A Twist of Fate ✔

Ch. 18

With a goofy smile on her face, Laila fished the house keys out of her bag and unlocked the front door... only to come face to face with her mother, who was walking out of the kitchen.

"Laila." She nodded in greeting, wiping her hands on her apron. "You have a guest waiting for you in your room."

Laila opened her mouth to ask who it was, but her mother was already walking away. They hadn't been on the best of terms ever since she started going out with her high school friends. Many arguments followed the first one, and it gradually grew to shouting and fights. Laila didn't let it get to her. Besides, what girl sees eye to eye with her mother anyway?

But no matter how badly she tried to brush it off, it still hurt.

Sighing, Laila trudged up the stairs, almost forgetting that there was someone in her room. She couldn't imagine who it could be. She swung her door open, preparing to throw on a surprised smile.

"Deena!" Laila looked around but didn't see Zahra. That was odd. "What're you doing here?"

Deena stood up, giggling. "It's nice to see you too."

Laila walked over to her, giving her a quick hug. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm always happy to see you! It's just a surprise, that's all."

"Well, I had some free time today and thought I'd pop by." Deena sat back down and patted the spot next to her. "Come. Let's talk."

Laila slung her bag over the bed post. "Sure, let me just pray real quick."

Deena was silent as Laila rolled out the prayer rug and positioned herself. She briefly looked back to her friend. "Have you prayed yet?"

Deena looked startled by the question. "Oh. Umm... no I haven't."

Laila smiled. "Well, come on. We can pray together."

Deena stood up, uncertain. She awkwardly brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Do you have a scarf I could wear?"

"Of course! Silly me, I should've offered you one." Laila rushed to her closet and pulled out a blue hijab, handing it to her friend. She returned to the prayer rug and allowed Deena take a moment to wrap the fabric around her face. She joined her and they stood silently for a moment.

"Allahu Akbar," Laila raised her hands to her ears, then brought her palms to her chest, one cupping the other. Deena mimicked her movements, her hands slightly trembling. Laila didn't notice and went about her prayer, her heart not fully focusing. Rather, she was daydreaming about her afternoon with Hamza. Her mind was so preoccupied that she didn't notice Deena crying until after they finished prayer.

"Deena? Are you alright?" Laila automatically wrapped her arms around her sniffling friend.

"No," Deena's voice was muffled, her face buried in Laila's chest. "I'm not alright."

Laila fell silent, rubbing her friend's back and allowing her to cry until she emptied out all her tears. Wiping her face with her sleeve, Deena sat up, avoiding Laila's gaze.

"It's just..." She started, knowing she owed her friend an explanation, but not knowing where to begin. "It's been a weird couple of years for me."

Laila nodded encouragingly, reaching out to hold her hand.

"I thought I was happy. I really did. I was independent from my family, travelling the world, wearing the best of clothes. And then you left. And I was so angry with you, Laila." Deena cried. "You left us and moved on and no matter what I did, I never could reach where you were at. You were happy, I could tell."

"What do you mean?" Laila's heart tore with guilt. "Why aren't you happy? You've got everything!"

Deena met her gaze, shaking her head slowly. "I don't Laila and you know that. You told me yourself, but I didn't listen."

"What did I tell you?"

"That the day I choose this life over the next, I'll lose everything." Deena pulled her hand away from Laila and covered her face, sobbing into them. "I really thought I had everything. But in reality, I was losing it all piece by piece until going to bed feeling empty every night became normal to me."

Laila grimaced. She didn't know how to comfort her friend. "Don't say that. I'm sure it's not as bad as you think."

"I took off my hijab." Deena looked up, mascara streaking down her cheeks. "I haven't spoken to my parents or siblings since they moved away. Because of me. Laila, today was the first day I've prayed in two years. Two years."

Laila tried not to think about how much she was slacking in her own prayer. She reached for Deena again and this time, her friend willingly fell into her lap. She stayed there for a few minutes until her cries subsided once again. Laila was there when she finished and sat up, hiccuping slightly.

"Listen," Laila whispered softly. She cupped Deena's face in her hands, wiping away the smeared mascara streams. "It's never too late. It doesn't matter how far you strayed, or how many bad things you did. All that matters is turning back, wherever you are. And starting again. Allah will never turn you away. You just have to take the first step."

"Where do I even start?"

"From the beginning, a clean slate. Start with the shahadah."

It felt weird for Deena to utter those words, as a born Muslim. But she complied and repeated after Laila.

"I believe that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is His last messenger."

Laila smiled, lowering her hands. "There. Now, the past is behind you."

Deena choked out a laugh, her eyes watering again. "I really needed this. Thank you, Laila."

The girls stood up and hugged each other. It wasn't until Laila walked Deena to the front door that she noticed she was still wearing the blue scarf.

"If you don't mind... can I keep this? Just for now. I can give it back t-"

"It's yours." Laila whispered. "Don't worry about it."

A bright smile spread across Deena's face. She kept the hijab on as she made her way towards her car. When she reached it, she turned around and waved at Laila who was still at the front door.

Laila waved back and watched as her friend drove away. She turned around and started to make her way back to her room when a movement caught her eye. She saw her mother at the dining room table, her back facing her. Laila knew she owed her mother an apology.

Another day. She thought, quickly making her way back to her bedroom where her eyes once again landed on the Qur'aan, still unmoved with a layer of dust above it.

Another day. 

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A/N: Thank you for reading! And click that little star if you haven't ❤

@zhaq934 <- Dedicated to this cutie, who's nothing but positive and lovely. Love ya, Zabreen!