I pace back and forth in my room, biting my nails. Scared of the moment I will encounter my family.
Calm down, Aisha. Calm down.
You were already prepared for this day.
But why does it have to be so soon?
I wince thinking about the consequences once my family confronts me. I have been making videos on Tiktok for more than six months now but now that my moment to shine has arrived. The moment I anticipated so much… But I just don't feel I am ready for it right now.
The door suddenly bangs open. "You were home?" My mom barges in. "When did you come?"
"I… Uh… Yeah. I didn't want to disturb you and… I was tired so I came to rest." I wiped the sweat over my forehead with a tissue.
"Why do you look so pale, honey?" Mom comes close to me and places her hand on my forehead, worriedly. "Is everything alright?"
"I am good, maa… Totally fine..." I replied, dodging her hand, and turned around. "Is everything okay in the house?"
"Yeah? Is there something bothering you?"
I took a sigh of relief and turned to face her. "Nothing Mom. I am all good now." I smile at her and place my hands on her shoulders to reassure her.
"What are you doing Aisha!" It was my father's stern voice that took me off guard and I instantly stepped back.
"Father I-"
"Why aren't you ready yet?"
"Ready?"
"Oh, Aisha you are so forgetful!" It was my mom's turn to speak. "I told you we're going to your father's brother's house today."
"Uncle Waleed?" She nods her head in response.
"Mom please, not me. You guys can go without me." I plead.
"Aisha, get ready and come down in fifteen minutes. I don't want to hear another word from you." My father orders from the door and unwillingly I nod my head and he leaves.
At Least I am safe. For now.
~~~
"Assalamu Alaikum! (Peace be upon you)" Najma Aunty, Hazek's mother greets everyone as soon as we enter their living room.
Uncle Waleed hugged me and I returned the hug just as happily. Everyone sat down together and soon the room was filled with loud chatters. After all, we were visiting my dad's brother after a month. Everyone had their stories to share.
I was friends with Hazek's sister, Maleeha. Who always accompanies me throughout our stay. She is five years older than me while Hazek is only two years older than me.
Maleeha is married and has two naughty kids but her company never felt as if she's older than me but it's always fun to be around her.
Although everyone was present in the living room but hazek was nowhere to be found.
Now that I think about it… I am thankful that my family and Hazek's family are not very social media people. Most of them won't even know about what Tiktok or Instagram is so they wouldn't even know about my viral video.
Unless someone tells them about it.
Although I was trying my best to look interested in Maleeha's conversation but the thought kept poking me to the core.
What if they find out?
What would their reaction be?
How would I reciprocate?
"I am telling you this age is an age of fitna (state of trouble or chaos)!" Uncle Waleed retorts in an open discussion with my father which brings me back to reality. "In our time as kids, we used to play with marbles, go out climb up trees, slingshot the Mulberries, and ate them fresh."
"All the boys somehow managed to sit on one bike and drove to the riverside and back home. Oh! Those days were golden!" Akbar, My father adds with a bright smile on his face.
"But now Akbar, this generation keeps themselves busy by taking selfies, posting them online to show off na-mahrams (Someone not close blood related), wasting time on stupid fighting games and whatnot."
"Waleed bhai, you are right." My mom joins in. "Recently Tahir told me how a girl committed suicide because of some application named… Tata something."
"You mean Tiktok aunty?" Maleeha corrected and she nodded vehemently.
"The girl went into a state of depression and started taking drugs. She wanted people to never look down on her and was constantly stuck in a race to look good to others."
"The desire to have more never subside even when you have enough wealth," Dad adds with a tsk.
"Yeah, I read about this girl too," Maleeha speaks. "Even my kid, Ana, also downloaded this application on my phone and there was nothing to it except people mouthing movie dialogues or dancing to songs. I mean where are we going as a nation? The next thing I know years later people will say, my son or my daughter is a tiktoker. Which would mean they earn money by dancing in public. Then where would be the difference between prostitution and tiktoker? We are destroying our kids with our own hands."
Everyone nodded with agreement except for me who stayed too quiet but remained unnoticed. The good thing about a brown family is that people are quick to change subjects.
"Assalamu Alaikum! I am sorry I am a little late." Hazek announces as he enters the living room.
"Right on time beta (son). I was just about to set the dinner table." Najma Aunty rejoices and everyone greets him.
After we all filled our stomachs with delicious delicacies that Aunt Najma made with our own hands it was time for dessert.
"Sufia? Shall we?" Aunt Najma looked at my mother Sufia while she nodded her head in affirmation and then all eyes darted toward me and Hazek as we sat in the living room at a good distance.
"We all elders have decided that… To make this family's bond even stronger and for a better future for our kids…" Aunt Najma sounded hesitant as she continued to speak. "It would be great if Hazek and Aisha were to be married."
"What!" I and Hazek blurt out in unison. He looked at me and I looked back, asking if one of us knew this already.
But we both were utterly clueless.