Chapter Fourteen - Life Is Fragile

Sabrina opened her eyes to the world ending.

She was alone, standing in a flowing white abaya, while the world she knew fell apart. The skies raged, lightning streaking across it with fierce flashes, making her blink against its sheer brightness. Everything was moving around her, the ground beneath her feet shook mercilessly as she watched mountains crumble and oceans turn into fire.

She was paralyzed in fear. Watching, listening, but unable to move. Above her the sun roared, seeming to spin out of control. It was falling down to Earth, growing bigger and bigger in the ink black sky.

The world is ending, she thought. I'm dying.

And then it stopped. The lightning, the shaking. Everything stopped moving. The sky was still, the sun a golden orb, fading against the sky. She trembled as she realized that the mountains had been turned to dust, which scattered around her. The oceans were a pile of ash.

And suddenly there was light. It left her blinded, and she raised her hand to her face. When she dropped it, there were people around her. But she could barely tell, barely acknowledge their figures and voices because suddenly she was walking towards gleaming gates of pure gold. They opened, beckoning to her.

She smiled as she approached, the scent of Jannah washing away all the fear that was present just moments ago. Her right hand was heavy and she looked down and noticed she was carrying a book. Her deeds were in her right hand. She had been admitted into Paradise.

But then Khalid stepped out and stood in front of her, blocking her path. His eyes burned with fury.

She stopped, confused. The gates of Jannah waited.

"You can't pass." Khalid said, holding out his hand, his blue eyes burning.

"Why?" Sabrina asked.

"Because you've wronged me, insulted me and my heritage, and for that I will never forgive you."

Sabrina stared at him, at his cold eyes that flickered with anger and...hurt. She'd hurt him. The gates of Jannah closed behind him and she reached out to try and stop them.

But it was too late.

Sabrina gasped as she jerked awake. Her breath was raspy and uneven. Her eyes shone with tears. She blinked them away and slowly settled back into her bed, wrapping the covers around her tightly. Khalid's words echoed in her head. She took a ragged breath.

Surely I wont go to Hell for insulting him? She thought.

But she had hurt him, whether she had meant to or not. And she hadn't apologized, either. A hadith that Sabrina had once heard, came to mind. It had stated that whosoever had done wrong should ask forgiveness of that person otherwise he/she would have to pay on the Day of Reckoning with his/her own good deeds.

Sabrina sighed. Khalid had every right to hate her. She had wronged him. She insulted him out of anger - something she should have controlled. But no, she went ahead and spit out false accusations at him. And they were false. How would he have known it was Leena who had told all this time? He was right to assume it was her, since she was the only one he'd told.

Sabrina sniffed, her throat burning with tears. How am I supposed to ask his forgiveness when he hates me so much? He'd never forgive me.

She got up and stumbled to her window. It was almost Fajr time, according to her clock and so the sky was still dark and crisp with the scent of nighttime. It was getting colder now, as winter approached, but Sabrina could care less. She opened the window and the chilly air woke her up, sharpening her senses. Goosebumps prickled down her arms.

She stood there watching the dark street, observing bright orange Jack-O-Lanterns, which sat in the yards of people who had decided to decorate for Halloween three weeks early. A soft breeze played with her hair as her mind wandered. Stars twinkled in the pitch black sky.

Should I apologize to him? She thought. Or am I sure I'll have enough good deeds on the Day of Judgment to pay him back?

The last thought was absurd, of course. No one could guarantee that.

No one could guarantee anything.

* * *

"We're going to the mall." Leila announced the next day at Lunch.

Sabrina looked up and sighed. Emaan smiled encouragingly at her.

"No." Sabrina said firmly. "No way."

"Yes way." Leila said, sticking out her tongue. "You've been moody all day so a shopping trip it is!"

"Shopping trips make me even more moody." Sabrina grumbled.

"C'mon." Emaan pleaaded, blinking her wide, doe eyes.

"Fine." Sabrina huffed, "but only because Emaan has convincing puppy eyes!"

Emaan laughed while Leila grinned, as the three girls exited the school and headed for the mall which was quite nearby. Sabrina listened to Leila and Emaan discuss what they planned to pile onto their trays and shovel into their mouths when she heard Leila complain as to why she was so fat. She didn't bother deny it because Leila always argued back, usually while munching on junk food.

This is why I'm coming, she thought to herself silently. Because I need a small dose of crazy right now and Leila is the only one who can give it to me.

As they approached the mall, Leila and Emaan's conversation came to an abrupt stop. They stared at something nearby. Sabrina followed their gazes and stiffened as she saw a group of loud teenagers. Laughing among them was Khalid, who seemed to be enjoying himself. He had his arms around a tall, pretty girl with sleek hair. A cigarette clung to his lips.

Sabrina quickened her pace hoping he wouldn't turn and see her. But out of the corner of her eyes, she saw his head turn in their direction. She peeked at him and saw his smile fall off his face, his eyes hardening. The sight of her killed his joy.

The three girls walked on in silence as they passed the group which eyed them with keen gazes. Sabrina let out a breath when they were far away, and the scent of smoke and alcohol that they had passed, faded. A thought struck her and she realized that the cigarette that she had seen Khalid puffing on didn't look ordinary. It hadn't smelled ordianry either.

"I never knew Khalid still did drugs." Sabrina wondered out loud.

Leila stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at her. Emaan raised her eyebrows.

"What, have you been living under a rock all this time?" Leila joked and then grew serious. "And, seriously, you were the first one to know!"

"Yeah, but that was like five years ago." Sabrina explained, annoyed. "I didn't know he was still into it."

"Well drugs are like that." Leila shrugged, "one puff and you're gone."

Sabrina fell silent, feeling quite foolish. What did she expect? That Khalid had dabbled a little in the stuff and had moved on without any repercussions? If it were that easy then no one would spend there lives under such a life threatening addiction. Thinking of that made her feel sorry for him.

One puff and you're gone.

* * *

The remainder of the week was slow and event less. Sabrina avoided the Cafeteria and all places that she might bump into Khalid. She thanked Allah multiple times for the fact that she didn't share any classes with him. On the rare occasions they would pass in the hall, Sabrina would duck her head and pretend to be engaged in a book or whatever she was holding. The thought of apologies still crossed her mind but she couldn't bring herself to even consider them.

He'll never forgive me, she reminded herself. There's no point.

On Friday, Emaan's mom called and invited Sabrina and her mom to an all-girls dinner party. Sabrina's mother, who had cooled down since the party and had seemed to have forgotten all about it, accepted the invite, much to Sabrina's happiness.

She didn't know if Leila would be going or if her mom was still mad and since she didn't have her phone she couldn't even call and find out. After a quick inquiry on Facebook - which she was still allowed to use - Sabrina messaged Leila and received a delightful response a few minutes later.

Leila would be going as well.

* * *

"Asalaam'alaikum!" Emaan shouted, as she opened the door and ushered Sabrina and her mother inside.

"Walaikum'asalaam." Sabrina answered, her mother right behind her.

They entered Emaan's house and as their mothers greeted each other, giving each other a peck on each cheek. Sabrina greeted Emaan's mom warmly, instantly taking a liking to the short, plump woman. She had Emaan's big brown eyes and fair complexion.

"Ya, Emaan." She said, smiling. "You never told me your friend here was a supermodel!"

Sabrina blushed, while Emaan giggled, pulling her down the hall.

"Must have forgotten to mention it." She replied over her shoulder, as she led Sabrina into her room.

Sabrina sat down on Emaan's bed and took in her bright room. The walls had been painted a soft lilac color and frilly purple curtains covered the window. A bookshelf with trophies and medals peered down at her. Sabrina glanced back at Emaan, about to comment on her room when Emaan pulled off her hijab.

"Wow!" Sabrina squealed. "I love your hair!"

"Really?" Emaan scoffed. "Well good, cause it took me an hour to straighten."

"Yeah, mine's like that too." Sabrina agreed, taking hers off as well. It was an all girls event, after all.

"Ooh, yours is so much more nicer." Emaan complimented, reaching out and twirling Sabrina's dark brown hair with her finger.

"You think so?" Sabrina asked, genuinely surprised. "You should see Leila's...which reminds me - where is that girl?"

"I dunno." Emaan said. "I'll call her."

Sabrina wandered around her room, while Emaan pulled out her phone and dialled Leila's number. She was toying with Emaan's jewelry when she heard Emaan sigh. Sabrina looked over to the disheartened girl.

"She's not answering." Emaan explained.

"Dont worry." Sabrina said, waving her hand. "She's probably just getting ready. That girl takes an hour to pick out an outfit let alone do her make up and hair!"

"Well, in the meantime I suppose I could give you a tour." Emaan smiled.

Sabrina agreed and the two girls walked around as Emaan pointed out the different rooms, while describing her family. She had two younger twin brothers named Ali and Imran and a sister, Aliah, who was in seventh grade. Listening to Emaan talk fondly about her siblings, Sabrina wished - not for the first time - that she had at least one sibling too. As they knocked on Aliah's room, a pale faced girl with dark eye make up opened the door.

"What do you wa - oh." She snapped then stopped as she saw Sabrina.

"I was just showing Sabrina around." Emaan said through narrowed eyes. Her expression said behave or else!

"Right." Aliah sighed and stepped back opening her arms to introduce her room.

The room was dark. Very dark. The walls were black and were covered with Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance posters. Even the covers on her bed were dark grey.

"Oh...its very...dark." Sabrina commented, slowly.

"I know." Aliah smirked, giving her a creepy smile. "It compliments my soul."

"Ah...I see." Sabrina said awkwardly.

"Riiiight." Emaan interrupted loudly, shooting Aliah an annoyed look. "Lets go."

As they walked down the hall, Emaan dismissed Aliah's obsessions with bands and the color black with a wave of her hand.

"She's going through a phase." She muttered, rolling her eyes. "A dark one."

"Well, that's okay."Sabrina said, trying to be reasonable. "Everyone goes through phases."

"Yeah well-"

Emaan was interrupted by loud snickering and suddenly two boys came bursting down the hall. Emaan hissed, holding out her arms and stopping them from plowing into Sabrina. The two boys, who Sabrina assumed were Ali and Imran, were ten years old and identical. They even dressed the same.

"Ali!" Emaan grumbled. "Imran. Can't you two act like normal people?"

"I dunno?" Ali asked, sarcastically. "Can we?"

"Who's your friend?" Imran asked, turning to Sabrina.

"I'm Sabrina." Sabrina answered, politely.

"Like Sabrina the teenage witch?" Ali asked, his wide brown eyes observing Sabrina.

"Yeah, except she's not a witch, dummy." Imran laughed, knocking Ali on the head.

"I know!" Ali said, shoving Imran.  "And who're you callin dummy? You're the one who used to think people could live without brains!"

"And I still do!" Imran announced. "You're alive, aren't you?"

"Well since we're twins - you've got no brain either then!" Ali pointed out with a smirk.

Emaan shushed them, telling them to stay out of her way and to stop bickering. She turned to Sabrina who had been laughing at the amusing conversation that had taken place. So much, in fact that no sound was coming out of her mouth and so she was clapping her hands together like a seal while tears ran down her face.

"Your brothers..." She wheezed, through snorts, "are so hilarious!"

"Yeah well - they're just as annoying." Emaan snorted then looked down at her phone, which had begun to ring. "Oh, its Leila."

She put it on speaker and greeted Leila with a: "Where have you been!"

"Walaikum'asalaam." Leila said dryly but her voice became serious. "You guys, we might take a little while longer cause...well, we've just witnessed a hit-and-run."

"Oh!" Sabrina gasped, shocked. "What happened? Are you alright?"

"Me? Fine." Leila said, rather absentmindedly. "But the guy who was hit isn't. My dad's helping him right now and my mom's on the phone with the police. We're the only ones who saw it happen so we'll have to stay and explain when the cops show up."

"That's terrible! Did you see who hit the man? What happened to the guy who was hit?" Emaan asked, worried.

"I think he broke a few bones, but he's not dead or anything, thank God." Leila explained. "And I think I recognized the guy who hit him, though. He jumped out after his car stopped and he seemed drunk or high cause he kept stumbling around but in the end I guess he chickened out cause he jumped back into his car and raced away."

Sabrina and Emaan shared a glance. They waited for Leila to continue, Sabrina's blood pounded in her ears like drums.

"His hood was covering most of his face. But his height and posture and...I dunno...it all matches up. But could it have been him? I just don't..." She trailed off, miserably.

"Could it have been who?" Sabrina whispered, her heart in her throat.

"I think its was...Khalid."

_________________________________________________________________________

DUN DUN DUN DUNNNNNN! Do you hear that? Its the sound of the plot thickening.

What do you guys think? Do you think it could have been Khalid??

Dont forget to vote and comment if you enjoyed!!