Ahem. So, we stopped at how their arms collided accidentally.

Umm Hasan and Umm Ayyub were staring at them and exchanging knowing glances. The other two mothers were staring at Hasan and Sana and sharing amused smiles behind their niqabs.

"I smell wedding food from that side," Umm Ayyub remarks, deliberately pointing to the food stalls in Sarhim's direction.

Umm Hasan nods in agreement. "I can't wait to have some wedding-style food again, soon."

"You should try Haleema's wedding biryani," Umm Ishaaq said, nudging her best friend, Umm Ibrahim.

Umm Ayyub glances back at Sarah and Ibrahim who were now in opposite directions, plating different foods, "I think we will try it very soon,"

"In Sha Allah," Umm Ibrahim innocently agreed, excited to share her biryani with everyone.

After breakfast, the fathers decided to go for a hike in the mountains and bring everyone with them. Exercise is good and so is exploring nature and pondering upon Allah's (سبحانه وتعالى) creations.

And so, they arrive at the mountains. [improve narrative in draft 2]

There was a slanted pathway that led to a fortress on the top of the hill. They all walked through the brightness of the day, with rare tufts of white clouds floating about in the blue sky. The wind made the few trees sway with it, making the leaves rustle.

There were interesting insects by their feet... a long black one with countless legs that Sarah ensured she jumped over and lifted her abaya even after passing by it. Sana stared after her incredulously, crossing her arms and shaking her head at her friend's jumpiness. Maryam looked on amused, despite being cautious of the critters herself.

Instead of a critter crawling into her abaya, a thorny, stubborn, twig, decided to hijack the bottom of her abaya. And Sarah, the oblivious person she is, doesn't notice it until it slightly scrapes her feet like a snake bite. She jumps, letting out a yelp. The mothers were far ahead of them, and the men and brothers even farther away.

Sana raised a brow at her. "Got a scorpion stuck on your shoe?" she asked, intending to scare Sarah – which she already was.

"I hope not," is all Sarah could say, before putting her leg against the railing and ripping off the thorny branch from her abaya.

"My mother said those thorns are poisonous," Maryam voiced out her concern. Yeah, well, that makes Sarah even more anxious. She tried to let it be and walk but it was a stubborn thorn in her side, or should I say, bottom of her abaya. After a while of tugging on it, she finally breaks it free from her abaya. Take that. The abaya belonged to her, not the twig.

Because of the circus going on at the back with Sarah, the girls almost missed the important announcement Umm Ayyub made.

"Sana received a marriage proposal," Umm Ayyub was telling Umm Ishaaq and the other moms. Sarah and Maryam's heads snap in their direction. But Hasan's head was already staring back at the mothers, his calm expression betraying the panic of his heart. Sana was relaxed, crossing her arms and looking at the mountain scenery like this was normal. Hasan felt uneasy. Had she accepted the proposal? But she wouldn't want to marry soon. She–

People change, Hasan. They never stay the same. He told himself. But that did little to ease his pain. Ibrahim by this time had noticed the flicker of hope, despair, and then sadness in his dear friend's expression. And finally, he had pieced it together. Seems like he'll be trying Aunt Fatima's (Hasan's mom) wedding Biryani soon~

Jokes aside.

"Of course, my daughter being the lovely daughter she is... turned the gentleman down,"

Hasan let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding and turned back to the front as if nothing had happened. His heart that was beating rapidly started to slow down – the calmness of his expression bleeding into his heart.

"Hasan," Ibrahim had been trying to get his attention for the last minute, and he finally got it as Hasan acknowledged him with a nod.

"Ishaaq's asking if you want to go zip-lining with him," Hussein added, throwing his role of joining Ishaaq onto his elder brother.

Ishaaq, who was staring expectantly at Hussein was now staring expectantly at Hasan. "Sure," he said, and Hussein breathed out a sigh.

Hasan noticed Ibrahim looking at him with a slight frown of concern. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You have something to say?" he asked.

"Almost figured it out," Hasan admitted.

"Khayr In Sha Allah,"

Then he took his time assessing the clenching in his heart throughout the walk. As they saw the fluffy cotton clouds floating by, Hasan thought of his feelings. How would he feel if Sana had accepted the proposal? Terrible. Thinking of her and another man sharing the sanction of marriage doesn't sit right with him. But she should be happy. But he wants her to be happy with him.

That's what.

His heart fills with realization, acceptance, and undeniably... love. As Hania and Ismail ran by him to the front, and as the elder siblings and fathers scolded them – again, he remembered himself and Sana, when she chased him until they were both lost. Or at least, he was, since she knew the way. Way back when they were so young and carefree.

Way back when.

He turned back, before stopping himself. He knew his heart would go in all directions if he turned back to look at her scowling eyes – worse, her smiling eyes.

They reach a rest area with chairs and tables spaced out, shaded with huge umbrellas sprouting from the center of the rounded tables. The boys occupy one whole table, Ibrahim choosing to sit next to his friend Hasan. Ishaaq eagerly sat with Ayyub, who too looked forward to sitting with his best friend, but scoffed to show he didn't care. Hussein was scrolling through the mountainous pictures he had taken on his phone.

The girls and mothers shared a table not so far away.

"Why'd you turn him down?" Maryam demanded, bringing up the proposal once again.

Sana chuckled at Maryam's persistence. "Because, I've got to finish college first, and get my driver's license,"

Sarah wiggled her eyebrows, "Or maybe there's someone who has already captured her h–" Before Sarah could say anything else, a hand swooshed in front of her and covered her mouth, muffling whatever else she was about to say. None other than Sana's hand.

"The mothers are here, genius," Sana whisper-screamed.

"AUNTIE–" Maryam called teasingly to no auntie in particular.

The aunties, initially engrossed in their talks, then turned to Maryam in intrigue, waiting for her to continue.

"I want to have Ummi's wedding Biryani again!" she exclaimed, smiling widely while side glancing at Sana. This time, Umm Ibrahim and Umm Ishaaq were the shippers and the other two were clueless.

"In Sha Allah, very soon," Umm Ibrahim winked at Umm Ishaaq's direction.

And marry those among you who are single (i.e. a man who has no wife and the woman who has no husband) and (also marry) the Sâlihûn (pious, fit, and capable ones) of your (male) slaves and maid-servants (female slaves). If they are poor, Allâh will enrich them out of His Bounty. And Allâh is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knowing (about the state of the people). ~ Surah Nur, Ayah 32

[the ayah going through Umm Ibrahim and Umm Ishaaq's mind rn]

Maryam smiled in triumph, "In Sha Allah," she said in song-song.

By this time, Hania and Ismail had come running towards Hasan and Sana to ask permission from them to get to the ice cream truck that they could see up ahead. Hasan and Sana exchanged glances at each other briefly since their siblings were asking them whether they could go with each other or not. Their parents encouraged them to go check out the ice cream truck to see if it was open. And so, the four of them – Sana, Hania, Ismail, and Hasan, walk together to the ice cream truck.

Hasan walked ahead of everyone, not wanting to be too close to Sana.

Hania and Ismail stared back and forth at Hasan and Sana. Had their siblings gotten into a fight? They argued last time. The curious whispers between them got intense as they asked each other why they were so mad at each other (that's what they thought) and so they spoke up.

"Akhi, Ukhti, did you two fight?" Hania and Ismail asked in unison. Hasan stopped walking and stared up ahead. Where did they get that from?

"No, why would you think that?" Sana replied, quite shocked herself.

The Ice cream truck could be seen up ahead, parked on a small pathway on the rocky side of the mountain. They were walking on a roadside brick path with grass on one side and rocks ahead.

"Because you both are so far from each other like you're avoiding each other," Hania spilled some big words. Where did she learn all that? (Hussein PFFT)

Hasan then walked back, beside Hania and Ismail so that the two curious kids were in between Hasan and Sana. "We didn't fight," Hasan confirmed, and they sighed.

"Then what did we do?" Sana blurted out.

"A disagreement, but Uktuk was just being difficult," he pretended to explain to the kids.

"Me? Difficult? Speak for yourself," Sana didn't even bother to pretend.

That's when Hania and Ismail turned to Hasan with widened eyes – Sana too almost but she dropped her gaze. Hasan was laughing. Not boldly, it was a subtle smile and a soft laugh. But even the kids were surprised.

"See, Akhi can laugh, I told you!" Ismail pointed with victory. "Now you need to give me half of your candies,"

"Ugh, Okay," Hania agreed.

Sana didn't say anything during the rest of the walk to the ice cream truck, except when taking her ice cream from Hasan. Of course, they were careful not to make any contact. Then they both took their siblings back to the umbrella-shaded round tables. Where everyone was still chatting away.