3?". Her owner and friend- Jacob asked

She nodded smiling as she heads to the table where a small family was situated talking among themselves. She wears her best smile taking a deep breath to take their order which didn't last long.

"I don't want to give my order to terrorists". The woman screeched

Her heart clench.

It's every single day she had to either hear these words in news channel showing all of Muslims bad side or she had people coming at her telling her that her religion had been wrong.

Honestly, what she never understands is why do people need to come with their judgement to her?. Why not leave her or people like her alone?. Why always target Muslims?.

"I will send someone over to you then". She said keeping her professional attitude ready to walk away when Jacob stopped her

"No! You need to leave, Ma'am. We do not tolerate racist behaviour in our cafe". Jacob said firm

"Who do you think you are?". The woman screamed, "These people kill millions of people around the world and their religion is the reason we are all in trouble".

"You can believe what you want and continue your speech of hate outside the door of my cafe. I am the owner of this cafe and my number rule states that I don't take any such behaviour against my employees". Jacob said rushing her to leave

"Jacob". She said meekly not wanting his cafe to be in trouble

"Don't". Jacob said shaking his head as the woman walks away cursing

"I am sorry about my mother behaviour. She isn't mentally stable". Her son said guiltily as he walks away behind his mother

She sighs.

She knows Jacob will give her another lecture of how she needs to start defending herself however why does she have to do that?. Why does she have to prove to people?. She just wants to continue her journey instead of having explained to every person why Islam is not terrorism.

She sighs again.

"Tomorrow is your day back to university are you excited?". Avni asked who was cleaning the counter

"After a year break, I am nervous especially with all the changes". She said truthfully

"I thought we worked on how we don't give a damn about people because if you start giving a damn I sure will start taking everyone's opinion on my skin colour too. We had a deal, Isra". Avni said rolling her eyes at her friend worries

She cracks a smile hugging her from behind, "You are beautiful. And people really do ignore real beauty I am telling you".

"They do, don't they?". Avni said grinning

"Yes, they do".

After finishing her work she is always the one who shuts the shop down because she lives in the cafe top floor where Jacob had made her a small room. She was glad Jacob never left her side as everyone else did. She sits on the chair changing the closed sign as she reads one of the books given to her by one of the Muslim girl in the mosque to understand what she couldn't.

Isra Noah is a revert Muslim.

That says it all. She has reverted a little over a year then she took a break from her university when she was going to start second year because she needed to handle the change, understand it, embrace and more. Her parents always supported her so having them leaving was absolutely hard.

She took her Shahada at the end of year one at her university after her final exams and by the year two started she was on break so while everyone managed to be ahead of her about one year she had to be behind them but that doesn't mean much to her. A year gap doesn't bother her now that her whole existence had taken a turn around. She needed that time to learn and be able to do what's right.

She continued to read the book feeling slightly cold even though the heater was on, the cold weather outside was no joke. It was freezing as the night gets darker.

She heard a loud banging outside the door making her startle as she wonders if it's the robber. She knows it was foolish to look at the person as she did she found a boy her age freezing in the weather. She also knows it was equally foolish to invite him in but she couldn't bear the thought of someone asking her for help and she didn't. It's been same ever since she was born she cannot say no to anyone because when she does try she feel guilty.

"I-I-Help". The boy said helplessly

She made him sit on the couch running to her room to bring him a comforter and one of her oversized sweaters to change into since his clothes pretty much wouldn't provide any heat.

"Can you please try and change in the bathroom?. I have warmed the water so it will help a little then you can have something warm to drink". She said softly looking down at the floor

"O-Ok". He said as his teeth chattered from the cold

She helped him feel like she shouldn't because touching him was a no-no. However, she needs to help him before he really dies from this cold. She leaves him in the bathroom running back to the kitchen to warm some coffee. As the coffee starts to grind she loves the texture of smoothness and the aroma that always fills the cafe. She lost herself in creating a large cup of coffee swaying in the feeling of it.

She heard a throat clearing when she was finishing the coffee making her jolt as she turns around to find him standing there in her sweater.

She blushes, "I am sorry. Please sit down on the couch and use the duvet to warm yourself. I will bring your coffee in a moment".

He nodded looking pale as he takes the seat back on the couch. She holds the coffee bringing it back to him as he starts to drink it while she sits with her book in her hands. She feels itchy from the scarf on her head even after a year she didn't master the skill of it. She had been wearing it for hours which add to her wanting to free her hair because they have been locked for so long, alone in her room.

"Thank you". She heard his soft voice as she looks at him

"You're welcome. Are you feeling better?".

"Yes. I am sorry I startled you that way". He said looking at the coffee cup which she had designed beautifully

She gasps as she looks at his clutches bleeding from wounds.

"You are bleeding". She said wide eyes

He chuckles, "It's nothing. Don't worry. I am better now I should leave".

"Oh, ok".

She was relieved when he walked out and she immediately locked the door closing the eyes running to the safety of her room. Even though he hadn't shown any signs of harm she cannot rest her mind with cases coming every single day.

The next day after praying morning prayer she went down to bake the few things that will sell throughout the day. She can easily make batches of food by herself and she never truly thought she could do anything all alone yet here she was.

After she was done she looked at the time and it was 6 which means Jacob and the barista will be coming in half hours. She went back showering and changing into a new set of clothes wrapping her scarf around herself.

She heard the same loud sounds knowing they are here and she went down when they shouted.

"Happy first day!".

She burst into laughter looking at them holding her favourite cake with a huge grin on their faces. She thanks them cutting the cake as she quickly finishes it with their wishes and some from Avni she heads to the nearest bus station. She looks at her phone where she had downloaded a few things that interest us.

As she reads them she heard the bus stopping and immediately she went inside. With some people giving her disgusting looks she decided it was best to simply stand instead of having to sit with anyone who will mortify her further and she didn't want to ruin her day just yet.

That's not the plan for everyone because as she stands she feels someone brushing their hand on her bottom feeling her and the way her heart sour at how easy it was for people to harass women and then went on as if nothing had happened. So, she did what she had to, she turns around slapping him hard on his face asking the bus driver to stop the bus.

"I am sorry for making the bus stop but this man is harassing me and I don't think he deserves to be here with us".

Thankfully few people who witness it sided with her and the man was thrown out. Then, the ride remains silent as she hummed one of the surah (chapter) she recently learned.

She finally exits to her stop which was five minutes walk from her campus. Her hands start to sweat as her heart shakes in fear of what she will face there. There are many people she knows here as she was a social butterfly to say at least. Her past wasn't cleaned at all and she is bad with bullying. That was the reason she went into a crowd she shouldn't have.

"Ehtisham". He heard his friend Rizwan saying as soon as he enters inside, "You look bad".

"Thanks. I feel so much better". He replied rolling his eyes as Rizwan laughs

"That's not what I mean but you do need to stop with all of this". Rizwan said worriedly, "What exactly happened?".

"Same old shit".

That's when he heard whisper around him, now, he heard whisper almost every single day because gossips are what this place actually lives on. However, today the whisper was loud and annoying. He turns to snap at someone who was continuously talking without a pause when his eyes fell on a woman walking down the path as everyone create for her.

To be very specific the woman who saved him last night.

His eyes widen as he looks at her passing by him with her friend who was rambling with her and she seems to reciprocate it. She was wearing a dark blue long skirt with a beautiful white shirt which has a design on it and her head wrapped securely in a royal blue hijab. All in all, she looks absolutely eminent of beauty. If beautiful was a pure, soft and gentle word to describe her then that would be perfect for her.

"Do you remember her?". Rizwan said and he shakes his head frowning

"She was Wali's girlfriend in the first year and then she just vanished at the end of the year. I don't know what happened but from the rumour which is not 100 per cent true she reverts to Islam". Rizwan explained

He nodded not wanting to ask more to look curious but hope that none of the nonsense happens to her. She had saved his life when he was literally rejected from ten other places. No one wanted an almost dead man to help him. He least expected a cafe with closed sign and lights on to help him. He was ready to give up right outside when the door opened. He remembers little about the start because it was all hazy. He knows she was talking but he was simply nodding and trying to understand and reply.

But when she had touched him which he never liked people doing because of some experiences in the past he had not hated it instead his body welcomed it. He does remember the time after that shower and the way her oversized felt and smell. He had smelled her soft scent a little too much until he realised he was being a freak and might as well have her murder him after merely helping him if she saw what he was doing. He went back to where he heard the sound and the delicious smell of coffee entering his senses. He had never had coffee in his life if anything he thought he was a tea person but when he saw the look of pure delight on her face as she delicate works her way on the coffee maybe he just might start having coffee. The faint blush when she was caught in her daze was something so innocent that his heartfelt something happening, something he would not acknowledge.

He wanted to leave immediately because she looked scared even though he wasn't in any state to harm her. But, he knows her fear was genuine because the society we have created everyone is scared of everything.

The time he sat on that couch, with her sweater, duvet and amazing coffee in pure silence watching her intently who seems in her own word of reading. The peace on her face was not what everyone in this world could have and was something he had been trying to find.

He felt like she wanted to tend to his wound but she was afraid out of wits to do so and he didn't want her to be that way so he simply left. He knows now he owns his life to her and little did she knows how much impact she had on him.

Her day was worse.

She hadn't had a confrontation with anyone but the voice around her was killing her.

"She must be acting".

"Is her sin now forgiven?".

"She must be a terrorist now".

The list went on and on but her friend (Wafra) managed to keep her on track with her loud talks. She was grateful she had her at least but at some points, she doesn't since she has different classes. She sits in the library enjoying the silence as she reads her book.

Her thoughts were frenzy by how easily people can be judgemental and pass comments without any care. If you simply don't understand or like something there is absolutely no need to voice that out especially to a stranger. Being in a family is a different thing or when you are being oppressed but hitting someone emotionally or something they are working hard on is not ok.

She tugged on her scarf unconsciously feeling the safety of it. She had never imagined herself in such a beautiful piece of cloth but now that she has it over her head it will either she dies with it on then remove it for anyone or anything.

Fears are real.

Every day there are cases of molestation, harassment and murder on women for their scarf (even without it) which only determine her to die in that state to prove that those few people who felt in power by doing the wrong that they never were able to break her faith down.

The faith in her heart is stronger.

People words are worse in every situation but she learned that the people who didn't leave Prophets out of it means they will never stop even if their words made someone take their life.

They simply are weak themselves so they feel good by targeting someone who is trying to be strong.

They have fun in their breakdown so why give the satisfaction?.

Of course, breakdown, everyone have. But, what matter is after that moment of breakdown what one makes of it. Because life is long and there are tests how many will one pass?.

As she reads the book line over and over again trying to understand it her mind is everywhere today.

"Ah, Scarlett or should I say Isra now?". She heard his voice that had her heart stopped

"Wali".