Chapter 1
Jenn's POV
It was an early, cold morning when my alarm rang loudly. I wanted to shut it off immediately but couldn't find it with my eyes still closed. After fumbling around blindly, I finally managed to turn it off. I got up and pulled open the black curtains of my large glass window, revealing a beautiful mountain view. I yawned a few times while scratching my head. The cold air hit me instantly, and I dashed to the bathroom to freshen up.
My bathroom was small but cozy. It had a beautiful full-sized mirror close to the entrance and two lovely flower pots on either side. On the opposite end was a glass wall for the shower. I quickly freshened up, washed my hands, picked up my toothbrush, and just as I was about to brush my teeth, I heard my phone ringing.
I placed the toothbrush on the corner of the washbasin and hurried out. I picked up my phone and saw my best friend Jas's name flashing on the screen. Jas had been my childhood BFF—we went to the same school, were the same age, studied the same subjects in high school, and with time, our bond had only grown stronger. In short, she was my soul sister from another mother.
I answered the call, and a loud scream almost deafened me.
"Jennyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!"
"Yes, Jas? Tell me!" I replied, half asleep.
"Guess who's in our city?" she asked, her voice full of excitement.
It took me a second to guess, but I blurted out, "Shaina?"
Shaina was our other friend. We weren't as close, but after Jas, she was the only other girl I liked.
Jas gave me a cold reaction—she was never really fond of Shaina.
She sighed. "No."
"Then who?" I asked curiously.
"Ayerannnnnnnnnn!" she shouted excitedly.
"Wait, what?!?!" I froze. My heart started beating so fast I thought it might explode.
"Ayeran? You mean my Ayeran?!"
She chuckled softly. "Yes."
I almost screamed from excitement. This was the best news of the year.
Ayeran had been my forever crush since school. He was a senior, five years older than me, and totally my type. His pretty eyes, long lashes, tall 6'1" frame (compared to my 5-foot height), and that deep, intense voice—ugh, he was everything. Every time he spoke, my heart skipped a beat.
After high school, he moved abroad for higher studies and only visited during short vacations.
"Jenn, are you still there?" I heard Jas say.
"Yes! I'm here," I replied, still dazed. "Is he back just for a vacation?"
"Nope," she said. "He's back for good. He finished his studies. I'm not sure what he's planning next, but for now, he's here."
I was so happy I flopped on my bed and rolled around like a bear.
"Jas, I love you! Thank you for this amazing news!" I squealed.
"You're welcome, my honeycupcake," she said, using one of her ultra-cringe nicknames for me.
"Let me call you back. I have to go for my morning walk," she added.
I nodded, and we hung up.
My mind immediately drifted to school days—those times when I used to die just for one glance from Ayeran. Then I remembered how I used to look back then. Ugh! Like a boy who'd never gotten her eyebrows or upper lip done. A complete tomboy. No guy ever looked at me. Of course, Ayeran never noticed me. I was just a kid to him. Plus, he wasn't into girls much. He was the come-study-play-basketball-and-leave kind of guy. Reserved, focused—and somehow still the most popular boy among the girls.
I was so deep in thought that I almost forgot why I woke up so early. Namaz!
I was a hardcore believer. I truly believed that all my problems could be solved through prayers. And honestly, they always were. Whenever something troubled me, I'd sit on my prayer mat and talk to Allah.
I rushed to the bathroom, did my wudu, then opened my closet. I had a little Pinterest-inspired prayer section, with a cute janamaz (prayer mat) that had my name—Jannat—embroidered on it.
Yes, Jannat is my real name, but people call me all sorts of nicknames—J, Jenny, Jenn—but the most common one is Jennn.
I finished my prayer, rolled up my mat, and placed it back in the closet. My closet was pretty big—big enough for four people's clothes. It looked like a full-sized mirror from the outside, but inside, it had walls, shelves, and decorative lights in the corners. I loved the cozy feel when I opened it.
My bed was right next to it—round-shaped, full of soft pillows and a mattress that felt softer than stuffed toys. Then there was my makeup table, the cutest part of my room. It had a medium-sized mirror with bulbs around it and three drawers where I stored all my makeup and essentials.
I was about to doze off again when I remembered—Ayeran!
Oh Lord, I was obsessed with that guy.
Anyway, I pulled the blanket over myself and went back to sleep.
A few hours later, I heard my mom calling me from the kitchen. I ignored her. Twenty minutes later, she was standing over my head… holding a spatula.
I jumped. "I'm up, Mumma! Don't beat me with that!"
She chuckled. "I'm not here to beat you, Jenn."
"Then can I go back to sleep?" I grinned, showing her all 32 teeth.
"No!" she said sternly. "Get up, shower, eat something, and get ready."
"Ready? Ready for what? It's Sunday!" I groaned.
"We're meeting a family," she said.
"Meeting a family? Why?"
"Because I want you to get engaged now. And married soon after."
"Wait, what?! Married?! Mumma, I'm just 26! I can't even take care of myself—how am I supposed to take care of a whole family?" I said, overwhelmed.
"Stop with the emotional drama," she replied. "You're smart enough to get married, and this is the right age. I'm not listening to any nonsense. We're leaving at 12:30."
And she walked out.
What the hell was happening?
I had just received the best news ever about Ayeran, and now my mom wanted to fix my marriage?
I grabbed my phone and called Jas.
She picked up in two seconds. "Let me guess," she said, without even a hello. "You want to stalk Ayeran secretly."
"Well, that was my plan," I said sadly. "But now my mom has other plans."
"What plans?" she asked, curious.
"She wants me to meet a guy's family today. And if things go well, she might fix my marriage."
"What?! Marriage?! Jenn, are you serious?"
"Yes, Jas! Why would I joke about something so serious?" I said, frustrated. "Let me call you back, I need to get ready."
I hung up and sat there holding my head.
What if everything does go right? What if my mom does fix my marriage?
ALLAH MIYA, help me—I whispered like He was my closest friend.