BY THE WILL OF ALLAH

CHAPTER 3: Boundaries Unbroken

The next day at university, after class, Huda and Noor sat in the canteen, casually talking while eating. The atmosphere was light, but Noor couldn’t ignore the way Huda seemed distracted, her mind elsewhere.

After a moment of silence, Noor finally spoke up. "Huda, is something bothering you? You know you can tell me, right?"

Huda quickly shook her head. "No, Noor, it’s nothing. I’m just… worried about exams."

Noor narrowed her eyes. "Liar. I can tell something’s wrong."

Huda sighed, knowing there was no way to hide anything from Noor. After a brief hesitation, she finally spoke.

"Noor… a few days ago, when I was heading home and you had an extra class, Izaan stopped me and…" she hesitated, her fingers fidgeting. "He… he confessed."

Noor’s eyes widened. "Wait—what? He confessed? As in… he said he likes you?"

Huda nodded, looking unsettled. "Noor, he said… he loves me."

"What?!" Noor almost dropped her spoon. "Are you serious? How can he just — Before she could finish, Huda interrupted, her voice coming out in a rush. "It’s bothering me, Noor. It’s wrong! How could he just say something like that? I don’t even know him! And now, I can’t stop thinking about it, even though I don’t want to. I don’t understand why! I feel confused."

Noor immediately reached for her hand; her voice gentle but firm. "Okay, first, take a deep breath. Relax. You’re fine, alright? Just breathe."

Huda did as she was told, exhaling slowly, but the uneasiness in her chest remained.

"Listen," Noor continued, "You don’t like him, right?"

"Of course not!" Huda said without hesitation.

"Then just ignore him," Noor said simply, then paused. "Wait… is he bothering you? Tell me, I swear I’ll complain about it and handle this."

"No, Noor, he’s not," Huda admitted. "He hasn’t done anything after that. But still… I don’t know why it’s bothering me. I don’t understand what I’m feeling."

Noor watched her carefully before squeezing her hand reassuringly. "You don’t have to understand it all right now. Just stay firm in what you believe, Huda. That’s what matters."

The day turned out to be busier than usual for Huda, leaving her little time to dwell on her thoughts. After university, she and Noor stopped by a coffee shop, chatting over steaming cups of chai before heading home.

By the time she arrived, Asr prayer was nearing.

As soon as she stepped inside, she greeted her parents. Her father, looking up from his newspaper, asked, "Huda, why did you stop at the library today? Are your exams coming up?"

"Yes, Baba," she replied. "I have exams in one month and seven days."

Satisfied with her answer, he nodded, and Huda excused herself to her room. She freshened up, performed her Asr salah, and, feeling exhausted, decided to take a nap until Maghrib.

After waking up and praying Maghrib, she went to the kitchen, where Mama was preparing evening snacks. Huda helped her, making chai and setting the table. Later, she joined her mother again to cook dinner, enjoying the quiet moments of their shared routine.

At 9 PM, as per their family tradition, they all sat together for dinner. No matter how busy the day was, dinner was the time when everyone gathered, talking about their day and sharing moments of warmth.

Once dinner was over, Huda returned to her room and performed her Isha salah. Just as she finished, a soft ding echoed in the quiet space.

She picked up her phone, unlocking it without much thought—until her eyes landed on an unknown number.

Unknown Number: Assalamualaikum, Huda. It’s Izaan. I hope you’re doing well. I just wanted to ask… have you thought about my confession?

Huda’s grip on the phone tightened. Her heart pounded—not out of nervousness, but out of pure frustration. How did he get her number? And how dare he text her, especially at this hour?

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, rage bubbling inside her before she finally typed, her words sharp and firm.

Huda: Who gave you, my number?

A few seconds later, another message popped up.

Izaan: I just… got it from someone. I really wanted to talk to you, that’s why_

Huda’s anger flared.

Huda: That’s why you thought it was okay to invade my privacy? To text me in the middle of the night as if we have any kind of relationship?

Izaan: I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. I just wanted to—

Huda: Wanted to what, Izaan? I already gave you, my answer. I don’t owe you anything. You had no right to take my number without my permission, and you certainly have no right to text me like this. Don’t ever do this again.

She didn’t wait for a response. With a deep breath, she blocked the number, her heart still racing with anger.

Throwing her phone onto the bed, she sat down, running a hand over her face. She had been unsettled before, but now she was downright furious.

How could he cross a boundary like this?

Huda had tried to move past it, but it seemed like Izaan wasn’t ready to let go.

But she wouldn’t let this continue. Not now. Not ever.

Huda tried to sleep but she was still boiling with anger. She po couldn’t let go of the frustration she felt toward Izaan, so she picked up her phone and called Noor.

The phone rang for a few moments before Noor picked up. "Huda? What’s going on? You sound upset."

Huda’s voice was tight with fury. "I’m so angry, Noor. I just… I can’t explain it right now, but I’m furious."

Noor, sensing that something was wrong but not pushing, said gently, "Huda, relax. Breathe. What happened? You don’t have to tell me everything right now, but you need to calm down."

"I just… I don’t know, Noor. I’m so mad, I can’t even think straight," Huda muttered.

Noor softened her tone, trying to comfort her friend. "Okay, Huda. Just take a deep breath. It’s going to be okay. Don’t let it consume you. We’ll talk more tomorrow, alright?"

Huda took a shaky breath, trying to steady herself. "Yeah, I guess you’re right. I’ll tell you tomorrow. I just… I’m really angry right now."

Noor replied warmly, "That’s okay, Huda. Get some rest. We’ll talk about it when you’re ready."

"Thanks, Noor. Goodnight," Huda said, her voice a little calmer.

"Goodnight, Huda. Take care," Noor replied before they both hung up.

The next morning, Huda woke up later than usual, feeling the weight of the conversation, she had with Noor still lingering in her mind. Her thoughts were clouded, but she knew she had to face the day. She rushed to get ready and headed straight to class.

After the lecture, she and Noor met up, as usual, but Noor could immediately sense something was off. Huda was quieter than usual, her face still holding traces of the anger she hadn’t fully dealt with.

Noor didn’t waste any time. "Okay, Huda, what’s going on? You’ve been distracted all day, and I know something’s up. Spill."

Huda hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "You know what happened last night, right? Well, he… Izaan texted me at midnight."

Noor’s eyes widened in surprise. "What? He did what?!"

"I couldn’t believe it either, Noor. He texted me so late, and I just—" Huda paused, her anger bubbling up again. "How can he just take my number and text me whenever he wants? Who does he think he is?"

Noor’s face grew hard. "That’s just… wrong, Huda. He crossed a serious line. No one has the right to invade your privacy like that."

"I just… I don’t know what to do, Noor. I’m so mad. I mean, how dare he?!" Huda clenched her fists, her frustration evident.

Noor leaned in, her voice firm. "Huda, calm down. Breathe. I know you’re angry, and I get it. But you’re not alone in this. I’m going to confront him. He needs to understand that this is not okay. He can’t just do whatever he wants."

Huda blinked, surprised by Noor’s sudden determination. "You’re going to confront him?"

"Yes," Noor replied confidently. "He needs to know what he did was wrong. No one messes with my best friend’s boundaries like that."

Huda couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief wash over her at Noor’s words. "Okay… I don’t know what I’d do without you, Noor."

Noor gave her a reassuring smile. "You don’t have to worry about that. We’ve got this. I’m going to handle this, Huda. Don’t worry. Just focus on calming down, and we’ll deal with him."

Huda nodded, finally feeling like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, knowing that Noor would be there for her, no matter what. Later that day, after the classes had ended, Noor and Huda walked together towards the main building. Huda could feel her stomach tighten as she remembered what had happened last night, but Noor’s presence was reassuring.

Noor suddenly stopped walking. "Wait here," she said, her tone serious.

Huda looked at her, surprised. "What’s going on?"

Noor’s expression was hard, her jaw set. "I’m going to confront him. I’ve had enough of this nonsense. You’ve already been through enough."

Before Huda could respond, Noor turned and walked toward a group of students standing near the lockers. Among them was Izaan, laughing and talking with some friends. Noor didn’t hesitate. She strode up to him, her eyes narrowed in determination.

"Izaan!" she called out, her voice sharp and commanding.

Izaan froze, his eyes meeting Noor's with a mix of surprise and confusion. "What’s up, Noor?" he asked casually, clearly not expecting what was coming.

Noor stepped closer, standing tall in front of him. "What do you think you’re doing?" she demanded, her voice steady but full of authority.

Izaan blinked, taken aback by the sudden confrontation. "What are you talking about?"

Noor’s gaze never wavered. "Don’t play dumb. You texted Huda at midnight last night, didn’t you? After taking her number without her permission. What gives you the right to invade her privacy like that? What were you even thinking?"

The others around them fell silent, sensing the tension in the air. Izaan shifted, looking uncomfortable but trying to maintain his composure. "I… I just wanted to talk to her. I didn’t think it would be a big deal."

Noor’s eyes flashed with anger. "A big deal? You think it’s okay to just text her whenever you want, at any hour of the night? You don’t get to decide that, Izaan. She never gave you permission, and you crossed a line."

Izaan looked down, realizing that Noor wasn’t going to let him off easily. "I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean to upset her."

Noor shook her head, her voice cold. "Sorry doesn’t cut it. What you did was disrespectful, and you need to understand that you can’t just do things like that. You need to leave Huda alone and stop invading her space. She doesn’t owe you anything."

Izaan, looking guilty, nodded silently. "I get it. I’m sorry."

Noor stood her ground for a moment longer, making sure he understood the gravity of his actions. "You better," she said firmly. "If you ever cross that line again, I won’t hesitate to make it clear. Got it?"

Izaan nodded again; his face flushed with embarrassment. He turned to walk away, but Noor didn’t relax until he was out of sight.

When she returned to Huda, the latter was waiting near the lockers, her heart racing.

Noor gave Huda a knowing look. "I told him off. He won’t be bothering you again."

Huda stared at Noor in amazement, grateful for her friend's boldness. "You really told him?"

"Of course," Noor replied with a grin. "You deserve better than someone who thinks they can just ignore your boundaries. He won’t be texting you again."

Huda smiled, a sense of relief washing over her. "Thank you, Noor. I don’t know what I’d do without you."

Noor laughed, wrapping her arm around Huda’s shoulders. "You don’t have to worry about that. I’m always going to have your back."