Hello, Mr. Umbrella

Chapter Fourteen

The first Gossip Gurl's victims club gathering was abysmal.

Since Aliyah was the first to exit the venue, she would be seen as one of  Gossip Gurl's many accomplices given by the way she reacted whilst leaving; scared and anxious. It wasn't only Aliyah who behaved that way, James did, so did Clarissa. Aliyah didn't have the guts to decline Haniya Harrington's call, but what she could do without remorse was switching on the do-not-disturb mode on her smartphone and locking away the mind-controlling machine in an old chest, buried inside their attic with dust and cobwebs.

Aliyah stood straightforward like a metal pole, facing the qibla (the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca) as expected of every practicing Muslim to start a prayer. Her royal-blue hijab was tightly wrapped around her head and it was long enough to cover her hand.

The Qur'anic verse she was reciting mutely was somewhat soothing; she could coo to its gentle bristle on her solicitous heart if it's not for the sake of the connection she had eventually created between her and Allah. It was definitely the first prayer she would be devoting her soul into—praying like a real Muslim should. Since the beginning of Gossip Gurl's so-called revolution, her prayers were all vague; judging by the laws concerning a Muslim's prayer. She always observed salah (prayer) like she was the female version of Sonic: the blue hedgehog.

Feeling focused, everything seemed possible; for once she didn't care about her scandalous life—all she wanted was to pray till her feet ache. Praying has never been this soothing for her, like forever. Maybe the cure she ever needed was that thin, imaginary yet real connection with her Lord.

Her peaceful moment was broken into pieces as her room's door flung open. Aliyah knew it was bad to sigh while praying but she couldn't help it, it flew out of her mouth. The range of long, boring nags she was going to get from the intruder after she finished prayer made her elongate some recitations. Maybe they might get bored and get out of her room.

Hearing the door close, she smiled; she had achieved her aim. Aliyah's smiles were instantly replaced with frowns as she noticed someone had taken their seat.

They had come to stay.

There was no point for the unwanted elongations, not even when praying salah maghrib (sunset prayer and also the second shortest prayer). The connection she was guarding was already broken, all she had to do was finish her salah and just ignore the intruder.

Completing her prayer, she turned to the intruder with fireball-filled eyes, but her range of vexation lowered as she saw who it was. It was not her mother but Safiya—her betwixen sister. The smile on Safiya's face made Aliyah felt a kind of indescribable disgust towards her; she felt like her sister was judging her prayer. Waves of insecurity enveloped Aliyah, she started doubting her prayer, like she made a mistake that even she was unaware of. Even though she did, Safiya wasn't in that position to laugh at her prayer.

"Praise be to Allah, our Aliyah prayed without being told!" Safiya exclaimed dramatically, raising her hands up in the air like she was receiving manna from heaven.

Aliyah rolled her eyes unaffectedly and drew herself a chair which was facing her computer and backing her sister. Ignoring her was the best option; after all, silence is the best answer for a gobshite.

Safiya realized her words were absolutely cruel after repeating what she said to herself. She stood and walked closer to Aliyah, staring at the computer's screen. "What are you doing?" She questioned, even when she could see the screen clearly.

"Something that doesn't concern you." Aliyah replied, nonchalantly.

Safiya laid her hands on Aliyah's shoulder, but she retracted them when she remembered the way she behaved to Aliyah previously. "Stop giving me the cold shoulder. I said I'm sorry." She apologized, sincerely this time.