Ties

~Chapter 4

[Note: I do not encourage disrespecting elders or parents. Nor do I encourage touching the opposite gender or any haram. This is all for fictional purposes. Thank you!]

Firdaus couldn't get a blink of sleep. She kept overthinking, no matter how hard she tried to sleep, all efforts in vain.

"Ugh, I'll just go for a drive." She said in frustration. She checked the time on her phone, and it read 1:45am. She shrugged and got her car keys. She wore a long hijab and came out of her apartment and locked it.

She got into her car and revved it to life. She didn't have a destination in mind. She'd just go wherever the road takes her. And so she did. She played Suratul Maryam on her phone as she drove. It always helps calm her down. She knows the reason she can't sleep is cuz she's really pissed. She parked her car by the road side, paused the recitation, and screamed at the top of her lungs as she hit the steering wheel. After a minute, she regained control and sighed.

"I'm really fucked up." Nana said defeatedly.
She alighted the car and sat by the sidewalk, enjoying the calmness of the night, wishing she could be that calm internally.

"Ya Allah, please protect me from all evils ya rabbi." She prayed with so much sincerity.

She star gazed for a while when someone appeared before her. "Hey." The person said. But she didn't hear the person. She was so lost in thought.

"Umm... hey, can you hear me?" The person said, waving his hands at her, so as to get her attention. That got her out of the trance she was in, and she raised her head to meet the face of the face of the person who disturbed her peace.

"You!?" The guy before her said, and she recognised him to be the guy that gave her "speeding advice" the other day.

"Yeah, me." She shrugged.

"What are you doing here at this time of the night?" He said, looking a bit worried.

"What does it look like I'm doing, Mr. Obvious?" That made him roll his eyes.
But he let it go and sat beside her. She moved away from him. He was too close for comfort.

"What? Now you're afraid of me?" He said, confused.

She laughed. "Me, afraid? Not by a long shot."

"Then what?" He asked, still wanting to get an answer to his question.

"Do you always ask stupid questions?" Jannah replied, she hasn't met anyone that asks so many questions. Ughh!

"Just answer." He demanded.

"Well, firstly, I sit where I want to. Secondly, you don't need to know." She said and stood from her position.

"Are you always this rude?" He asked another obvious question.

"Maybe, maybe not." She was by her car about to enter.

"Wait, what's your name."

"That's for me to know and for you to find out.
I like being a mystery..."

"Oh yeah, it was my father's road." She gave him a mischievous smile, entered her car, and drove off.

Somehow, Mr. Obvious took her mind off her current predicament, with a smile still lingering on her face, her worried at the back of her mind as she drove back home.

Mr. Obvious, on the other hand, was still in a daze. Even after she drove off, he had been in the same spot for about 5 minutes. He wondered how someone so beautiful could be so rude. She annoyed him but not the type of annoyance that makes a person angry, the one that gives you a zeal to know the person more, that was what she made him feel every time her mouth opened to utter something.
At least this conversation was better than the last.

"I have to find out who she is!" He said, determined.

*******

"Assalamu Alaikum mum." She said as she answered her mum's video call.

"Wa'alaikumu Salam Jannah. How're you, my love?" Her mom inquired.

"I'm doing good mamana, how're you doing?" She replied.

"I'm doing fine, just missing your annoying presence." Her mom said with a fake annoyed expression.

"Which annoying presence, mamana, you know I'm such a blessing." Jannah said and flicked her imaginary hair.

"Whatever....." Hauwa replied defeatedly. Which made jannah laugh.

"Mum, I was thinking of travelling for a while." She said to her mum.

"Hmm... where to?" Hauwa replied, interested in the topic. She knew how much her daughter loves travelling.

"I was thinking Switzerland, so many beautiful landscapes, you know how much of a sucker I am for nature. What do you think?" The thought of nature alone makes her happy.

"I think it's a great idea. When do you intend on going?" Her mom replied, beaming.

"Maybe next week or so, I'll check the flight schedules and let you know, though."

"Alright, janunu." Her mom called her with her childhood nickname.

"Mummmmm." She drawled. That made her mom laugh, and she later joined her.

They chatted for a while before her mom went to attend to some work. "Jannah, do take care of yourself." Her mom said.

"Don't worry, mom, I'll be fine." She reassured.

"Byee janunuu." Jannah laughed at her mom's tease.

"Bye, mum." And with that, the call ended.

"Let me call Tanya to check flight details." Jannah said to herself.

"Hey, Tanya. I need you to check some flight details for me. Yeah, Switzerland. I'm fine any day after tomorrow. What time is tomorrow's shoot? 2pm..... Alright, okay. But be there by 1:30. You know what to do. Alright. Oh, and forward the rest of the details to me."
Tanya is jannah's assistant. She has her daily photo-shoot schedule.

What should I do now? Jannah thought

After minutes of anticipation, she decided to just watch something. While she was scrolling through Netflix, she decided to watch a Korean series: True Beauty. The series is hilarious, emotional, and romantic altogether. She binged the series, and before she knew it, it was already 4 pm. So she had to get up and pray. After praying, she ordered some food, and it was delivered in no time. She continued watching as she ate. By 10 p.m., she was already done with the series, even though the girl didn't end up with the one she wanted, though the other guy deserved happiness too cuz he was too broken. Anyways, it is what it is.

After that, she decided to call it a night. She performed ablution and did her adhkar before hitting the sack.

***********
Ola amigos.
What's up, guys??
How was that? And what do you guys think of Mr. Obvious, huh?
I know i like him. No, scratch that. I love him😂

Jannah's going to Switzerland. Let's see how it goes.

Love
~m