His Hafizah and her Hafiz

Cousins

Safoora POV:

"Safoora, in bed again?" Mom yelled furiously from downstairs, "You have class in fifteen minutes?" My eyes flew open and I fell out of bed panicking when mom's nerve-wracking rants and curses made its way to my ear.

 "Coming!" I screamed loudly. After using the bathroom, I shoved on my abaya and hastily tied my hijab and niqab on and ran downstairs without glancing at the mirror twice. 

"Where is Qulsum?" I panted, grabbing my bag and managing myself to step in my denim sneakers in one piece.

"In the car waiting with everyone else. Breakfast?" Mom asked, arching her eyebrows.

"Seriously mom, don't have time." I muttered, throwing the door open ready to head out.

"At least grab some lunch?"

"Nah, I don't eat lunch at school." 

"Okay at least have an apple." Mom threw an apple and I quickly caught it in midair. "You're going to die in starvation one day." I heard her mumbled. Really? I don't think so. 

"Yeah whatever, Assalamu alaikum mom." I skipped out of the house and quickly hopped in Huzaifah's car.

"At least a few minutes early, not entirely late." Huzaifah grumbled crankily, staring at his timer. "I was timing you."

"Impressive." I murmured, not caring at all as I buckled myself in the front seat beside him.

He quickly ignited his car and hit the road. "Girls, I need someone to be a substitute for the Qari who plays in the car all the time. Unfortunately I can't get any wifi signal, I don't know what is going on ... so someone has to replace him, one of you three." He glared at me, Hawa and Umme Qulsum from the rear view mirror. 

"Not me." Hawa and Umme Qulsum chorused quickly before I had the chance to intervene. Ugh, that left me on the spot!

"Saff you're going to be the substitute for the Qari who plays in my car and that's final." Huzaifah confirmed stubbornly. He was so cranky and infuriating in the morning, sometime I held back the urge to punch him. "You owe me by the way for a free ride and ... let's say for being late every morning." Why were his rules so stupid?

"Fine,"  I muttered angrily, "I'll read just because I have to read my dour (revision of Quran) anyways to you in the evening so I am just getting it out of the way now."

"Yeah whatever, just start!" I looked out my window and began reciting Surah Isra putting in my utmost concentration. Finishing hifz wasn't the end of our Quran journey, it only just started for us and it'll end when we die. Every day we were all required to read a chapter to one another in order to preserve it in our heart for eternity. This, I hope will be our ultimate success!

Before I knew it, Huzaifah had his car parked in front of my school. "Okay we are here, Saff." He announced cheerfully. "Now get the hell out and remember I love yo-"

"Huzaifah stalking me again? This time I caught you right-handed." Abu Hurairah smirked, popping out of nowhere looking at Huzaifah through his open window and then his eyes fell on me, instantly widening. "Hey Safoora you lied to me, didn't you?" He pointed at me threateningly, narrowing his eyes. "Huzaifah you have to explain, why she's here with you?" With fear pulsing in my veins, I quickly got out of the car hastily. I had to stay miles away from him!

"Hey Father of cats, look a jinn!" Huzaifah pointed randomly at a tree, making Abu Hurairah abruptly turn his head over his shoulders in terror. "Bye people!" Huzaifah quickly drove away  finding his chance of escape, "And by the way Saff I know you know!"