Breaking Her Walls

░Thirteen░

ABDALLAH

She has accepted my proposal. But now I'm not so sure about whether she is 'the one' for me.

I've searched for so many years for a wife. Have always wanted to go through with things the halal way. But, I never did find anyone.

I don't know what kind of a person Sophia is, but . . . I have seen something in her. Something I don't quite understand.

I just hope she doesn't have a problem with what she doesn't yet know about me.

•••

~Two weeks before the wedding~

"I can't marry you."

I stand dumbfounded, my hand clutching the phone to my ear.

Is she trying to inundate me?

"Look," I start and when she doesn't sigh or scoff, I know something is definitely wrong.

I don't ask what's wrong, I just say calmly, "I'm coming to your house and then let's talk this through, okay?"

She doesn't respond. Doesn't even hum.

So, I hang up and slide the phone into the pocket of my jeans. Then, I get into my car and start the engine.

•••

Okay.

The house is eerie quiet. Aahil is nowhere to be seen and neither are his parents.

For both Sophia and my sanity, I hope they're somewhere in this luxurious house.

Just in time, I see Aahil lounging against the sofa in the living room.

Oh, thank God.

He raises his head and sees me. Those dark, cold eyes soften.

Aahil has always been a mystery to me. When we were younger, we met at a football match. Even then, there was this raw pain in his eyes; as if the world was too much for him to handle.

Almost like Sophia.

I quickly shake that thought off of my head. She isn’t anything like him. Aahil might come off as weird or rude but the guy has the potential to change the world. He’s the kind of guy that you can sit with and feel peace deep inside you.

We’ve experienced many things together in life. Becoming a Muslim, for example. We came to Islam at the same time, leaving everything for it.   

We share Islamic greetings while handshaking and backslapping.

"Bro, what're you doing here?" He asks, his eyes flicking to the magnificent Apple Watch resting on his wrist. "Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

My hand moves to my beard and I scratch a little. "I wanted to see Sophia. She uh . . . didn't sound so well."

He nods his head and for a moment I wonder whether he is actually her brother. How can a brother not care that some random guy talking to his sister?

Not that I'm random but, still. I would probably kill any guy who so much as looked at my sister.

"I'll call her downstairs, then." He says and takes off.

I make myself at home. Propping my elbow on the hand-rest, my fingers drum against my head.

Was she just being emotional? Or is there something wrong?

My hand ceases its movement as realisation dawns on me.

Oh, God! She has found out!