CHAPTER | ONE | ALIZA | POV

I woke from a sudden force that was now jumping around on my bed. I squinted my eyes to see seven year old Mustafa going up and down whilst, shouting for me to get up; this was how being woken for Fajr usually was around my house. 

"Mustafa I get it! Stop jumping now or I wont get you a McFlurry tonight!" I warned him and he instantly stopped because to him, getting a McFlurry was like getting a brand new car every week. Yes, he happened to be obsessed with food. I don't blame him, so was I.

He finally stopped, that's when I saw my older brother Adam leaning against the doorway with his hands leaned across his chest and smiling smugly at the scene that just happened in front of him. It all happened so quickly that I don't think he expected the bear hug that I was about to give him. Well that's what his choking indicated anyway.

"Asalaamalaikum, I can't believe you're here!" I gushed over Adam as he bent down to his knees, trying to regain his breath that I almost took out of him.

Adam finally got back on his two feet facing me. He stared at me with wide eyes and began shaking his head before speaking again. "Walaikumasalaam. Damn I forgot how strong my little sister was. Looks like college is making me forget you guys," He said.

I rolled my eyes at how childish my older brother was. Adam was only a year older than me but still the oldest out of all of the kids in the house. He had been going to college in Florida since the beginning of the year and I haven't seen him since; I knew that he was coming for the wedding yesterday but I didn't see him at all which made me a little sad.

Adam towered over me at 6'5 while I stood at 5'6, nearly a whole foot taller than I was. Pushing past him, I made my way to the bathroom, but not before giving him one final hug and began doing the ablution, wudhu so I could begin my Salat.

Fajr was the first Salat of the day, when the sun rises and having my little brother jump on my bed every morning to wake me up for it was completely normal; and my friends ask why they can't sleep over. They'd be completely scared!

What wasn't normal though, was seeing my older brother come home from College after nearly being there for a full year without visiting. Which reminds, I need to have a little talk with him about his visiting schedule.

I got out the bathroom a little wet from the water but made no move to dry myself. It's considered a sunnah to pray Salat while you're still wet from your wudhu and I intend to do as much sunnah as I could.

In my room I got out a clean abaya from my wardrobe while slipping on a random Hijab that was lying on the back of my desk chair. Just then, Baba appeared in the doorway to my room just as I was about to set my prayer mat facing south on the floor.

"Habibi, I'm going to the Masjid with your brothers and I will have to leave early for work in the morning so I can't give you and your brothers a ride to school. Would you please-" I stopped him there and nodded while he smiled and left the room, closing the door behind. No parent should have to tell their kids 'please' to get them to do something; we obey our parents' no matter what.

Baba usually gave me and my twin brothers Asif and Akbar a ride to school in the morning, but since he has to go work, I'll have to get my car out of the garage today. Yes, I had a car and I could easily drive it to school, but I didn't like the fact that my parents' had spent so much money on me for my eighteenth birthday. So, I laid it aside and only used it unless I had to. Today was one of those days.

Focusing all my attention back to the prayer mat in front of me, I started my Salat as everything around me became a blur and the only thing that was clear to me was Allah SWT, as he should. When praying first thing in the morning, to me it was like I was starting a new day right with the help of Allah instead of myself. 

And with that, the few minutes that was spent doing my Salat went by. The next thing I knew, it was time to make Dua and put the prayer mat away. I didn't stop there though; on my bookshelf was my copy of the Quran which I had been gifted when I was ten years old, and with care, I took it out while going to sit on the edge of my bed.

Surah Ar-Rahman was one of my favourite Surah's to read after Fajr, so I gently flipped the pages to the right one and began reciting the beautiful verses from this particular Surah. Halfway through me reading, all my brothers had stumbled their way into my room and sat crossed leg in front of me on the floor. This was a morning routine.

I had managed to read two pages before I closed the Quran and placed it on my lap as I waited for them to leave my room and go into their own. They all chuckled at me and got up without a word. I just simply rolled my eyes again and placed the Holy book back on its place on the oakwood shelf that leaned against my wall.

Taking my Hijab and abaya off, I went back into the comfort of my bed and switched the bedside lamp off before drifting off to sleep as I only had a few hours before I would be awoken again, this time for school.

*** 

I had showered and changed into my black jersey maxi skirt with a brown belt and a creme coloured blouse with gold buttons running down the middle and navy blue laced mid sleeves; topped with a blue polka dot Hijab and all white Converse, I was ready for school.

Checking myself in the long mirror next to my door for the final time, I grabbed my bag and headed downstairs where I could smell the aroma of last night's falafel from the wedding hit my nostrils. Trust Arabs to finish everything off from the fridge. Even if it wasn't meant for breakfast.

Barging into the kitchen with a little too much force, clearly a bad idea as it caused a loud bang from where the door had hit the wall and made Mom send me glares from where she was trying to get a whining Mustafa to eat his falafel.

I sheepishly smiled, said Asalaamalaikum to everyone, took a few falafels from the plate and brought it to my mouth. At the same time, I had walked out the kitchen and out the door while calling Asif and Akbar down before I left them all at home to catch the bus to school.

The garage was right beside the house and with one click of the button from the wall, it had opened revealing my sleek grey Ford Fiesta inside. I smiled and got the car keys down from the hook which was on the opposite wall and unlocked the door for us to get in.

As soon as the car made a beeping noise, the twins decided to make an entrance looking tired as ever considering that they had been awake merely three hours ago to pray.

"If you two don't pick up your pace, I'll just leave you here," I said to from the car door as they took their time getting to the car, making my patience with them wear off a bit.

Hearing this, they grunted at me knowing fully that even if I said I would do that, I really wouldn't. They were seated in the car now and had drifted off to sleep which left me in amazement at how lazy my brothers could get. Sure they were the sporty ones in the family but they could atleast stay awake for a few hours during the day.

I started the car and drove out the garage and driveway before turning the radio on. Chris Brown- Don't Think They Know blasted through the speakers as I fumbled with the dials to turn the volume down so I wouldn’t wake the twins at the back.

Nodding my head at the beat of the song, I turned the corner to arrive at the gates of Ridge High. Some were sending me curious stares while some smiled. I wasn't the popular type but everyone knew each other here and they by far hadn't seen me in a car before, so I understood.

I shut the car off after finding a parking space and parking the car in place. 

"Guys get up. We're here now," I said to the twins as I gave them a little shake on their shoulders and watched how the heads shot up from each other’s' shoulders. They hurriedly looked for their bag around the car.

Making my own way out of the car, the boys enveloped me in a hug at the same time and left me to go their seperate ways with their friends. As soon as they had walked away and left me to fix my bag on my shoulder as it dropped off when they had hugged me, my bestfriend Farah had gotten me into a bear hug too.

She finally let go of me and beamed at me showing off her pearly whites. 

"Asalaamalaikum girl, Wallach no one should be looking this good first thing on Monday morning. Especially after the wedding we went to last night. I half expected a zombie!” Farah exclaimed and I couldn't help but laugh at my childish best friend.

Just as I was about to reply, a blonde haired who I think was called Beth came up to me with a flank of her 'friends'; I say it that way because everyone knew that they all back chatted about each other when they were out of hearing distance. It disgusted me how two-faced people could be.

"YOU'RE ALLOWED TO DRIVE?" She had screamed the question out so loud to me that the student body in the parking lot was now staring at us with curiosity of what was going on. I simply face palmed myself mentally at her stupidity.

"No, I took a magic carpet ride here," I said sarcastically to her as Farah tried to hide her laughter by coughing. I took hold of Farah's hand and lead her away from Beth and her 'friends' while they held a confused expression on their faces.

"Girl, you are amazing, you know that?" She half asked and half stated to me. I simply held up my thumbs and gave her a full out grin that made me look eight instead on eighteen. She burst out laughing again and this time I joined her as we speed walked to our lockers which were right next to each other.

I took out my chunky biology and French text book while Farah got out her History and English text book. Our timetable's were cruel and only gave us study period at the end of the day along side lunch to be together, so I gave her one last hug and headed off to Biology which was somewhat easy enough to get my head through.

This last year of High School was worth all the extra studying and work as our grades guaranteed some of the Senior's scholorships to their chosen college or like me a good job. Unlike Adam, I had no desire to go to college after summer. Instead, I already had a fixed job at the local elementary school where I would be working with the kids.

Mustafa also went to the local elementary school and I had him jumping the whole day when I told him I had gotten the job to work there. I partly didn't want to go college because working with kids seemed more appealing rather than staying away from my family just for the sake of an education. The other reason was because of the college fees. Sure my family would be able to keep me in college but again, I didn't want them wasting money so, I simply refused the chance to go to higher education.

Entering the biology lab, I took my seat next to my partner Alex, a timid little brunette that was still quite friendly. The teacher entered and class started, with me already wishing that school would be over soon.

                                                                            ***

Salaam, for some people today is Eid, so EID MUBARAK EVERYONE! I will be celebrating it tomorrow though. Thank you for the votes on the last chapter and again, five votes to write/ update the next chapter.

Dedicated to @MidnightWhisperer for your lovely comment and her great books; check 'em out. Also check out the picture on the side!

Have a Good Day and May God Bless You all.