CHAPTER | TWELVE | UMAYMAH | POV

Darkness greeted me as soon as I had my eyes peeled open, trying to turn my alarm off for Fajr. Just because I couldn't pray did not mean that my husband could miss his prayers either. It was me bleeding, not the other way round.

One things for sure, Shoaib was a really deep sleeper considering he didn't awake from the sounds of the alarm. Turning the lamp on from the bedside table I shifted to look at the boy sleeping beside me; somehow the pillows that were separating us were scattered all over the bed, and one was under Shoaib's arm as he slept.

"Shoaib wake up." I pushed him gently and hoped that he would open his eyes, but all I got was a grunt and him pushing my hands away.

Looks like I would have to be doing this the hard way. Stepping out of bed I made my way to his side, but not before looking at my reflection. My hijab was way too messy so fixing it seemed like a good idea, but also my shirt had risen up to my belly button. After looking decent I proceeded to awake sleeping beauty from his slumber.

"SHOAIB WAKE UP THERES SOMEONE TRYING TO GET IN!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as I tried waking him with a lie.

It worked pretty well and his sleeping figure must have been in shock as I watched him stumble on to the ground and making his way back up on his feet frantically looking around the room. The laugh that was threatening to come out somehow stayed in and I took in how his hair was now messed up and his eyes which were half open.

"Who, who's trying to get in?" A yawn came out from him and he sat back down in the bed.

"Shaytaan because someone here isn't ready to pray Fajr." My arms were crossed over my chest and I looked at him to see he was glaring at my direction.

"I. Am. Not. Praying." He took his time saying every word as if that was going to stop me from getting him to do what I wanted.

"You're. Going. To." I didn't give him time to say anything else as I pulled his arm making him stand. He lost his balance for a split second but redeemed it and stood perfectly still in front of me.

"And you're going to make me? I'd like to see you try." Confidence oozed out of every word he said. I mostly definitely did not miss the threat that he came out with either.

"Well unless you want all your baby pictures going round the whole school, I suggest you get a move on bad boy." The thought of the scrapbook came back to and it was perfect to get him to do what I wanted.

His eyes widened a bit. "How did you get those?" He questioned.

"You seriously think your mom wouldn't give me them?" I answered and then sighed. "Listen I don't want to threaten you to you pray. It's a great way to start the day and afterwards you'll notice how in peace you are. Just for once don't argue with me." I pleaded.

He looked at me but said nothing. Instead he walked past me and what I presumed, to the bathroom. A squeal left my mouth and I practically skipped to the prayer room, eager to get a thobe out for him and place a prayer mat in the right direction so all was set. Now all I had to do was wait for him to come.

Just in time I heard the bathroom door open and the sight of water dripping from him came into view. Hm, he must've forgotten to dry himself off.

"Do you need a towel?" I asked with a smile upon my face as he took the thobe from my outstretched hand and placed it on himself.

"I thought you were the holy one. It's more beneficial to stay wet from your wudhu than drying yourself off." He scoffed but turned all his focus on the prayer mat in front of him.

This boy had a tendency to leave me speechless and right now he had done it again. I never knew this piece of information, yet Shoaib, who probably hasn't prayed in about two years, was better educated than I was. It was a happy moment though because his knowledge was great and he seemed to only share this with me.

I watched him pray his Salah and a part of me was sad that I couldn't be beside him to pray. However my thoughts were cut short as he finished making his dua and stood up folding the mat, placing it back on the shelf.

"See that wasn't so bad was it?" I gave him a smile while he just stared at me and took his thobe off.

"Well it didn't kill me, if that's what you're referring to." A frown replaced my smile at what he had just said.

"Why do you have to be so negative all the time? I'm trying to help you here, at least be appreciative." I made my way out of the prayer room and into our own.

The sound of the door closing behind me made me turn around to see he was just inches away from me with a raised eyebrow. He was either amused by what I just said it found it disrespectful for me to be raising my voice like that.

"And what will you gain by trying to make me a better person. Honestly the thought has been bothering me this entire month. Today you're gonna sit and explain yourself." With that he took a seat on the bed and patted the seat next to him, waiting for me to follow his actions. And I did.

Taking a deep breath I started talking. "I'm not doing this to gain anything, as hard as that may be for you to understand. You shouldn't have to live your life like you are now, not in the remembrance of Allah. Are you happy doing drugs? Staying out late doing God knows what? Getting into underground fights? Maybe you don't see those things as bad but let me put it into perspective.

"You're damaged and you need help dear husband. The thought of you doing these things and one day not living through it is horrible - I mean how would your family feel if you don't come home one day? I care about you, so damn much and you need to sort yourself out or else you're going to find yourself so lost that you can't help yourself. At all."

By the time I was finished I was breathless and it was quite ironic how I was having to explain myself but not him. From where I was concerned, he was in the wrong, not me.

Again silence took over but I didn't know how to take it as. I poured my heart out in wanting to help him and even admitted that I cared about him. Despite his personality not being one to gush over or his dark aura, he was a good person - it would just take time for it to surface for others.

I looked over at him to see he was already staring at me. It was uncomfortable having him staring at me like that but I decided not to say anything. If anything he was probably trying to take in everything I had just said.

"What if it's already too late to help me though? Have you thought about that?" His question was barely within the human hearing range but luckily enough I heard him.

"I wouldn't know that unless I try. Give me some credit, I mean who'd wanna stick around your annoying ass other than me?" I teased and stuck my tongue out at him.

He noticed the change in mood and playfully he tried to grab me. It's a good thing I got up just in time, but seeing he did the same I left the room and ran down the stairs and into the living room hoping not to fall or damage the expensive looking house.

Stopping behind a sofa I saw he was right in front me wearing a smirk on his face. I felt like running away but the sofa was the only thing separating us and I moved I'm pretty sure he would have caught me. My silent debate got interrupted when I felt myself being pushed into the sofa. Looking up I glared at the culprit.

"More like who'd wanna stick around your annoying ass?" He asked rhetorically but pushed his head back and laughed at his little joke.

"You know I like it when you're happy. I think we're making progress." I stood up and even though he must have been a foot taller than me, it felt comforting. To other people that would be taller than me, I would try not to stand by them so much or else the self consciousness would kick in.

"I think we are. It feels great to actually laugh so freely again." I admired his confession. "So I was thinking, the last time you met the boys...it wasn't in the best circumstances. So how about a proper introduction?"

"Hm, when?" I asked while we both took a seat on the sofa next to each other. I sat crossed legged looking at him and he did the same.

"Today?" He asked awaiting my permission.

"I'll do it if, you pray and read me some Quran. Not gonna lie but I nearly fangirled at the wedding yesterday just by listening to your Arabic." I confessed and he laughed at me.

"It's a deal - I'll pray and read to you. But, we're gonna have to take food with us when we go." He said.

"Shoaib?" I called out to him when he stopped talking. "How come they don't eat for days sometimes?" The thought bothered me a lot actually and I wanted to know the reason.

He let out a sigh. "When we have missions, we sometimes come home bruised and we tend to each other until one is better, and food is forgotten about. The day I asked for a favour was because I knew mom wouldn't let me out the house as soon as I came home, otherwise I would've gone myself."

"Oh and I'm guessing you're not going to tell me about those missions. But hey I like this." I gave him a smile to show some enthusiasm.

"You like what?" He gave a tiny chuckle but I could tell he was curious.

"You're opening up to me. I thought that was going to take weeks or months even, but look at us. Practically best friends." He rolled his eyes at that but I could see a smile tugging at his lips.

"The only reason this is happening is because I know you're loyal. I should've thought about you wanting my best interests ages ago but I didn't. I swear I can remember the old times when you used to play outside with pigtails and food hanging from your face. You were never one to be selfish and always gave the pieces from around your mouth to your sister." He began laughing and I had to smack him with a pillow.

What he said was nice but the memory wasn't. I let out a groan also remembering the many times I had done that when I was little; to say I was embarrassed had to be an understatement right now because I was hoping the ground would just open up and swallow me this instant.

"Never repeat that to anyone else. I still have your baby pictures mister." I gave him a pointed look but amusement was still clear on his face. I was no where as scary as him even if I tried.

"Don't worry, they don't need that scary image in their heads." Again I glared at him and hit him with a cushion while he carried on laughing. It was no where as amusing to me as it was to him.

"You're really mean, you know that right?" I asked and he nodded. "But we have a deal right? I'm going to turn you into a gentleman and you...er, you'll listen to what I say." I stuck my hand out waiting for him to shake it.

"And you would know what it's like to be one right?" He asked sarcastically but still shook his hand with mine. What felt like the fifth time today, I glared at him again.

There was no point in even saying that I wasn't enjoying myself though. Who knew we could be sitting here making jokes and most importantly, make a deal where I would completely change him into the boy that everyone knew and loved. Not that no one loves him now, he just made it hard to.

"So humour me." I said over to him and he looked up confused.

"Excuse me?"

"Tell me why you do these things. Is it like a pleasure and don't worry I won't say anything. I'm just curious." I was more clearer this time on what I wanted to know, maybe even a little blunt but I didn't care.

"You really think we're all bad, don't you?" I was hesitant but gave a nod eventually. "Umaymah I know that all the drugs and fighting make us look bad, but would you believe me if I said none of us take them?" He looked at me waiting for an answer.

"But, but people said...wait, so you don't take it?" I was beyond confused on what he was telling me.

"Shouldn't listen to rumours." He flicked my nose but carried on. "What we do is complicated. Though we look like a gang ourselves, we help kids to stay out of them. In the town next to ours there's this abandoned warehouse where me and the boys teach young people not to do stupid things. We stop drug trafficking but sometimes it gets messy and leads to fights. I guess during all that the rumours started going round and we never bothered correcting people. Apart from you." My mouth hung open by the new information I had just been told.

"So you look like a drug lord but you're not one? You help young people stay out of trouble? Why didn't you tell anyone before?! No one would have believed the rumours then!" I exclaimed, unable to comprehend his life choices.

"I'd rather do something good and not flaunt it. I admit by doing this it's made me a bitter person, but there's that satisfaction where you know it's because of you someone isn't risking their life in a gang." He paused and ran a hand through his hair. "But I guess telling you all this still isn't enough to see your hair right?" He came closer and tucked in a strand back in my hijab which I didn't realise was sticking out.

"No, but you're close. You've opened up to me way more than I thought and you deserve credit for that. Thank you." With said I gave him a hug as best as I could from our sitting position. He wrapped his arm around my frame too.

"Don't worry about it. I guess if we're going to make this wedding work then we have to be honest. So what exactly is part of your plan?" We let go of each other and positioned himself to look at me again.

I thought about it for a few minutes. The main part of the plan was to get him to open up and now that was done easily done, I wondered what was next. I scrutinised his appearance and thought of the clothes he owned.

"I got it!" I exclaimed and dragged him upstairs with me to our room and opened his side of the wardrobe. "As amazing as you look with your leather jackets and everything, you look a little too good and now that you're mine and we're changing you into a gentleman, we should probably go shopping and get you clothes that are...less scary looking and attractive?" I didn't know how to phrase it.

"Now that I'm yours huh?" After all I said, that was what he picked up on? I groaned and smacked his chest.

"I'm serious. I'm not asking you to change your look entirely - just get rid of the leather jackets and switch to sweaters and a bit more loose fitted jeans. Preferably blue instead of black." I put a finger to my chin and looked him up and down before nodding to what I just suggested.

"Okay, okay I get it. We'll go next Saturday because I can't be bothered today and not after schools." He said and closed the door again and plopped down on his side of the bed. "And do you think we can get rid of the pillows?" He asked.

"Not just yet. Who knows, you might be acting, oh and also your attendance at school is appalling. You're going everyday now whether you like it or not." I declared and made way to my own side and began fixing the pillows to how they were last night.

Beside me I heard him groan and I glared at him playfully, knowing I was making way too many changes for him in a matter of one day.

"Alright, for now let's sleep. By the way I'm sorry." He sighed and turned to face me on the bed.

"What about?" I asked, ready to close my eyes and let sleep take over.

"For what I did last night. Shouldn't have come on to you like that." He gave me a sheepish smile and stroked my cheek with his fingers.

"You know, for a bad boy you can be such a sweetheart." I said and had the satisfaction of seeing him roll his eyes. "It's all forgiven. Now go to sleep before you say any more nice things, we wouldn't want to get carried away."

I laughed and dodged his knuckles that were about to punch me. Not in an abusive way, more like playfully. He said nothing else and closed his eyes. After a while, I too did the same and waited for sleep to come.