2 Years Ago
Aisha's POV
"Salam Guys! This is me, Aisha Khan. Today I am going to tell you a quick braid hack for beginners." I say, looking at my phone camera as I toss my hair on one side. "This is going to be easy-peasy. All you need to do is divide your hair into three sections, twist and turn like this, and-"
Suddenly, the door bursts open and I instantly throw my smartphone down from the dresser and abruptly stand up. "Aisha! You are getting late for University! What's taking you so long?" My mother scolds me by the door of my room.
"Uh… N-nothing maa. Just… Brushing my hair." I reply, confidently as I pass her a weak smile.
"Just get it done already and come down! Everyone's waiting for you at the table for breakfast." My mom leaves the room while closing the door behind and I release a breath of relief.
"Damn it! Now I have to record the video all over again!" I say, cursing under my breath while picking up my phone from the ground. "So where was I…" I opened the front camera "Hey my Tiktok fam! Tonight I'll be uploading my cover song that is in my drafts-"
"And Aisha-" My mom bombards the room again without any warning. "Whom are you talking to?" She gives me a suspicious eye.
"Uh… Umm… it's Nadia! I was talking to her on a video call." I made an excuse. "She wanted to remind me about... the presentation in the class today. Yeah. You know how forgetful I am?" I give her a silly laugh as I tie my hair quickly in a braid before putting on my hijab.
"Alright… Anyways, I was saying to come home early today. We also have to visit Uncle Waleed today."
"What! Uncle Waleed?! Again!? No maa please no! Just make some excuses in my place." I protest.
Mom raises an eyebrow at me assertively. "No, you have to come with us today. They invited the whole family for dinner."
"But maa-"
"No Aisha. I would have listened to you if it was any other day but today… you must come along."
I was suspicious suddenly. "Why maa? Why today? What is happening?"
"You'll eventually know." She was about to leave when she stopped again. "But know that Aisha, we love you and will always want what is best for you." With a small smile, she headed outside, leaving me confused.
~~~
"Can you pass me the bread, please?" My brother asks from beside me as we all sit together at the table for breakfast.
My father is sitting on the head chair as he reads the newspaper while discussing politics and my mother on the other side, refilling plates so that no one leaves home with an empty stomach.
The rest of my family includes me and my brother who is four years older than me while I am twenty-three, studying business apparently in my third year of university.
"Can you believe it maa? Girl's these days have no shame whatsoever!" My brother, Tahir exclaims as he takes the piece of bread from my hand.
"Why? What happened?" Mom's voice was filled with curiosity.
"Young people are using this application named 'tiktok'" He utters with emphasis. "Dancing on songs and mimicking dialogues, a complete waste of youth. I mean where is their family? Do they even know what their kids are doing behind their backs?"
I suddenly lost my appetite to eat. I put my fork down as my egg remained on the plate untouched. "What's wrong with it? I mean… It's their life, they get to choose what they do." I spurt and regret before I could stop myself from speaking my thoughts out loud.
"Wrong? What is good about it?" He eyes me with disbelief. "It's unproductive, how will someone dancing or playing in the video benefit me rather than waste my time? People show off their wealth, bodily parts for the sake of followership." He turns to Mom now. "You know a girl named Rida, committed suicide because of Tiktok."
"What?! Why?!" Mom clutched her heart and her brows shot up with shock.
"She was influenced by the TikTok stars and started to make her videos. Since she had an average face people started putting negative comments below her videos but it didn't stop there, she started to make seductive videos to gain followers. It did gain her following but she went into depression and anxiety for constantly putting up with the type of content she initially started to get quick fame. The sponsors she got were all that demanded dirty work and the followers she met would try to touch or flirt with her. She didn't receive the respect she intended and hence suicide."
"Ya, Allah!" My mom exclaims with her mouth covered with her hand. "May Allah protect our kids from Shaitan!"
"Enough of this rubbish." My father joins the conversation. "I am glad that my kids know their limits and would never break my trust."
I chew the inside of my lip as a pang of guilt rushes through me. "I'll get going now."
"Honey, finish your egg first. You know it's bad to leave food on your plate." My mom says.
"I'll be late for the class… I'll just eat it on the way," I said picking up the plate and shifting its contents in my lunch box.
~~~
As I reached my department in the university I headed straight for the common room. My mood was sabotaged first thing in the morning and I had no idea why.
Was it because of what Tahir Bhai (brother) said? Or was it because of Father's words?
Either way, I wasn't doing anything wrong. I wasn't seductively appearing in my videos and I have the right to choose for my life! Rida did what she thought was best for her, suicide isn't the option if you are having problems in life. I will never do that. I wouldn't break my family's trust. They just have to give me a chance to prove it!
I mean there are so many Tiktok stars that are spreading positivity, why can't they look at the bright side of the picture?!
"Earth to Aisha?" My friend, Sana's voice echoes to my ear and I turn to face her.
"Sorry. You were saying something?" I speak, shaking off my thoughts while I stand in front of the big mirror.
"Yeah, you are still wearing your Hijab and abaya today? Is everything alright?" She quirks up an eyebrow, questioningly.
"Oh! Just a minute." I take off my hijab and abaya and put it in my bag. I brush my hair and tie them up in a high ponytail. I put on some colored gloss before putting on some tint over my cheeks. "There, I feel better now." I smile at my reflection. "Want to make a Tiktok video over a trending sound?"
"Sure!" Sana responds happily.
I grab my phone from the bag before eyeing the tossed-aside hijab and abaya that I always wear before leaving home but then abandon it when I am out of sight of my family.
A mere piece of cloth can't protect me. I'll protect myself.