Hi. I am Yassin. 20 years of age. Yassin is just pseudonym by the way.

This story is about me marrying a kid! Ok. Let's start now?

°°°

I really hated fixed marriages but unfortunately, it's in our family's tradition to be married at a young age.

So there's no escape for me.

The fact that I was college student who was about to graduate that year and was still single makes me really grateful.

I was so grateful that I didn't even imagine that the day where my worst nightmare will come true, or so that's how I thought.

The college I was studying in was an out of town university, so I was faraway from home.

One day, my grandfather called. He told me to go home. I can't say no to him.

No one in the family can say no to this respected old man.

He's very respected elder, and no one dares to rebel yet and say no.

Right after the day he called me, I went home- sacrificing my attendance in college. That will be a lot of absences.

Anyway, that's how respected grandfather is.

***

It has been two days since I got home but grandfather isn't saying anything yet.

It was making me anxious.

While waiting for the reason why I got called home, out of the blue, grandfather's silence felt like a calm before a storm.

I don't know what will he say but all I know was I was anxious at the moment. I can't stay still.

Wew,

But right now, I'm sitting in front of him.

I feel like he'll say something that will terrify me.

And then, right there, he finally said something. Something that felt like the sky felt down the earth, on my shoulders.

"You will get married." Grandfather said in Maranao dialect.

I didn't fully grasp what he just said, because I was not fluent in the Maranao dialect at that time.

I was kind of confused and at the same time I kind of have an idea but..

"Yassin, you will get married. You are in the golden age to be married now." Grandfather said in the Tagalog dialect again, the dialect I'm used to.

I was so surprised but more than being surprised, I was more shocked to have finally understood and learned what he meant.

I wasn't able to say anything. I can't say anything to him.

I was intimidated. I was feeling mixed emotions inside and I was more on the part that I can't accept what he just said.

That was it.

I felt like the Sky was in my shoulders.

***

Days have passed by and I was still shouldering the worry that grandfather gave me.

And it even looked like more storms were coming in to ruin my life even more because the worst news came to shock people.

Breaking News: The girl turned out to be 14 years old.

Yes. No other than my future bride.

She's freaking 14 years old, a kid.

Allaahu Akbar!?

I didn't know what to feel.

I didn't even know what to do.

If I can't accept the fact that I was being forced upon getting married at this age, what more if my bride-to-be was 14 years old?

What more if she was a kid?

A kid, 6 years age gap?!

Please, tell me this is just a dream.

I just had the mental breakdown of my life.

***

Things keeps on happening, events by events and our wedding day was approaching.

The more we get nearer to the wedding day, the more I get confused.

She was a kid, and I was 20.

So I was forced to talk to grandfather.

"Grandfather I won't marry that kid.."

Even though it was already terrifying to complain after they've already decided, I had to. I have to say it and show them what I really feel about this.

Like fight for myself.

But.. dang!

"And who are you going to marry Yassin?!

Take me to her!

Is there someone out there Yassin?!

Do you have a girlfriend?!

If you wanna marry your girlfriend then okay,

marry her!

But if you have no girlfriend then you have no choice." said grandfather.

I was lost in the battle, again.

I have nothing to reply with, since I don't really have a girlfriend either.

I had no choice.

Lack of evidence and everything.

***

Days went by and it was the day.

The wedding day.

But also the day I'll be able to see the bride for the first time.

We didn't have the wedding in a function hall, instead we held the wedding ceremony in a house instead.

I heard it's her choice so we kinda obliged.

But I admit I was curious to see her.

Of how she looks.

Of course who wouldn't be curious, at least, right?

Let's fast forward.

Okay, wedding ceremony ritual was done.. and Alhamdu li'llaah, I have said the oath smoothly,

"Yes, I have accepted Hana as my wife.."*

That's only a teaser guys. It will take time if we talk about the wedding stuffs.

After that, I went to the room where Hana was hiding* right now, to claim her as my... wife.

[T/N: Unfortunately Yassin didn't wrote about how he felt while on the way to where Hana was..]

Finally, I got to her, to where she was.

My bride.

It was the first I've seen her.

She was wearing a dress, but not a gown. It's a very simple one.

She was wearing a baby powder, it was obvious she didn't put on any make up.

And on her lips is just a light shade of pink.

As I was looking at her, it hit me that I really noticed huh?

Going on.

Oh, she has a fair skin huh?

As I got into her eyes, I noticed she looked so sad, and has puffed eyes.

Obviously she cried.

She cried.

When I reached to where she was sitting, I got startled, I didn't know what to do, or how to claim her as my wife so I just offered her my hand and she answered as she claimed my hand too.

And then right after she accepted my hand, like how a drama ends, our lives as a single persons closed its chapter and opened a new page for us.

Like how everyone enjoy that feeling when their favorite movie ends the way it should was the way the people were enjoying and celebrating the joining of two souls together by the Will of Allaah.

Everyone was so happy and was having the time of their lives for 'our' sake.

Except me- the groom and the... kid.