Shayba's P.O.V.

"Get the hell out of here right now!!!" I yell at Annaba boiling in anger. "How dare you not come over when I told you to?????"

"I just...Calm down sis. It was mom and dad's order to send you alone. Believe me, I didn't want to upset you.."she replies in fear.

"And what is that order for???"I grit my teeth.

She sighs. "You know the reason,don't you? Sadia aunty came to ask your hand for her son. So I must not be a third wheel between you two,right? I'm just a year younger than you and for that I must not be present in front of your future in laws. Don't you understand that? Why are you scolding me?"

"What the....! How could mom and dad agree on this damn proposal without even telling me for once???? Doesn't my choice matter to them at all?? Besides I'm now only in my first year!!!!! Is my life a joke to you all?"I burst into flames this time.

"Come on sis. Please cool down. It's not like they are getting you married right now. They are just looking for a guy who is suitable for you. Nothing else... Your marriage is beyond their concern now. Trust me."she tries some failed attempts to console me, although she knows very well how I am exactly feeling right now.

I call Bhaiya at once. No sooner does he receive the call than I yell,"Bhaiya,do you have any idea what just happened????"

"Woah woah woah calm down Shai...! What happened??"

"Do you know that mom and dad are planning to get me married??!? They brought a damn stupid proposal today for me!!! Can you believe???? All on a sudden, a guy is introduced to me and I get stuck with him for an hour!!! Everyone leaves us alone to know ourselves better! How dare they?!!?" I scream again at the top of my voice.

"Seriously?? Mom didn't tell me anything about it."

"Now you gotta handle this!!!!"I snap.

"Okay okay. I'll see. Don't worry."

"Thanks Bhaiya. Allah Hafez. Take care."

"Yeah you too Shai. Allah Hafez."

Without throwing another word to Annaba, I go to the washroom and slam the door. I don't want any of these people sympathizing me just after they broke my trust.

I look at the mirror and thought about all the things that happened just now.

That guy was constantly blabbering about his dad's business and looking directly at me, to be more precise,my body! I felt like I was being swallowed by someone! It almost brought tears to my eyes that this guy had no respect for a Muslim girl! His words are still spinning in my head,"Do you wear hijab in home too?" When I said nothing but glaring at him, that stupid added to flatter me,"I'll love to see you without hijab. I believe your hair as beautiful as you."

I cried like a child standing in front of the mirror. Does he have any idea what hijab means??? Why didn't my parents even ask me for once before introducing me to this guy???

_______________________________________

It's Friday morning, 6:15 a.m. I haven't talked to anyone since yesterday's incident. To be honest,it's really pissing me off but I'm trying to act all cool in front of my parents. They have to admit that it was their fault and swear to me that they will never do something like this again.

As I wanted to divert my mind to find some peace,I start reading the Quran. "Verily in the remembrance of Allah,do hearts find peace...." How accurate this verse is SubhanAllah!

Then I concentrate on my studies as it's almost time for the year final exam. I'm soon going to be a second year student. When I was totally lost in my thoughts about studying,the loud sound of my ringtone breaks the intentness.

I take my phone out and become startled by the name, Tonima! Why suddenly so early in the morning? She has left talking to me since that day and avoided me as much as possible whenever we confronted. What does she want now?

"Hello... Assalamu Alaikum?"

"Walaikum Salam."she replied in an inarticulate voice.

And then silence.....

"Ye...s????" I asked awkwardly.

"Shayba,it's me Tonima."

"I know it's you. I have your number. What happened?"

"Ummm...I just called to...Ahh are you busy?"

"No... Why????"

"Ah..ummm...Actually do you know any whereabouts about Zawad bhai? I can't get hold of him since a week!"

The bomb is lit in my head and soon going to explode. So this is it....! She still thinks I have a special relationship with him...

Why girl??? We never even met once after that confrontation!

"No. How am I supposed to know that? I am not his girlfriend or something!"I spit out my annoyance unintentionally.

"Oh ok! I just thought you might know where he is now. He left the hostel the day before yesterday."

Yes,I know that very well. Your crush called me in the middle of the night!

"I think he has gone home."I say with vexation.

I don't know why I have started to hate this girl. Her concern for Zawad bhai and interrogating me for no reason annoys me to the apex. This guy doesn't even know her name! Then why does she have to pursue him like an idiot?

"Yeah maybe. Do you know where he lives?"

Wait what???? What does she have to do with it?? Will she go there chasing after him???

"Look why are you asking me all these? Ask his roommates. Maybe they will come helpful to you..!" I can't tolerate her futile worries anymore."Now if you please excuse me. I'm studying."

I know I'm being mean but I just can't keep my cool with that girl.

"Oh....OK....Bye!"

"Allah Hafez."

Geez! She ruined my refreshed morning mood. Wait no... It was already ruined...

Zawad's P.O.V.

"Have you talked to the suppliers?"

"Yes. They have been informed. They will send some samples of manufacture to your office today to be checked."

"Excellent. I'm looking forward to that. Have you given the advertisement I told you about?"

"Yeah have a look. It's printed on the first page of the newspaper as you wanted."

"Great. Thanks Mahmud bhai. You can go now."

Gosh! It's been four days already I'm here in my hometown skipping my classes being the Chief Director of H2O. Man! How will I be able to manage both studies and business? I just need to get a clear cut idea of the website as early as possible to stay updated. After that it will be easier to handle this freaking business from Dhaka. How the heck did dad manage all these??? Well of course he had mom beside her. My super cool mom.

But the only thing I'm worried about now is mom's health and happiness. She has always been so cheery as a person. She is so beautiful that even in her forties, she looks like 30. If this important woman also loses her appeal in life, God knows what I'm gonna do without her. I lost my father, I don't want to lose my only family left too because of extreme bustling for work. I have to assure that she is okay no matter what. Ya Allah, please bestow your blessings upon me.

On the seventh day,my business was standing again with a totally new dimension and new vigor. No one except Mahmud bhai knows how hard and fast I had to work being sleep and food deprived.

I have left socializing completely in these days which I never thought I would be able to do. I was just busy in working and praying. I have informed some of my friends about dad's death and told them to make others know about it. As they fully realized my situation,didn't bother me anymore regarding my hereabouts. But they don't know that I am going to manage "H2O" after working so hard for that faculty member position.

Yesterday mom was sitting in the balcony gazing down deeply at dad's grave. No tears shed but just a constant silence. "Mom?"

"Hmm?"she abruptly trembled in a little shock and looked back where I was standing. "Oh Abir you startled me! Sit!"she made place for me to sit down beside her.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Nothing...just......"she stopped in the midway and sighed. "I am happy to see you working hard for your dad's business Abir. I'm quite proud of you."she tried to smile.

"That's my duty ma. Why are you thanking me?"

We both don't talk for some time. There in the ground lies my dad. The person who used to hate a single dust on his bed or a scratch on his cup is now there, buried three and a half feet under the soil, maybe surrounded with insects and worms, wearing a dirty white piece of cloth. My heart ached again in a pang. I don't want to think about this anymore. So I quickly change my thoughts and speak,

"Mom, you know when I am out of Chittagong,you will have to take over the whole business,don't you?"

"Hmmm."

"Are you prepared for this?"

"Look at you! I am the progenitor of H2O Abir! You don't have to worry. It's true that I hardly spent time in the office when your dad was alive but it doesn't mean I am totally unaware about this business! I was the one who thought about the idea of starting a drop shipping business. Later he decided to open it online too to spread it throughout the country. So what are you worried about?"

"Yes mom I know...."I took a deep breath and said to her again,"I'm sorry ma. For not always being there by your side when you needed me the most..... I know I couldn't be a good son."

She chuckled."Have you noticed Abir? "Allah never changes the condition of people until they change what is in themselves." This verse is soooo true! Look how much broken I was when your father died,but when I saw you struggle, I felt the boost to be strong again. And Allah changed my condition as soon as I started trying. Indeed Allah never burdens a poor soul. He turned me into a really strong woman Abir. So stop worrying about me and oil your own machine. I am too clever to maintain such a small business."she replied pampering herself and we both started to laugh loud.

This is the woman I have always seen in her, cheerful, gaudy and like a pampered kid in front of dad.

To be honest, the verse she mentioned opened my eyes and I realized maybe Shayba was true.... Maybe Allah is testing me to be back again to His directed path. By the way, yesterday when I was praying my Salah,I noticed that I don't remember the lines of Tashahhud properly. I should ask her about this. She definitely knows it.

This thought again induced me to call Shayba. I haven't talked to her for a week! Come on! At least now I can contact her,right? It has a significant reason too. It's not like I call her everyday to gossip! Neither it means we are in a relationship!

I checked the time. 8:40 p.m. She must be in the hostel now. That means her roommates will be with her. Disgusting!

Wait.....! It's Friday! Every weekend she stays at her home. Woah! There should not be any problem now. Without giving a second thought,I call her. I can't resist talking to her anymore...... Give me a boost to get interested in this life again,Shayba....