ARGH, this chapter was so difficult to load, because it has been pouring down rain where I live, ALL DAY, non-stop, so our wifi at home has been playing up. After waiting ten years i emailed the chapter to myself and then uploaded it through my phones 4G -.-

But I did it for my awesome readers <3 sorry for making you wait on a cliffhanger for so long! Enjoy!

#Chapter Twenty Two#

A pregnant silence ensued.

"Tariq," I started with a shaky breath. He was quick to look down at the floor, as if he couldn't bear whatever I was going to say. "Promise me you won't hurt me," I blurted out, my throat making a rasping sound as I took in a deep breath. I didn't intend for my voice to come out sounding so weak, so vulnerable, but whether I liked to admit it or not, I was scared.

His head snapped up towards me, his expression screaming confusion. "Sameena, why would I want to hurt you?" His grey eyes searched my face, eventually resting on my eyes. "That's the last thing I'd want to do," he whispered.

"How can I trust you?" I asked quietly, the painful question lingering in the air between us.

I glanced up at Tariq and found him staring at me with sad, painful eyes - not in a manner that was sympathetic but rather, as if he was pondering who had broken me to this extent. Wondering who it was that had caused a fracture in my confident and self-assured demeanour. "Only you can answer that question Sameena," came his final answer.

There was another moment of silence as he stood afore me with his hands in the pockets of his dress pants, his back hunched in dejection. He silently watched me as I took a moment to compose myself and as much as I willed the tears to stop, my body wasn't having it. "I want to do this Tariq, I really do. But first, I want you to understand that there are going to be a lot of times in our relationship where I'm going to become fearful...where I might suddenly detach in doubt because my suspicion and uncertainty consume me. I don't trust people easily Tariq...I'm sure that I'll surpass this phase with you, but I'm telling you this because I don't want you to get frustrated with me in the future. I need time Tariq, time to grow out of my fears." I let go of the railing and took one step closer to him. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

He nodded his head. "I understand Sameena. What I don't understand is why you ever thought I wouldn't." He took a step closer to me too, his eyes never leaving my face. "I want you to know that I will wait and be as patient as you need me to. I don't know exactly what's happened with you, in your past, but I promise I'll do everything in my power to be the man that you want." His tone of voice was equally serious and sensitive and his grey eyes which were still staring intently into mine, were pushing me to believe his words.

I analysed his face for any signs of falsehood and fortunately for me, I found none. I bestowed him with a small smile. "Don't betray me Tariq."

He smiled in return. "And you Miss Ahmad, don't give up on me."

####

I'm sure it didn't look too good when Tariq and I emerged a few minutes later back into the garden. We got some curious looks, especially from Ziad, Sarah and Mira, but since it was mostly family, everybody knew us too well to judge viciously.

I had quickly checked myself in one of our hanging mirrors to see if my face gave away that I was crying but once Tariq assured me I looked like a sad bunny and not like a witch who's make-up was running down her face, I resolved to just dab at my eyes with a tissue.

"Is everything OK?" Salem asked, walking up to the both of us discreetly. He adjusted the wire in his ear and kept his hands intertwined at his back. His eyes flickered to Tariq with an accusatory look, studying him as if he was the next biggest criminal.

"Everything's fine Salem," I dismissed him, knowing how protective he could get. Tariq sent him an uneasy smile as we retraced our steps back to the loveseat. We had only been seated for a few minutes, before I noticed Tariq's dad spot us from across the garden and turn to mumble something to baba. Baba nodded his head in approval at whatever he was saying and just as I predicted, Tariq's father cleared his throat and stood up to call everyones attention.

Everyone listened with rapt excitement as he spoke, starting with the traditional speech of asking for my hand on behalf of his son. He mentioned some sayings from the prophet [pbuh] and spoke a few words of wisdom about marriage. Soon thereafter, baba got up and delivered his response of acceptance and announced for everyone to read surat al-fatiha.

There was silence as we all lifted our hands and closed our eyes, reciting the short chapter to ourselves. Some whoops and shouts filled the air once we were all done, and I laughed at how similar our families were.

It was a quick process, just how it should be and it wasn't long before a line formed at the buffet table as people hurried to pack their plates with the various sweets, fruits and even tea provided.

Arabs...

I swear, if there was no food provided, I doubt they'd even show up.

Tariq turned towards me. "How do you feel?"

I bit my lip. "Great actually. Yourself?"

He grinned at me, his smile real and refreshing. "Amazing. We're one step closer to being together."

I loved how he was acting like what just transpired before didn't affect him in the least. The last thing I would want is for him to constantly be on guard around me, to be too sensitive or reserved. He was being himself and I couldn't be more grateful.

I glanced up at him nervously. "Tariq...once everyone leaves in a few hours, is it OK if you stay a while longer? I know you didn't ask but I feel like I owe you an explanation."

"Sameena..." he started but I put a hand up to stop him.

"I'll rephrase that...I don't owe you an explanation but I want to tell you. I want this to work between us and you're going to need all you can get to understand me."

He scratched the back of his neck. "I'll admit, I am a bit curious as to who was involved in your past but I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

I shook my head at him. "A true doctor...always putting others before yourself. Any other man would have demanded to know."

"I'm not any other man, I can tell you that much."

I opened my mouth to respond but before I could, a plate was shoved into my face. Startled, I looked up to find Mira cocking an eyebrow at me. "Well are you going to take it?"

I rolled my eyes and took the plate from her hand. She turned and handed the other plate in her hand to Tariq.

"Five star service," he joked, accepting the plate and thanking her.

"I know, see, I even put for you two before myself," she retorted.

Tariq chuckled and swallowed the bite in his mouth before speaking. "Then I'll promise Sameena and I will do the same when the time comes for your fatiha."

"You're smooth," she said with a laugh, before glancing at me. "Er, do you mind if I steal Sameena away from you for a minute?"

"Of course, go ahead." She instantly hauled me to my feet.

As if on cue, Ziad strode over with a drink in hand, perching himself right where I had been sitting next to Tariq.

Mira grabbed my hand and pulled me inside the house and off to a corner. "Is everything OK?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

She huffed. "Don't think I didn't realise you running inside before, with Tariq on your heels."

I sighed, glancing down at my plate where I was shuffling around some cake. "I just panicked a little, that's all."

Mira's eyes lit up with understanding. "And Tariq?"

"He was very sweet, as always. I'm going to tell him everything tonight Mira."

"Are you sure?"

I nodded. "I'm sure. Who knows, maybe I'll feel better in the process of telling him."

####

"Aimaaaan!"

My whine did nothing to pull him out of the passionate conversation he was having with baba. I tried his name again and this time, he paused to look my way. At my sulky expression, he turned back to baba. "Sorry amu, looks like someone's getting frustrated."

Baba laughed. "Go on then, give her the attention she needs."

Aiman got up and sat himself down next to me, with a respectable gap between us of course. He sent me a breath-taking smile and I almost forgot why I was annoyed with him in the first place. His hazelnut hair looked unruly, but perfectly fitting for his round face. His gentle brown eyes were what blew me away though; for some reason, it was the eyes that captivated me the most.

"Sorry," he said with a sheepish grin.

"You know I don't mind you talking Politics with baba, but I think you have a passion that even battles mine! You've been ignoring me for the whole last hour!" Aiman laughed and I pouted in response.

"I'm sorry, I'll make it up to you OK?"

We had only been in conversation for ten minutes, when baba interrupted us by saying that he was going in to his office to look over some reports and that he'd send Ziad in to sit with us.

"What reports?" Aiman asked.

"It's electorate polls and figures from the elections in the last five years." Baba yawned and instantly covered his mouth with his left hand.

"Maybe you should go to sleep baba," I cut in, eyeing the bags beneath his eyes.

"Do you mind if I join you? To look over the reports, I mean?"

Baba looked at Aiman in surprise. "It might bore you son...but if you're completely set on it, I don't see why not."

My mouth dropped open as Aiman got up to follow baba.

Leaving me alone in the room...

~

"Aiman, I'm twenty, not nineteen!"

"You're birthday isn't for another hour, so technically you're nineteen!" My family laughed at the banter between us.

"Well, I have the mind of a twenty year old!" I retorted lamely, amusing everyone again.

"Aw, is little Sameena upset? Don't worry, you're teenage years will be over soon and you'll be merging into adulthood!" Aiman continued on. I frowned and crossed my arms over my chest, moving to stomp out of the room. At first, I was thoroughly humoured by his teasing, I even found it a little cute, but now he was overdoing it. "Sameena, wait! I was just kidding!" he yelled after me, stressing on the last word.

I abruptly turned around to face him. "I don't appreciate you treating me like a child."

His eyes shined and I could tell he still found the situation funny. "Since when can't you take a joke?"

"When the joke drags on for too long..."

"Hey," he whispered, dropping the funny-guy act and stepping towards me. "I didn't mean to offend you."

I sighed tiredly. "I guess I just keep thinking about how everyone tells me I'm too young to get married, so whenever someone mentions that I'm still a teenager, I get upset. A little irrational, I know, but-,"

"Who cares what other people think, right?" His eyes caught mine and he smiled. "We're happy together and that's all that matters."

"You're right," I said with a timid smile.

"Guess what? I got you a cake with your favourite topping on it," he said, still trying to cheer me up.

"That's sweet of you, but you know I don't celebrate birthdays."

"I know, but a little cake won't hurt right?" He gestured with his head towards the living room. "Come on, let's get back in before your dad comes after me."

~

"Aiman this is breath-taking!" I yelled over the howling winds, my breath creating a white haze in the air. I laughed, for what must have been the twentieth time this evening. "I'm never getting off this boat!"

He chuckled from beside me, his brown eyes glittering from the neon lights that were decorating the edges of the boat. "I'm so glad you like it."

"Like it? I love it!" We both leaned onto the railing of the ship and in a companionable silence, watched as the massive, twinkling skyscrapers of our city whizzed past us. The sky was pitch black but the white clouds were still visible as they moved around us in circles.

Aiman turned and glanced behind us, where the newlyweds, Ziad and Sarah were standing, both of them holding hands and doing exactly as Aiman and I had been. "Sameena, I want to tell you something and considering we're doing our nikah in two days, I feel like I won't be crossing any boundaries."

I looked at him curiously. "OK..."

He took in a deep breath and in that moment, I felt I knew what he was going to say.

"I love you Sameena." He uttered the words so slowly, so carefully that it took me a few seconds to register that he actually said what he did. After a moment, I knew my brain had taken his words in because I felt my heart soar and an involuntary smile make its way onto my face. I wiped my sweaty palms against my skirt, simultaneously trying to still my hands as they shook.

I felt a buzz of excitement and adrenaline buzz through me. He loved me?! I wasn't expecting him to say these words to me, although a strong part of me had wondered why he had planned a sudden outing tonight, going as far as to rent out a private boat for us.

Suddenly, I realised the weight of the situation. Am I obliged to reciprocate the same words to him? I know I harboured very strong feelings towards him, feelings that were getting stronger since the day I met him. But love? I wasn't sure if I was in love with him...yet. But I mean, I would be soon, right? We'd be Islamically married in only two days time and I'm sure that love would fall into the picture very soon.

Despite the cold, my cheeks were still flushed from Aiman's confession and I gained all my will-power to look into his face. He had such an expression of hope on his face, that I knew then I couldn't not say it back to him. Surely, I would break his heart.

"I love you too, Aiman," I mumbled shyly, glancing down at my hands that were red from my nervous wringing.

He beamed. "I look forward to the day, very soon, when I can wake up next to you and utter those words every morning."

I blushed even harder, but somewhere at the back of my mind, I wondered whether this kind of talk was right between us.

"Insha'Allah soon," was my curt response, before I turned my head back and continued to observe the passing scenery.

That night, all four of us tumbled into my house, excited smiles still plastered onto our faces. We headed into the living room where we found baba reclined on a couch, the Qur'an in his hands and his lips moving in silence as he read. At our loud voices, he looked up and smiled tenderly at us, putting the bookmark between the pages and closing the Qur'an before kissing it three times. "How was the boat trip?"

"It was stunning baba!" I was the first to speak, moving to sit beside him. "I've lived here my whole life but I forgot how beautiful our city really is!"

"It really was beautiful," Ziad agreed. "Thanks to Aiman for organising it." He sent an appreciative smile his way.

"It was nothing guys." Just then, Aiman's phone began to ring and he hurriedly pulled it out of his back pocket. "I gotta take this, excuse me."

"Go ahead!" I said, waving a hand at him. As he left the room, we all sat down again to tell baba about the experience. I wish he had come with us but he believed he would be intruding on our youngsters outing.

"I would do that again!" Sarah exclaimed.

"Would you?" Ziad asked.

"Of course!"

"Then I'll be sure to take you!" he said with a wink.

I rolled my eyes. "Cheeeseee!"

"Let them be, love," baba said, ever the romantic.

"Sure, sure." I glanced down at my aching feet and pulled off my wedges. "Man my feet are killing!"

"Mine too," Sarah said.

"You know what, I'm going to go put on some flats, I'll be back." I picked up my wedges and tried not to cringe when my feet came in contact with the cold tiled floor. I made my way up the stairs to my room and just as I was about to push the door open, I heard a voice from inside.

What on Earth?

"Yeah man, things are going really well. We'll be getting married very soon," came Aiman's voice from inside. For a second, just a second, I mentally 'awed' at the fact that he was speaking about us to his friend and then it hit me - why was Aiman in my room?!

Ever so slowly, I took another step towards my door and peeked through the lined gap.

He was standing by my window, staring out at the street. He had one hand in his hair and the other holding the phone to his ear. My lights were still off, so the only light was from the moon outside.

Thirty seconds went past as he listened to the person on the other end.

"I am going to get this position," came his voice again, this time it was angry. "Listen here," I could basically hear him gritting his teeth, "I'll be getting the position of Advisor and if that means I have to marry his stupid daughter in the process, then so be it. I'm sure I can benefit from her in a number of ways," he ended slyly.

And that was when I fainted.

~

Tariq was staring at me wide-eyed. "He...he was using you the whole time?"

I nodded my head meekly.

"And the worst part...it happened again with the next suitor."

####

A/N

I'm curious to know what you guys think about Sameena's past? You've gotten much more insight now and things are starting to fall in place :)

Comment and vote ❤