A Muslim's Romantic Journey

Chapter 31.

Yusuf’s POV

I walked to the local park and sat on the bench as I used to do when I wanted to escape from home. I was thinking about Safia, the things she said to me and what I said to her. I became unaware of my surroundings. I don’t know how long I had been sitting there when I heard ‘Allahuakbar’ (Allah is greater) from my phone meaning it was time for Maghrib. I hadn’t noticed the sun was going down. I made my way to the masjid with some anger still burning inside of me. I kept thinking about what Safia said. I was more angry at myself than her. How foolish was I to think that I could live up to her standards, or anyone’s standards. As for my family, I still didn’t know what to think about them.

I stood in the rows of people and followed the imam in prayer. I felt a lot better after that. When all the people left after Salaah, I stayed behind to read some Qur’an for peace. I finished a chapter and put it back up on the shelf. Then I sat there trying to clear my mind.

It was after Isha salaah when I left the masjid to come home. My ankle was beginning to hurt again and I felt really annoyed at it. But I didn’t care, with every step I was walking faster and faster. I had to see Safia. I had to talk to her.

When I got inside, I went into the living room. Everyone was there except Safia. I went up to my room. Safia wasn’t there either. The bathroom door was open, she wasn’t there. She wasn’t in Maryam’s room. I even checked my mum and dad’s room. The kitchen! She must have been there, I hoped. I went down, past the living room into the kitchen. She wasn’t there. I went to the front room where we rarely ever sat, as a last attempt of finding her. There was no sign of her. I stood by the stairs.

“Safia!” I called out, feeling frightened.

“She’s gone home.” My mum told me. I felt my heart sink.

“What do you mean? This is her home.” This couldn’t be happening.

“You told her to go home.” Maryam said alarmed.

“I didn’t mean it. I only said it to make a point.” I said it to hurt her, not because I really wanted her to go.

“But she’s gone now.” My mum said.

“She left? Didn’t you try to stop her?” I asked mum. She shrugged her shoulders. “Why not? Maryam, didn’t you try?” Maryam looked away and it seemed like she was almost guilty. “So she just walked out of here and none of you tried to stop her?”

“You were the one who told her to go home.” Now Javed spoke and I started feeling my temper rise again.

“I didn’t mean it!” I said through gritted teeth.

“Well how was she supposed to know?” Sensing what was to come, my dad got up and walked passed me, out of the room.

“I don’t know. Why didn’t you guys stop her?” I asked dropping into the sofa with my head in my hands.

“Are you seriously blaming us? Dude, this was all your doing.” Javed smirked. I took off the hat I was wearing and ferociously ran my hand through my hair in frustration.

“Would you like dinner Yusuf?” Mum asked. I looked at mum as if she had gone mad.

“Yeah, you’ve got to build yourself up. How else are you going to find another girl?” Javed said.

“Another girl? I’m not like you going from one girl onto the next. There’s only one girl for me, and that’s Safia.”

“And what a great job you did with her.” My hand shook with the overwhelming desire to slap that smile off his face.