"They told me to follow my dreams; so I went back to sleep." - Anonymous

Chapter 3 - I hate Mondays.

I woke up the next morning and groaned in agitation. It was like my body automatically recognised that it was a Monday.

Mondays make me want to strap myself to a bull that has ADHD. 

I yawned loudly as I emerged from the warm confines of my bed and headed straight to bathroom.

You know how there are some people who wake up and have a shower? Can I just say, no. What are you doing with your life? I mean I can't even form a coherent sentence in the morning and these people have the energy to shower? Unless you sleepwalked outside and rolled around in the mud or I don't know, miraculously went for a jog there is absolutely no need to shower in the morning. Unless you didn't shower the day before well then you're just dirty and I have nothing else to say to you. 

Clearly, anything that required effort and movement in the morning was a big no in my books.

I stood in front of the mirror analysing myself. I wouldn't call myself extraordinarily beautiful but I did have some good features. Even then, most days I would wake up looking like I had just been run over by a truck. 

I always believed however, that one had to compliment themselves, not out of narcissism, but to keep their mind healthy and positive about themselves.

I had very long, curly black hair which reached past my bottom. It was quite thick too and sometimes gave me a headache, what with being held up by my hijab majority of the time. I had chocolate brown eyes, protected by thick black eyelashes. Although I had tanned skin, the small amount of freckles that were sprawled over my nose and a bit of my cheeks, were still apparent. 

I guess with my tan skin and brown eyes, I looked like your typical Mediterranean Arab. 

After I finished getting dressed, I trailed down the stairs and straight into the kitchen. If I didn't eat breakfast every morning I'd get a headache and well...let's just say you want to be at least  a kilometre out of my vicinity once that headache starts pounding. 

I uttered a dull good morning and received no replies. When I looked up, it was no surprise why. 

As usual, it was chaos in the house.

Nadia and Rida were screaming over who would get the remaining two pieces of multigrain bread for their sandwich and Deana was secretly eating chocolate for breakfast in the corner, so mum couldn't see her. Poor mum was trying to feed a crying Adam who just wouldn't budge. 

Then there was my dad and Noah who were arguing over money.

"Dad please just take it."

"Noah you worked hard for this money. I have no need or want for it."

"But I want to give it to you. It'll give me peace of mind. Please?" I watched as my father's stern face slowly softened, until finally he smiled, causing the wrinkles to appear at the corner of his eyes.

"Ok son, only because you're so adamant. Muna when did our son become so demanding?" 

My mother, who was holding Adam, looked above his head and smiled. "When he became handsome and responsible." My father patted his shoulder approvingly and my mother came over and kissed the side of his head. 

"We're proud of you son."

Even though Noah was wearing a modest smile, I knew those words meant tons to him. Noah scored a job at the beginning of the year, working in the spare time he gets at our university in administration. Although it's not really his thing, the declining rate of jobs in Gaza has sort of forced him to settle. Many Palestinian businesses have been shut down or demolished a long time ago. 

Our family is well off, Alhamdulillah, but every time Noah gets paid he feels a responsibility to give some portion of it to my parents. When Nadia asked him why he did that he said, 'isn't it about time we start repaying them for all they've done'. 

But of course we could never repay our parents for everything they've given us and all the hardships they've suffered for us. But the least we could do was help them out. One point my father endeavoured to stress as we grew older and has still stuck with me until now was that many verses in the Qur'an stressed obedience to parents, directly after Allah ordered us to obey Him. If that doesn't scream out how much value and respect our parents deserve, well then I don't know what will. 

I respected Noah more than I'd like to admit. Sure he's annoying sometimes, to the point where you want to jump off a cliff but he's got faith and softness in his heart. And I guess in a world filled with greed and corruption, they were two of the most crucial characteristics to have.

 ****

After screaming out a goodbye to my family, I headed outside, ready to walk to uni. As per usual, Zach was leaning against a pole waiting for me. I swear that boy had patience, Allah knows how long he stands there waiting for me every morning. 

"Hi. Salam."

"Wasalams. I'm in for a moody Yasmine this morning aren't I?" I could only glare at his toothy grin. His black hair was falling, just a little at the top of his forehead and I had the violent urge to brush it back. 

"Hey I know it's Monday but at least we have our History lecture first thing." As soon as he mentioned that, there was a full-blown smile on my face. "There we go. I think I see a little spring in your step now." 

I chuckled under my breath.

"What do you think our topic is today?" I asked.

If you saw me now, my eyes were most likely gleaming with excitement. I study psychology at uni, but also take history as a major because the love for it is just embedded in my heart. It was my favourite subject in school and I could never quite let it go. The fact that my lecture was first thing this morning, made my Monday just a little better.

Although Zach studies business management, he also takes History as an added elective. Hence our being in the same class.

He merely shrugged in response and after that, the walk to uni was fairly silent.

Zach was unusual in that regard. He turns on and off, depending on the situation and his mood. With others he was usually a quiet person and some people would mistake his personality for rudeness, although it was far from that. There were a few people who he was more open towards, with me though, I'd have to say the most.

It was in his nature to be quiet but I also know Zach has natural problems opening up. He's not what you'd call bubbly, but he had many friends at uni and everyone loved him, even if they had only spoken a few words to him. 

When I was eleven and had first met him he used to express himself in weird ways.

For my eleventh birthday he had given me a soccer ball. I didn't play soccer and it was just the most random gift anyone had ever given me. I had laughed, smiled and asked him why a soccer ball? All he said was 'believe me you'll need it one day'. 

At fourteen, I had pulled it out of my closet and when Zach had seen it he said, 'hey you haven't used that yet!' I asked him what I would use it for and he said 'throwing it at me of course.'

See he was also amazing like that. Not only did he know that there would be times where he would irk me to the extent that I'd want to rearrange his face but also like he foresaw, that me and him would become best friends for years.

I turned to look at him, and was surprised to find he was already looking at me. 

"What are you thinking about?" 

"Why do you always like to know what's in my head Zuzu?" His eyes widened slightly and his cheeks began to tinge with red.

"Don't call me that," he said, gritting his teeth.

"Or what?" I retorted, smiling smugly. 

Hey, I had to make my day fun somehow!

"Yasmine."

"Yes Zuzu?" I could see him clenching his fists now. He looked really good today, I had to admit. He was wearing dark denim jeans, not too baggy not too tight, with white chucks and a black t-shirt.

Then again, he always looks good doesn't he?

"If I could touch you, I'd lift you in the air and shake you violently for five minutes straight."

Now you're probably thinking what kind of a threat is that? Well, I've got severe motion sickness so the jerk played his card well.

I just laughed and left the poor guy alone.

When we arrived, we walked straight into our lecture hall and sat down. I was pulling out my laptop when I was suddenly squeezed to death from my left side. 

"Yasmine! I've missed you. Gosh what has it been, like two days?" 

I calmed my racing heart at the sound of Salma's voice. She was an overly bubbly and chirpy person and although I found her annoying when I first met her, I slowly grew to love her personality. She had such a genuine and soft heart. 

I could even tolerate her giggles on a Monday morning! 

"Yes Salma, only forty-eight hours. But I'm touched," I joked, smiling and hugging her back. She greeted Zach and we relaxed back as our lecture began.  

After that, the day went by in a blur and when I got home, all I wanted to do was take a solid nap. Zach came home with me and as soon as we entered the living room, we crashed onto the couch. 

I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. "I really hate Mondays Zach." 

"I know you do Yasmine. Want some ice cream?" 

I smiled and kept my eyes close. "Yes please."

Nadia and Rida had come downstairs and joined me in the living room. They greeted me and then continued their blabbering about some girl in their school. 

Were they ever not gossiping?

Zach walked back in with two bowls in his hand and as soon as Nadia saw him she stopped talking and her cheeks immediately turned bright red. I tried to hide my teasing smile. Ever since she first laid eyes on Zach she's had the biggest crush on him. Zach knew about it and sometimes embarrassed her on purpose but he knew his limits.

"Hey girls. How are we today?"

Nadia whispered an 'Alhamdulillah' and Rida beamed and began telling him about the same girl in school. I was pretty sure that Zach's care factor was zero percent, but he nodded along and pretended to be interested for her sake.

I finished off my ice cream and at one point, I drifted off to sleep. When I woke up Zach was asleep as well on the opposite couch. I woke him up and he went home bleary eyed. I sighed and walked upstairs to get some work done.

Mondays. Alhamdulillah it was nearly over.

****

Definitions:

Fajr: One of the 5 daily prayers for Muslims

MashAllah: translates into 'What Allah has willed'

Hijab: Scarf/Veil worn around the head

Sabah Elkheir: Good Morning

Alhamdulillah: 'Praise to God'

Iman: Faith/belief