Five

She slowly blink awake in the warm light of the autumn morning, slanting through her bedroom window. Reciting her morning supplications, she got off her bed and ambled into her bathroom to carry out her morning routine before breakfast.

After she was done with everything, she stepped out of her room to get her breakfast. It has been more than two weeks since the incident between her and Ahmad happened but she still had a sore face all thanks to him. She hissed softly and continued walking down the stairs.

To her awe, she encountered with her mother and her sisters, including her older sister Safiyah in the living room talking about God knows what. They all stopped talking when she appeared and gave her an uneasy look. She stared back at them in a state of agitation like she had grown wings. Hidayah cleared her throat and greeted Ummah and Safiyah. Ummah answered het, not having a readable expression on her face.

She shook her head, discarding the weird looks they're giving her and moved to the kitchen. The last thing she wanted was to have a commotion with any of them, especially him. She hissed, getting angry at herself for thinking about him all the time.

Why wouldn't I when the guy wanted to murder me, she thought. Hidayah scoffed, shaking her head. Why didn't she even fight back?

How would you fight with 6ft’ well built Air Force officer that has been training for years, her conscious reminded her. She scoffed again, feeling sorry for the girl that would make a mistake of falling in love with him or to even think of getting married to him.

With the thought of him lingering in her mind, she finished making her breakfast and sauntered out of the kitchen after she had cleaned the mess she made. One thing about Hidayah everyone admired- she was a great cook and always loved to clean even if she wasn't the one that made the mess.

She walked back into the living room but to her dismay, she met him on the three seater watching tv. She glared at him without his acknowledgement and walked past him to the stairs. He gave a single glance and looked away. A smile sneaks out from the corner of his mouth. It was the first time he smiled that morning. He heard her faint voice muttering something that wasn't audible but he was sure she was referring to him and it wasn't something good. He shrugged his shoulders and focused back on the tv while he reminded himself they only had 11 days till the wedding.

Hidayah finished her breakfast and went to ummah’s room but no one was there. She checked the other rooms, there was no sign of them. They have gone out without her again, she thought. It has been days that she never cared to count since her mother and siblings started going out together without her or at least inform her they were going out. Everything felt so weird by the way everyone was ignoring her especially her mother. On a normal day, ummah checks her room countless times to see if she was there, but now she couldn't remember the last time Ummah came to her room or even spoke to her. Are they really that angry with her? Or have they decided to start minding their business?

With a desolate feeling, she went back to her room and laid on her bed for few hours, doing nothing till it was time for zuhr prayers. After she had prayed, she went back to her bed but this time, with a book to read.

Hidayah didn't notice it was getting late for lunch till her stomach started growling. She heaved a sigh and tossed the book aside. Getting off the bed, she sauntered out of her room and descend down the stairs. She stepped foot into the kitchen same time he was coming out, almost bumping into her. She briskly shifted back. She steadied her breath and tried to calm the panic.

“Watch where you’re going.” His voice was rich and deep. He gave her cynical look before walking away without a back glance. His strong cologne was the escape hatch into her world of dreams. She swiftly shook her head and looked away from his retreating back before he turned and notice she was checking him out in his well fitted uniform that looked so appealing on him. She had never came across someone that looked good in Air Force uniform like him. “What?!” She murmured, scolding herself for actually admiring him.

He’s not that good looking. The uniform decided to do justice to him- that was it, she concluded.

She finished arranging her lunch in a tray before going back to her room.

It was almost maghrib and there was no sign of them. She picked up her phone and dialed Ummah’s number. “Hello, Ummah? Where have you guys gone to for the past hours? You didn't bother to tell me.”

“We will be back soon and mind you, don't try anything ridiculous before we come home.” Ummah gave her a strict warning before ending the call. Hidayah scoffed, if she wanted to do some absurd thing, she would've done it hours ago.

Her phone began to vibrate, indicating a new phone call. Her lips curved upwards when his name appeared on her screen. With so much excitement, she answered the call. “Adam? I've been trying to reach you for weeks but your phone wasn't going through. Are you okay? Why haven't you called me all this while?”

Adam smirked casually. “Calm down, calm down babe. I lost my phone that night but I have gotten a new one. You're at home, right? I'm close to your house now and I can't leave without seeing you today.”

Hidayah heaved a deep sigh as a smile sneaks out the corner of her mouth. “I've missed you so much, Adam... urgh. Tell you what, no one is at home right now. I'll be out in five minutes, okay? Just park by the gate and wait for me.” He ended the call almost immediately while she got off the bed and went to her closet. She brought out one of her beautiful Abayas and wore it. She fixed her face before stepping out of her room and headed downstairs. Hidayah tried to tell herself nothing was going to happen as she felt her heartbeat race.

She was astonished when the securities didn't try to stop her when she was going out. She smiled brightly when she came across Adam’s car parked few feet away from their house. She opened the door and hopped in. Calling his name, she enfolded him in a tight hug. Adam rubbed her lower back softly as she felt the warm tears starting to stream down her face.

“I'm tired, I'm so tired of staying in this house. No one.... Cares about me anymore. No one cares about my mental health. I’m just.... Tired.” She mumbled, streams of tears flowing faster than her heartbeat. “What do you suggest we do now, babe? Because.... I am dead scared of that your crazy soldier brother. You saw how he knocked me out that night.”

“I don't care about him. And he’s not my brother.... Just... we have to act fast and do something.” He pulled her closer to his body. She felt safe and comfortable in his arms.

They were so engrossed with holding each other and talking about a way out when Ahmad parked his car. He stepped out of the car and went to her side and knocked, getting their attention. A look of great bitterness swept across his face. Hidayah was paralysed to the spot. Fear became a tangible, living force that crept over her like some hungry beast, immobilising her, her brain, holding her captive. But she held a stoic expression and hissed before she turned her face to Adam who was near passing out.

Ahmad walked to the other side of the car and knocked on Adam’s window. “Isn't that your brother knocking at the window?” Terror washed over him, raising the hairs on the back of his neck. “Just ignore him, he will get tired and leave.” She was not frightened nor was she afraid. What she felt was beyond such mere nouns.

When he started banging at the window real hard, like he was going to break it, Adam briskly unlocked the door. Ahmad opened the door and pulled him out. He pulled his fingers to a fist and drove Adam to the wall, then slammed his fist on Adam’s guts.

He gave him a sharp round punch to the chin. A bubble of blood formed at the corner of his mouth and popped “Haven't I warned you about this girl? Haven't I?! You still followed her home because you have the guts to....”

“What is wrong with you? Leave my boyfriend alone... are you trying to be a murderer?” She tried to push him away but Ahmad never budged. He flanged her aside and despite the fact that people were gathering around, Ahmad didn't stop hitting him till he was satisfied with Adam’s new appearance.

Just then, ummah came home together with her siblings, and a big truck behind them. Ummah rushed to the scene, panicking. “Ahmad, what happened? Who's this man? Hidayah what are you doing out here when I specifically told you not to go out?” Ahmad took deep breathes before he narrated everything to Ummah including what he witnessed happening in the car.

Hidayah saw what was inside the truck plus the goods her sisters were offloading from the car. What’s with all the interior stuff they bought, she asked herself. Now was not even the time to worry about that. She was willing to fight for her boyfriend. “Why would he be doing this to me? Who do you think you are? Because you wear this stupid khaki you think you have the right to control everyone around you? What do you mean, that I won't get married or what? This is the man I want to marry and there is no one here that’ll stop me from doing that. Absolutely no one!”

“Hidayah that’s enough!” Her mother yelled.

Ahmad looked away from Hidayah. He has tolerated her crap for too long. “Ummah, tomorrow is Friday, right? Call uncle Ja’afar and the rest and tell them get ready, we are having the wedding nikkah tomorrow after Jumma’at prayer.” With that, Ahmad stormed off into the house.

Her entire body jerked to a stand still unexpectedly. “Wedding? Whose wedding is he talking about, ummah?”

Ummah forcefully dragged her into the house to her room while she ranted about warning Hidayah not to go out. Hidayah settled down on her bed, all the strength she had left long vanished. First she saw the new items they bought, now Ahmad was talking about a wedding. Were they going to marry her off? She knew they were capable of doing that. “Ummah, please tell me, whose wedding was he talking about? Tomorrow?”

“Your wedding, you and Ahmad’s wedding. And I am going to call all your uncles right now because the wedding nikkah will hold tomorrow after jumma’at prayer, by Allah’s will.”

She sweared her jaw almost dropped to the floor. Her heart pounded and her mind churned. Never in her wildest dream has she ever thought Ahmad would consider taking her as his wife. She knew they were capable of marrying her off but not to Ahmad.

She tried to keep her calm but failed to. Hidayah let out a loud shriek, falling off the bed.