REMINDER: PLEASE PRAY UR PRAYERS BEFORE EVEN ATTEMPTING TO READ THIS CHAPTER. 

Author's note: 

Assalamu Alaikum guys... it's been a while. I apologize for the late updates and I'll probably spend the rest of my life apologizing honestly. LIfe just gets busier and busier but it shouldn't keep me from delaying these updates. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Depending on how school goes, I'm not too sure when I'll be releasing anymore. But I'll do my best to update when I have time - or rather i'll figure out a way on how to MAKE time for this. Peace!

RAAIDA

The little self-confidence I had in my looks were gone.... Shattered and scrambled.

But that was not the only thing that bothered me. Harun scared me. I didn't have to see it happen to know what happened when Harun took the fight outside. He returned to me with bloody fists... I couldn't exactly tell if it was his blood or the blood of those he fought. I was afraid of his facial expressions, his movements, his everything...

This isn't who he was before. Before he was... not like this.

That one true reason I accepted this marriage... was gone.

When I came home Monday morning, after spending two nights at Harun's place, I slammed my bag down, and glared straight at my mother.

"Who is he?" I asked her. My voice was almost trembling. "I don't know him. You told me..."

"You know him." My mother said, sternly.

"No, I don't! You lied to me!" I shrieked.

"Do you really think I would let you marry a stranger?" My mom asked me, as she wiped away my tears. It was a week before the wedding. And I couldn't bring myself to accept it - the decision my parents made about my future. Was it really necessary to marry this guy? "Do you remember him? That boy you were obsessed with as a child?"

"Obsessed? How can you call an innocent love obsession?" i asked.

"So you remember him..." She said, suddenly quiet. "Well, it was indeed before you became a super nerd. So you might not even feel the same about him now."

"Feel the same?" I asked her.

"You liked him back then, didn't you?" She asked. Well... he was the only one that ever complimented me. But there was much more to it than that. He made me feel needed. But than again, we were just kids anyways. I was just craving some attention and he was just giving me what I wanted. I'm not exactly sure whether those feelings have changed.

He was like no other... Someone important to me.

"You're marrying him. Harun." My face paled.

I wouldn't have ever guessed that the man I was marrying was the only guy I ever paid attention to, and the only guy that ever paid attention to me.

So I went for it.

But Harun wasn't Harun. From the first moment I saw him, he was a completely different person. But then again... my mom did warn me to not think of him as the same. He went through a lot, and he changed.

But he wasn't the Harun I knew. So I did feel like this marriage was a scam.

He didn't seem to recognize me either, which was fine by me since I thought I didn't care about it.

But my heart hurt... It hurt a lot.

Which evidently meant... I did care.

"He's a monster." I said.

"You once loved that monster." My mom said in a bored voice. She sighed, then looked straight at me. "Would you like a divorce then?" She asked. My eyes widened.

"If asking for a divorce was this easy, why would you get me married to this guy in the first place?" I asked.

"Let me rephrase that. Would you like to give up on him?" She asked. Give up? As in throw away? My chest tightened. "Was he really that scary? Was he hard to talk to? Did it feel like he had the potential to abuse you?" My mother asked.

"He... said he was forced into it. He doesn't even seem to remember me." My mom gave me a dull look.

"Now I wonder why he lied..." She said, as a grin was starting to form on her lips. She closed her eyes, smiling. "I won't interfere in your life more than necessary. But give him a chance. Oh right... since you're both done with school for the summer, you'll be living with him everyday. Besides you two will have the house to yourself. So get to know him and try to understand him. Go on. Pack your bags and get the hell out, my chubkins." She said, grinning widely. "Also, your dad and I decided that since he's already moved out and lives alone now - you can start living with him right away. Which means, the walima will be soon. Isn't that nice?" She asked.

"What?" I asked, dumbfounded. I've never felt so dumb and betrayed in my entire life.

So that's how it was...