Light Upon Light
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
Hey beautiful people!I know this chapter has been long overdue. A thousand apologies. But I really really loved this one. Hope you guys enjoy it too <3***#44 The Kindness
'Oh my Allah! You could have given me a heart attack!' I yelled breaking free.'Ah! I missed your over reaction! Salaam Juni Jaan,' Samir said raising his palm to his face. 'Wa alaikumasalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu Samir. You idiot elder brother,' I said poking his shoulder and moving past him to enter the dressing area. 'Aren't you being a welcoming sister.'I rolled my eyes. He followed me and perched himself on the stool facing the mirror. Ignoring his scrutiny, I worked on pulling my sleeves up so I could take wudhu.'When did you reach?''Just fifteen minutes back. I've been lying in wait in your room for a bit now.'Giggling I faced him and said, 'Aren't you going to the Masjid? It's time for Maghrib.'Dusting his pants he got off and smiled at me. 'I just wanted to meet you before I left.'Aww. So sweet of him. 'Give me five minutes, we can go downstairs together.'He nodded and went back out into my room. I hit the washroom and quickly performed the ablution. Grabbing a pair of socks and a long pink khimar, I went out and Samir came with me to the stairs. 'By the way, what's the update on Shoaib and Iqra? When are we going to the Hashim family?' He asked as we nearly reached the courtyard. I spotted Shoaib bhai with Zaid at the far end. 'Hush you silly. Zaid is here,' I hissed at Samir, raising a finger to my lips. 'Oops my bad. We'll talk later then.'He bounded down the rest of the steps and joined bhai and Zaid. Samir greeted Zaid with a clap on his shoulder and exchanged a brief hug with him. He gave Bhai a meaningful smile and the latter flicked his head. When Samar met up with them, the four boys left Ashiana talking animatedly.Samir's arrival was a welcome distraction from the volatile resolution we had come to up on the roof. Shoaib bhai's proposal took center stage and we could talk about it freely since Zaid was gone. After a hearty dinner, we congregated in the courtyard. The adults were given the chairs while we youngsters sat by the pillars lining the hallways. I nestled comfortably next to Samir and listened in to the conversation, too drained to contribute anything meaningful. 'This silence is uncharacteristic of you,' Samir said just so I could hear, as everyone pitched their opinions about whether or not Bhai should carry a gift tomorrow. Humming, I didn't deign to give him a response. He was not the only one who noticed. Both Dadi and Dad had identical stares pointed at me from time to time and I had to keep reassuring them with smiles. 'Is everything okay. That Mustafa guy troubling you again?' Samir asked, shifting his position so his arm rested around my shoulders. 'It's funny how everyone seems to think Azhar would have the courage to taunt me again,' I laughed. Samir shook with laughter as well. 'What's the mumbling going on between brother and sister?' Phuppi asked, drawing everyone's attention towards us. 'Nothing of importance,' Samir said with a smile. 'Come on,' Bhai prompted, quirking up his brow. I looked at Samir and saw him sporting a similar look of mischief. Oh Bhai... you asked for this. 'Well, we were wondering exactly how you'll tell Mohammed uncle that you are in love with his daughter and want to marry her,' I said, sporting my best cheeky grin. Bhai spluttered on thin air and the rest of the family started laughing like mad. He ran his hands through his hair and blushed in embarrassment. It was a sight to see. 'I mean come on, only Dad, Chachu and Phuppa will get to see the live action. Us dear cousins of yours will be deprived,' I gestured at all of us. Dad was shaking his head and mumbling something to Chachu. Probably something along the lines of 'drama queen' judging by the way Chachu nodded and chuckled. 'Juni,' Bhai groaned covering his face with his hands. 'Yes, go on. You can pretend I am Iqra if you want,' I said in mock seriousness. 'Crazy girl,' Samir said poking my temple as he laughed. 'Bas bas. Stop pulling his legs. Poor boy is already nervous about tomorrow,' Phuppi said patting Bhai's arm. He gave her a grateful smile. 'What Ammi! Always spoiling the fun,' Samar raised his hands in protest. 'Yes Sumaiyya. I know my son, if he doesn't practice now, Allah knows what he'll go and say tomorrow,' Chachi shook her head. You'd think she was disappointed if not for that sparkle of amusement in her eyes. Shoaib bhai looked at his mother in horror. 'Ammi, you're supposed to stop these idiots from teasing me!' Chachi tapped her chin as if she were thinking about it. 'Nah your Phuppi is doing that just fine. Plus why should I ruin their fun?' As everyone laughed and poked fun of Bhai, I turned to Dadi. She was watching all of us, benign smile in place, and whispering her gratitude to Allah. I saw her wipe the lone tear that had escaped through the corner of her eyes. Walking behind her seat, I put my arms around her and placed my head next to hers. 'What's making you cry my dearest Dadi?' 'Nothing Junaina. I was just wondering what it would be like if your Dada ji were here to witness this…''Aww... what do you think he'd say to Bhai?' 'He would tell him to be brave and have tawakkul.''You hear that Bhai?' I called out, rising and letting my arms rest on Dadi's shoulders, 'Dada ji would have told you to man up!' Dadi hit my hand lightly as she chuckled. Bhai gulped and looked away. Dad was asking me to stop teasing Bhai so much as everyone cracked up. 'Juni, baksh de yaar. Spare me,' Bhai said clasping his hands together. I smiled at him, not in mockery but genuinely. 'You don't have any sisters of your own Bhai. It's my duty to tease you and lighten the tension,' his eyes softened as he cast them my way. 'Stop overthinking. Everything is going to be fine. Trust your sherni's intuition,' I said in full seriousness. The laughter faded away, leaving room for silence that was companionable and understanding. Samir and Samar pulled Bhai into a group hug as Di, Phuppi and Chachi held hands and smiled at the sight. Dadi squeezed my hand and I hugged her. 'Why are we the only ones left out?' Chachu asked and threw his lot in with the boys. Dad and Phuppa also joined in. As I heard Dadi whisper Alhamdulilah, I echoed it, Alhamdulilah indeed. I just hope this family always stays together like this in times of both good and bad. Samir was the first one to leave the courtyard. He must have been pretty exhausted by his journey. Yet, he chose not show it until he really couldn't hold himself up anymore. Bidding Salaam to all, he left and the rest of us also split up one by one. When I finally saw my dear bed, I fell in face first. What a day… all the events flashed through my mind bit by bit. One moment I was smiling remembering how Samir surprised me and the next I was frowning as I thought of Zaid. That idiot's face kept taking central focus in my mind time and again. His actions today, the words he said, they were playing on repeat. The way he said my name… Junaina.Junaina… Junaina… Junaina… Jun..'Juni! Wake up!' 'It's Junaina to you Zaid,' I mumbled as I snuggled in to my comfy pile of pillows. 'Zaid?' Samir asked and I shot up from sleep to wakefulness so fast that my head collided with his. Grabbing my head, I tried to clear the disorientation and deal with the pain at once. 'What the hell Samir? Is this how you wake people up?!' I yelled as I rubbed my throbbing forehead. He sat back down as he held his forehead too and tried to massage the pain away. 'I've been calling your name for hours now,' he said, the deep brown eyes of his throwing daggers at me. 'Stop exaggerating you doofus,' I said, clasping my hands together and stretching up. 'Not hours but still… and why on earth did you mention Zaid so early in the morning?' He asked as he put his hands down and held me in his unwavering gaze. For a moment I was stuck as I thought of a response. Samir's eyes narrowed as he studied me.Think Juni… Think!'I must have had a nightmare,' I finally responded and mentally gave myself a high five for being so smart. 'Uh huh.'Pushing my covers away, I got off the bed and stretched again. Ignoring the invisible laser dot that was Samir's gaze fixed on me, I went about fixing my bedspread. 'You're tensed about something. I noticed it yesterday too. Stop deflecting and tell me what's wrong,' he urged as I fluffed my pillows to perfection and then stepped away and pulled my hair into a messy bun. 'It's nothing Samir. I don't want to talk about it.''If it's nothing then what's stopping you from telling me?' He said stepping into my way as I moved towards the dressing area. Sighing I let my hands drop to my side. He stood in front of me, arms crossed and a no nonsense attitude fixed on his face. Sometimes his behavior reminded me of Zaid a bit. There is go again, thinking about him. Focus. Junaina, focus. 'Alright. There was an issue at school. But it's resolved now so I don't want to discuss it.' I said, crossing my arms in defiance. Samir stared at me for a while before he relaxed and gave in. 'If you say so. I'm not butting in, but if you need me, I'm here.'Hugging him I said, 'Thanks for understanding Samir. You're the best.' 'It's okay. Now go freshen up. I think you have about 20 minutes to get ready for school.' He checked his watch and then nodded with a smirk.'What?! Why didn't you tell me before wasting my time with silly questions?'He laughed as I ran about my room grabbing clothes on one hand and stuffing my bag with my books on the other. Because of all the drama yesterday I didn't even get time to finish my Maths homework. Sreejith Sir is going to screw me.In true me fashion, I rushed through my morning routine, thanked Allah for Annu who always pressed my uniforms, dunked a cup a coffee and ran to the bus stop. Stray strands of my hair was already loosening from my hastily put together braid. Samar smirked at me as I huffed and puffed and tried to catch my breath. 'Juni you okay?' Sidra asked putting a hand on my shoulder. Giving her a reassuring smile, I sent death to Samar through my glare. He pretended to be frightened by me. Baseera and the junior boy snorted at our antics. Stupid Samra making a joke out of me. 'What happened? ' Sidra asked her doe eyes gazing at me in concern. 'Nothing. Woke up late. Samir was being an idiot. End of story,' I said grinning. The bus turned the corner and came into our view and I realized then that our stop was short of one student. It was a reflex reaction when I turned about and stared at the road leading to our homes.'What's taking Zaid so long Sidra?' Samar asked, eyeing the bus as it neared us. 'Funnily enough… he too woke up late today.'Finally I spotted a figure sprinting towards the stop, blazer in one hand and school bag hanging off a shoulder. His hair bounced up with each stride and he reached just in time as the bus came to a stop before us. He was breathlessly explaining to Samar how he overslept as Sidra, Baseera and I boarded. We took our seats, the boys boarded, dumped their bags on poor juniors and took their post by the doors. 'You know what's even more funny Di?' Sidra asked, mirth swimming in her eyes as she baited me with the question. Somehow I felt like I was digging my own grave when I raised my brows in curiosity. 'Well normally Bhai is up before me and Di and already having breakfast by the time I get to the kitchen. But today he wasn't, so Ammi sent me to check up on him. I found him asleep with a few books scattered around him.'I waited as patiently as I could as she narrated the events of the morning to me. She wouldn't mention all these details to me unless there was something that would concern me. That she was dragging the story out was obvious. But I let her go on. '-so I shook him awake and after multiple times of calling him, he finally woke up gasping 'Junaina I'm so sorry!'' And then she started giggling as she tried to explain Zaid's confusion and embarrassment to me. It was a miracle that I didn't blush. Or splutter. Or react in any way. Maybe my brain died. My heart was definitely running a marathon. I suppressed all the thoughts that were blooming in my dear blood pumping organ. Nope. Just nope. 'What a coincidence,' I mumbled as I looked up at the subject of our discussion. And would you believe it, I actually found his eyes focused on me. He averted his gaze just as I caught him. Isn't Mr. Goody Two Shoes breaking his own rules of late…Sidra caught up with my lack of concentration quickly enough. 'Are you okay Di? Still worried about yesterday's problem?' she asked, biting her lips. 'No no Sidra. I'm fine. I didn't sleep too well.''Zaid Bhai asked me and Di to report the page. I'm sorry that people are dragging you into drama like this,' she said, eyes solemn and apology sincere. Feeling the urge to pinch the cuteness in her, I did just so by pulling her cheeks. 'Why are you even apologizing sweetie? It's okay. A little drama like this can't shake Junaina Javed Ali.' 'You're really strong, I know. But you were so shaken yesterday.''I had a moment of weakness. Plus I was just trying to avoid my dear cousin brother's stupidity,' I said smiling at her innocence. Sidra laughed. 'You're right. These boys can be such idiots sometimes. Last year a distant cousin of mine was bothering me from a wedding, and Zaid Bhai was being so overprotective. As though I was too weak,' she said and I melted inside as I pictured Zaid being the scary elder brother. 'He can't be as bad as Samar.''Yeah. He's slightly better.' Sidra chuckled. Apprehension riddled me as I walked from the school lot to my class. While I projected confidence, I took each step up the stairs with dread in my heart. I almost almost wished I was not from a well known family, that I could blend in along with the others and not have drama in my life on a regular basis. 'Heavy thoughts so early in the morning?' Shikha asked bumping into me in the hallway that led to our classes.'Yeah. My Maths homework is incomplete and I have Sreejith Sir first thing in the morning!' I clutched my heart, raising my brows in despair and added trembling lips for extra effect. Shikha scoffed at my act. 'You might buy Sir with that act, not me honey.''Really?' I perked up only to be shot down.'Nah. Even Sir can sniff the drama out of you.''Well, I'm just going to be really sweet and apologize for being such a careless student.''Only you Juni, ' she said and started cracking up. 'What?' I asked splaying my hands on either side as she let out a breath and composed herself. I bit back a smile as she rolled her eyes at me. 'Don't go to Sir fluttering your lashes like that, and definitely do not under any circumstances clasp your hands and rock on your feet at the same time too.'Rolling my eyes at her, 'You think I'd ruin my perfect reputation in front of teachers like that? Ouch!' I clutched my heart again and feigned sorrow.Shikha sobered up quickly enough. As I stepped foot into my class, she put a hand on my shoulder and spun me about to face her. 'Like I said, you're not fooling me with your dramatics. I know you're putting up the act and being way too perked up because you want to hide your anxiety from everyone,' I gulped as she laid the truth bare, her tone meaning business. 'It's okay to show you're affected by the mess.'Sighing I removed her hand from my shoulder and clutched it in mine. 'I know. But I don't want to give Azza and her cronies the gratification of having gotten to me. And you know I can deal with this.'She nodded and put her other hand over mine. Shikha was not one for shows of affection, so that one gesture spoke volumes. I smiled at her with gratitude. 'You're right. Najwa may need support, but you don't. And sometimes finding strength in oneself is great too. I mean taking a leaf out of your book, just look at me,' she gestured to herself and smirked, 'But don't forget that you have us.''I won't,' I promised solemnly, with a dip of my head. We parted ways and I was met by by a happy Lia. She grabbed my hands and jumped up and down. Her enthusiasm was contagious and I couldn't stop a full blown grin from taking over. 'You'll be ecstatic to know that the page has been taken down,' she squealed and hugged me tight. There were stares and laughter aimed at us as Lia overflowed with happiness and acted unlike her normal cautious self. 'What?!' I asked unable to believe the news. There was a slim chance of the page being taken down as everyone reported it. I didn't expect it to succeed. The relief that came with the news left me in euphoria. I wasn't even sure many people would report it. 'You don't have to be so shocked Juni. Not all of us are silly haters with nothing better to do than post crap on Facebook,' Nabeel, one of my classmates said staring at Azza's bitter face in emphasis. 'And nobody who is sane encourages cyber bullying in Marwa,' claimed Haseeb with a cheeky grin. Supporting statements came from almost all of my classmates. Some claimed they even made their relatives report the page. Others said they never believed anything that was posted in the first place and the picture was the last straw. Most everyone acknowledged that they were intimidated by me in the beginning, but now know that I'm just a DQ. I was overwhelmed by the kindness shown to me. Tears pricked the corner of my eyes. Blinking them away I said, 'Jazak Allahu Khairan, thank you all so much. This means a lot to me.''Stop getting mushy on us. It's the least we could do,' Haseeb smirked and then asked, 'Now can you help me with the Maths homework? ' I laughed, 'I forgot to do it.''What?! You killed the nerd in you?' 'Chill dude. Samir arrived yesterday. Surprised the brain cells out of me,' I said dropping into my seat and pulling out my books. Haseeb dragged a chair in front of me and joined in as I attempted to finish as much of my homework as I could before Sir came. As normalcy resumed in my class, I felt a renewed energy fill up in me. I had always wondered what my classmates thought of me. That they never really talked to me much or only approached me for help with studies had actually bothered me a bit. While the old me would have rejoiced with the effect I had on these people, the upgraded version of me was unnerved by it. That I could keep people away from me with just a look was something I once found pride in. Not anymore though. If I had not changed and remained the same girl I was when I first came to this school, would all of these people have shown me the same kindness? Would they have made an active effort to help me out? I don't think so. Again and again Dadi's lessons on etiquette and attitude have proved their worth. A Muslim shows the deen in their heart by their behavior Dadi always said. If you look down on people it's pride and if you're in awe of people way too much, it borders on worship. The key is moderation. And kindness and generosity no matter what the other people may treat you like. Keeping Dadi's words in mind, I turned around and found Azza seated at the back. She didn't look away as our eyes met. I didn't want to be a reason to foster hate against anyone anymore. So, I smiled at her. It was not that hard. And it wasn't forced a bit. So what if this girl has caused me enough and more problems? Hate only breeds more hate. Azza stared at me dumbstruck for a moment. And then slowly but surely, a small smile lit up her face. In that moment, she was the prettiest girl in the class in my eyes. And like that great saying, spread kindness around like confetti! ***Cyber bullying is a huge no. And responding to hate with hate never works. Juni's journey is one about positivity and changing for good. What better way to showcase it than by ending her feud with Azza?What did you guys like about this chapter?It was supposed to be a Shiqra chapter but that's coming next. So do stay tuned ;)Love,
Ann
Hey beautiful people!I know this chapter has been long overdue. A thousand apologies. But I really really loved this one. Hope you guys enjoy it too <3***#44 The Kindness
'Oh my Allah! You could have given me a heart attack!' I yelled breaking free.'Ah! I missed your over reaction! Salaam Juni Jaan,' Samir said raising his palm to his face. 'Wa alaikumasalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu Samir. You idiot elder brother,' I said poking his shoulder and moving past him to enter the dressing area. 'Aren't you being a welcoming sister.'I rolled my eyes. He followed me and perched himself on the stool facing the mirror. Ignoring his scrutiny, I worked on pulling my sleeves up so I could take wudhu.'When did you reach?''Just fifteen minutes back. I've been lying in wait in your room for a bit now.'Giggling I faced him and said, 'Aren't you going to the Masjid? It's time for Maghrib.'Dusting his pants he got off and smiled at me. 'I just wanted to meet you before I left.'Aww. So sweet of him. 'Give me five minutes, we can go downstairs together.'He nodded and went back out into my room. I hit the washroom and quickly performed the ablution. Grabbing a pair of socks and a long pink khimar, I went out and Samir came with me to the stairs. 'By the way, what's the update on Shoaib and Iqra? When are we going to the Hashim family?' He asked as we nearly reached the courtyard. I spotted Shoaib bhai with Zaid at the far end. 'Hush you silly. Zaid is here,' I hissed at Samir, raising a finger to my lips. 'Oops my bad. We'll talk later then.'He bounded down the rest of the steps and joined bhai and Zaid. Samir greeted Zaid with a clap on his shoulder and exchanged a brief hug with him. He gave Bhai a meaningful smile and the latter flicked his head. When Samar met up with them, the four boys left Ashiana talking animatedly.Samir's arrival was a welcome distraction from the volatile resolution we had come to up on the roof. Shoaib bhai's proposal took center stage and we could talk about it freely since Zaid was gone. After a hearty dinner, we congregated in the courtyard. The adults were given the chairs while we youngsters sat by the pillars lining the hallways. I nestled comfortably next to Samir and listened in to the conversation, too drained to contribute anything meaningful. 'This silence is uncharacteristic of you,' Samir said just so I could hear, as everyone pitched their opinions about whether or not Bhai should carry a gift tomorrow. Humming, I didn't deign to give him a response. He was not the only one who noticed. Both Dadi and Dad had identical stares pointed at me from time to time and I had to keep reassuring them with smiles. 'Is everything okay. That Mustafa guy troubling you again?' Samir asked, shifting his position so his arm rested around my shoulders. 'It's funny how everyone seems to think Azhar would have the courage to taunt me again,' I laughed. Samir shook with laughter as well. 'What's the mumbling going on between brother and sister?' Phuppi asked, drawing everyone's attention towards us. 'Nothing of importance,' Samir said with a smile. 'Come on,' Bhai prompted, quirking up his brow. I looked at Samir and saw him sporting a similar look of mischief. Oh Bhai... you asked for this. 'Well, we were wondering exactly how you'll tell Mohammed uncle that you are in love with his daughter and want to marry her,' I said, sporting my best cheeky grin. Bhai spluttered on thin air and the rest of the family started laughing like mad. He ran his hands through his hair and blushed in embarrassment. It was a sight to see. 'I mean come on, only Dad, Chachu and Phuppa will get to see the live action. Us dear cousins of yours will be deprived,' I gestured at all of us. Dad was shaking his head and mumbling something to Chachu. Probably something along the lines of 'drama queen' judging by the way Chachu nodded and chuckled. 'Juni,' Bhai groaned covering his face with his hands. 'Yes, go on. You can pretend I am Iqra if you want,' I said in mock seriousness. 'Crazy girl,' Samir said poking my temple as he laughed. 'Bas bas. Stop pulling his legs. Poor boy is already nervous about tomorrow,' Phuppi said patting Bhai's arm. He gave her a grateful smile. 'What Ammi! Always spoiling the fun,' Samar raised his hands in protest. 'Yes Sumaiyya. I know my son, if he doesn't practice now, Allah knows what he'll go and say tomorrow,' Chachi shook her head. You'd think she was disappointed if not for that sparkle of amusement in her eyes. Shoaib bhai looked at his mother in horror. 'Ammi, you're supposed to stop these idiots from teasing me!' Chachi tapped her chin as if she were thinking about it. 'Nah your Phuppi is doing that just fine. Plus why should I ruin their fun?' As everyone laughed and poked fun of Bhai, I turned to Dadi. She was watching all of us, benign smile in place, and whispering her gratitude to Allah. I saw her wipe the lone tear that had escaped through the corner of her eyes. Walking behind her seat, I put my arms around her and placed my head next to hers. 'What's making you cry my dearest Dadi?' 'Nothing Junaina. I was just wondering what it would be like if your Dada ji were here to witness this…''Aww... what do you think he'd say to Bhai?' 'He would tell him to be brave and have tawakkul.''You hear that Bhai?' I called out, rising and letting my arms rest on Dadi's shoulders, 'Dada ji would have told you to man up!' Dadi hit my hand lightly as she chuckled. Bhai gulped and looked away. Dad was asking me to stop teasing Bhai so much as everyone cracked up. 'Juni, baksh de yaar. Spare me,' Bhai said clasping his hands together. I smiled at him, not in mockery but genuinely. 'You don't have any sisters of your own Bhai. It's my duty to tease you and lighten the tension,' his eyes softened as he cast them my way. 'Stop overthinking. Everything is going to be fine. Trust your sherni's intuition,' I said in full seriousness. The laughter faded away, leaving room for silence that was companionable and understanding. Samir and Samar pulled Bhai into a group hug as Di, Phuppi and Chachi held hands and smiled at the sight. Dadi squeezed my hand and I hugged her. 'Why are we the only ones left out?' Chachu asked and threw his lot in with the boys. Dad and Phuppa also joined in. As I heard Dadi whisper Alhamdulilah, I echoed it, Alhamdulilah indeed. I just hope this family always stays together like this in times of both good and bad. Samir was the first one to leave the courtyard. He must have been pretty exhausted by his journey. Yet, he chose not show it until he really couldn't hold himself up anymore. Bidding Salaam to all, he left and the rest of us also split up one by one. When I finally saw my dear bed, I fell in face first. What a day… all the events flashed through my mind bit by bit. One moment I was smiling remembering how Samir surprised me and the next I was frowning as I thought of Zaid. That idiot's face kept taking central focus in my mind time and again. His actions today, the words he said, they were playing on repeat. The way he said my name… Junaina.Junaina… Junaina… Junaina… Jun..'Juni! Wake up!' 'It's Junaina to you Zaid,' I mumbled as I snuggled in to my comfy pile of pillows. 'Zaid?' Samir asked and I shot up from sleep to wakefulness so fast that my head collided with his. Grabbing my head, I tried to clear the disorientation and deal with the pain at once. 'What the hell Samir? Is this how you wake people up?!' I yelled as I rubbed my throbbing forehead. He sat back down as he held his forehead too and tried to massage the pain away. 'I've been calling your name for hours now,' he said, the deep brown eyes of his throwing daggers at me. 'Stop exaggerating you doofus,' I said, clasping my hands together and stretching up. 'Not hours but still… and why on earth did you mention Zaid so early in the morning?' He asked as he put his hands down and held me in his unwavering gaze. For a moment I was stuck as I thought of a response. Samir's eyes narrowed as he studied me.Think Juni… Think!'I must have had a nightmare,' I finally responded and mentally gave myself a high five for being so smart. 'Uh huh.'Pushing my covers away, I got off the bed and stretched again. Ignoring the invisible laser dot that was Samir's gaze fixed on me, I went about fixing my bedspread. 'You're tensed about something. I noticed it yesterday too. Stop deflecting and tell me what's wrong,' he urged as I fluffed my pillows to perfection and then stepped away and pulled my hair into a messy bun. 'It's nothing Samir. I don't want to talk about it.''If it's nothing then what's stopping you from telling me?' He said stepping into my way as I moved towards the dressing area. Sighing I let my hands drop to my side. He stood in front of me, arms crossed and a no nonsense attitude fixed on his face. Sometimes his behavior reminded me of Zaid a bit. There is go again, thinking about him. Focus. Junaina, focus. 'Alright. There was an issue at school. But it's resolved now so I don't want to discuss it.' I said, crossing my arms in defiance. Samir stared at me for a while before he relaxed and gave in. 'If you say so. I'm not butting in, but if you need me, I'm here.'Hugging him I said, 'Thanks for understanding Samir. You're the best.' 'It's okay. Now go freshen up. I think you have about 20 minutes to get ready for school.' He checked his watch and then nodded with a smirk.'What?! Why didn't you tell me before wasting my time with silly questions?'He laughed as I ran about my room grabbing clothes on one hand and stuffing my bag with my books on the other. Because of all the drama yesterday I didn't even get time to finish my Maths homework. Sreejith Sir is going to screw me.In true me fashion, I rushed through my morning routine, thanked Allah for Annu who always pressed my uniforms, dunked a cup a coffee and ran to the bus stop. Stray strands of my hair was already loosening from my hastily put together braid. Samar smirked at me as I huffed and puffed and tried to catch my breath. 'Juni you okay?' Sidra asked putting a hand on my shoulder. Giving her a reassuring smile, I sent death to Samar through my glare. He pretended to be frightened by me. Baseera and the junior boy snorted at our antics. Stupid Samra making a joke out of me. 'What happened? ' Sidra asked her doe eyes gazing at me in concern. 'Nothing. Woke up late. Samir was being an idiot. End of story,' I said grinning. The bus turned the corner and came into our view and I realized then that our stop was short of one student. It was a reflex reaction when I turned about and stared at the road leading to our homes.'What's taking Zaid so long Sidra?' Samar asked, eyeing the bus as it neared us. 'Funnily enough… he too woke up late today.'Finally I spotted a figure sprinting towards the stop, blazer in one hand and school bag hanging off a shoulder. His hair bounced up with each stride and he reached just in time as the bus came to a stop before us. He was breathlessly explaining to Samar how he overslept as Sidra, Baseera and I boarded. We took our seats, the boys boarded, dumped their bags on poor juniors and took their post by the doors. 'You know what's even more funny Di?' Sidra asked, mirth swimming in her eyes as she baited me with the question. Somehow I felt like I was digging my own grave when I raised my brows in curiosity. 'Well normally Bhai is up before me and Di and already having breakfast by the time I get to the kitchen. But today he wasn't, so Ammi sent me to check up on him. I found him asleep with a few books scattered around him.'I waited as patiently as I could as she narrated the events of the morning to me. She wouldn't mention all these details to me unless there was something that would concern me. That she was dragging the story out was obvious. But I let her go on. '-so I shook him awake and after multiple times of calling him, he finally woke up gasping 'Junaina I'm so sorry!'' And then she started giggling as she tried to explain Zaid's confusion and embarrassment to me. It was a miracle that I didn't blush. Or splutter. Or react in any way. Maybe my brain died. My heart was definitely running a marathon. I suppressed all the thoughts that were blooming in my dear blood pumping organ. Nope. Just nope. 'What a coincidence,' I mumbled as I looked up at the subject of our discussion. And would you believe it, I actually found his eyes focused on me. He averted his gaze just as I caught him. Isn't Mr. Goody Two Shoes breaking his own rules of late…Sidra caught up with my lack of concentration quickly enough. 'Are you okay Di? Still worried about yesterday's problem?' she asked, biting her lips. 'No no Sidra. I'm fine. I didn't sleep too well.''Zaid Bhai asked me and Di to report the page. I'm sorry that people are dragging you into drama like this,' she said, eyes solemn and apology sincere. Feeling the urge to pinch the cuteness in her, I did just so by pulling her cheeks. 'Why are you even apologizing sweetie? It's okay. A little drama like this can't shake Junaina Javed Ali.' 'You're really strong, I know. But you were so shaken yesterday.''I had a moment of weakness. Plus I was just trying to avoid my dear cousin brother's stupidity,' I said smiling at her innocence. Sidra laughed. 'You're right. These boys can be such idiots sometimes. Last year a distant cousin of mine was bothering me from a wedding, and Zaid Bhai was being so overprotective. As though I was too weak,' she said and I melted inside as I pictured Zaid being the scary elder brother. 'He can't be as bad as Samar.''Yeah. He's slightly better.' Sidra chuckled. Apprehension riddled me as I walked from the school lot to my class. While I projected confidence, I took each step up the stairs with dread in my heart. I almost almost wished I was not from a well known family, that I could blend in along with the others and not have drama in my life on a regular basis. 'Heavy thoughts so early in the morning?' Shikha asked bumping into me in the hallway that led to our classes.'Yeah. My Maths homework is incomplete and I have Sreejith Sir first thing in the morning!' I clutched my heart, raising my brows in despair and added trembling lips for extra effect. Shikha scoffed at my act. 'You might buy Sir with that act, not me honey.''Really?' I perked up only to be shot down.'Nah. Even Sir can sniff the drama out of you.''Well, I'm just going to be really sweet and apologize for being such a careless student.''Only you Juni, ' she said and started cracking up. 'What?' I asked splaying my hands on either side as she let out a breath and composed herself. I bit back a smile as she rolled her eyes at me. 'Don't go to Sir fluttering your lashes like that, and definitely do not under any circumstances clasp your hands and rock on your feet at the same time too.'Rolling my eyes at her, 'You think I'd ruin my perfect reputation in front of teachers like that? Ouch!' I clutched my heart again and feigned sorrow.Shikha sobered up quickly enough. As I stepped foot into my class, she put a hand on my shoulder and spun me about to face her. 'Like I said, you're not fooling me with your dramatics. I know you're putting up the act and being way too perked up because you want to hide your anxiety from everyone,' I gulped as she laid the truth bare, her tone meaning business. 'It's okay to show you're affected by the mess.'Sighing I removed her hand from my shoulder and clutched it in mine. 'I know. But I don't want to give Azza and her cronies the gratification of having gotten to me. And you know I can deal with this.'She nodded and put her other hand over mine. Shikha was not one for shows of affection, so that one gesture spoke volumes. I smiled at her with gratitude. 'You're right. Najwa may need support, but you don't. And sometimes finding strength in oneself is great too. I mean taking a leaf out of your book, just look at me,' she gestured to herself and smirked, 'But don't forget that you have us.''I won't,' I promised solemnly, with a dip of my head. We parted ways and I was met by by a happy Lia. She grabbed my hands and jumped up and down. Her enthusiasm was contagious and I couldn't stop a full blown grin from taking over. 'You'll be ecstatic to know that the page has been taken down,' she squealed and hugged me tight. There were stares and laughter aimed at us as Lia overflowed with happiness and acted unlike her normal cautious self. 'What?!' I asked unable to believe the news. There was a slim chance of the page being taken down as everyone reported it. I didn't expect it to succeed. The relief that came with the news left me in euphoria. I wasn't even sure many people would report it. 'You don't have to be so shocked Juni. Not all of us are silly haters with nothing better to do than post crap on Facebook,' Nabeel, one of my classmates said staring at Azza's bitter face in emphasis. 'And nobody who is sane encourages cyber bullying in Marwa,' claimed Haseeb with a cheeky grin. Supporting statements came from almost all of my classmates. Some claimed they even made their relatives report the page. Others said they never believed anything that was posted in the first place and the picture was the last straw. Most everyone acknowledged that they were intimidated by me in the beginning, but now know that I'm just a DQ. I was overwhelmed by the kindness shown to me. Tears pricked the corner of my eyes. Blinking them away I said, 'Jazak Allahu Khairan, thank you all so much. This means a lot to me.''Stop getting mushy on us. It's the least we could do,' Haseeb smirked and then asked, 'Now can you help me with the Maths homework? ' I laughed, 'I forgot to do it.''What?! You killed the nerd in you?' 'Chill dude. Samir arrived yesterday. Surprised the brain cells out of me,' I said dropping into my seat and pulling out my books. Haseeb dragged a chair in front of me and joined in as I attempted to finish as much of my homework as I could before Sir came. As normalcy resumed in my class, I felt a renewed energy fill up in me. I had always wondered what my classmates thought of me. That they never really talked to me much or only approached me for help with studies had actually bothered me a bit. While the old me would have rejoiced with the effect I had on these people, the upgraded version of me was unnerved by it. That I could keep people away from me with just a look was something I once found pride in. Not anymore though. If I had not changed and remained the same girl I was when I first came to this school, would all of these people have shown me the same kindness? Would they have made an active effort to help me out? I don't think so. Again and again Dadi's lessons on etiquette and attitude have proved their worth. A Muslim shows the deen in their heart by their behavior Dadi always said. If you look down on people it's pride and if you're in awe of people way too much, it borders on worship. The key is moderation. And kindness and generosity no matter what the other people may treat you like. Keeping Dadi's words in mind, I turned around and found Azza seated at the back. She didn't look away as our eyes met. I didn't want to be a reason to foster hate against anyone anymore. So, I smiled at her. It was not that hard. And it wasn't forced a bit. So what if this girl has caused me enough and more problems? Hate only breeds more hate. Azza stared at me dumbstruck for a moment. And then slowly but surely, a small smile lit up her face. In that moment, she was the prettiest girl in the class in my eyes. And like that great saying, spread kindness around like confetti! ***Cyber bullying is a huge no. And responding to hate with hate never works. Juni's journey is one about positivity and changing for good. What better way to showcase it than by ending her feud with Azza?What did you guys like about this chapter?It was supposed to be a Shiqra chapter but that's coming next. So do stay tuned ;)Love,
Ann
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