Trust Me (An Islamic Love Story)

Chapter 30

I follow Azar outside to his car. It feels weird and uncomfortable to sit in the front seat with him, but I don't want to make a fuss about it, so I ignore these feelings and sit anyways.

"Where are we going?" I ask as Azar takes a turn to a road I don't recognize.

"To the airport," he replies without looking at me. "Why didn't you tell Mama and Baba before leaving?"

I ask worriedly, "Did they mind? I'm-"

"I handled it," he shortly says, and I assume he lied. "You didn't tell me why you didn't inform them."

"I was going to refuse the job anyways," I explain, and Azar glances at me with a look of surprise. "Therefore, I thought I shouldn't bother them by telling them that I'm going to meet your lover."

He grits his teeth, gripping the wheel tightly, but doesn't say anything. I don't want to talk to him either, so I just look outside the window. But as time goes on, the restlessness inside me grows.

Why would Azar help me? How did he know Mr. Muzamil? How did Mr. Muzamil know him? What was Azar doing in Mishal's office? Did he come to meet her?

"Azar, why are you like this?" I blurt out, and as soon as I do, I regret it. I wasn't supposed to ask this. I wasn't even thinking about this. What just happened?

I squirm under his gaze and look away. "Am I supposed to justify myself to you now?"

"Azar, I mean, why did you help me?" His silence is disturbing me, so I continue. "And how did you know that guy? And what were you doing in Mishal's office?"

"Just drop it, Abeer," he says almost in a plea, and the words hang in the air.

The fact that he said my name instead of angel makes me feel stranger, and for some reason, it feels as if his words have more meaning than it seems. I don't know why I feel difficult to breathe. This is Azar Hussain. I can't have sympathy for him—especially not now.

"Azar, I don't think in this case I can," I say after a few moments. "You can't just do that and expect me to just act as if you did nothing."

"Angel, you never learn, do you?" he asks with a chuckle.

My heart skips a beat. "You never learn, do you?" I hear Raheesh as if he is sitting behind me.

"I am not answerable to your questions," Azar says, almost bored of repeating the same thing. "So, quit trying to get it out of me."

"Why didn't you marry Mishal? Tell me. I have a right to know," I persist instead.

"You said I'm not very determined to fulfill my responsibilities, so you are just wasting your breath, angel," he doesn't give in and the conversation dies unsettlingly.

We remain silent for the rest of the journey. We enter the airport and head to the waiting lounge to find Mama, Baba, Ahmed, Maliha, Mom, Pops, and all the relatives sitting there.

"Assalamualikum warahmatullahi wabarakatahu," Azar and I say together and look at each other.

"Walaikumusalam," they murmur replies.

"So, how was your friend doing?" Mama asks me.

I glance at Azar. So, this was his lie. "Alhamdulillah good."

Mom stands up and embraces me, and even though I feel panicked, I hug her back. Pops hugs me sideways and then asks, "How is my Abeer doing? Azar treats you alright?"

I swallow down the truth. "Alhamdulillah, he does."

"Alhamdulillah."

Azar shakes hands with Pops and I ask Zaina, "Where is Hoor?"