The Other Side [complete]

Chapter Twelve

February 2nd 1989
'I secretly fell in love with her without knowing it. It gradually penetrated into my heart every day and night. Before I knew it I had given my heart to her since. I don't know when she got a hold of my heart. I've never had anyone possess my entire heart before. It seems like every corner and space has only room for her. I don't believe can ever see anyone else but her. The image of Gabriela Floats like a dream I yearn for in my heart. I have only her in every part of my heart when I hear the faint sounds of music I think of her and just the smell of her fragments thrills me. I don't know how she feel in her heart. I wonder does she feel the same as me? I really want to know because tomorrow if God wills I plan to ask her to marry me and spend our lives together...'
-Kareem Balasubramanian

That was beautiful but before I could continue to read more my phone rang interrupting me from my personal time while I was reading an old journal of Baba. I was at the part were he discover his feeling for my mom and she's the one he wants to marry. He wrote it down so beautifully that I was seriously tempted to ignore the call until I saw who it was from. It was from my uncle Bilal asking me to have dinner with him tonight. Which wouldn't seem so unusual but I'm out of money and he's the only person willing to give it to me that I wouldn't feel guilty in taking. Even considering I have two part time jobs Ami has become more demanding since Baba was hospitalized. I know that I haven't really been home much I've been mostly staying at Maria's house, but that doesn't mean I have cut ties with Ami and my sisters. I just can't do that Jair because of a little fallout we had. I don't even remember what it was over anymore. Being the oldest and the only source of income in the household now I have to make some sacrifices.

"So what are you plans now?" Chacha asked getting serious after joking around a bit
"Plans? What do you mean?" I encountered which was a stupid move considering I've been trying to avoid that question for a while now.
"What I mean is I want you to go with me when I leave in two months. I could get transfer Kareem to a hospital near by and you can visit him and also go to school. Considering your grades I'm sure you'll have no problem getting in."
"I don't want to leave here at the moment I wouldn't feel right if I do."
"What do you mean it wouldn't feel right? I know since Kareem was hospitalized you haven't been to that so called home if you leave I'm pretty sure she wouldn't even notice your gone."
"She will. Why do you always make her out to be the wicked witch of the west of something."
"I know I shouldn't considering she's my brother wife but she's the reason why I couldn't see you or him in a long time and now she's trying to take him further away from me and hurting you by claiming you and I can't visit him in the hospital."
"She can't do that can she?"
"No that's why I'm working on the papers with my lawyers to make sure she doesn't try anything. Don't worry you can visit him anytime you want.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The morning of my graduation I did last minute shopping for clothes with Maria since I got the money from my uncle last night. I grabbed the first good looking dress and matching shoes my size as well as a makeup kit paid and got out of the store with Maria who was protesting we still had time and she wanted to look at some other shoes. If you know Maria well you'd know she has an unusual affinity to buying shoes most of her closet is full of shoes sadly we aren't the same foot size. If we were like she and Isabel are I could have borrowed one of her amazing heals I knew would match the dress I just bought.
Harmony high school was the only public high school in this small town of ours were everyone knows everyone we only had forty graduates which is a school record.
"You look amazing." Emily
"Thank you. You too you look beautiful."
"Thanks Aziza."
"Aziza good luck on the speech." Jason encouraged "I just hope I don't choke."
"You'll do great don't worry about it." He assured as he took his place next to Maria. I did on her other side.
The whole gymnasium started blaring with music
Jason and Maria started marching in like literally marching in and everyone else followed their lead I knew right then and there it was Maria's doing Considering she was bumping her fist in the air along with the beat and the weird thing is that she still had her backpack only Allah knows what she has hidden in there.