(HOW THE FRICK. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 400 READS!!)

Badr's POV

A couple days had passed since we had gotten back to university. Salah and I hadn't talked at all and even though I had been mad, it sucked not being able to talk to her. I missed her and her silly jokes. I missed her stupid nickname for me. I missed her.

I laid back in bed, relaxing after class. I pulled out my phone and looked at her contact for a minute. I clicked on it, not exactly sure how to approach talking to her again.

"Hey." I texted, "Can we talk?"

She texted back a couple minutes later. "Only if you'll talk about it."

"Salah, really?" I sighed.

"I know I'm being pushy, but it's just because I care." She sent. "I really don't want your sisters in that house, even if they are your parents."

"I get that, but Sal." I started typing my next message, but a knock came at my door.

"We'll talk about this in person." She texted.

"I'm your non-mahram?"

"I have Estrella with me."

"Okay..." I got up and walked to the door, opening it for them.

The two girls entered the dorm. Salah basically ordered Estrella to sit in the living room and walked to the kitchen, waiting for me. As soon as I entered the kitchen, still in Estrella's sight, Salah spoke up. "I want to know why you're so against this."

I sighed and ran a hand down my face. "I don't want to send my family to prison, Salah. They are my parents."

"But your sisters live there too." She said, a little more forcefully. "You don't want them to go through what you went through."

I cringed, flashbacks running through my mind, "Of course I don't."

"Then just go through with this." She edged me on.

"Salah, the case would go one for years!" I expressed.

"It would be worth it!" She argued.

"Ugh! Salah!" I was beginning to get fed up. "Get off my back! I do love my sisters! But I also can't send my freaking parents to prison!"

"How much can you really love them if you're willing to let them be abused?" She met my voice with the same force.

I couldn't help but ball up my hand into a fist. "Are you trying to say I don't love my sisters?"

"I'm trying to say that you should freaking care!"

"I do care!" We were now shouting at each other. "Why do you care so much?"

She seemed to be fired up. "Because I care about you! I care about your family!"

"Why? Why? You have nothing to do with us!" I responded.

"I care because I don't want the guy I love to be abused any longer! I don't want you to go through any more pain!" I hadn't noticed that she was crying until now. I saw tears fall to the ground and I was tempted to wipe them away for her. "I don't want your sisters to go through any more pain." She said weakly, wiping her tears.

I immediately dropped my voice. "The... guy you love?"

"I guess the cats out of the bag." She laughed miserably. "Yeah, I like you."

I felt my heart speed up and my face turn red. "I- I- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to raise my voice at you." I whispered. "I... I like you too."

"That doesn't matter right now." She sighed. "Will you please file the case?"

"Where would my sisters go? Even if I do, someone would have to take them in." I asked. "I have savings, but not enough to afford an apartment for three people." I couldn't get my mind off what just happened. She just said she loved me. Loved. How was I supposed to react to that?

"I have a lot of money saved since I'm a CNA. We could scrape by and get a three bedroom apartment. Aleena and Ilma could share a room, I would get a room, and you." She offered.

"I... have a better idea." I smiled a bit and looked up. "But first I'm gonna need you to smile."

She laughed softly. "Really, Badr?"

"Are you smiling?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Now I'm going to need your phone." I held out my phone.

"Okay?" She handed it over.

I looked through the contacts, finding her father's contact. I clicked on it and called him. "Asalam walaikum."

"Walaikum asalam?" He questioned.

"This is Badr calling. I'm so sorry to ask you this over call and I know you may find this weird, but I have no way of getting to you in person right now." I started.

"Oh my god." I heard Salah whisper, covering her mouth.

"Yes? One second, let me get my wife." A moment later I heard her mother say salam.

"I know that you may not know me well yet, but I hope that you can get to know me better over the next couple years... as your son-in-law. Anti, Uncle, would you give me the honor of marrying your daughter?"

"Hmmm," I heard her father hum. I felt like my heart was beating in my ears. I could feel my entire body pulsing. I was so nervous. "Nahhh." He laughed. "Yes, my wife seems to be very enthusiastic about this, so yes. You have my permission."

I let out a breath that I didn't realize I was holding. "Thank you so much. I hope I can come see you soon."

"Please do!" I heard her ammi shout from the background.

The call ended and I glanced up at Salah. She had tears running down her cheeks. "I... I want to hug you." She squealed. "Do you realize what you just did?" Salah was wiping her tears of happiness. "Badr... We're getting married!"

I felt it finally strike me. A huge smile made its way onto my face. "I have to go see Uncle Zain from the other night." I chuckled. "I'll tell him I followed through with his advice."

"He told you to marry me?" She asked, still wiping tears.

I nodded. "And now, I guess I am."