(Ah, oh my gosh! Already at 300! 😭 Thank you guys so much. Here's another special chappy in Badr's POV)

Badr's POV

"We have decided that it's in our daughter's best interest to... not pursue this marriage." I heard Zaida's dad, Salah's uncle, announce. My head shot up and I struggled to fight back the smile I had. I immediately pulled out my phone and texted Salah.

"You had a hand in this, didn't you?" I texted.

I glanced towards her, seeing her pull out her phone and bite her lip before I looked away. "Maaaaybe. Just a lil' bit."

"You. Are. The. Best. Person. On. The. Planet." I sent. "Aghhhhh, I could honestly say I love you rnnnnn." My face turned bright red once I realized what I had sent her. I cursed myself for not rereading my text message before sending it.

"Well, unlike before, I'm not gonna pretend you didn't say that. 😜" She texted back, "FEEL ZE EMBARRASSMENT."

I held back a laugh. "You're an idiot, Sal. 😂"

"I'm awesome 😎" She sent, "And you know it."

"Dang you for stating the facts." I texted, finishing up my dinner. I got up and took my plate to the kitchen, placing it in the sink. I spotted Salah's mother working around the kitchen. "Anti, is there anything I can help with?"

She looked up and smiled, "Oh, no, beta. That's fine. You go and rest. Salah will help me."

I lended a hand anyway, "I hope you don't take this the wrong way," I laughed awkwardly. "You have an amazing daughter."

The woman, as she organized the spices and put away dishes, glanced up at me. "That's sweet of you. She is a blessing on this family. I thank Allah for her everyday."

I smiled lightly. "That sounds like her." I chuckled quietly.

"Are you and Salah close?" She asked.

"You could say that." I gave her a smile. "She's my best friend."

The woman smiled softly. "Really? I wonder why she didn't tell us that."

I knew why she hadn't said anything. She didn't want our relationship to get tangled up in the whole process of me getting married. "I'd love to come over more often but," I shrugged. "I'm still her non-mahram. Even if we are best friends."

"I wish I could have met you under different circumstances." Her mother continued cleaning, but I could hear the disappointment in her voice.

"I... do apologize for my parents." I said quietly. "They probably weren't what you were expecting. I'm sorry if they offended you or your family in any way."

"No, no! It's fine!" She replied immediately. "You're a pleasure, Badr. I haven't had such a nice conversation in a while."

Salah entered the kitchen, hugging her mother from behind. "Mommy, what you talking about?"

Her mother looked up and kissed her daughter's cheek. "Nothing, just getting to know your best friend."

Salah looked towards me. "You- Badr, you actually told her that?" She laughed softly. "Yes, he is my best friend."

"You say that as if I'm not your best friend." I retorted. "Are you hiding something from me, Sal?"

"What? No! Of course not!" She replied, helping out around the kitchen. "You are my best friend! Promise!"

"Pinky promise?" I asked, jokingly.

She laughed and began washing the dishes. "Pinky promise."

Her mother laughed quietly. "How did you two meet, then?"

My face went beet red remembering that event. She had run straight into me, collided with me. "Oh, well, that's a funny story. One I'm sure Salah would love to tell you about." I gave a sweet smile and escaped the kitchen.

I didn't even take two steps when my father demanded that we all leave. Apparently it was 'offensive' for them to break off the relationship, even though we were invited over just so we could scope each other out.

I was rushed into the car without even the chance to say goodbye. Asif grabbed my arm and pulled me aside, offering to give me a ride, but I saw my parents pushing my sisters into the car. I couldn't leave them alone with my parents, so I declined the offer and gave him a slight hug

"Thanks, Asif. See you soon, in sha Allah." I gave a smile and got into the car.

"Sooner than later. In sha Allah." He replied just before I shut the door and my dad took off.

The entire car ride was filled with screaming. I just replied quietly when I needed to and laid Ilma's head on my lap when she got sleepy. Aleena fell asleep with her head on the car window, so I moved her head to my shoulder.

It was sad that my sisters were so used to their screaming that they could sleep through it. "How could you ruin this for us?" My mother shouted. "You ungrateful piece of shit!"

"I'm sorry." I whispered. "I didn't mean to."

"Like hell you didn't mean to! You didn't want this from the start! This is all your fault!" She yelled, hitting the side of the door.

Ilma jolted awake from the sharp noise, but I just laid her back down and shushed her. "I'm sorry, I am. I really didn't mean to ruin this for you."

"Stop saying that! You fucking liar!" Her curses made me cringe. "How did we get the useless, piece of shit son?" She growled in annoyance.

I kept quiet, letting her yell at me the whole way home. As soon as we got back to the house, my parents got out of the car and went inside on their own. I gently shook Aleena awake, so she could get out of the car. I picked Ilma up and rushed into the house. I tried to get her up to her room before my parents spotted me. I didn't want them to catch me just yet.

Ilma and Aleena had separate rooms but I led Aleena to Ilma's room and laid her down next to Ilma. I kissed her forehead. "Take care of each other." I whispered softly.

"Badr!" I heard my father's deep voice shout for me.

I left the room and walked downstairs, facing my parents in the living room. "Ye- Yes, father?"

He walked towards me, raised his hand, and slapped me across the face. My father had a heavy hand and it stung when it struck my skin. I lifted my hand, covering my cheek. I felt tears come up from the pain, but I blinked them back. "You- You are no better than you were when you left!" He shouted, his voice shaking me down to my roots.

"I- I- I-"

"Shut up!" He grabbed my wrist roughly, no doubt leaving another bruise. He pulled my hand down, away from my red cheek. "You have no right to speak. Not in this house." His voice was low and gruff.

I nodded, keeping my mouth shut. My lips quivered and the pain from his grip on my wrist induced more tears. A couple tears ran down my face. They seemed to cause a burning sensation on the skin that he had struck.

"What are you?" He narrowed his eyes. "A fucking girl? Stop crying." He demanded.

I tried. I really, really tried. But the tears took a little while to stop and his grip only got tighter and tighter.

"I told you to stop!" In his anger, he twisted my arm, causing me to almost scream in pain. He had done it so suddenly and with such intensity that I had tears streaming down my face. I slapped a hand over my mouth, trying to keep from making any noise that would wake my sisters. "Are you deaf? Do you not hear me? Or are you doing this on purpose too?" He finally let go of my wrist.

Trembling, I brought my hand away from my mouth and instead wiped my tears. My father grunted with satisfaction. "Finally." He sat down on one of the couches. "Leave. Go up to your room. I don't want to see your face."

I turned and walked into the hall, climbing the steps slowly. My mother began to descend the steps, anger lighting up her eyes as soon as she saw me. She kept walking, forcing me to try and walk down the steps backwards. "Get out of my way, you pathetic piece of shit."

"Mom- I'm- please, stop walking for a-" I tried to ask her to stop walking so I could move out of the way, but she kept going, forcing me to walk down backwards. She didn't even give me the chance to turn around.

"Don't you dare call me mom. I can't possibly be called the mother of a disappointment and failure like you." She pushed my shoulder, forcing me to miss a step as she walked past me. My ankle twisted and I fell back, just barely catching myself with the side rail.

It felt like pain wracked my body. I could feel it everywhere. I limped as I tried to climb the steps, taking refuge in my room. I hid under the sheets, just wanting to escape this house. I used my left hand, my uninjured hand, to pull out my phone.

Multiple messages lit up the screen.

"You didn't get to say goodbye 🙁" It was Salah. "Badr?" She had sent. "Helloooo? Where are you?" The messages began to get more and more concerned. "Badr?? Hello? Are you okay?" She continued. "Hellooooo??? Badr, seriously, are you okay? I'm really worried." A new message popped up. "I'm worried about you. I don't know if I'm overreacting. Please answer soon."

"I'm okay." I texted back. "Sorry, I fell asleep."

"Oh." She sent. "Well, sorry for spamming you then. I just got really worried."

"It's okay." I smiled a little, "I would have done the same."

"Ig I should let you rest." She texted. "🙁"

"I was hoping to talk to you for a little while, actually." I couldn't fall asleep. I knew that. And she was the only person that could bring a smile to my face when things were this bad.

"You sure?"

"Very. I love talking to you."

"Aww, I love talking to you to, Bob. But if I suddenly stop replying it is probably because I keep yawning every five seconds and fell asleep. 😂"

"Oh, awww. Go sleep theeeeen!"

"I'd rather stay up and text you for a little while." She sent. "😝💕"

"As long as you get enough sleep, Sal." I responded. "So why did Zaida cut off the wedding?"

"She likes Asif better 😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣" She texted back. "Apparently you're too 'timid and boring' 😂😂😂😂😂"

"Ouch! My heart 😩😭" I laughed softly. "As long as Sally doesn't think that, right? You don't think I'n timid or boring 😭"

"Of course noooot. Ur not either of those lol. I mean, look at your texts rn." I couldn't help but think that she was probably giggling.

"Ohhhh? So if I sent you a marriage proposal it'd be a yes? 😜" I was joking, yes, but this was a really good way to gauge what she thought of me. "Lying is haram!!" I added.

"😂😂😂" She responded. "You're an idiot, Bob. Yes. Obviously. 😂"

"How on PLANET EARTH is that obvious 😂😭"

"Idk. It just is man."

"Are you even Sal even more 😂"

She sent a picture of herself with her hijab flowing over her shoulders, laying in bed. "Tis me." Half of her face was covered with her hand, though.

"Did you actually put on a scarf JUST to send me that picture? 😂😂😂"

"I did." She sent. "😂 Don't you judge me."

"I'm not!" I laughed. "Oh! And it was nice to meet your mom formally today."

"Aww, yeah, that was nice." She replied. "Tho I CANT BELIEVE YOU LEFT THE ORIGIN STORY TO ME."

"MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAH."

"I SWEAR."

"I WASNT GONNA TELL HER. She'd think I was harassing you or something 😂😭"

"OKAY... TRUE." She was probably laughing her butt off, just like me. "FINE BUT WE'RE TELLING THE STORY TOGETHER FROM NOW ON."

"AGREED." I laughed softly and curled into the sheets. "Okay, now I'm tired as well. Sleepy time. Good night, Sal. 🌙"

"Good night, Badr! ⭐️✨"

Words:
-Anti: A respectful term used for women that are elder than you.

(ENJOY. This chappy is 2000+ words long, more than 2x as long as normal ❤️)