#FewWords
It’s so easy to lose your cool! Train yourself to remain calm even in difficult situations. Stand your ground firmly but politely. Let them curse and swear. Choose to rise above cheap, verbal abuse that’s widespread today. They’ll realize their mistake & how offensive they were!

RECAP
Nasir shrugged and laid back, he was looking at the ceiling till his eyelids became so heavy, sleep overcame him too, no matter how worried you are about something, once you are exhausted, nature must take over. That's one thing about humans and as a human, never get too worried about anything, anything that's for you will surely find you, no matter what. All you gotta do is work towards what you want and believe, have faith, that it'll come to pass

The room was filled with silence, only their breathings and the tick tocks of the clock were heard.

Chapter Thirteen
Third Person's POV
"Wake up!" Nasir said for almost the fifth time, he was trying to wake Jackson up, his brother asked him to be home by 7am but it's 6:25am and he's still not outta bed.

Hammad and Nasir woke up by 5:30am to pray fajr and they decided they won't sleep after they prayed.
Nasir was trying to wake Jackson while Hammad will just look at him, smile and drop his head on the pillow.

"Why are you smiling Ham?" He asked in a confused manner, he walked to the cushion and slumped down onto it.

"Don't you think his brother will be angry if he goes home late" he crossed his legs and picked up the remote to switch on the TV

"Just watch what I'll do to this log of wood" He walked to the coffee table where there was a glass jug and two cups on it, he picked the jug that was half full of water, wickedly poured the entire content on Jackson.

"No...nooooo, I'm up, I'm awake...I'm awakkeeeee...."Jackson repeated himself while standing on his foot, he rubbed the water off his face and started laughing while walking to the bathroom

Nasir laughed till he clutched his stomach "so this is the method" he stretched his legs on the 3 seater cushion while his eyes were fixed on the SciFi movie he was watching

"Anytime Jack gets stubborn to wake up, that's the remedy"he looked at the door of the bathroom to see if Jackson was coming out already

Jackson never stays long in the toilet
"You both are crazy"he shouted from the toilet

Few minutes and Jackson got himself ready, he picked up his backpack, Hammad and Nasir followed him downstairs

"Good morning ma'am"Jackson greeted Mrs Fatimah while Hammad and Nasir said "As-salamu alaikum, good morning"

Mrs Fatimah was in the parlor, she's used to not going back to sleep after Fajr Prayer, she makes Duas, after that she makes her husband's breakfast and set the clothes he'd wear to work.

This particular morning, she has finished making breakfast already, Malam Dauda has already helped her set the table, he went to call Mr Muhammad for breakfast.

"Where are you going you all?" She asked while standing, she walked closer to where there were.

"It's too early and today's Sunday?" Mr Muhammad said as he was coming down the stairs, all eyes turned to him

He dropped his bag on the couch and was terribly trying to knot his tie

"Well, Jackson needs to go home early, his brother said so" Nasir said while he looked at Jackson who had a tiny smile on his face.

"won't you have breakfast?" Mr Muhammad asked while he was still clearly struggling with his tie.

Jackson and Hammad smiled as they looked at each other, a message was passed as their eyes met

"Please have breakfast Jackson" Mrs Fatimah insisted

"Thank you so much ma'am but I have to get ready for church as much as I'd love to taste your delicacy for breakfast my brother won't be happy if I'm late, it's already past 7am" he rambled

Mrs Fatimah just smiled as Jackson finished his sentence.
At the end, Jackson was allowed to take his leave, Hammad and Nasir accompanied him outside.

He drove bidding them farewell, Nasir and Hammad walked back inside, they met Mrs Fatimah, Nasir's mum knotting her husband's tie.

"When will I learn to do this?" Mr Muhammad uttered while he was lovingly looking at his wife

She just laughed as her attention was fixed on what she was doing.

Hammad just smiled at them and looked at Nasir who was by his side.

"Add some tea Habibty(My love in Arabic)" Mr Muhammad said as he finished taking his breakfast.

Nasir and Hammad ate in silence.

Hammad wasn't eating well, he is a bit comfortable, Nasir gently nudged his leg from under the table.

Hammad gave a tight smile

"You'll come early, right? Since it's a Sunday" Mrs Fatimah while she was walking with her husband to the door, he was about leaving.

"Well, I can't say, I have few things to do, I'll let you know" he said as he kissed her on her forehead.

Her eyes darted to her son's direction when she felt someone was looking at them but Nasir dropped his head quickly, she just smiled and didn't say anything.

Nasir and Hammad had a lotta fun, they got a call from Jackson informing them that he was back from church.

"Thank you for the meal ma, I'll be on my way too" Hammad said when he went to bid Nasir's mum farewell.

"Don't mention son, this is like your home" she smiled at him

"Well, I'll also go with him, we'll go to Jackson's house for studies.

"That's nice, you should study well for your exams, I wish you all, the best" she looked back at her phone.

"Baba Liman, Please drive fast please" Nasir said, they've already gone to Hammad's house, he changed into new clothes in a jiffy and they were on the way to Jackson's home.

******

The previous day, the maid started working in the Ahmads' house, Salma explained everything to her.

Salma just came back from Islamic School, she walked straight to Aunt Zee's room, she wasn't inside.

She searched everywhere but could not find her, she gave up and went to her room, she removed the hijab and cap from her head.

She switched on the AC and laid on the bed and slept in no time.

"Wake up Salma" Zainab shook Salma after almost two hours of sleep, it was time for Asr.

"Ok Aunt Zee" she immediately woke up, she entered the bathroom and made wudu and picked up the prayer mat.

"Won't you pray Aunt Zee" she put her Khimar to pray

"Zayn and I went out, on our way home, we prayed at AdNaF Mosque.

"That's nice"

After praying, they both went to the kitchen to have some food although it was past lunch time already.

"Where's Uncle Zayn?" Salma asked Zainab, she opened the fridge's door to pick a can of soft drink

"He went to his friends place, down the street, he just left, we came back together" she said as she sat on the kitchen counter.

"Ohh, how's your modelling?" Salma asked again

A woman in her early forties walked into the kitchen with a clean towel in her hands

"As-salamu alaikum ma'am" Salma and Zainab greeted her

"Wa alaikumus salam" she gave a reply as she started cleaning the cans of cooking spices

"What can I call you ma'am?" Salma asked confused, not knowing what exactly to call the woman

"You can call me Umm Saira" she smiled as she said, she continued cleaning the cans

"Nice name" Zainab said as she picked another cookie from the pack she opened.

After eating almost three packs of packaged cookies, Salma started helping Umm Saira with the dishes.

"You can take a man out of the village but you can't take the village out of him" Rukayyah hissed as she passed through the kitchen door, she picked a cup of freshly made orange juice she told Umm Saira to make.

"This glass isn't clean...I'm talking to you" she snapped at her

"I cleaned it madam, I cleaned it well before I...?" She was cut mid sentence

"Keep quiet please, there's some dirt here, can't you see?" She shouted again

Umm Saira just kept quiet and looked at the floor.

Rukayyah, Salma's mum poured the entire content of the cup into the sink.

"I told you right from the beginning that I hate dirty things" she said enraged

"Salma, make a new cup..."

She was interrupted amidst her sentence by Mr Ahmad

"Salma won't do it, okay? He stood by the kitchen door.

She just hissed "make a fresh cup" she said to Umm Saira.

Rukayyah left the kitchen.

"Salma, what are you doing?" Mr Ahmad asked as he just noticed her washing the dishes

Salma kept mute for a minute "well... Abba... I-I...

"Don't you dare, prepare for your exams and have some rest" he left the kitchen after Salma and Zainab walked out of the kitchen.

He gently pushed Zainab with his shoulder, she was the one who sent him a text to come see what was happening.

"You can handle the chores, right?" Mr Ahmad asked Umm Saira

"Yes sir, this isn't even much "she smiled

"Ok then, just be patient with my wife, that's how she is" he added while leaving the kitchen

"Ok sir" Umm Saira said as she thoroughly washed the glass cup, she turned it and looked to see if there was any dirt.

"I had lunch but it's as if I had no lunch" Zainab gently walked up the stairs

"Well, I just ate two oat bars so..."Salma shrugged

"Well then, let's wait for dinner then" Zainab said as she smiled and put her hand on Salma's shoulder

"You are blessed with your dad's height, you are almost 4 inches taller than me" Zainab laughed, softly

Zainab is also a tall woman, tall and beautiful, she had big oval eyes, with really dark hair, long and full but not as full as Salma's hair.

Salma pushed the door open and made way for Zainab to go in.

"You are not short Aunt Zee"Salma said

"Yeahhhhh, alhamdulillah (thanks to Allah)" She jumped on the bed as she pulled out her slippers

Salma pulled the chair near her reading table near the bed and sat down.

"Tell me what's going on with your life now" Zainab laughed as she knew exactly what the answer would be but she asked anyway.

"Well, it's normal, attend classes..." Zainab cut her mid sentence

"Really Salma, grow up please, no friends? you haven't dealt with those girls yet?" she asked

Salma just smiled and started telling Zainab what happened in the last few days

"Wow, that's really awesome, Nasir, Jackson and Hammad" she said

"Be really careful though" she added

"Of course, like I have their time, I'll definitely try to dodge them but..."

"Don't do that, be free to make friends, it's a good thing but be very careful, in case you have any problems or you are confused about something, just call me, alright?"Zainab rambled

"Ok Aunt Zee" Salma uttered while staring at the wall.

"Can I come in ladies?"

They heard Zayn's voice

"Yeah, sure" Zainab said

"Good afternoon Uncle Zayn" Salma greeted him

"How are you Salma?" He asked as he took few long strolls into the room, he sat at the edge of the bed.

"I'm fine, alhamdulillah" she answered

"For how long will you be here?" Salma asked curiosity making the best of her.

"For a few days"Uncle Zayn said

"Ohh come oonn, every time?" Salma whined

Zayn and Zainab laughed

"Well, I'll be here for the next two weeks but she will stay for months, she has a contract here" Zayn

Happiness was clear on Salma's face, she almost jumped up

"That's awesome, my exam is less than 3 months away so we'll have a lotta fun" Salma said.

They chit chatted for hours, Zainab told Salma all about the new contract she had, they prayed when it was maghrib and Isha' time, Zayn and Mr Ahmad went to the mosque.

Zainab helped Umm Saira set the table while Salma went to call her mum and Maryam.

Zayn and Mr Ahmad were coming inside, Zayn was laughing at a joke Mr Ahmad said.

The atmosphere in the house was so good, Rukayyah wasn't so happy but she didn't say anything when they were having dinner.

Maryam didn't say a word through out, she was on her phone, Zainab who sat directly across her was staring at the phone, when Maryam noticed the stare, she immediately put the phone away, she might not have being getting along with Zainab for the past few years but she can still read through her, Zainab is friendly and easy to get along with but she never gives a person freedom when they misbehave or do something wrong.

After dinner, Umm Saira packed the plates, made a cup of fresh orange juice, after that she washed the dishes and went home.

They all went to sleep

******

"Ohh man, that's really a lot we did today" Jackson said.

They finished their studies and were all standing on the gate.

Baba Liman just came.

"Goodnight Jack and thank you" Hammad said

"For...?" Jackson asked

Hammad and Nasir walked into the car, they immediately told Baba Liman to get ready.

Jackson just stood there like a lost puppy.

"Well, we used your card to pay for everything we ate today" immediately he finished, Baba Liman drove out of the house.

"No wonder, I didn't even see the alerts, my phone wasn't with me through out today" he mumbled

"I'm changing that pin, Hammad is wicked" He added

"Nasir is a nice guy, easy going but there's something I noticed" Alex said

Jackson nodded his head, urging him to go on.

"Well, he's just somehow, I can't say yet though" Alex turned away

"Bro, you are something else, well, goodnight" he went to his room.

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End of Chapter 13, thank you so much for your reads and don't forget to vote, comment and share, it means a lot when you do🤯