Falling For You

Chapter 12.

He was nervous.

He felt his stomach tying itself.

He felt butterflies exploding in his stomach.

He was scared.

He sat quietly at the far end of the third row of the mosque, watching Yassir as he was offering his Shuroq prayers. He was waiting till he finishes his prayer to approach him.

He had practised enough the night before, even practised at the bathroom as to what he will say to him but why was he scared now? Why was he nervous?

He watched Yassir give out his salam and raising his hands for supplication before slowly standing from where he was sitting to where Yassir was. He quietly sat next to him waiting for him to acknowledge him.

"Yes?" Yassir finally done with his du'a asked.

"Aaaa...mmmh..." he gulped. Why did his throat feel so heavy?

He grasped for air and took a long breath then finally found his voice back.

"My name is Khaleed Yunus." He introduced himself.

"Ok, and my name is Yassir." Yassir replied smilingly and Khaleed had to smile at his attempt  to lighten the mood which made it easier for Khaleed to say what he wanted to say for a long time now. Probably 5 months he was waiting for this moment.

"I want to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage." Khaleed finally said.

"Oh. Okay." Such a short reply from Yassir made Khaleed's heart beat rapidly. What did he mean by 'okay.'

Khaleed was saying some duas in his mind to make him calm but it wasn't helping at any point. Yassir's hanging answer made him question his ability as a man.

"Which one?" Yassir asked while looking at the man closely and his gaze was scrunitizing which made beads of sweet roll down Khaleed's forehead. For a funny and nice man like Yassir, he could be cold when he wanted to.

"The older one." Khaleed was aware that Yassir had two daughters and while both of them were pretty masha'Allah  he was more attracted to the older one since he couldnt have any relationship with Khawla since she was practically his sister's age.

"Whats your full name?" Yassir asked.

"Khaleed Yunus Adam."

"Are you a hafidh?" Yassir asked even though he knew the answer very well. He had known Khaleed since his teenage years. He was a well-mannered boy and highly respectful. Its just that he never got the chance to talk to him since he had shifted to boarding school in his high school and then to tahfidh. The last couple of months was hectic for Yassir to even look for him in the mosque.

"No." When he answered, Yassir couldnt be more shocked.

"The day I will acknowledge that am a hafidh is the day that i would be able to take my mother for Hajj when winning the competition."

Yassir couldn't help but smile. He was dutiful to his parents which mean he will take care of his daughter nicely.

"What do you do?" He knew the answer to this too but he wanted to just hear it from him.

"Am a neuro-surgeon." Yassir smiled at that.

"Come to my house tomorrow with your parents." Yassir said calmly with a smile, the coldness in him fading away.

Khaleed's face broke into tears.

Yassir brought him closer to his lap and let him cry while patting his back. He couldnt be more than happy to have finally found his daughter the right man and he was sure that Sumaiya will accept his choice.