HIJABI ✔️

Chapter 24

Ruqayyah's POV

"Tell me why we can't be together." Alex asks. I knew he wouldn't be able to answer the question.

"What do you mean be together?" I needed to make sure he's referring to what I think he's referring to.

"Be my girlfriend," He replied, his mouth inches from mine. I could feel his hot minty breath. My heart races, but nothing out of the ordinary. Alex does seem to cause this reaction to me a lot often.

"What!?" I was expecting it, but he still caught me off guard, "Alex, I can't!"

"I thought you said you liked me,"

"Yes, and I meant it, but_"

"Is it because of that guy again?" He says and I could feel the jealousy through his voice.

"No, Alex, I can't be your girlfriend. I can't be anyone's girlfriend. Dating is forbidden in Islam."

"What do you mean? Muslims can't date?" He seems confused. 

"No."

"So, how do you get married?" He points out.

"The same way you start dating. You get to know the person and you like their personality and just the way they are and you know you wanna ask them out. Although, some have arranged marriages, which is not very different. The number one rule applies, you only get married if you want to, nobody can force you."

"Doesn't that increase divorce rates?"

"Well, at least in my family there hasn't been a single divorce, although they were all arranged marriages. I think people just complicated this whole marriage thing, it's either my rules, my ways or nothing. How do you expected a marriage to last that way?" I always wondered how people date for ten whole years without considering marriage but are ready for children, or how they date for five years and get married for two years and divorce. I'm glad dating is forbidden in Islam. I can't be with Alex, but at no moment I wished I could date him.

"That's why you were crying?"

"I'm in a guy's dorm, something I promised my mum I would never do. She was right to doubt me. After all, she knew me more than I knew myself." I step away from him.

"We didn't do anything. And that's thanks to you, so you shouldn't be blaming yourself for anything... Let's go, I'll take you to your dorm." I didn't expect him to be so understanding.

Before I could put my jacket on, my phone rings.

"Hello?" I ask since I didn't look at the screen before answering.

"It's me, Dawud,"

"Oh, assalamu aleykum,"

"Wa aleykumu salaam wa rahmatullah. I'm sorry, did I call you on a wrong time?"

"No, I was expecting you to call."

"How's your day going?"

"Not bad. How are you finding London so far?"

"London? Girl, I already know England inside out. I am in Wales right now with Ilyass."

"What?!" I knew he was social, but he is already exploring the whole country and it hasn't even been a week since he landed.

"I start work next week, I won't have as much free time as I'm having now. I'd go with you instead but you're in college right now."

"Oh, thank you so much for the little show-off," I say playful and hear him chuckle, "You said you were with someone named Ilyass, did you make friends already?"