Road to Jannah

Chapter Sixteen • City of Stars

It's love, yes, all we're looking for is love from someone else. A rush, a glance, a touch, a dance.

A look in somebody's eyes, to light up the skies, to open the world and send it reeling, a voice that says, "I'll be here"
and "you'll be alright."

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~ J A N N A H ~

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The door opened and immediately I took the first step in, an excited and extremely handsome Ahmad Sambo is the first person I see. I wonder how he knew it was me before I had even talked but I reminded myself of that classroom incident two weeks ago. He said he could "feel" me? "Smell" me? Well now that's creepy but it's romanticism outweighs that fact.

"Jannah hey, salamu alaikum." Ahmad beams but unfortunately, at Faisal not me.

Faisal ceases the chance of course and answers and after he was done, I went next, wishing him a happy birthday from the bottom of my heart but before he answered, Fatima brushed past me and threw her arms over him, sticking to him like chewing gum. I felt a strange feeling of discomfort burning my chest and I just couldn't continue standing there so I followed Faisal as he led us into the house.

I was late, I know but now I wonder why I had even come at all since Ahmad was too busy with his so called "Blindy" to even answer me. Faisal led us to where it seems the party was at. It was a clearing under the grand stairs of the house where Grace and her dance group were giving a remarkably well choreographed performance to Beyonce and Wizkid's "Brown Skin Girl." I also spot Abdul Ganiyy manning the turn table and from this view, no one could easily tell any of them were blind as one mixed more pumping beats into the song and the others happily danced to the chorus.

Brown skin girl, your skin just like pearl, back against the world, never trade you for anybody else...

Faisal seemed too enthralled by the performance to notice me slipping away. I still held the birthday present I had come with for Ahmad but I had no idea where to keep it so I continued walking until by luck, I came across Kulthum Sambo.

She looked dazzling, her happiness seemed to enhance her beauty even more and if I didn't know better, I would say she was only Ahmad's sister not his mother. She was dressed in a sequenced red gown with a flowing skirt and a baggy bodice and an emerald veil wrapped elegantly over her head and upper body.

"Jannah!" she seemed to squeal when she saw me and ran the rest of the way towards me, hugging me tight. "You're here, I'm so happy." her volume was high to be audible amidst the still ongoing "Brown Skin Girl" fiesta.

"Salamu alaikum ma'am." I had to shout before she could hear me above Wizkid's Raggea rap. And I remembered the last time I had hugged her like this was at Maryam's janazah but I swallowed hard and didn't let that feeling of grief overtake me.

I had promised myself since that Friday night that I would teach myself to live on, that the last thing Maryam would want is if we let her passing ruin us. It's life, and this was the norm, people go without warning but life still must go on. Prayers were what she needed, not grief and sadness in her name so now everytime I remember her, it would be with a smile on my lips, not tears in my eyes.

Mrs Sambo looked at me admiringly. Perhaps all the work I had put in to make myself look better today had paid off. I was dressed in a white dress similar to hers but without the sequence and my own veil was grey, draped not so elegantly over me. Even makeup had managed to find its way to my face today and I was sure the foundation and powder have done a very good job in hiding my dark circles.