"Keep holding on. You're not alone we are always here for you. You just need to stay strong put your faith in Allah and InshaAllah everything will turn out fine." Isabel reassured me just before we broke off from our group hug
"I got yogurts?"
"Maria you're the only one in this room who loved to eat abnormal amounts of yogurt like an addictive drug." Hanaan reminded her

"That's why I brought it so I don't have to share much. Don't worry Azi I got you something as well. Your favorite sour patches. And a lot of it."

"No you didn't! thank you thank you." I told her in excitement

"You guys I can't stay for long my dad is waiting in the car. My mom cooked you your favorite food" Hanaan said handing me a close lid bowl I opened it it was Tahu bacem one of my favorite dishes Hanaan's mom makes its tofu that sits in hour in a concoction of sugar, coconut milk, and about a dozen other spices. I nodded understanding why she couldn't stay long Hanaan's parents are very traditional in the sense that they don't really like her staying the night in a house were a Non-Muharram male lives and Isabel's little brother lives here.
"Where is Andy?" I asked just as Hanaan left
"Azi you are lucky he isn't here you know he hates being called that." Maria commented laughing
"So true, he always complains about that."
"Well Adrian is a long name and he never calls me by my name so it's all fair game."
"Good point."

"Let's play a prank on him when he comes home."
"Bad Idea Isa, you remember the last time we did that. he got us like ten folds. I had to cut my hair really sort because of that. I am not in"

"Me either Andy doesn't really play fair when it comes to this stuff he goes a bit overboard." I agreed

"You guys are chickens." Isabel tried to tempt us I just laughed and stretched myself on the couch

"Where is your mom?" I asked after looking around

"She's  out with my dad."

"Oh well that's nice. so what do we do now. other than stuffing ourselves with food?"

"We could watch some asian shows?" Maria suggested

"No way you know I don't like that. Lets have a doctor who marathon on Netflix. I've been dying for us to finally watch that show together."

"Are you only suggesting that because Muhammad seems to talk about it non stop." Maria teased

"No why would you think that I would scoop that low?"

"Or we could watch lets say that fairytale retell show I think it was called once upon a time or something." trying to divert the conversation from heading there it seems that Maria had this theory that our friend  Muhammad likes Isabel and Isabel likes him as well. so Maria tries to find every possible way she could tease Isabel about it. It usually ends up being a topic thats discussed for hours if someone doesn't stop it and thats usually my job. we ended up watching a Bollywood movie on Netflix which I'm not sure I remember the name before we had to go upstairs to bed because Isabel's mom came home and declared it was bed time because it was a school night.

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

Maria had said she would drop me off at work after school just after she dropped off some books at the library her brother Adam checked out that would be overdue by the end of today. after waiting in the car for quiet awhile I couldn't take it anymore so I walked inside the library to look for her. wandering around I saw someone similar sitting at a table in the corner. so I approached him and it was Daniel

"Salaam." I said as I approached him

"Wa Alykum Salaam to you is that Ziza?" he asked as he close the bookI think he was reading  he was reading 

"So what are you doing here?"

"Reading. And there are very few places I could go without detection."

"Why are you hiding from someone like some secrete agent."

"Something like that. I'm hiding from a lot of people."

"Well whoever you are hiding from just know that your secret is safe with me."

"That's very risky of you. I could be a serial killer or an escape felon."

"I trust my judgment in people enough to know that you're a good guy.and I'm listening to whatever my gut tells me."

"So how have you been?"

"Horrible." I told him as I sat down in the empty spot next to him

"How so? if you don't mind me asking."

"Just a lot has happened this week I just wish I could run away from all of never return. I highly doubt anyone other than my friends Maria, Hanaan and Isabel would notice if I just went missing one day. My Dad would have if he were awake but he isn't he is in a coma because of an accident that happened at work. I think that the only thing that has kept me sane so far in my very unaccomplished life is writing and I feel as though it's my escape from unbearable reality of my life when I feel trapped and have nowhere to go writing it's my way of getting a grip of my reality while indulging in my fantasies."

"I would notice. Ziza you're absolutely one of a kind and I hope your father gets better."

"Thank you and I'll take that as a compliment." I said before Maria had come to up from behind me

" Azi seriously ..." she started to say before she saw Daniel "holy shit thats Daniel Morton."

"yeah so?"

"as in he is a Morton rich, famous with lots of connections. the Morton business empire is freaked huge Azi please don't tell me you didn't know this."

"oh...umm...well sorry?"

"Wow thats a first are you sure you guys are friends.

"Oh shit he is talking to us... did i  say that out loud." Maria said jumbling through her words

"Excuse my friend Maria she's more good with computers than she is talking to people."

"At least I'm not oblivious to the outside world."

"That could be very debatable.

"No comment so Mr. Morton what brings you to this small town?"

"Just want a change of enviroment. I am glad i did because I met Ziza and you which makes life more entertaining now."

"Awe you guys are on nickname bases already when did you guys meet."

"I already told you we met at the store I work at and after that we met like two or three times."

"and know you know that I'm not a serial killer." he joked resuming to our previous conversation just before my phone vibrated I looked at the screen and it was Ami I sighed in frustration before I picked it up

"You have to come to this dinner if you don't and embarrass me I will do everything in my power to make sure you never go see your father again." She threatened getting straight to the point

"You can't do that." I argued

"Try me beta, try me. Just so you know that uncle of yours wouldn't be able to do anything I have more legal right over your father than he does." She said hanging up the phone before I could say anything else I was visibly upset over the call this wasn't right. Why can't she just let me cut it off with her.

Thinking of a way to get out of this dinner. I looked at both Maria and Daniel and at that point the light bulb went off and as though Maria had the same idea as me she turned to Daniel

"Hey Daniel have you ever tried some home made desi food." She asked before I could voice anything

"No not really." He answered

"Do you want to try some at Aziza's house? her step mom is cooking a massive dinner for a lot of people so do you want to come and join us." She asked him excitingly

"Okay as long as it's cool with Ziza." He shrugged

"excellent its settled I'll try to get Muhammad and Adam go come along as well."

"Adam? is Talha going to be okay with that?"

"He not really going o notice because I'll be babysitting Adam Talha is staying at a Friends house."

"So it's settled we meet up at you and Maria's apartment building tonight and have dinner together." I declared feeling a bit skittish because this would be the first official time I declared war again Ami. smiling to myself to what her reaction would be if I brought a lot of people with me as backup. She can't really say anything because she'd lose face to her guest I know she would invite. In the end I win

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