Chpater 17

Saad's pov :

A knock on the door brought me out of my thoughts. "Come in." I replied, confused. To my horror, it was the other girl. She smiled before coming inside. Staring at her with wide eyes for a while, I looked away. "Astagfirullah." I muttered under my breath.

"Emaan api! When did you come?" Amira squealed before running to hug her.

"Assalamualikum to you too little one." Emaan, or whatever her name was, laughed while hugging her back.

"Opps, sowwy. Walikumussalam api." Amira replied before turning to face Alayna. "Api this is my new friend Alayna and he is her big brother." She introduced us while pointing at us. And then pointing at Emaan, she introduced her. "Alayna she is api's friend."

"Assalamualikum cutie." She greeted while smiling brightly at Alayna.

"Walikumussalam." Alayna replied shyly, coming beside me. She was a shy girl. It was hard to befriend her and it was a surprise for me when I saw that she got along with Amira and her sister so quickly and easily.

"Api you didn't answer me, when did you come?" Amira inquired again.

"Just a while ago. I was with your api until now." She replied and then turned towards us. "Oh yeah, I came here to call everyone for lunch. It's ready!" She added, turning to head out.

"Okay api." Amira replied and followed her after asking Alayna to join them. Alayna too left with her.

I sat there, contemplating whether to join them or not. I wouldn't have any problem if someone else would have come to call us, but since it was the crazy girl, I was doubting it.

And I was also not sure about the answer, which I had to give aunty. I hadn't even thought about what I was going to tell my parents or if I was even going to let them know about this now. Sighing, I stood up and left the room, hoping there should be others too and not just us present for lunch. Or else it would just be awkward.

But as I reached there, only they were sitting there and chatting. She or aunty were nowhere to be seen. I checked the kitchen but it was empty too. Frowning, I nevertheless took a seat while taking out my mobile and checking the notifications, ignoring the crazy girl.

After a while both of them joined and I noticed that Alayna and Amira had moved to sit beside me. The chair in front of me was left for her and her friend sat beside her with a smug look on her face.

"Oh by the way, Assalamualikum Saad. I'm Emaan, Atifa's best friend." After a while, her friend introduced herself to me. I was taken aback to say the least. I needed to stay away from that girl, she screamed trouble.

"Walikumussalam. It's... uh... Nice to meet you." I replied while shifting uncomfortably in my seat, looking anywhere but her.

"It's nice to meet you too. Although I'm sorry for whatever happened the first time we met. I was just trying to tell Atifa the truth. But she just doesn't get it I guess." She replied and I could feel the smugness in her voice. Like she was deliberately bringing up this topic.

"Oh you have met him before?" Aunty inquired curiously.

The fiasco which followed after that during the lunch was crazy. I had an idea that her friend was crazy and her second name could be trouble. But I didn't know even Atifa had this side. If needed. And I didn't mind that cute side of hers. At least it was much more harmless than the other two people's crazy side, who were present here. At times, I couldn't even stop myself from smiling or looking at her with amusement. And I was sure she had even caught me looking at her but I couldn't help it.

Wait a minute... Did I actually think of her as cute? Was I actually looking at her? And enjoying their argument? What was even happening to me? I needed to give myself a reality check I guess. I couldn't just be so normal with whatever happened.

But it wasn't actually her who kidnapped me. She most probably didn't even know until now what her mother did. And I didn't think I wanted her to know anymore. I didn't think it even mattered anymore. Maybe it did but I didn't want for it to matter? Well, I was confusing myself too now.

Sighing, I cleared my mind and continued with my lunch. Maybe now I knew the answer to aunty's question. After all, I even had a bright dream, although I didn't remember it, but whatever it was, it was good. I just hoped and prayed that I wouldn't regret it later on.

._._._.

After lunch, I went to the drawing room with aunty. I couldn't stop running my hand through my hair again and again. I needed to stop doing that or else she would know that I was nervous. Actually, she might already know that, but still. I stuffed my hands in my pockets. Better, I guess. At least they wouldn't run on their own.

We sat down on the sofa and there was silence for a while. Awkward silence to be more specific. She was sitting in front of me. Finally, breaking the silence, she asked me. "How are you doing?"

'How could I be doing when you have put me in this great dilemma?' I wanted to retort but I kept my mouth shut. "Fine alhamdulillah. What about you?" I replied instead.

"I'm good alhamdulillah." She said while adjusting herself comfortably in her seat. "So, what have you decided?" She went straight to the point. Her face was stoic but I could still see a gleam of hope and happiness in her eyes. An expected answer.

Clearing my throat, I sat up straight. My hands were already out of my pockets, I didn't even remember taking them out. Running a hand through my hair, I took a deep breath. "Yes. My answer is yes. I agree." I replied, my voice surprisingly didn't waver and came out strong and firm.

She beamed, her eyes gleaming with sheer happiness. Her grin was so wide, I was surprised it didn't split her face into two. Trying to contain her happiness, she asked me. "I want to know if you are agreeing for this on your own will. And if not, then you have the right to say no. I won't force you, I promise."

Now that was a question which had me thinking. Was I doing this on my own will? Or was it solely to meet my sister and keep my words? As I thought, to keep her safe and take her back with me? Was I agreeing to this for this woman's happiness or for my own? Had I really started liking her? So much that I was even willing to spend my whole life with her?

The answer to these questions were unknown. Lost somewhere between the mess of my thoughts. Some were not even known to me yet. But I was sure about one thing, I wouldn't have done Istikhara if Allah Subhanahu Wa Taàla didn't want for this to happen in the first place. And I got that happy dream for a reason. I might have started liking her for a reason. And maybe that reason aas this. For me to agree to this. I didn't know what Allah had planned for me, for us. But for now, I decided that I would go with the flow and what I think was right.

When I looked back at her, her excitement had toned down a bit, and she was looking at me, waiting for my reply. "Yes, I'm agreeing to this on my own will." I replied firmly, looking into her eyes.

Her happiness had no bounds as she stood up and squealed like a teenager. And I knew if it were up to her, she would have squeezed me in a hug by now. "I'm so happy. You don't even know how happy I'm. I will just go pray and then come." She cheered excitedly and turned to go. Stopping midway, she turned around, "Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Get ready after Asr prayer, we will be going shopping." Beaming, she headed in the direction of the kitchen, most probably to inform them about shopping.

And I wasn't wrong, because as I was going back to the guest room, I heard a high pitched squeal. Yes, you guessed it right, it was Emaan. Shaking my head, I continued my way to take a much needed nap.

._._._.