Chapter 17: Crossing Paths

After our pilgrimage to the House of God, my parents and I returned to Rotterdam, the Netherlands. I quickly fell back into my music, and before long, I had a manager. People were eager to see me perform live, though the idea of stepping onto a stage terrified me. I had never done it before.But I pushed through my fears. Whenever I performed, I shed my usual garments and headscarf, transforming into someone entirely different. On stage, I became fierce and vocal, drawing the audience into my performance. It was as if I could control them, swaying them with every note and movement. They were captivated, hypnotized by my very presence.As I became a celebrity in the Netherlands and abroad, my performances began to make waves. Videos of my shows spread worldwide, and the world grew curious about the mysterious "Asaliy." Despite my growing fame, people noticed something strange: I was never seen outside of my concerts. Rumors began circulating that I was not real, that I was an AI hologram. The idea was almost comical, but it made sense to them—they couldn't fathom a girl so angelic, so captivating, existing in the real world. I guess they thought I was too perfect to be human.Maria seemed to have been mistaken for me at times, though I could tell she wasn't thrilled by the attention.The truth was, I was still covered from head to toe, and that was part of the mystery. I hid myself from the public eye, choosing to only reveal myself through my performances, but the world was becoming obsessed with finding the truth behind the angelic voice and face.At 17, I attended an Islamic lecture in Amsterdam, focusing on chastity. After the lecture, as I was heading back to Rotterdam, I was surprised to run into Sansula.It had been three years since I'd last seen him. "Sansula!" I called out, excitement bubbling up inside me.He turned around, his eyes widening in recognition. "It's been a while!" He smiled warmly."How are you? Are you and your sister doing well?""Yes, thank God," He answered, my heart fluttering. "What about you?""I've been doing well," I answered, blushing. He looked even more handsome and manly than I remembered.I took a deep breath, my words slipping out before I could stop them. "Are you still available for my proposal?"His expression shifted, and he sighed, glancing away. "It's better if you forget about me," he murmured.I felt a knot tighten in my chest. "But why?" I asked, my voice trembling. "Are you going to marry Maria after all?""No," Sansula replied, his voice quiet but firm."Then what is holding you back from being with me?" I asked, my voice laced with frustration.He shifted uneasily, trying to change the subject. "Aren't you going back home?""I came here by myself," I replied. "It's getting late now, so I think I'll stay at a hotel in Amsterdam."He paused, as if considering something, then nodded. "I'll see you around then." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there alone.I made my way to the nearby hotel, only a short 10-minute walk away. As I walked, I heard a soft, melodic hum coming from behind me. It was a girl, singing quietly as she moved along. Her voice was familiar, but I couldn't quite place it.Unbeknownst to me, the girl was Maria. She was covered from head to toe, her appearance strikingly similar to mine. As she sang, a group of three guys nearby took notice. Her voice, though beautiful, caught their attention in a less-than-ideal way.Maria turned around, winking at them and blowing a playful kiss. Then, as if on cue, she ran off, disappearing from their view. They didn't know who they had just encountered, but they mistook me for her when they came across me next.I halted in my tracks and turned to face them, sensing their gaze."Got a nice voice, miss," one of them said, a smirk playing on his lips. "Are you from around here?"I looked them over, my patience wearing thin. "Can't you see I'm covered from head to toe? I'm not the type of girl you should be bothering. Goodbye." I turned to walk away, but one of them grabbed my shoulder, stopping me."You're not going anywhere," he sneered. "Why don't you entertain us a little more with your singing? Maybe you can remove those garments and headscarf while you're at it?"Panic rose within me. "No, please stop! I don't want to do that!" I pleaded, my voice trembling.But they weren't listening. They slowly began to strip away my garments and headscarf. People walked past, some glancing briefly, but no one intervened.The helplessness I felt in that moment was overwhelming, but I knew I had to find a way to regain control.