Gravity

Chapter 8.

"What's so funny?" - Safa Muhammad, Gravity.

Chapter 8.

☻Safa Muhammad ☻

"He's not a monster Safa. Grow up!", Haneen snapped at me. I glared at her. "Behave!" I told her. She quickly backed away and sat down on a chair next to me.

"Safa, why are you scared?" Zahra asked. I sighed. "I don't know. I know he's not a monster and maybe he's really nice, but I can't be too sure, right?" I said. Haneen and Zahra both burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" I asked them. I felt offended even though it was just my sisters.

"You Safa. You're funny. You're a joke. And make sure you never say that in front of anybody else or they'll do the same", Haneen warned. I looked down. "I want to....

"....don't say the word!" Hammad was standing in the doorway. "Haneen and Zahra, mom's calling you guys", Hammad told them both and they both walked outside. I was still looking down. He sat down beside me.

"Safa, you're going to get sick. There is still time. Go out there and tell them all no. If they settle a date for the engagement today, you won't be able to reject anymore", Hammad suggested.

"I can't do that Hammad. It's not as easy as you think it is. I can't just say no", I told him.

"Yes you can! This is your life, no their's! No one can force you to say yes if you don't want to. Stand up for yourself Safa", Hammad stood up. He sounded like a lawyer who was fighting for my case. I looked up at him and then down again. I was stuck in between. There was too much pressure for me to handle. I couldn't handle it all. I started crying.

"Safa", Hammad sat down on the floor. He started stroking my arm gently as he tried to make me feel better. "Look, you can't spend your life with him like this. Go and tell them you don't want to marry him. You're under too much pressure", he said. I wiped my tears away.

"I can't do that. And I won't. The one pressuring me is you. Mama and baba didn't force me, ok?" I told him. He squinted his eyes. "What?" he stood up again. "This is your own decision?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. Mama left the decision to me and I decided to marry him", I told him.

"Then why are you so... frustrated?" he asked me. I shook my head. "I don't know. I'm having my emotional moments I guess. I don't know why I just cried. Im crazy, han?" I looked up at him. He looked confused and I laughed. "Yeah i'm crazy", I fixed my hair and fixed my clothes a bit. I washed my face and wiped all my makeup away. I was now feeling much better. I walked out and saw Hammad was still standing there.

"What?" I asked.

"You're weird", was all he said and walked out the room. I took a deep breathe and also made my way towards the living room.

"Assalamualaikum", I said as I sat down. Everyone replied and then got back to what they were talking about. I kept listening to what they were saying. I was in an awkward situation right now. Omar was sitting criss-crossed on the carpet, talking to Hammad. Hammad looked at me when he saw me looking but then went back to talking with Omar. I wonder if he was trying to convince him to not marry me.

My mind went back to what had happened in the elevator. Why did Omar pull me by my hand? Was he trying to protect me?

"Of course not", I didn't realize that I had said it out loud until everybody started staring at me.

"Yes Safa?" mama asked and I smiled. "I was just... you know.. nothing", I replied and then she went back to talking with aunt Abeedah. Everything kept getting more awkward by every passing minute. Life is weird.