The Anthem of the Rebels | ✓

[7] Finally getting curious

Chapter Seven

Sometimes accidents happen in life. Perhaps they have to do with the person's carelessness, or... they were meant to happen. Accidents are normality, something you couldn't avoid. Now, all Amal needed to do was to get this message across to her parents and Usman. 

Sana- after Amal had told her everything- had, though, scolded her a bit about being careful and keeping her head on while driving- eventually cooled down. Mothers can't stay angry for long-  but it wasn't Sana Amal was worried about either. 

It was Usman.

Half an hour of trying to convince her mother to talk to Usman because she was certain that he would kill her had turned to waste. Sana absolutely refused- being a woman who firmly believed that her children should take responsibility for any mistakes they made. It was one of her small attempts at trying to prepare her children for getting out into the harsh world- where you need to be responsible for whatever you do.

Thus, Amal ended up in Usman's room- a tray of snacks with her. Usman, surprised to see Amal bringing in such stuff (and smiling politely this whole time) guessed that something was wrong. Amal eventually- after having him promise that he wouldn't scold her or get angry- told him.

Did Usman freak out? Well... yes. He ran out at once to check on his car, though perhaps it wasn't as bad as he had expected, for though he did glare and warn Amal never to take his car again, even advising Sana that Amal should be banned from driving completely- he did eventually cool down.

Finally getting back to her room, Amal closed the door behind her and collapsed on the bed, burying her face in the pillow. Sensing her distress, Eddie snuggled closer to her and Amal tilted her head, stroking his head.

"Life is weird, Ed," she muttered, not sure what she was distressed about- was it the accident? No, Amal wasn't the type of person to worry herself over things that had passed. ( Even though the owner of the Black Ferrari arriving when Amal was putting the note on his car was extremely embarrassing) Perhaps she did not want to admit it, but she knew that it was because of Asma that she felt this way.

A sigh escaped her lips and she looked at Eddie- purring as he blinked at her. "Of course," she muttered, "Being a cat must be easy, right? You don't need to worry about people, accidents, and- and marriages."

Eddie purred loudly in response and in spite of herself, Amal smiled, turning around. "I guess you're right. Life isn't that complicated... we make it that way." She paused for a bit, a faraway expression in her eyes, "I just wish..." she inhaled slowly, "-that I wasn't such a coward."

That night, Amal wrote in her blog:

Humans are weak, we falter. Perhaps the courage to do what your heart tells you to and what your Rabb demands of you, is something that one has to achieve. If I advise you to always do the right thing- I would be calling myself a hypocrite, for haven't I faltered so many times? Hasn't my courage failed me till I stare back at adversity, unable to do anything?