Sarahs pov

"As my eyes slowly opened, I was jolted awake by the deafening blare of my alarm clock."

After dragging myself out of bed, I stumbled into the shower to shake off the last remnants of sleep. Once I was dressed and ready, I headed to the kitchen , I was greeted by the sight of my parents sitting at the table. My mom had made me breakfast, and my dad was busy reading the newspaper.

Mumma greeted me with a warm smile and said

'Assalamualaikum Sarah.'

It was a small gesture, but it always made me feel loved.

We chatted for a few minutes about my plans for the day before she handed me a plate of delicious breakfast."

"On the plate, I saw a freshly baked croissant that was oozing with Nutella and slices of banana. The aroma wafting from the plate made my mouth water, and I eagerly dug in."

"With every bite of the croissant, I couldn't help but exclaim, 'Yummmm... you're the best mom!'

I savored every bite, knowing that it would be a while before I got to enjoy such a delicious breakfast again.

"After saying goodbye to my parents, I got into my car and took my usual route towards school. The sun was shining, and the drive was pleasant."

As I was driving towards school, I noticed Jakes cars overtaking me. Even though I knew it was unlikely to see him here, it was still exciting to know that he was in the same area as me.

To my surprise,his car pulled up right beside me, and he rolled down his window glass. I couldn't believe it when he took off his sunglasses and waved at me before driving off. He looked so handsome, and I couldn't help but feel starstruck."

I shook my head and refocused on the road ahead. I didn't want to get too distracted and risk getting into an accident.

When I parked my car and walked towards the entrance, I saw Umar and Uzma waiting for me.

After putting our books in the locker, we grabbed the books we needed for our first lecture and headed to our classes. However, just as we were about to enter, there was an announcement over the intercom that caught our attention."

Hello , A very good morning to all the students .School is organizing a trip to Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, and Niagara Falls. This trip is considered a curriculum activity, which means that it will be a part of your school curriculum and you will receive 10 points towards your GPA if you participate. It's a great opportunity to learn and have fun, so I encourage you to take part in it!

Everyone around me started chattering excitedly about it

"The announcement ended with the Dean wishing all the students a nice day.

It was a nice way to wrap up the announcement and get us all excited about the upcoming trip .

I turned towards Uzma with a frown and confided in her, 'I don't think my dad will allow me to go.' I was feeling disappointed and worried that I might miss out the
10 points towards my GPA."

Uzma was quick to offer her support and replied,
"Oh, don't worry. I'll come over to help you convince your dad.' Her kindness and support made me feel better, and I was grateful to have her as a friend."
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"As soon as the lecture was over, I saw Rebecca and her minions coming towards me. I knew it was going to be a difficult encounter, but I tried to prepare myself mentally for whatever was to come."

"Heyy, you stay away from my Jake"

She was angry and accused me of being the reason HER Drake was acting differently. She claimed that he insulted her at a party because of me. I was taken aback by her anger and didn't know how to respond."

"How even I'm the reason behind his behavior, we hardly talk"

"Ohh shut-up you bewitched witch" She turned away and walked off while mocking me .

"OMA..This girl is extremely irritating to me."

As I was dropping off my books in locker .I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and saw that it was Uzma.

I take out the books for my next lecture locking my locker back, I asked 'How did this hour go?'"

'Ugh! Don't even ask. I was so sleepy. I couldn't sleep last night,' just as a yawn escaped her."

"I teased her by saying 'Umar dreams... I see,' with a playful tone."

'Ahh nooo, just tensed about what will happen when he'll talk to my parents,' she replied with a worried expression."

"Everything will be fine, Don't over Think, things will work out out inshaAllah don't worry too much"I replied back.
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"After the lecture ended, we gathered our things and walked out of the classroom. The sun was shining brightly, and we felt the warmth on our skin as we made our way towards the gym. We chatted about the lecture as we walked, discussing the main points and our thoughts on the subject. The gym was just a short walk away, and we could see it in the distance. We quickened our pace, eager to get in for a good workout."

We were in the locker room, getting ready for the workout. The room was dimly lit, with a faint smell of sweat in the air. Suddenly, we saw Umar walking towards us, his gym bag slung over his shoulder.

Other person's pov

Uzma's heart skipped a beat as she felt a familiar warmth in her chest.Sarah, noticing Uzma's reaction, raised an eyebrow and smirked. Umar approached them with a smile, his eyes sparkling with excitement. 'Hey Sara, been a while. How are you girls doing?' he asked, looking at them both. Uzma blushed and Sarah rolled her eyes.
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"After finishing the gym class, we felt refreshed from doing some yoga asanas and headed towards the corridor."

As students leave the hall, new ones were coming in for the next class, creating a busy and bustling atmosphere.

As I was leaving I noticed that Jake and James were both together.

"Hey Sarah, he quickly approaches me with a small run."

"Hi there, how was your day"

"Suddenly, James hopped in and asked me if I was free tonight and what my plans were. I felt a bit awkward because I wasn't sure how to respond, but as I was about to tell him that I was busy tonight jake interrupted and said,

"She has plans with her friend Uzma, don't you?' He turned towards me as he spoke, and I suddenly felt put on the spot. I wasn't sure how to respond, but I managed to say that I did indeed have plans with Uzma later this evening."

"Before James could respond, Jake took him by the shoulder and said, 'Come on, let's go. See you later, Sarah.'

"James tusked, throwing a look. He straightened up and looked between us.

'Can't wait to get to know you more, Sarah,"

he says before turning his back and heading off with Jake. I watched them leave, feeling a bit relieved that the awkward situation was over."

Uzma suggested that she come over since it had been a while we had spent time together. While walking together we spotted Rebecca and Jake in the parking lot. As we approached, we noticed that Rebecca was all over Jake, and before we knew it, she even tried to kiss him. Jake was clearly taken aback by this and pushed her away. The whole scene was pretty intense, and we were both pretty shocked by what we saw. We paused for a moment, unsure of what to do or say, before deciding to just head home and leave them to sort things out on their own.

Seeing Rebecca and Jake so close to each other made me feel a bit uncomfortable, even though I couldn't quite put my finger on why. Maybe it was because I wasn't used to seeing them like that, or maybe it was because their body language seemed a little tense. Whatever the reason, it definitely gave me a weird feeling in my gut.

I shook my head in an attempt to clear my mind of the scene that had just unfolded before us.

The car ride with Uzma was really quiet and we were both lost in our own thoughts. We both were still processing what we had just seen with Jake and Rebecca, and it was affecting our ability to communicate with each other.. After a while, Uzma spoke up and said that she wanted to meet up with Umar and asked if I wanted to come along. Her suggestion helped break the silence and make things less awkward between us.

"Sure , I'm down to hang out with you guys,do you have a place in mind" I responded .

"Its been a while we didn't go bowling"

"Yeah, it has been a while.,That's true, we should definitely plan a bowling night soon.

"When are you free?"

"Are you implying that we go bowling tonight with Umar" I ask in return.

"Yes,is it a bad idea"

"Nah!! That sounds great , I'm definitely interested in joining you guys"

"Oh, so it's confirmed! Yay, I'm so excited!"

Just then , we reached home and parked the car.

"Assalamualaikum, we're homeeee " I said as we went upstairs noticing that nobody was in the living room.

I went straight to the washroom , changed into pastel pink pants white shirt and paired up with a matching scarf.

Before leaving, I lent Uzma some clothes, and as we were getting ready to go, she called Umar and told him to meet us directly at the bowling alley.

After getting ready, I went downstairs to see if my parents were home so that I could inform them that I was going out with Uzma.

"Mumma ,I didn't see you when I arrived "I enter her room and sat down on her bed.

"I'm going out with Uzma, and since we're planning to be back before curfew, do you want me to get you anything"I asked.

As she scrolled through something on her phone, she asked where we were heading. I told her that we were going for bowling and then will check out the new restaurant that opened up last week. She seemed excited and said that she had heard good things about the place.

We said our goodbyes and I left taking my car keys.

"I'm loving your outfit sarah"Uzma compliments me as we sit in the car.

"You don't look bad yourself I reply back"

We both laughed and continued to chat about our outfits, discussing where I got them from the entire ride .It was nice to have someone appreciate my style, and it made me feel more confident about my fashion choices.

I pulled into the parking lot of the bowling alley When, a man in a suit opened the door for us, and I gave my car to the valet.

As I walked through the long patio glass doors, I was immediately struck by the sense of energy and liveliness that seemed to permeate the atmosphere. The sound of laughter and conversation filled the air, and I could feel my spirits lifting as I took in the sights and sounds around me. The space was bright and open, with plenty of natural light streaming in through the windows and glass doors. The décor was modern and chic, with sleek lines and pops of bright color. I couldn't help but feel excited and invigorated as I made my way further into the space,

Umar was waiting for us in the bowling lane .There were different seating arrangements for each bowling lane.
the sounds of pins being knocked down and people cheering was getting louder as we went further.It was a bit dark, with neon lights and black lights adding to the ambiance.

"I greeted Umar with a fist pump and a cheerful 'Heyyyyy!'"

Meanwhile, Umza was blushing beside me for no apparent reason. I couldn't help but think to myself how cringy it was that just looking at Umar made her blush."

"Will you guys even greet or talk" I say
And leave them alone and went for the rental shoe.

After returning to the bowling alley and putting on the rental shoes, I saw that Umar had gone up to start our first game.

Soon after cleaning his ball, he went up to initiate the game, and I could tell off of his first roll that today was going to be a good day. Strike right off the bat! This only fueled our hype

It's your turn to bowl!" Umar exclaimed to me. I go up to bowl, I wait for a small ball to come out of the ball shoot, it's bright red and only has 3 little holes for my fingers to go into. As I went up to bowl, I grabbed my lucky ball and rolled it down the path like a slippery snake, STRIKE!

After my turn, I was sitting on the small couch behind the lane when a group of four boys walked in through the open doors. While most of the other lanes had active bowlers, the manager approached us and asked if we could let the boys join us since we were only three.

I turned to see that the group of boys was none other than Jake, James, Neil, and a guy whom I had never seen before.

"Oh,hey Sarah" jake greets me being surprised .

"I responded, 'Umm hi,' as James came beside me and gave me a side hug, saying 'Woah, it's really nice to meet you again.' His hug infuriated me.

It seemed like Jake is clenching his fists when he sees James hugging me.

"So can we join you guys", jake asks scratching his head.

"Of course! The more the merrier"

I turned around to let Umar and Uzma know that Jake and his friends wanted to join us .

Once we were all settled, the game became more intense as the boys tried to outdo each other with their bowling skills, creating a sense of friendly competition in the air.

It was my turn again, and as I waited for my small lucky ball, I put my three fingers into it to lift it up . The others started to cheer for me, which made me nervous. I rolled the ball down the path, and all of the pins went down except for two of them.

Jake encouraged me for the next round, saying "Woahhh, not bad!" I rolled the ball again and knocked down two more pins.

Throughout the game, I noticed James checking me out with a weird look on his face, and it made me feel uncomfortable.

I took a break from the game and headed to the restroom for a while.

"Hey Uzma , I need to go to the restroom. Do you want to come with me?"I asked hoping she would say yes.

"I'm sorry, it's actually my turn next. Is it ok if you wait for me to finish" she replies back.

"I'm just going to use the restroom real quick, so you can go ahead and take your turn." I replied beseeching.

While we were walking, I had a strange feeling that someone was staring at me from behind.

As soon as we entered, Uzma headed straight for the large mirror to touch up her lipstick. I didn't want to keep her waiting for too long, so I made sure to be as efficient as possible while still being thorough.

While I was inside, I overheard a male voice calling out to Uzma, telling her that it was her turn and come back.

Uzma called out to me from behind the door, saying that she had to go
"Sarah you take your time" After that, there was silence.

I quickly came out of the washroom and started retying my hijab after washing hands.

Just then, I heard the door open and James walked in.

I spoke up with a loud voice, "What are you doing in the girls' restroom, James?"

"Took you long, so I was just checking up on you."James replied with a smirk,

I looked at him with a stern expression and said, "That's not okay, James. You can't just barge into the girls' restroom like that. It's a violation of our privacy."

I was feeling extremely irritated and enraged. I could even feel my face getting hot and turning red.

I tried to move towards the door, but he blocked my way. James was being inappropriate,I tell him to move out of the way and leave the restroom immediately but he keeps smirking .

"What's the problem james what do you want,it's not ok for you to make someone this uncomfortable or unsafe."

"I just want you to go out with me" he replies

"Whatt!! So this is the way you ask me and barge into girls restroom, what makes you think after what you just did i would go out with you and you know what I'm not even interested you need to respect my decision"

"Oh that's not happening I'll see how you don't go out with me" he replied making a weird face.

"Now you are not respecting my boundaries and making me feel uncomfortable James can you please move out of my way" I say while trying to grab the doors handle,to my surprise he moved and I was out of the restroom now.

I felt anxious and uncomfortable as I tried to move away from him as quickly as possible. My palms were sweaty and I felt a knot in my stomach.

"Hey, are you feeling okay? you're sweating in an air-conditioned room uzma asks being concerned."

"I'm alright", I say being settled on one of the couches

I was feeling uneasy just then I noticed Jake looking at me with concern. Then, his attention shifted to James, who entered the room right after me."

He was looking back and forth between James and suddenly his muscles tensed as he stood up, clenching his fists.

"We may head ,home " he suggested turning towards umar .

"Niel interrupted their conversation, pointing out that there was a party nearby that was just 500 meters away. 'Why don't we head there?' he suggested, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

Why' don't you guys join us , As we had decided to go to a newly opened restaurant after the game, Umar invited Jake and his friends to join us.

"Ohh yeah, I've heard it has a striking ambiance" James responded

After the incident in the restroom, I wasn't interested in going anymore, but I also didn't want to share what happened with others.

Soo now here I am heading with them feeling uncomfortable and easy.

After leaving the bowling alley, we split up into our respective cars. I drove alone, while Uzma got into Umar's car. As I drove, I couldn't help but feel a little lonely without Uzma and having all the thoughts
Running in my head.

As soon as we arrived, I parked my car and noticed Jake parking his car right beside me.

As I stepped out of the car, a cool breeze hit my face and it felt refreshing. The air was crisp and clean, and I couldn't help but take a deep breath and savor the moment. It was a nice change from the stuffy atmosphere of the bowling alley, and I felt invigorated by the cool air.

"Just then, Jake came up beside me and asked if I was alright. I smiled and nodded, feeling grateful for his concern."

"You seemed off after coming out of the restroom you sure you're alright "

I appreciated his concern and could tell he was genuinely worried about me. I explained that I had just been feeling a little queasy but that I was feeling better now. His kindness made me feel better, and I was grateful to have him beside me.

I couldn't help but think to myself how different the two brothers were. James had been so cocky earlier, but here Jake was being so nice to me. It was so dreadful to see even though being twins how different they could be.

As we walked into the restaurant, I took a look around and noticed that it had some pretty nice cages and booths placed at every distance. The seating was placed inside the booths, which gave it a cozy and intimate feel.

We all sat down and ordered our food. I was searching for pide on the menu when I heard Jake say 'one pide' to the waiter. I smiled to myself, happy that we were on the same page about what we wanted to eat.

"Make it two, please", I interrupted them smiling towards Jake.

He grinned back at me.

As soon as our food arrived, we all dug in. The pide was delicious, and I couldn't help but savor every bite.

I ordered a mojito for myself. The waiter bought it right away.I took a sip and slurped the cool, minty flavor.

"You have ketchup on your face" jake says handling me a tissue .

'Oh, umm, Thank you,' as I wiped the ketchup off my face. I felt a little embarrassed, but I was glad Jake had pointed it out to me.

Jake noticed that I was having trouble finding the ketchup and said, 'Not here, it's over there. Here, let me help you.' He took the tissue from me and wiped off the ketchup himself. I felt a little embarrassed, but also had butterflies as his fingers brushed my chin. It was a strange feeling, but I tried to act normal.

"Thanks" trying not to show Jake that I was blushing. I tried to act cool and collected, hoping that he wouldn't notice my nervousness.I was feeling a little embarrassed by the situation,

"I could see James shooting daggers at Jake when he tried to clean the ketchup off my face. It was clear that James was jealous, and I felt a little uncomfortable with the tension between them. I tried to diffuse the situation by thanking Jake again and changing the subject, hoping that things would calm down.

"Uzma and Umar seemed to be a happy couple. They were looking really good together and kept giving glances to each other. It was clearly visible that they were in love, and I felt happy for them. I hope that their relationship would continue to thrive. Obviously in a halal way.

After dinner, we went home. It had been a fun night, but I was also glad to be back in the comfort of my own home. I said goodbye to everyone, thanking them for a great evening, and headed back to my place. It had been a long day, and I was ready to get some rest .

After freshening up, I felt much better. I changed into comfortable clothes and settled in for the night. I was looking forward to getting some rest and starting fresh the next day Just then, I heard a knock on the door.

"How was the evening? Did you enjoy it?" Mumma asked as she entered my room.

"it had been a great night." I smiled .

I filled her in on all the details, sharing stories about how I rolled all the pins down at the bowling alley. It was a great feeling to get a strike, and I was proud of myself for doing so well.

" Ohh, that's great" , happy to hear that you had a good time" she smiled back .

We chatted a bit more before she said goodnight and left me to get some rest.

"Just when she was about to leave, Mumma paused at the door and asked me

"have you offered your prayers"

I realized that I had forgotten to do so, and I felt grateful for her reminder.

"No, mumma thanks for reminding me".

"Offer your prayers and then go to sleep, okay?
Be concerned about your deeds on the Day of Judgement and God will restore your wishes in this life, right?" She says while closing the door behind her .

I took a few moments to pray, feeling more centered and at peace afterwards then was ready to get in bed and sleep peacefully. I felt relaxed and content, having put aside all the negative thoughts that had been bothering me earlier. As I drifted off to sleep, I felt grateful for the good things in my life.

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To all my wonderful readers, I hope you're enjoying the story till now.
Wow, that was the longest chapter I've written so far! What did you think of the length and pacing of the story?
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