Sophia's P.O.V
I've been told so many times what I should and shouldn't do and surrounded myself with too many negativity that I sometimes forget that if it doesn't go against my believes and it's not hurting anyone and it makes me happy why not do it. Ray always tell me to loosen up and to just go with the flow as she always does but being cautious has helped me overcome so many challenges. It's who I am and I can't change that.

There seems to be only a month left till finals week and for the semester to be over. I still can't believe my first semester as a college student is almost over yet I feel as though I haven't done anything memorable other than move out and get a peace in mind and heart but the sad thing is that I still haven't felt any peace maybe it's because of the sour non existing relationship I have with my father or that I feel as though I am committing a major sin. I don't know how but somehow I know that I am unconsciously cutting ties with my family.

There seemed to be a distant cold feeling I have with my father and younger siblings whenever do I am with them. Every time we are together it seems like a heavy weight of awkwardness weighing down on us and that we don't know what to say to one another. It is unbearable and sad but I have no idea what to do about it at all. All I know is that I just can't keep on feeling this way, I just can't hiding from all my problems an wishing they all go away like a useless coward.

"Are you okay?" a voice asked startling me away from my thoughts looking up it was just Ethan but can't remember him sitting there before.

"When did get here?"

"I've been here for quite a while you were you too deep in thought to notice." he said with a mocking smile. "You know sometimes it helps to share whats on your mind to others so you don't go completely insane."

Rayaan's mom is hosting a dinner party at our small apartment I don't know how she'll manage that because usually when she's a host to any even she makes it very grand and I'm trying to figure out a way to bail out but how do you bail when mostly everyone you usually hang out with are invited? She told us to invite all of our friends at school and our neighbors as well. The Johnath's were the only ones that agreed, Ethan and Michael were personally invited by Ummu Rayaan, Muhammad and Hanaan were coming as well as Zunairah a convert to Islam and who I met in the game room and we bonded over a deck of cards. She converted to Islam just a year ago and is officially the third revert I've met in my life time. Ethan is one of them and the other one is a family friend Daniel Morton. Even though I am still an amateur at any card game, when I finally beat her in speed I was excited, I legit jumped up and down out of a moment of excitement. I know that I am a very competivate person. What can I say, I'm a very competitive person. Yet at that moment when I officially realized that everyone in the game room was looking at us, well mostly me like we've grown two heads or maybe got possessed by some crazy jinn I seriously wanted to smack myself. Ray crazy moments seem to be rubbing on me way too much. Thinking of Ray, She has been way too quiet then her usual self these past few days. Whenever I ask her what's up she avoids answering making excuses to the most random of things. 

"Hey." I heard someone call out dragging me out of my deep thoughts Once again. I don't know why but I seem to lose myself in my thought a lot more often than usual. Maybe it's the exam week closing in and the break for the semester coming up soon or just me constantly overthinking stuff.

"Hey Ethan." I greeted him back

"So what are you thinking of don't tell me it's the madman with the blue call box." He teased

"I didn't know you watched Doctor who." I told him catching on to hid reference.

"Didn't know you watched it either." He said as his smile widened

"The world is full of mystical surprises."

"True that all thanks to the wonders of Allah's creation Alhamdulillah.'

"You know what Ethan if someone came up to you and asked you what your theories on love is what would you tell them?" I asked him the question I asked to most of the people around me to see what they believe in bout this topic in which I feel as though I lost all hope in

"I'd tell them love is the change for the greater good. I believe that love could change not only the world for the better but also change an individual to thrive to be a better person. I truly believe that the only reason why there is so much destruction in the world today is because of hatred, arrogance and greed."

"Wow... that's... very deep." I was a bit stunned by his explanation because that was a first. Most people associate love with Happiness not goodness, while I usually associate I with pain and loss. His explanation on love being the change for the better was intriguing. "What about the pain and loss that comes afterwards?" I asked truly wanting to know his answer to this

"Well if you truly believe in an afterlife you'd pray for those you love and lost as well as yourself so that one day you'd get to see them eternally happy in paradise InshaAllah." His exaplaintion reminded me to make a silent Dua to Allah to forgive My mom for Whatever wrong she might have done intentionally or unintentionally, and that may Allah bless her with Janaah.

"Are you and Rayaan going to go on the bus today?" Ethan asked making me realize again that I zoned him out without realizing it.

"Yeah I am but Rayaan is leaving first because she has work today."

"We could go together because my car broke down on me this and it still at the garage." He suggested

"Yes that's cool with me." I said relieved because usually weird things happen when you go on the bus alone. Weirdness I would gladly like to Ignore. Usually Hanaan comes with me when Rayaan has to leave earlier but today Hanaan was sick and Ethan seem to be my alternative choice that is If I want to take a nap on the way. It is a long bus ride.

When the time came to leave we walked together to the bus stop and got on the bus. We ended up sitting next to each other. It was either him or some creepy older guy that's been eyeing me ever since we were on the stop. Noticing this Ethan sat next to me but I was grateful that he kept a safe respectable distance from me almost sitting on the edge of his seat. To Other people around us they might think he was dying to get away from me but to me him just respecting me enough to give me some personal space was in my eyes very admirable. We talked comfortably about mostly everything and today became one of those rare occasions that I didn't sleep on the ride home, the ride seem to pass very quickly. It seemed too soon we got off and walked home together things were going great until someone random Muslim person pointed out that we were a really cute Muslim couple. things somehow kind of got a little awkward when we reached our block. We parted ways with a simple half-hearted salaam as we each went into our own apartment.

A/N:
Salaam to all of you guys. I know that it's been a while since I updated, and that this part might be a bit too short but don't worry I'll be doing a mother update this week inshaAllah
Most of you guys have been wondering what's going to happen between Sophia and Ethan I hope you like this chapter and see how things form between them So tell me what you think about this update and don't for get to Vote and share all your support means a lot to me