Hijabi Not in Distress

Chapter 29

Continuation of Flashback:

Sairah's POV:

I felt my heart break. How could Ahmed say these things? Is this what happens to people who love each other? How could this happen? 

And today was the day when I planned on telling my parents about getting engaged to him. Today was the day that I'd get to happily call him mine. Yet today was the today he threw me out of his heart. 

I sob quietly on my porch wondering why this is happening. Sairah, control! He's not worth it. Don't waste your tears on someone who couldn't trust you. Someone who didn't 'love' you. 

I wipe my tears away although now I don't know if it's my tears or the rain. I let the rain patter down my face as I straighten myself up. 

"Hey Sair-" Zara calls me from the front door and stops when she sees me drenched with puffy eyes. "Are you okay?" She rushes over to me. "What hap-"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." I give her the most genuine smile I could muster. "I'm fine, really."

She looks at me skeptically but nods. "Okay uh let's get you inside then. You don't want to catch a cold before you tell us what's your 'big news'!" 

I hold back my tears as I swallow the dry feel in my throat. I completely forgot that I had to tell my parents what I thought was the "best thing" in my life. "Oh uh it's nothing." I brush it off.

Zara raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean? You were the one jumping up and down like you were getting married." Zara shakes her head laughing.

I feel my heart stop again and I bit my lip to stop it from quivering. I wait for my throat to clear, "yea but um it was because I found an apartment in UCLA. So now you can still stay with your friends and I'll stay with mine. But, we'll be next door." I smile at Zara who's ecsatic. 

"Oh that's perfect. We'll be neighbors!" She jumps up and hugs me but lets go quickly. "Ok go change you're all icky from the rain."

I laugh at Zara's reaction softly as I head upstairs. I close the bedroom door and slide down sobbing harder. I guess in all this I hoped Ahmed would call me, tell me he's sorry or that he made a mistake. But he didn't say a thing. I wanted to call him but I knew that he wouldn't answer. Not when he thinks I'm some gold digger. I though he knew me. 

"I- I thought he loved me." I say to myself gripping my arms as I hug myself tightly.

After crying my heart out I finally get up. I go to my mirror and see my mess of a self. "How the might have fallen." I laugh. I decide to take a shower to get rid of my gross appearance and I hope that this shower would wash away the heartbreak I felt.

I dried my hair and began brushing it when my phone rang. Is it Ahmed! My heart raced then I saw it was a call from Nina. God I'm so pathetic! 

"Hey Nina Piña." I say light heartedly.

"Hey Sairy," she pauses, "is- is everything o-okay with you and Ahmed?"

"Hah! Things are perfect!" I say sarcastically as I plop down on my bed. 

"Sairah." Nina calls softly. "I'm being serious."

"No I'm not fine. But what good would crying to you about it do. It won't change what I'm-" my voice breaks as I squeeze my eyes shut to prevent tears from falling. "It's nothing." I clarify.

"Then why is Ahmed leaving for New York tomorrow night? Why is he going to NYU?" Nina asks with growing concern.

"Oh." I pause feeling dejected. "He's uh- he's actually leaving?" I fight the tightening of my heart.