Shay hauled her legs up and perched it on top of Abdul’s thighs. She took off the skirt that she was wearing and only had her blue panties on, along with a white beater tank top.
She took a long drag of the blunt than handed it to DuLi. They were both seated at the back seat of Shay’s Pink Mustang. DuLi gently took the blunt and held it up to his mouth, he took two quick drags then passed it back to Shay.
“Shay, why don’t you want to get married with me?” DuLi asked.
Shay turned her head and shook it from side to side.
“Abdul... That’s not me.” Shay replied as she took a drag.
“What you mean ‘that’s not me?’”
“Marriage will be splendid. We can move away, buy a house, start a family... all that!” Abdul said enthusiastically.
“Yeah but... I don’t want it.” Shay said as she blew smoke from out her nose.
“What do you want then?” Abdul asked.
“I want...”
“You.”
“Well you can have me Shay. Just marry me and...”
“I don’t want that Abdul. I wanna be in a relationship with you and I want everyone to know that we’re together.” Shay said as she kept her head turned.
“Fine. Everybody will know and we can be in a relationship, just marry me.” Abdul said.
Shay shook her head from side to side subtly.
Abdul stared at Shay for a few seconds.
“You don’t... Want me?” Abdul asked her and blinked.
Shay chuckled. “Of course I do boy. I just...”
“You just what?” Abdul asked.
Shay shook her head again to brush off the thought, then she took a slow drag.
“Nothing...” She said and passed the blunt to Abdul.
Just forget about it.” She added.
They both sat there in the backseat for about a half hour more in silence while smoking the blunt. Abdul looked at Shay carefully, he stared at her. Her eyes, her long golden blonde hair, her dark coffee skin complexion, her countenance.
“Shay, you’re so beautiful. Our daughter will...
“OMG!” Shay covered her face and said.
“Please stop!”
“I hate that word!”
“Why do you hate it?”
“Because... My mother and every woman that I know treats their daughters like... like...” She then covered her face in between her legs.
Abdul didn’t know what to say, he just stared at her for a few seconds without saying anything.
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean that you will be like that. You’re different.
Shay scoffed and smiled. “What makes you so sure?” She asked.
“Because... I know you.”
“Is that right?”
“Yes.”
“What do you know about me boy?” Shay asked Abdul.
He paused and began to think for a minute.
“I know... That you are the most beautiful girl in the world and that you have the prettiest eyes.” Abdul said.
Shay looked at Abdul and smiled. Her heart was fluttered by Abdul’s words.
“Mhmm. What else do you know about me Abdul?” She asked.
Abdul thought for a moment.
“I know...Uh...” He began to say.
“See you don’t even know me boy. How you gonna marry somebody that you don’t know a damn thing about?” Shay asked DuLi.
“Once we’re married I can get to know more about you. The point is that we have to get married Shay, it’s very crucial.”
Shay sighed then flailed her hair with her hand.
“I just wanna live life Abdul.”
“There’s no better life than what Allah has prescribed.” Abdul said.
Shay rolled her eyes then turned her head to the side.
“Yeah Abdul, but don’t you just wanna like... Have fun?”
Abdul moved up closer to Shay at the backseat of the car. He placed his hands on her kneecaps and squeezed.
“That’s what I’m saying Shay! We can have fun if we’re married.” Abdul said enthusiastically.
They stared at each other for a few seconds and did not say anything.
“You not with it?” Said Abdul.
He was asking Shay if she was willing to do it or not.
As Abdul looked in Shay’s eyes, for a second he saw a twinkle and thought that she was going to say yes. Then she turned her head around and looked the other way.
“Not... Really...” Shay said.
Abdul’s jaw slowly dropped. Shay was turning him down. He wanted to marry her, but she didn’t want him. Abdul was heartbroken. He wanted to cry, he wanted to ask her why, he just wanted to...
He laid back on the chair and took one more toke of the blunt. Then he passed the blunt to her.
Shay slowly took it, she saw the disappointed look on Abdul’s face, she felt bad. She didn’t want to hurt Abdul, she just didn’t want what he wanted.
“Do you wanna get a hoagie?” She asked.
Abdul continued to look straightforward and didn’t say nothing. After a couple seconds he turned his head back around to her.
“Yeah. Come on, let’s go.” He said.
He shuffled on the backseat and opened the passenger door and stepped out. Then he opened the front side door of the car and crept in, Shay was already at the driver seat. The car was off, she had her hands on the wheel and her head was turned looking at Abdul. He had a despondent look on his face, his head was down with his eyes closed.
“So...” Shay slowly said.
DuLi still kept his head bowed.
“Please take me home.” Abdul said.
“I thought we was getting a hoagie?” Said Shay.
Abdul lifted his head up and turned to face Shay. His eyes were partly red but no tears were falling out.
“I have to go home and pray Dhuhr” Abdul said.
“Oh, okay. Are we still gonna take the pictures?” Shay asked.
“What pictures?” DuLi asked.
“For Facebook, and to put on my phone.” Shay replied.
“Oh. Yes. If that’s what you want.”
Shay gave a huge smile and her face lit up.
“Omg yes!” Shay said then turned on the car and put it on reverse.
“First we gon go to the mall and...” She began to say.
Abdul placed his hand on her lap and looked her in the eyes.
“Please take me home first Shay. I have to shower and pray.”
“Can’t you do that later?”
“No. There are set fixed times to pray.” Abdul said.
Shay blew up her cheeks and slapped the steering wheel with both her hands.
“Omg! Ugghhh!” She said.
“Just call me later on today.” Abdul said.
“You not coming back to school?” Shay asked.
“No. I have to go to the Masjid.”
“But today’s not Friday.” Shay exclaimed.
“I know.” Replied Abdul.
Shay stared at him for a few seconds.