A Diamond in Islam | (Published) ✔

{11} Temptation

Amira Sarker

Currently, I was watching an episode from the anime Fairy Tail. It was the weekend and this was my idea of chilling that was until my phone beeped. I fished my phone out of my pocket and saw I got a message from Damon. I hadn't talked to him in three days, trying to stay true to my promise.

Damon: What did I do wrong? Y r u ignoring me?

To reply or not to reply, I wondered. The answer to not reply was ringing in my ears, but another voice in the back of my mind begged me to take the risk. The thing about risks was that sometimes they weren't worth it. I cringed as I thought about what to do.

Come on, Amira. You've been strong the last few days. Stay strong, I reminded myself.

Giving myself motivation, I quickly put my phone down and continued to watching Fairy Tail. Throughout the duration of the episode, I kept glancing back to my phone, my fingers itching to open all the new messages, to resume our light-hearted conversations, to dig deeper into who Damon Winters really was.

No. Stop it, Amira.

My brain kept nagging me and the temptation was so strong, an alluring force that beckoned me like a siren's call. The phone was pulling me to it. My shoulders started to weigh a ton, tension coiling around my neck, forcefully pushing me towards sinful desires.

Oh Allah please give me strength to walk away.

"Amira! Come help me!" Mum called from the kitchen.

I jumped up. Thank you, Allah. This should keep me busy.

"What is it?" I asked while I entered the kitchen.

"I need you to cut the onions for me."

I glared at the onions. Darn. Those things always make my eyes burn. I slumped my shoulders and sighed. It was better than fighting a lure to my phone. "Alright."

"Before you do those, call your brother to come downstairs," she said while preparing the chicken.

I ran upstairs to his room, knocking first but got no answer. I knocked harder. "Open the door! Mum is calling you!"

I heard a low mutter as the door swung open, revealing less than please older brother. His disheveled black hair stuck out from all sides, deep purple bags lined under his eyes, and his lips set in deep frown. "Knock lightly next time," he growled.

"Well, maybe next time you should open the door and not be lazy," I mumbled.

Tanwir turned his head towards me slowly with a murderous look on his face. "What did you just say?"

"Nothing," I chirped quickly.

He gave me one last dangerous look before walking downstairs.

I let out a breath that I didn't realize I was holding in. Are brothers supposed to be this scary to sisters? I always read stories about how the older brother was always that overprotective, awesome guy who wasn't moody and loved his sister to pieces. He even showed it to her!

May Allah guide him. He may not have been the best all the time, but there were his good days. Some kids probably had it worse.

I entered the kitchen and was met with Mum and Tanwir arguing. I silently watched, frozen in my spot.

"Why should I bring the box from outside? It won't break!" he yelled.

Mum sighed. "Tanwir, it's raining outside. What if the wind blows the box down?"