Trust Me (An Islamic Love Story)

Chapter 3 (part 2)

Azar Hussain. I am screwed for sure. Vaguely, I remember Madiha's warning.

"I'll just leave," I mumble as I turn. I hold the door handle and am about to leave, but a hand grips my hand over the handle. I am taken totally off guard and pull my hand away as if it is burned. "Can you please not do that again?"

"Mishal, this is who I was telling you about—" He does, in fact, move back despite what he said.

"I'll just go," I insist as I attempt to open the door, but this time it is Mishal who yanks my wrist from it. I turn to her and am shocked by the ugly look on her otherwise beautiful face. "Can I please know why you two are not letting me go?" I ask as Azar tugs away Mishal's wrist from mine.

"You think you can try to win over my boyfriend, and I'll let you live in peace?" Mishal exaggerates, followed by a few curses she throws at me.

"Whoa! What even?" My anger overtakes my embarrassment. "Where the hell did you get the idea that I am trying to win him? I'm not trying to win him! I don't even know this weirdo." I mentally smack myself for slipping out the last part. I am just making it worse and worse with every second.

"Did you just insult me?" I feel his angry eyes burning through me.

"I-I..." I don't dare to look at him.

"Aren't you a curious little thing, angel?" My heart is racing. It doesn't seem like Azar anymore. Please, Allah, I can't have an attack in front of them. I can't lose it. Please, Allah. "Aren't you completely reverting from what you did in the café? What about the band-aid on your hand? You are just trying to get my attention, trying to provoke me to prove myself."

If I wasn't so scared, I would have rolled my eyes, but fear is all I feel right now. I fidget to remove the band-aid as I say. "Look, Azar and Mishal, I mean no harm. I really had no idea you two were here," I manage to suppress my urge to just scream and try to reason instead. "And besides, what I did in the café was just an accident and a mistake. You guys are totally taking it in the wrong way. Mishal, if he told you all that about me trying to win him or something, he is lying to you. I don't know why he would, but he is." What glue does this band-aid have? I think as I struggle to remove it.

"How dare you!" Azar calls me some very indecent words, and I wince.

"Calm down, Azu, it is okay, I trust you, I know that you are mine-" She glares at me before continuing, "and mine only."

"To Allah we belong, and to Him we return," I am really frustrated with the band-aid. It is after a moment I realize there is silence in the room, and I register what I said. I think it is safe to say they are shocked by my abrupt mention of the ayah.

I attempt to leave again, but Mishal grips my wrist. This time, I yank her hand away. "Is this all because you fear I would tell someone about you two?" I ask, my fury becoming my confidence.

"You wouldn't dare," Mishal threatens. "You think you can use the word of Islam so that we break up and you can have Azar."

"How many times do I have to say I am not interested?" I look at her tearful eyes, and my heart saddens at her madness. "You are blinded by jealousy, Mishal," I soften my voice a little. "You don't realize that having a relationship without marriage will only hurt you. In no matter of time, he will use you and toss you away, and you will regret all of this," I gesture.

"Who do you think you are?" Azar demands, standing beside Mishal. I involuntarily move back from both of them. "Some prophetess...? It is because of people like you who use Islam to meet their own personal goals; Islam is hated so much by people around the world. If you think by the pretense of being a good Muslim, you will break Mishal and me apart, you are absolutely mistaken."