6 months later...

Yumnah listened intently to her Ustadha as she spoke on the topic of a perfect marriage.She now understood that a marriage was based on patience and understanding.It was all about accepting each others flaws and learning to live with them.

It was when two imperfect people came together to create something perfect.That is what they called love,according to her Ustadha.

Love.

Her thoughts drifted to a certain someone and her cheeks immediately turned crimson.She wondered how he was fairing on.He was so far away from everyone.She secretly made dua for him everyday.She prayed to Allah to make him successful and to make things easy for him always.

Her mind quickly got clouded by his thoughts and she muttered a few "Astaghfirullahs".He already was embedded in her every thought and lowering her gaze had also become difficult whenever he was around.

She really needed to get a grip on her feelings.According to her Ustadha's previous teachings, she know that it was not wrong to have feelings for someone.What she did with those feelings is what mattered.She needed to keep things halal.

She sighed.Keeping things halal meant marriage and she knew that her parents would never agree.That is why she had not told anyone about her feelings.They would just pass it as infatuation.

But it wasnt infatuation for sure.She had been fond of him from a very young age.

Flashback.

The classroom was chaotic.It was the last period to home time and unfortunately the teacher had not shown up.The class full of 7 year olds had literally taken that be another "recess."

Papers were flying all over,some children were at the board drawing with the teacher's chalk while others were running all round the small classroom.

Little Yumnah sat quietly at her desk watching the other kids.She was one of those quiet students.Her gaze shifted once again to the new boy.He was once again,sitting all alone in the corner.And why were his eyes closed most of the time?

She opened her bag,removed a bar of chocolate and then headed towards him.Maybe they could become friends, if he was not weird.But, boys were always weird.

"Hi," she said as she sat on the desk beside him.

"Hello," he replied turning his head in the direction of her voice.

"Why are you always sitting alone?"

"Because its my first day and i havent made any friends yet," he replied.

"I can be your friend if you want."

He nodded a small smile on his face.

"Why are your eyes closed most of the time?Are you sleeping?" She innocently asked.She was one inquisitive child.

"No, i am blind."

Yumnah took a bite of her chocolate as she studied him.He had now opened his eyes but he kept moving them in all directions.

"Whats blind?"

He sighed.This girl asked too many questions.He just wanted to go home to his mother.He had hated his first day of school and now this girl with her never ending questions.He was getting irritated.

"I cant see."

Yumnah squinted her face.Was he lying?

"You cant see me right now?"

"Nope," he said popping the 'p' out loud.

"Wow that is so cool," she said placing a piece of chocolate in his palm.He immediately raised it to his mouth and took a bite.

"How did you know it was food?" she asked passing a hand infront of his face.

"I know the smell of chocolate,"he said.

She nodded and they both sat in silence munching on their chocolates.

"So, you really think me being blind is cool?"

"Totally.Its the coolest thing i have ever seen," she replied.

He laughed, happily eating his chocolate.

"What is your name?" she asked.

"Yasir.What about yours?"

Before she could reply the bell rang and there was quite a commotion as the children ran out.

Before she could tell him her name, an older boy whom she assumed was her brother, walked in and took him away.

She never saw him again since he got transferred to a school for children with special needs, the very next day.

***

Yasir sat in his hostel room reading a braille written book.He expertly passed his hands over the tiny bumps, his mind in complete overdrive.Books tended to spike his mind and he would travel through them to many different imaginary worlds.He had been learning braille for many years now and Alhamdullilah he was now quite a fluent braille reader.

His parents had done all that they could and had sent him to the best schools for children with special needs.He really could not thank them enough.He could now read different braille books,and reading had now become one of his favourite hobbies.

"Yasir would you like to go grab something to eat?I dont think i can stomach one more meal from the cafeteria today,"said Michael his roomate.

Yasir laughed.Micheal was always hungry.For the past six months that they had been together,Micheal had made him eat outside most of the time.Well, he couldnt blame him either.The cafeteria food was really horrible.

"Sure, let me just call our guide," said Yasir as he felt for the button near the wall.

The button would notify a guide who would then come and take them wherever they needed to go.

Half an hour later, they were both seated outside a restaurant listening to their guide read out the menu out for them.

"Il have the spaghetti and meatballs,pepper steak along with the fried rice and for dessert bring me two scoops of chocolate chip cookie icecream," said Michael.

Yasir couldnt help laughing.Michael's appetite always reminded him of Hisham.He couldnt wait for the day they would both meet.He was sure they would hit it off.They both literally went gaga over food.

"Sir, what would you like?"the waiter asked Yasir.

"Im kind of full, i think i will just have dessert.Please get me a plate of pineapple tart."

"Not tart again dude.Come on Yasir, if you have tart one more time i think im going to throw up.Whats with you and tart anyway?" asked Micheal.

"I really dont know.I had pineapple tart before i came here and since then ive been looking for tart that will match the one i had.Unfortunately none of them come even close to the one i had back at home," he replied.

It was true.His mouth would tend to water whenever he would think of that tart.MashAllah it was delicious.

His mother had promised to find out which auntie had brought the tart that day.Maybe then he could convince her to make him some more or betterstill she could share the recipe with his mother.

But if only Yasir knew that the tart had not been made by an auntie like he thought, but it had been made by a certain young maiden whose heart he already owned.

And that he could not only have pineapple tart but many other pineapple desserts for the rest of his life.

But only if he was ready to share his heart with her

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