked one of my twisted hairs in, why was I having this feeling for a boy I barely know at that.

I couldn't stop it, my breath stopped and I remember clearly that I do not have asthma, his touch was addictive, I could never get enough of it.

His fingers touched my bare skin and I felt a surge of energy flow through me what was this feeling, because I am new to it.

But I knew deep down that this wasn't right, it was against my religion.

I took his hand and I let it on his lap, I didn't want his to go any further, it was wrong as much as it felt right.

"Let this be the last time you touch me like that," I said.

"Julian, please leave," I finished.

"Why," he asked.

"Because," I stopped in the middle of my words.

"This is not right," I said.

"But you liked it," he said and sadly it was true.

"Let go," I said perfecting my hijab, but he wouldn't .

"You cannot tell me, what I like and don't like please leave," I ordered again.

"I'm here, I heard that husky annoying voice,"but boy was I glad he was here.

"Bye," practice starts, I said and pursed my lips thinking about what just happened.

He left but not without saying a word.

"Nicky, you can't deny that those feelings weren't fake," he said and he shut the door behind him.

What the hell just happened, I just broke my number one rule because of this boy, what am I getting myself into.

And the funny thing, what he said was true.

I felt a tear sting, I've tried so hard so nothing can sweep me off my feet, but guess what Julian happened and I'm here breaking the rules of religion, because of a boy.

Everything and everyone just seems against me and everything I stand for.

"Hey, Hey, HEEY, "he shouted.

"Do you need to shout I'm right here you know,"I said.

"Because it's like the sixth time I've been calling you," he said.

Was I that lost, I thought.

"I'm sorry, what did you want," I asked.

"I need to change, I'll be back in five minutes," he said.

"OK, I'll be waiting," I said and he left without a word.

I walked over to my bag of equipment where SICO also placed his and I hit it by mistake.

"Owww, what does he put in that bag rocks," I mumbled to myself.

A book fell from the bag and I picked it, I hope it is not his diary because I love minding my own business.

I opened the first page and I read.

𝓒𝓪𝓷 𝓶𝔂 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮 𝓫𝓮 𝓪𝓼 𝓫𝓮𝓪𝓾𝓽𝓲𝓯𝓾𝓵 𝓪𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓹𝓪𝓰𝓮𝓼.

Why did his life seem sad.

I opened to the next page and there were pictures of jewelry and it looked like he sketched them himself.

I opened and the art piece brought out emotions.

Every piece brought out a different emotion, was he broken ot his heart was just scattered and he couldn't find them. Or did he yearn for someone.

It's funny how some people can act all tough on the outside when they are just a gentle flower that is still waiting to blossom.

I opened to the next page and I read another thing.

ℜ𝔄𝔓𝔓ℑ𝔑𝔊 ℑ𝔖 𝔐𝔈.

𝔏𝔦𝔨𝔢 𝔞 𝔟𝔬𝔞𝔱 𝔰𝔞𝔦𝔩𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔬𝔲𝔤𝔥 𝔞 𝔰𝔱𝔬𝔯𝔪,

𝔖𝔢𝔢𝔨𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔰𝔬𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔢, 𝔠𝔞𝔩𝔪, 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔪,

𝔚𝔢 𝔰𝔥𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔦𝔳𝔢 𝔱𝔬 𝔣𝔦𝔫𝔡 𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔴𝔞𝔶,

𝔗𝔥𝔯𝔬𝔲𝔤𝔥 𝔩𝔦𝔣𝔢'𝔰 𝔱𝔢𝔪𝔭𝔢𝔰𝔱, 𝔠𝔬𝔪𝔢 𝔴𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔪𝔞𝔶.

Suddenly I felt a tear drop from my face, this weren't raps this are poems that struck deep into the soul.

"Hey, drop that," he ordered.

"I'm so sorry I didn't mean to pry," I said.

He was back with his hair braided into two parts.

"It's fine just give it," he said.

Weird cause he wasn't mad.

"I don't think those are raps, those are poems," I said handing them over to him.

"I didn't get angry was enough, if you do not want to see my wrath, stop spouting irrelevant words and let's get to work," he said.

"Yeah, right," I mumbled under my breath.

"We've practicing a lot this past week, now I want to see the stuff you are made of," he said.

I've put a lot of hard work on practice and trust me Michael would never let me lack behind.

I took the ball and started basketballing, as I like to call it, I dribbled and I dunked which is quite hard and the last one, I was going to do five three pointers in a roll.

The first went in.

The second and third.

Then the fourth.

I threw in the last one and the one, the ball went round the net at first, with no hope of entering the net, I was about to give up when the pointer struck twenty five.

"Yay," I shouted.

"Good job, Hadizah," he congratulated.

"I believe, you are finally ready for the real tryouts," he said.

"You will make the team trust me," he said.

"Thanks, it means a lot hearing that from you, you've always been harsh towards me," I said.

"I'm sorry if that is how you might have felt,"he said.

"But you know, No Pain, No Gain," he said.

"It's fine, does that mean I get to go home early," I asked.

"Yes," he said.

"Really," I squilled.

"No, just kidding, warm up starts, twenty push-ups now," he said.

"Ugh," I groaned and I started with my push-ups.

Who would have thought he had a change of heart.

Typical SICO.

When practice was over I went home.

I took a shower had dinner and kissed mom good night.

I tried reading a book but it didn't work, all could think about was Julian, the boy that made me feel different.

But, I let a non Mahram, (not my husband or close relative) touch me.

Adunni you have to keep it together.

"AHHHHH," I screamed into my pillow.

Did it work yes.

But did my problem reduce no.

What do I do Ya Allah.

WRITER'S NOTE :

Salaam (peace).

How is Ramadan, hope LaylatulQadr is going good at your place.

QOTD :

If you could only choose between saving your best friend or saving 100 strangers, what would you do and why? 🤔🤔🤔🤔

My own answer would be "Considering the greater impact on society, I'd lean towards saving 100 strangers. While my best friend is precious, prioritizing the well-being of a larger group aligns with a useful approach, aiming for the greatest good for the greatest number."

Answer in the comments. 😊😊😊😘😘