Al Qulub Haris

Eight

SIX YEARS LATER

Fadil shoved a finger into both his ears trying to stop the deafening screams from ruining his eardrums. "Can you girls please stop screaming, you're driving me crazy"

"Oh please Fadil you can't tell me you're not excited to be graduating highschool" Fadila rolled her eyes at him.

"Come on join us" Zahra started dancing to 'Olamide's Bobo' with Fadila following suit. Fadil shook his head at the both of them.

"That's not how its done" he said shoving Zahra to the side and displaying his even better dance moves. The two girls tried to copy his fresh moves but failed so they stuck to bobbing their heads, stepping from left to right and doing their own version of shakiti bobo.

"I hope being in different schools won't affect our friendship" Fadila turned to Zahra with pouted lips.

"If being in different classes for three years didn't do that nothing can" Fadil chirped in. When they finished junior secondary school, they were each asked what they wanted to be in future which would determine the class they would be taken to in senior secondary school. Fadilas lifelong dream was to become a surgeon so she was admitted into the science class, Zahra had a passion for law so she got into the art class and Fadil the least serious who was crazy good at math didn't know what he wanted so he was advised to pick the commercial class.

"But here we got to see each other everyday at break time-" Zahra was interrupted by Fadila "except when Fadil decided to ditch us for Iman" she rolled her eyes, they both laughed "-and we got together almost every weekend but now it's different, you guys are going to be so far away" Zahra eyes were now glassy "I'm going to miss you so much" she sobbed.

"Group hug" Fadil yelled and the three came together with the twins trying to get Zahra to stop crying.

✊✊✊

"Fadila wallah I'm almost there" Zahra called into the phone. She was on her way to the airport to see her two best friends off, they were flying to the city of Madinah where they had both gained admission into Taibah University. "Where exactly are you? We just pulled into the parking area"

"I'll meet you at the terminal entrance" Fadila said and ended the call. The two girls ran to hug each other, disturbing the peace of the airport with their loud squeals. They both walked into the building to where Fadil was seated, his ears blocked with an all black beats by Dre headphone. Zahra nudged his arm notifying him of her presence, he swiftly shifted the headphone down to his neck and smiled at her "Zahra'u"

"Stop calling me that" she whined with arms crossed.

"Oh please. I can call you whatever I want to" he replied sticking his tongue out at her. His phone rang and he excused himself to go get their elder brother and his wife while Zahra and Fadila continued chatting, taking photos and laughing at anyone who slipped, tripped or missed a step. Fadil soon returned with Ya Ahmad and his wife. Zahra forwarded her greetings to the couple as she tried to recall where she had seen Ya Ahmads wife before.

"Zahra it's been a long time how have you been?" Ahmad asked "Fine thank you" she replied lowly still trying to remember the woman standing before her.

"Oh and this is my wife Aisha" Ya Ahmad added.

"Innalillahi!" Zahra exclaimed. She had just remembered who the woman was, it was Aisha. Her yayas Aisha who was supposedly forced to marry her cousin. She looked too happy for someone who was forced into marrying someone she didn't love.

"What's wrong?" Fadil asked while Fadila held on to Zahra who looked like she was about to fall.

"Its nothing" Zahra lied lifting her hand up to massage her temples "I felt a little headache" they all sighed in relief.

"Max Air is pleased to announce the final boarding call for Max Airs flight 10 non stop service to Medina, KSA" they heard from the speakers all over the terminal.

"Time to go" Fadil stood up. He and Ya Ahmad shared a short hug and he said his goodbye to Aisha before walking away. Zahra watched in awe as he walked further away without saying a word to her, she lowered her gaze having mixed feelings.

"Zahra!" Fadil yelled, she looked up at him just in time to see him blow her ten kisses and air quote an 'I love you' then shouted out "I miss you already" and walked into the tunnel leaving a glassy eyed Zahra, Fadila and Aisha.

"Are you sure Abba won't let you come with?" Fadila asked holding on to Zahras hands tightly.

"I'm resuming school in two days Fadila there's no coming for me" she replied fighting back the tears in her eyes "At least you guys are going home"

"Just because we're Arabs doesn't mean we're from Madinah madam" Fadila rolled her eyes at Zahra. A moment of silence fell between them before they crashed into each others arms both in tears "I'm going to miss you"

"I'll miss you too" Fadila quickly turned and ran towards the tunnel, she wasn't about to let that plane leave without her. Zahra turned to Aisha who was staring at her blankly with tears evident in her eyes.

"Zahra" she called and opened her arms so Zahra could come in for a hug. She had waited for Ya Ahmad to leave so she could do that, so she could feel a part of Murtala again. She recognized Zahra the minute she walked in but chose to shrug it off to avoid raising questions from Ya Ahmad, her love for Murtala was long gone but never forgotten. She prayed for him everyday, she never let a day go by without praying to Allah to let them meet again in Jannah.

"How is he?" Aisha smiled as she wiped off her tears after retracting from the hug.

"He's doing well" their reunion was interrupted by Ya Ahmad who grew impatient waiting for Aisha in the car and came back to get her.

"Keep him safe Zahra, don't tell him we met. Let's not reopen the wounds"

xoxo hairanumar