Rayaan's P.O.V

I woke up early an hour before fajir knowing it was useless if I went back to sleep. I would just miss the time for prayer. So I ended up making wudu and pulling out my math text book and since I was still laptop-less I took out my phone and check the lesson plan my calculus teacher had in store for class as I sat in the living room. I am a major math geek and I am proud to be one. In high school I was in the math league and my team went to finals 2 times and I was when I joined the team in junior year. Any game with numbers, equations, expressions, theories bring out my competitive side, and I have a tendency of not resting until I win or find the correct answer myself. It's my fatal flaw.

After solving a dozen questions the Azan for fajr went off on my phone and Sophia's at the same time her phone from her room. I could hear Sophia groaning and dragging her feet to the bathroom as the floor creaked and the water running. I got out the musalah and my hijab as I waited for her to finish. She came out with her hijab and we prayed together.

"Sophie I am going out for a run." I told her as I went to my room to change into my sweat pants and hoodie since it was chilly and put on a pair of white socks and my sneakers.

"Wait what?" she asked a bit startled.

"I am going out for a run"

"This early? Ray that's not safe." She stated worryingly

"Don't worry I have my pepper spray with me and my phone. The rest is with the qadar of Allah." I assured her showing her it was attached to my keys as well as my phone with my head phones plugged in. "Sophie can come with me or you can go back to sleep and If I am not here in an hour and a half call the cops and my parents."

"Ray that's not funny. Turn on your GPS I am going to track your every more. There is no way I am going to run for an hour and a half that's just crazy."

"Soph who said I was normal?" I said as I winked at her "I just need to clear my mind." I told her leaving the apartment building placing my headphone in my ears I played my playlist on my phone and started running straight on the side walk as fast as I could taking short breaths as I ran. I missed running It's been a while since I had my morning runs ever since we moved here I didn't get the chance. I miss the frantic beating of my heart, the burst of energy I felt, the coolness of the morning wind as it hit my face my and the tingling of my body and the bounding of my head. I could help but smile as I thrived to run faster. I ran and ran until I had to stop to catch my breath. Finally stabilizing my frantic heart and breath steadily. looking around at my surroundings I felt at peace. They sky was a mixture of orange, red yellow and gray. What a beautiful sight that was I thought pulling out my headphones. Taking a moment to contemplate on it's beauty.

When I got home Sophia was in the kitchen frying eggs. I passed her and went to the bathroom and took a steaming hot shower I got out feeling refreshed and got ready for school so I won't be late. I don't want to give the teacher of my favorite subject a first bad impression and suffer the whole semester. I got out andSophia handed me a cup of coffee knowing that I wasn't really a breakfast person. Just as I was about to get out of the house my mom came in as though she was waiting by the door.

"Ummi what are you doing here." I asked startled

" I came to see how my girls were doing. I missed you habibty." She said reaching out and pulled me into a hug and kissed me on both cheeks I kissed her back

"Ummi I got to go, I have class. I wouldn't be home until later I got to work."

"Aww my baby is going to work."

"Ummi I already told you when I first got the job remember."

"I know habibty it just still surprising. My baby is growing." ummi said dramatically wiping fake tears from her eyes. I just shook my head smiling my mom can be so dramatic sometimes but I love the same so I said my salaam and left.

I got to class 20 minutes before it started and the professor wasn't here yet there was one other person her and she was sitting in the corner and was on her phone she had jet black hair that made her look really pale with her heavy eyeliner that made her greenish hazel eyes stand out as she looked up at me when I came in and settled down. She reminded me a lot about Sophia in the early years of school when our parents decided to take us to an actual school. I remember the time when the headmaster stated that she was violated the school dress code by modifying the uniform like that with the chains and gothic looking accessories. Sophia got furious and stated that before she talk to her and patronize her she should talk to all her other students as well who are wearing accessories and that it states nowhere in the dress code that she can't wear this if she is still wearing her uniform.

"What are you smiling about." A voice said startled me out of the past memory. Looking to the right from where the voice came from and Michael was sitting next to me I didn't even here him approach
"Nothing." I said quickly

"Salam Alykum neighbor."

He greeted

"Wa alykum o salaam." I smiled greeting him back looking into his eyes I noticed he had a complicated eye color I couldn't really tell if it was grey blue or green I thought it was grey but now it looks greenish blueish and is hair was free from a bun or a poinytail it was grazing his shoulders it was voluminous and looked really soft that type that made you itche to run your fingers through it. Looking at the detailed colors of his hair it was a mixture of light brown and blonde and the brown stood out more and over ruled it. His hair was so fascinating I must have been staring at it too long because he gathered his hair and tied it up in a low loose bun.

"what shampoo and conditioner do you use." I accidentally burst it out sounding like a total creep but still I his hair I I mentally slap myself for sounding like such an idiot creep. But thank God he disnt make the situation more awkward than it already was and chuckled tuning his fingers through his hair to pull back the loose strains that escaped and were hovering over his eyes.

"Okay that was so unnecessary I'm sorry you don't have to answer that." I said in a rush trying to correct myself as I felt the room warm up and get closed it for my idiocy

"No, not at all. My sisters is the one that buys them I just use them. So honestly I have no idea."

"You live with your sister?"

"Not really she just stops by my place from time to time you can never really escape older sisters."

"MashaAllah what is her name."

"Nadia."

"MashaAllah that's a beautiful name."

"So is yours."

"Um... Thank you." I said seeming a bit flustered not really used to complements from guys that aren't related to me and at that moment I noticed that the teacher was in class and the class was filled. Whoa when did that happen I asked myself. Time seemed to go by really fast. And it did after class I packed up my stuff

" Hey Rayaan." Someone called out as I was about to leave it was Michael and he wasn't alone Muhammad was with him I think his name is Muhammad

"We have an MSA meeting today at 2 and we would really like for you to come it's not really a meeting meeting its more like get to know which officers want to stay in running or if they want to hand over their job and an over view on what we'll be doing this semester. There will be snacks stop by."

" what is an MSA." I asked curious

" it stands for muslim student association. It is a club run by students for Islamic awareness to let people be more aware of Islam truly and not what the media states islam is. We make events, do fundraisers and more importantly teach people about Islam. So conquer Islamaphobia."

" That's amazing mashaAllah. I will be there where is it at?" I asked Michael handed me the flyer

"so do you have class now."

"no not until 12."

"Sweet why don't you come with us tithe game room."

" there is a game room here."

"Yeah do you know how to play pool."

"Yeah but I totally suck on it."

"It's all physics."

"No you mean geometry." I said correcting him

"Guys can we not have this geek talk I just got out of a math class." Muhammad whined causing my to laugh as well as Michael.

" okay I promise I wouldn't fry your brain today come on let's go." Michael joked

" I'll still beat you this time." Muhammad promised as he followed Michael so did I.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

We played until I had to go to class it was a lot of fun even though I didn't win a single game. And in class Sophia and I decided to be lab partners. She was wide wake and the teacher gave us Somme problems to graph afters she lectured about graphed and hypotheses and scientific method. I told her about the MSA thing and she was going to come to the meeting as well. Our class ended at 2 but teacher let us out early. And we got a quick lunch a veggie wrap, sun chips and ice coffee while Sophia got a vegan burger and ice lemon tea and a cup of mixed fruits. We headed to the prayer room and after prayer since the room was empty we ate our lunch so Sophia can eat without worrying about getting her Niqab and hijab dirty. Once done we went to the meeting . I tense when I saw the girl with the green jilbab

Again except now she was wearing a purple jilbab and thank God she hasn't seen me yet because she was talking to another muslim sister. I discreetly sat in the back trying to avoid her because my heart was beating through my ears.

"This was a bad idea." I mumbled to myself. Her mere presence intimidated me looking around I felt so out of place recalling the conversation I had with that girl my palms started to sweat. I really hope other people in here aren't thinking the way she was when she saw me.

"Rayaan you came!" Muhammad greeted smiling widely as he came in and walk towards me and Sophie easy my tension a little but making the girl turn towards me frowning disapprovingly at me after assessing what I was wearing.

"Muhammad nice to see you again Muhammad this is my sister Sophia, Sophia this is Muhammad." I said intro dicing them

"Salaamu 'Alykum sister"

"Wa alykum salaam."

"Wait she's your sister." The now purple jilbab girl asked in disbelief looking back and forth at me and Sophia

"Yeah Alhamdulillah." Sophia replied

"Astagfurallah-."

"Ayan stop." Muhammad interrupted her with a warning.

"No it's okay let her finish. I'd love to hear what she has to say." Sophia said with her voice unnaturally preppy and I knew if that girl didn't shut up now she'll be in for something bad. Something real bad it's like the calmness that happens before a disaster.

"Sophia let's just go." I told her getting up and trying to pull her with me

"No guys you don't have to."

" Muhammad you seriously need to stop kissing everyone ass and acting all cadaan." Abdi said I had no idea what he meant but Sophia and she went off at him speaking in what I think was Somali because that's the only language she knows that I have a hard time understanding do to the fact that her mom was half Somali and half Yemeni but I did catch some words like niqab, Allah, thambi and some English phrases Abdi was stunned

"You're guys are Somali?" He asked her looking from me to her and Sophia replied back in Somali and the next thing you know Abdi and Ayan where trying to talk over Sophia and Muhammad was trying to keep the peace that's when Michael, Ethan, the twins and two other guys came in

"What is going on here." Michael said breaking the heated argument

"Nothing." Ayan quickly replied

"Nothing? Oh my Allah you've got to be kidding me. First you insult my sister and try to justify it and then you call me a hypocrite who exactly do you think you are." Sophia demanded glaring at Ayan and Abdi

"I was just kidding." Abdi said holding his hands out in surrender.

"I was just stating what I see." Ayan said still holding her ground "and as a good muslim sister I would advise my fellow sister to stop sinning. Unlike you when you let her walk around like that." She finished off crossing her arms. Everytime she spoke I was begining to dislike her even more

"We are all sinners that is what makes us all human for we are all the children of Adam. And if Allah doesn't judge people until they are dead what gives you the right. When you yourself are a sinner as well. And how would you know that her sins are being forgiven when yours are being counted and doubled for those hurtful words." Michael told her before Sophia could say anything back he looked very angry and hurt "Only Allah knows what is in someone's heart so please sister watch your words and Abdi hurting someone isn't a joke."

" I didn't hurt them Mikaeel." Abdi said pronouncing his name in Arabic

"The tongue is the most deadliest weapon." Michael said simply before he made eye contact with me and at that moment it felt like we had a connection like he could see through my soul I was the first to break the contact and wiped my face with my hands from tears I just realized where there. I don't think anyone else noticed that I was still standing there because if Sophia noticed I was crying she would snap. I wasn't really crying I was angry and the anger was just boiling up inside me because I was trying so hard to keep calm

"Excuse me." I said walking out of the room dunking my head so no one else would notice the tears. I rushed to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face few times to freshen up and steadied my breath and said asked Allah to give me the strength to be calm inside as I got out of the bathroom. Michael was waiting by the bathroom

"Are you okay." He asked worriedly

"Yeah Alhamdulillah." I said avoiding eye contact not used to this feeling of my heart bounding to my throat and my stomach feeling like a fish swimming through it. I honestly don't understand why a guy like him would stand up for me and make me feel like this. No that I have any experience with guys not related to me since I was home school most of my life and then taken to an all girls private school after where I graduated from. But still he is a good liking guy why would he waste his time to check if I was okay. I was expecting Sophia to come I anyone else

"I told your sister to wait so I could talk to you." He answered as though reading my mind.

"Talk to me? About what?"

"I wanted to apologize for putting you in this situation. I honestly didn't think they would be so concrete. I hope you forgive them and me for the pain we caused. I honestly didn't expect them to bully you."

"Muhammad invited me to come." I told him confused as to why he was apologizing for something he didn't do I don't even blame Muhammad so why would I blame him. He laughed nervously and bowed his head and rubbed his neck nervously.

"I kinda asked Muhammad to ask you to join us." He confessed

"You? Why?" I asked curiously

"Because I wanted you to come. You and your sister . Since your are apart of our school and all. And our neighbors and our fellow sisters in Islam. And to make it up to you I'll buy you and your sister lunch tomorrow inshaAllah."

"You don't have to it's cool I don't blame you or anyone."

"I insist, come on let's go back I promise what happened will never happen again."

"Are you sure."

"Yes neighbor, I got your back."

"Okay." I said only because Sophia was still there and I can't just ditch her. When I got inside Aisha apologized saying she didn't mean what she said and that sometimes she forgets that people have different views than she does I told her that there was no hard feelings. The rest of the meeting went well . Muhammad was the president and a sister named Sophia was the Vice President while Ayan was the secretary, Jamila and Michael where the communication coordinators and Ethan was the treasurer.

Sophia took the bus home while I took the bus to work. And it was exhausting to teach a middle school kid with no fundamental basics but Alhamdulillah when we were done he was a pro in fractions. I got home late because the bus ride was a hour and a half just in time for magrib. After praying magrib I remembered Michael's ivite to buy lunch for me And Sophia me told her.

"And you said okay?" She demanded

"Well he didn't let me reject his offer and it would be rude of to to in the first place plus we wouldn't be alone it's an open area and there is two of us." I tried reasoning hoping that she wouldn't make us decline. I was thinking of him a lot today after what he said to Ayan and Abdi. He was a really good guy because not that many people would do what he did. I am glad that I got to know him and grateful for my parents that I met him. Allah has a plan for everything whether it's good or bad. I hope it's good

"Okay we'll go. " Sophia said and inside I was bursting with happiness so I quietly went to my room closed my door and did my victory dance silently.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: sorry for the really late update been really busy but now since schools out I'll be updating regularly inshAllah. Vote and comment if love to know what you think of my story now as well as the characters. And don't worry I am going back and editing as I go along sorry for the grammar and spelling errors. Salaam