Sana and Obaid's story

A/N: Obaid was a red flag character I wrote for Sana's backstory, but then I remembered that To our Doom is more of a healthy and wholesome book. I thought it would be too much unnecessary drama for Sana's past, and so I scrapped it. Also, I didn't want to promote the mixed school environment so that's more of a reason why I scrapped it. 

Alright, enjoy this as an AU!

When Sana's eyes landed on the figure next to Ibrahim, her eyes widened. It could not be, right? He can't be the same person as three years ago, right? But the subtle smile on his lips that formed out of care as he looked at his friend next to him – it was the same.

"Sana!" called a young fifteen-year-old Obaid, from behind Sana's seat in high school.

"Obaid!" fifteen-year-old Sana exclaimed as she excitedly turned her head to face Obaid. They had been dating for two weeks now. By dating, they mean that they know they like each other, but they aren't going to go any further than talking to each other. Mostly because they know they can't.

"Did you miss me?" he teased, smirking at Sana. The class was almost empty now, since the bell had rung. The noise of moving chairs and tables signaled the end of class further.

Sana chuckled. "How could I not?" She herself was packing up her things to head for the next class.

"Should we hold hands on our way to the next class?" he playfully suggested knowing full well that she would decline.

Sana pouts childishly. "You know we shouldn't!" Obaid downturns his lips melancholically, slinging his book bag over his shoulder.

"Fine, but still, let's go together!" he eagerly waited till Sana was done packing up. Sana smiled lovingly, and they walked to the next class together, chatting away.

***

"I swear! She's such a clingy crybaby!" Obaid mocked as his friends laughed heartily. The school grass field was known to be the ground ruled by the football team of the school, whose leader was Obaid.

"Bro, I thought you could do better than her," his friend scoffed. "Even though she's like the queen of the school, you could have done better," his friend continued. Obaid kicked the football at him.

"You're just jealous," he smirked, but glared daggers at his friend with his eyes. His friend was startled, so the football went flying out of the courtyard. Hasan, a passerby, was minding his own business, till the ball came flying at him. He dodged the ball and as it rolled on the ground, he kicked it back to Obaid.

"Yo! Hasan, my bro!" Obaid called excitedly. Hasan's face softened.

"You're still playing?" Hasan asked as he walked into the grass field.

Obaid chuckled. "Yeah, wanna join us, my bro?" Obaid invited. Hasan was a skilled football player, but he insisted that it was only a hobby and only joined the football team for fun games sometimes.

"Sure, I have time today," Hasan chose a team and stood there ready to get the football.

"Seriously though, Sana thinks she's all that because she's with you now," Obaid's friend scoffs, mid-match. Hasan's ears perked up at the mention of Sana. Everyone in the school knows that Sana is the queen of the school, the angel. To be talked about so rudely behind her back was an unfortunate surprise. Though, his mind is more focused on the match.

"Yeah, I know right? She thinks she's some queen," Obaid added as he kicked the football to Hasan.

"She is the school queen though," Hasan adds, as he passes the football to his teammate.

"My girlfriend is the school queen, yes, but she lets it get to her head sometimes, more often than I like," Obaid explained. Hasan frowned in confusion. Firstly, because he had no idea his good friend was in a relationship. And secondly because his friend was trash talking about the most popular girl in school, who was now apparently his girlfriend.

"Shouldn't you be talking good about her then?" Hasan asked, genuinely curious. The game continued beyond them, and they were standing waiting for someone to pass the ball to them.

"Can't I be honest?" Obaid scoffed, he ran off as the ball was passed to him. Hasan's frown was permanent. It wasn't right. None of it was right. The fact that his close friend was dating someone and trash-talking her behind her back. Nothing was right. He felt chained. He knows something very wrong is going on in front of him. But he is not sure how to approach the situation. He sighed deeply.

***

"Stay away from me," Obaid spit coldly. "You're always clinging onto me like a pathetic leech," he scoffed mockingly. Sana's eyes widened.

"Obaid... what are you talking about?" she asked, actively ignoring the aching pain her heart is going through as those words pierced through her delicate heart like merciless poisonous daggers.

"Don't play victim, Sana, I'm done dealing with you," Obaid glared at her, an ice-cold glare, full of hate and despise.

"Obaid," her voice caught in her throat, his prickly name being the only thing she could pronounce. "Why are you being like this?" she asked as her eyes started feeling warm and wet.

"Good riddance, Sana, I don't want to see your pathetic face ever again," Obaid stabbed her heart with his words and left Sana alone in the classroom – broken, torn apart, and cracked beyond repair. The noise of the classroom around her faded till she could only hear her overwhelming thoughts. What did she do wrong? What led to this? They were so happy together. Everything was perfect. Everything was beautiful when they were together. Why... did he leave like that? Reality hits her when the bell rings, notifying students of the start of the next class.

She escapes the classroom. Her heart ripped even more every second. She walked, then she ran till the classroom was far away, beyond her vision. She ran till she found herself enclosed in the staircase. She sat down on the steps and clenched her knees and sobbed silently. Her sobs got louder till she could hear herself and her pain ate away at her. Minutes passed, classes passed, till it was break time. Her sobs never ceased. She only got quieter as she realized how pathetic she was being, as Obaid had said. Remembering Obaid, the tears only trickled down her cheeks. Hot tears of pain and ache. She continued sobbing silently yet loudly.

Hasan brought his leftover lunch to feed the cats at the bottom of the staircase. "Hey there, Snow," he whispered as he put forward his lunch box. Snow meowed at Hasan. A few seconds later, Hasan could hear a distant noise. The sound of someone sobbing. He looked up to find Sana sitting on the second floor steps, clasping her knees and rolled up in her own embrace. He frowned because he knew the reason behind this. His friend. The sight of her sorrow was enough of a stab in Hasan's heart. He couldn't stay in the staircase anymore.

Sarah was worried about Sana now. They haven't talked much, nor did they know each other back then, but Sarah admired Sana from the distance. She knew Sana as the brightest star of the school, lighting up everyone's day. However, lately she had noticed that her brightness was fading. She was concerned. Everyone in school knew about Sana and Obaid. Sara knew it too. She went up to Obaid to ask about Sana. Bad idea?

"Where's Sana?" Sarah asked, to the point, with all the seriousness she could muster in her voice. Obaid was amused when the only niqabi in class approached him.

"Well, I don't know, but I do know one thing," he smirked as he observed Sarah. "That it's absolutely cute how you lack in your height," he confidently stated like that's the best pick up line he came up with.

"You should get your ears checked, no at this point it's your brain that needs medical assistance," Hasan entered the classroom, glaring at Obaid. "She asked you about Sana, if you don't know tell her that," he concluded.

"It's a problem in the brain if he can't process the question," Sarah added, shooting fire arrows at Obaid through her eyes. Obaid just scoffed at them and left the classroom.

Once Obaid is out of view, Hasan returned his attention to Sarah.

"She's in the staircase," Hasan told Sarah. Sarah nodded gratefully and headed over to the staircase where she was met with the painstaking sounds of a heartbroken soul. Sarah covered her mouth with her hand and climbed up the stairs slowly. When Sana heard footsteps in her direction, she immediately wiped away her tears and sat up straight, unaware of the tear marks on her cheeks and her wet eyelashes.

"Sana," Sarah's caring voice echoed in the staircase.

"Sarah," Sana stuttered. "You know... I told myself if I ever got the chance to talk to you alone, then I'd thank you immensely for writing that poem," she rambled.

"Sana, what poem are you talking about?" Sarah chuckled softly as she sat down next to Sana. Sana recited a cheesy poem:

'When I am 31,

I will be the one,

The best ever daughter

And I will spread the word of laughter'

Sarah blushed with embarrassment as Sana recited a poem Sarah wrote in her primary school days.

"Oh, my goodness, it's that poem I wrote five years ago!" Sarah cringed. Sana laughed.

"Yeah, the one on the teacher's announcement board," she added, only making Sarah redder like a tomato.

"Please, that was so cringe..." Sarah whined. Sana wrapped an arm around Sarah.

"But it kept me going," she smiled, with her puffy eyes. The sight of a broken Sana cracked up Sarah's heart. She didn't know what to say. "Sarah..." her tears rolled down. "Will I ever be forgiven...?" her tears gushed down her cheeks as she looked helplessly at Sarah.

"Say, 'O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.'" Sarah recited the Ayah 53 of Surah Zumar.

"Subhan Allah..." Sana let her tears flow as she enveloped Sarah in a hug. Sarah hugged her back and stayed there the entire break.

***

Hasan couldn't recognize Sana through her Niqab, but Sana could recognize him.

"We're also headed to the city, we could drop you off," Ibrahim offered, obliged to offer since there were no other cars available.

Sarah looked to Sana hoping for her to decide. Sana gets the hint and nods. "If it would not be a burden for you, then alright," Sana stated firmly. Sarah told Ibrahim the location and he checked if it was on the way.

"Don't worry, it's on the way," he announced the good news. Hasan and Ibrahim were in the front and Sarah and Sana took the passenger seats. The whole car ride was almost enveloped in the most suffocating silence till Hasan turned on the Quran radio. The beautiful recitation of the Quran eased the atmosphere.