CHAPTER Five: First Decision.

Ibrahim looked at me, "you are so beautiful" he said his voice filled with sincerity. My face broke into an unconscious smile, "Thank you" I replied. My reply was followed by deafening silence.

"Fatima" he called my name like he was testing a microphone, I could tell he was nervous too. I looked up at him and he said "I know all this is happening very fast and we barely know each other. But I think we can make it work, if you are willing, I promise to try my best to be a good choice" he assured every time he spoke I could feel his sincerity.

I smiled at his words, wondering if I was expected to say more. he didn't seem like much of a talker and I was feeling too awkward to say anything. The room was filled with silence until his younger sister Kareema rushed in.

"Can I have more cake, ya Ahmad wouldn't let me," she said holding my hand, she probably saw me as a hero, the defender of her junk-eating habit, and I took it proudly.

"Let's get you some cake," I said, she was just too adorable to say no to, "excuse me please" I said to Ibrahim who nodded with a smile.

Holding her hands, we walked past Ahmad "the cake villain" and Jidda.

Heading straight to the kitchen where I had hoarded some cupcakes for later. "here you go darling" I said to her, handing her a plate of 5 cupcakes. I gave her a stool to sit on using her as an excuse to stay longer in the kitchen. I didn't want to go back to the sitting room because it was too awkward.

"Fatima, they are leaving," I heard my sister say, just as Kareema was grubling down her last cupcake.

With the last piece of cupcake still in Kareema's hands, we walked out of the kitchen.

"well it is getting late, it's past Kareema's bedtime," Ahmad said. I guessed he was the super strict and boring older brother.

"Thank you for the cupcake," Kareema said, taking her last bite before letting go of my hand and moving towards Ahamd.

"You are welcome darling" I said, she was adorable and well-behaved.

"Let us escort you to your car, '' Umar offered as we all walked towards the door.

Ahmad, Kareema and Umar walked together exiting the house before everyone else. My sister and Jidda followed.

leaving me with Ibrahim. He moved closer to me, walking beside me, "can I get your number, please" he requested.

I would have assumed he already had it, but I figured it was his way of asking for my approval, I called it out to him, as he dialled into his phone.

"I hope to see you again, soon" he said as we both walked out of the house and towards their car where Kareema and Ahmad were already seated.

I nodded with a smile feeling awkward as they got into the car.

"That reminds me, I heard you are looking for a job," Ahmad said, peeping through the window. "Why don't you come by the office tomorrow?" he said to me. Handing me a card, I nodded collecting the card, "Thank you".

"So what do you think?" Ruqayyah asked. immediately they drove away. I didn't think anything.

"He is handsome. '' I replied the only thing I thought about him, but I was indifferent.

"Except, I don't think he likes me," I casually let out what I was thinking.

"What are you talking about, I am sure he does".

I wasn't sure he liked me, I felt he was indifferent about me too, he probably wanted to fulfil his father's dying wish.

I went back to my room, and Jidda followed. "O! My God! What a night." she asked jumping on my bed.

"I had the most interesting conversation with your brother-in-law Ahmad today," Jidda said.

"while you and Ibrahim were talking, he and I were talking too, he is so friendly and interesting to talk to," she said blushing as she spoke about Ahmad.

"So, You have a crush on my brother-in-law," I teased.

"I can help you, I could talk about you and see how he reacts" I said. if I was going to accept to marry Ibrahim having Jidda as s sister-in-law would be amazing.

"Hey, today is about you, not me" She changed the topic.

"tell me! what do you think about Ibrahim'

"I am indifferent, he is too quiet," I said shrugging the conversation off.

"Too quiet?" "Aren't you the one who always said you like quiet men?" Jidda said I had said a lot of things I probably didn't mean when I was heartbroken. I was the same time I said I wanted an arranged marriage, and now I was regretting it.

"do you like him though?" she persisted.

"I don't think so," I thought quietly to myself. I wasn't sure how I felt about him or the whole arranged marriage, I felt strange and indifferent.

"Don't you have a house to go back to?" I said to Jidda, changing the conversation as I looked at the time it was already past 10 p.m.

"I am exhausted, I need to sleep," I said to Jidda as I changed into my nightgown.

"We will continue this conversation tomorrow," Jidda said as I nodded. I didn't have the emotional or physical energy to answer more questions about Ibrahim.

I woke up in the middle of the night unable to sleep. I had a feeling everyone expected me to say yes. I wasn't even sure I had much of a choice, I was the one who always said I wanted an arranged marriage. But 10 days was too close.

"He doesn't seem so bad," I told myself, and Umar had sung praises of his family.

"Fatima you must have watched too many Movies" I berated myself for telling my sister I didn't mind an arranged marriage a long time ago, it seemed easy when I said it.

I pictured a fairy tale where I would meet someone of good character, a total stranger chosen for me and slowly falling in love with that total stranger.

A thousand thoughts filled my head, "How can I know if it's meant to be, why didn't I feel any spark".

I tried to imagine myself married to him but I just couldn't.

"I am going to leave it to Fate," I told myself just as my Alarm went off. I woke up to find that Jidda slept over, I was so tired I had probably slept off while she was still there.

I got up to say my morning prayer. Waking her up in the process, Jidda was a heavy sleeper. Waking her up was always a task.

I looked at her sleeping position and I couldn't help but laugh, she looked like she was fighting taekwondo in her sleep.

I quickly picked up my phone and took a picture of her before trying to wake her up even harder.

"Jidda if you don't wake up, I will send this image to Ahmad" I whispered to her ears and just like that she was up.

"I found her kryptonite," I thought, smiling as she sat up from the bed. Ahamd must have made an impression for her to still think about him in her subconscious.

Before now, nothing could wake Jidda up except a bowl of water.

Once I was sure Jidda was up, I went down to the kitchen. Ruqayya and I always made breakfast together.

I went down to find Ruqayya was already done, "good morning" I said to her as she set the table for breakfast, "good morning" she replied, "how was your night, did you have any special dream about a wedding" she asked.

"Noo, I slept throughout out" I lied sitting on the table.

"Good morning," Umar said, joining us at the table, "Good morning" I replied, as he moved a chair closer to his wife, they always ate from the same plate. It was something I admired.

"Fatima, what did you think about Ibrahim" Umar asked just as they were done eating.

"He is fine" I replied, watching Umar smile, "I would take this" Umar said offering to take the plate to the kitchen, I noticed him and his wife giving each other a signal and I knew they were about to ambush me.

"I would take the plate to the kitchen" I said, trying to escape the ambush as I picked up the plate, I wasn't done eating but I knew I needed to leave the table.

"Thank you, I will join you" my sister Ruqayya insisted. I knew their plan was to get Ruqayya to talk to me about it, but I wasn't ready to give an answer yet.

My mind raced as she followed me into the kitchen, placing the plates on the slab, I began to wash them. Ruqayya moved closer to me, rinsing the plates and drying them as I washed.

"You know everyone is waiting for your answer," she said. The pressure was too much, "their father doesn't have much time, Ibrahim's mother had already called Umar to hear what your answer is" Fatima said.

Despite the cool morning breeze, I could feel sweatbeats forming on my face.

Why was there so much pressure, why me? Did I put myself in this when I said I wanted an arranged marriage? Ten days was just too small a time to get married.

And on the other hand, these people mattered to Umar. they were good people from what I heard and Ibrahim is very attractive.

"Let me know what to tell them, Do you accept it or not?" My sister asked.