Our Bizarre Life

Chapter 1: The News

Chapter 1: The News

Raaida

I ran as fast as I could, feeling my feet hit the ground hard with every step. I ran, and ran, but there seemed to be no end. I was stuck in a reality my heart rejected. I knew I wouldn't last too long outside. I was too far away from my textbooks to not care enough.

"I should have at least grabbed my backpack if I was going to run out!" My teeth starts shaking on their own, and my body was beginning to freeze up. I almost couldn't feel my legs because of how numb they got.

"You have two weeks to make that rejection into an acceptance." My mom's firm words echoe in my mind as if they were the only thing on my mind now. "You're getting married within two weeks and that's final."

Sometimes I wonder whether my parents went through the same process? The rejection, the forced acceptance, the marriage, the disappointments, the forced happiness, the children, and even more disappointments? Sadly, I don't have to wonder, because that's exactly how it was for them. Neither of them were happy to marry into this consent-less marriage. And I'm sure neither of them was too happy to have me and my little brother as their children. If they loved me, they wouldn't marry me off for the sake of one stupid promise my dad made with his long time friend when they were celebrating my birth 18 years ago. I wasn't 18 as of yet, but in two weeks, I was going to be. And I was also most likely going to be a married women while I'm at it.

At this point, I didn't even want to know about the man I was marrying. All I knew was that he failed a grade because he dropped out of school for a while, and now we were going to be in the same graduating grade.

He must be stupid. He must be.

Well, it's not like I cared about whether I was marrying an academically smart person or not. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses.

After I stopped running or walking (whatever you would call my speed), I found that I had only made it to the convenience store near my building.

As far as I'm concerned, Islam doesn't allow forced marriages. So if I am forced into this and I don't mean it... I wouldn't technically be married to the guy I'm supposed to marry.... That's problematic.

Seeing how this is my only way out with no choice, do I really just have to accept this as part of my faith?

I went home 15 minutes after that realizing that logically there was nothing else I could do without my books, my bag, and wallet. When I stepped into the stuffy apartment, I looked at my backpack lying on the ground next to the dining table. Then I stared out of the corner of my eyes at my mom who had just put on her work suit, and opened her long wavy hair up to match the look. She was staring at me, trying to hide a smirk. She knew I wouldn't last outside alone while wasting time. I grabbed my bag, and took the remaining four apples in the fruit bowl. After washing them in the sink, I made my way to my bedroom, and hung the 'DO NOT DISTURB' sign.

I went in and closed the door behind me as I pulled my hijab off my head roughly. I gave my head a small massage before going to pray Dhur salaah. As soon as I was done with prayer, I sat down to study peacefully. Except I couldn't study peacefully.

18 years and my parents don't whisper a word about the fact that my marriage had already been set since birth. 18 years. Yet today, after I come home from a good day at school, I come home to this insanity. This... monstrosity.

Who is this monster anyways?