A Heartfelt Apology

I want to tell you about a girl who loves a man. He means the world to her. He consumes every single corner of her mind, and even more so, in her heart. His place is not meant to be in her heart and yet she placed him there. She placed him in the void that is suppose to be filled with her love for Allah. She knew this, but she still did it even though she knew it was wrong.

More than a year has passed and they've created intimate memories, loving moments, found comfort in each other and saw a future together. It was never enough though, for the both of them. There will always be something that is wrong and fights that will lead to a break or bring the girl to tears and the man in anger. The girl knew why, though. She knew deep down that the void inside of her, that is suppose to be filled by Allah, is filled with someone who is not suppose to be there.

She loved him. Oh, and how she loved him. She still does. The generosity he gives her, the support he bestowed upon her when she is feeling low, the comfort he gives her when she is feeling sad. The kindness he shows to people who are in need, the way he can bond with children with ease. The responsibility he shoulders when it comes to his family, the way he is driven with ambition and how he has a strong hold on his principles. All of these are only a fraction of why she loves him with all her heart. But she knew what was right. And their relationship is not right in the eyes of Allah. She knew the step that has to be taken in order for their future to be blessed if they're destined to be together. I mean, why would Allah bless a couple when they've done so many haram things together?

And so, during Ramadan, the girl weeped to God. She pleaded Him to pardon her and the man. She asked Him to have mercy upon them and asked Him to give her the strength to remove the man from the void inside of her heart. She asked Allah to allow herself to love the man because of Him and because of Islam, not because of her nafsu. She prayed istiqarah in the middle of the night, and although she is still unsure if the man is her jodoh or not, she knew that them ending their relationship is the right thing to do. For him, for her, for their akhirat.

Oh, how she wished it wasn't so painful when she finally found the courage to do the right thing. Admittedly, she chose the most unfortunate of times to bring it up. And now he is in a state of anger and probably hates her more than his enemies. She is not leaving him because they fight a lot or because some words he throws at her are hurtful. It's not because he went out with another girl alone. It is not because of his actions or words that drove her in deciding to break up with him. She can handle all of that and has handled them before.

She loves him too much to know that she is the cause of his sins. She loves him so much to the point where she wants to see him be among the people by her side while they enter Jannahtul Firdous (Insya Allah) and that he is one of the first five people she prays for Allah to forgive his sins and to bless him and his family endlessly. She loves him so much until she is willing to let him go because of Allah, even though it feels as if her heart is torn out of her chest. She loves him too much to the point where she wants to take back her words and beg him to take her back.

But she knows this is the right thing to do.

And so she hopes they can still be friends, that he will still know that she will still be there for him, that he and his family have always been and will always be in her prayers. And Insya Allah, if he still has feelings for her, if they are destined to be together, if she is the kind of wife the man desires to have (mind you, she isn't even close to half of what a Muslim wife should be!), then Insya Allah she will be waiting for him. "Gardens of perpetual residence; they will enter them with whoever were righteous among their fathers, their spouses, and their descendants. And the angels will enter upon them from every gate, [saying], 'Peace be upon you for what you patiently endured. And excellent is the final home'" (Surah Ar-Ra'ad, Ayat 23-24). And she prays that both she and the man will be greeted by Angels just as was mentioned in the Al-Quran.

For now she will pray that the man will forgive her for all the wrongdoings she has done to him. For bringing up the topic of "breaking up" at a time when he needs someone. For every pain, she has caused him and she hopes he will forgive her for doing this. And she hopes he won't find her pathetic and understand that she really is doing this for the both of them and primarily, for Allah. He is and will always be that kind hearted guy who captured her heart back in 2013. He is still the most generous, loving, kindest and most handsome man she is still in love with.

I love you panda, superman, bubu, sweet cheeks, honey cakes. I love you and I'm sorry, sayang.

Yours truly,

Lost Mermaid

Constant Void

It feels as if a lead is lodged into my heart. As if my heart is so heavy and painful that it's dragging onto the ground. And when I think about it, it's as if a blunt knife is twisted in my heart. It's not because it's the same girl that he's out with. What makes me feel so hurt, is because he's doing it again. As if he has forgotten how I felt last year when he did it. As if he has forgotten what he went through trying to apologise to me. As if he has forgotten what he said that night while comforting me. "I won't go out with another girl alone anymore. How do you feel if you were to follow me if I need to see a girl?" But a month after saying that, he said that he wanted to have breakfast with only her.

Granted, we were fighting a lot during that time. Plus, he told me that he doesn't make promises if he knows he can't keep them. Maybe he said those words to make me feel better, I don't know. And I know he won't cheat on me, ever. It doesn't mean I won't feel hurt.

And, to be honest, what also makes me so sad, sadder than him choosing to do something that will hurt me, is that I find so many flaws inside of me to the point where I think it's understandable why I feel so much pain over this. I've always wanted a husband who understands that in Islam, you must not be alone with another woman who is not your wife, mother, grandmother, sister or daughter. That there must be a respective distance between you and the person of an opposite sex. Yes, you're in a public area where people can see what you are doing. But if someone were to see my husband with another woman, laughing and smiling together, they might think that my husband is cheating on me. They might tell me and it will create tension between me and my husband. He might say it's nothing, but I will not know exactly what he feels on the inside. I've dreamt of having a husband that will love me because of Allah, and every soft spot in his heart will be for me because it is not right to have a soft spot for someone who is again, not your wife, mother, grandmother, sister or daughter. Because these soft spots can develop into deaper feelings if you allow them to exist. I've dreamt of a husband who will respect me and will put me as his third priority. First being Allah, second being his mother, and thirdly me, as his wife. I've dreamt of a husband who will invite me to pray together, who will lead the prayer because he knows it is his duty and we would deepen our knowledge of Islam together. A husband who will be the leader of the family, especially in an Islamic perspective. I've dreamt of a husband who can be even a fraction of how Nabi Muhammad (SAW) was as a husband to all his wives. So what is making me so, so sad? To the point where I was brought to tears?

 Because I don't think I am worthy of a husband like that.

Do I deserve a husband like that if I myself am unsure that I will treat him the way that I want him to treat me? At this moment I am not respecting my future husband, even if (insya Allah) it is H. I am not respecting my mother, my father (although he doesn't deserve it), Nabi Muhammad (SAW), Allah (SWT). I am not respecting myself by being so intimate with a man who is not my husband! Sure, I've stopped myself from contacting my male friends and from meeting them alone. But am I doing that with H? I break all my rules for him because I'm so addicted to him, which is not right. That is why the actions he make, the words he uses, are all capable of hurting me. When in actual fact, I don't even have the right to feel hurt because I am not his wife. What is the definition of a boyfriend and a girlfriend in Islam? There are none! It is haram. And how weak I am, how disrespectful I am to Allah by putting another human being in a position where Allah is suppose to be. If the void in my heart is filled with Allah, then I wouldn't feel hurt over the event that is happening right now. I couldn't help but weep, knowing that truly, I deserve feeling this pain. If I loved Allah with all my heart, I would walk away. Even if I am destined to marry H, I would let him go because that is the right thing to do.

To be honest, I am not angry at him. I just feel so, so sad. I know it's important for him to see her. That it involves his future. But there always alternatives. He could talk to her on the phone, or skype with her if need be. And it's true, he has known her longer than me. But if we're married and this happens again, how far are you willing to put a friendship over the woman you love? How far are you willing to let a mere friendship obscure what you know is right and what is wrong? And I'm already feeling so sad, with so many people relying on me. Mama relies on me emotionally and physically. I'm the only one who can listen to her 24/7 and I'm the only one who can run errands for her and cook for the family. And lately I've been the middle person between my parents. My older two sisters rely on me too. They're pregnant, so they need me to drive them around or I have to take care of my niece. Nawal relies on me because I'm the only one who can take care of her, to drive her around. Zayd relies on me when he needs to go out with papa. Come to think of it, when my siblings don't want to see him alone, I'm always the one who has to tag along. It's tiring, and it's eating me up inside. So shouldn't the person I love not cause me more sadness, and instead try his best to make me smile and is always careful to not hurt me?

But again, like I said, am I deserving of a husband like that? Just a couple of weeks ago I broke one of my rules: never be in the car with a male friend alone. Sure, Ben had no transport back. The other guys live in KL and I'm the only one who lives close to him. But I should have asked him to sit at the back at least, where there will be a fair distance between us instead of sitting at the front. No words can describe how regretful I feel. Plus, I've had my fair share of hurting H. I am no saint. Although he has some flaws (definitely lesser than me), he has been such a wonderful anchor for me. A rock for me to lean on when I feel as if I might collapse. And I've become so hurtful towards him, and the words I choose when I'm angry are so unfair. I haven't been there for him because of my family. I can't give him my all (which techinically I'm not suppose to until we're married). I'm not the kind of person he imagines himself married to. So who am I to demand things? Who am I to tell him that he must be a certain kind of husband to me? Who am I to ask someone who is not my husband, to care for my feelings and not hurt them? I have no right. And I must understand that and build the courage to walk away from him.

I just feel so sad. So, excrucuatingly sad. And I don't know how long I can take it being sad or if I can feel more sadness.

Yours truly,

Lost Mermaid

PS: I just got back my semester results. Lol. I knew I did terrible in Media Studies but I didn't know I did that bad. Haih. Need to work harder next semester.

Midnight Thoughts

Sometimes, when bad things happen, you feel as if life is unfair. That the world is against you and everything you once knew was just an illusion. There must be a reason why all of this is happening, am I right? We just have to go through it.

People normally say that you should go through life's difficulties with your head held up high and your back straight as a rod. However, I think it doesn't matter how you face your difficulties. You might go through it with tears constantly streaming down your face or with your shoulders slumped and your face obscured from view by the curtain of your hair.

As long as you don't give up.

There must be a reason why this is happening to me and my family. I know I've sinned a lot. I know I've made many mistakes in life that I am not proud of. This perhaps could be a way for Allah to show me that I need to change the way I lead my life and how I interact with people. It might also be Allah's way to invite me onto the straight path again because I've diverted so far off.

I just hope I know what I'm doing.

Yours truly,

Lost Mermaid

Thank you, Teacher

I wrote this for a competition back in school, titled "Thank you, teacher".

I didn't win lol.

I found it just now and thought...why not. I'll just post it here.

I was quite shocked when I read it, to be honest. I didn't know I could write (marginally) well haha

However, the story was influenced by stuff I watched on TV and included elements that I am not in favour of in this present day.

Whatever. I was 17.

I hope you like it, stranger. Enjoy!

                  I stared expressionlessly out the window.  Reaching my ears, the words coming out of Miss Lily’s mouth sounded like a buzzing noise that could easily be ignored.  My mind travelled back to a fortnight ago; to the time Mother told me the bad news.  The news brought my whole world crashing down that night.

                  I remembered how Mother crumpled onto the floor when she tried to tell me.  I could not understand the words she was saying because she was gasping for breath as her sobs robbed her of air.  The only thing I heard were whimpers of my father’s name.  I shivered with fright as sadness clutched my heart.  I held Mother tightly and let her stain my shirt with her tears.  As we sat on the floor, the only thing that I could think of was how unfair life was.  How unfair that other kids still have their fathers.  That there was no possibility of them losing their fathers in a war.  Nor in Iraq, for that matter.

                  The next day I found out that I assumed wrongly.  Although, my wrong assumption did not bring any comfort to me, my father did not die.  He was just missing, that was all.  He went missing after a bomb exploded near his team’s campsite, taking all the soldiers in surprise.  There was little chance of Father surviving, though.  Many of the soldiers went missing after the bombing.  Even worse, most of the missing was found dead.

                  I did not tell my friends about my father’s disappearance.  In fact, I ignored them entirely.  They tried to talk to me but did not succeed in gaining my attention.  They gave up after a couple of tries, though.  They did not know how to handle my silence.  For the last couple of weeks, I have been eating less and less.  Ever since that dreadful night, I have forgotten how to live.  As guilty as I felt for not being strong enough for my mother, I could not help it.  The possibility of losing my father was overwhelming.

                  “Jude?  Jude, can you hear me?”  I turned my head to the direction of the voice that was calling my name.  Miss Lily was looking at me with the expression of worry etched onto her face.  I gave a quick glance around the room and noticed the whole class was staring at me.  “Jude, are you all right, love?” Miss Lily asked.

                  I inhaled deeply and gave out a heavy sigh as I told her I was fine.  I then ignored everyone else and continued staring out the window.  I noticed how chilly it was for spring.  The bell rang loudly, bringing me out of my small, little world.  I grabbed my bag, ready to make a quick escape when Miss Lily’s voice stopped me.  “Jude, do you mind giving me a few minutes of your time?”

                  I looked curiously at her and said, “Pardon me, teacher, but I am afraid I might be late for History class.  Mister Andrews does not take tardiness very well.”  Instead of letting me go, she smiled and told me it was no problem.  She will write a letter for me.  She asked me to sit at my usual seat in the classroom and dragged a chair beside my table.  She then just sat there, without saying anything.

                  The tension grew every second, as she scrutinised me and I, in return, looked everywhere except for her.  “Jude, do you mind telling me what is wrong?”  Miss Lily asked.  I told her nothing was wrong.  I told her I was perfectly fine and asked her if she would just let me go to History class now.  She shook her head and mumbled something under her breath.  I could care less about what she was saying, though.  I wanted to leave the classroom desperately.

                  “I know about your father.”  My head snapped towards her and I could feel my eyes widen with shock.  She said Mother told her about it.  “She could not have,” I replied with a slight trace of doubt.  She never talked to me about Father. How could she have mentioned about him to my teacher, of all people?  It is not like I do not like Miss Lily.  It is just that she was always the type of teacher that students do not listen to.  She gets easily bullied by children in this school and is not always taken seriously.

                  “Even your mother needs to tell someone about her missing husband, no matter how depressed she is about it,” Miss Lily softly informed me.  “It is all right to talk about it.  Your mother mentioned of how you refuse to talk about your father.  Do you not see that there might be hope that your father is still alive?”

                  “My father is dead,” I bit back at her.  I hastily turned my head towards the window, hoping she would not see my tears.  A soft hand covered mine and Miss Lily said, “Jude, no matter how bad the situation is, you must have faith and hope.  You are lucky that there might be a possibility of your father’s survival.  Moreover, if you ask me, I am confident that your father is still alive.”

                  I slowly lifted my gaze and stared into a pair of eyes that were filled with confidence and hope.  I nearly crumpled as I whispered, “You do?”  She answered me with a nod and smiled as tears clouded up her eyes.  That was when I started to cry.  However, I did not cry quietly.  Heart-wrenching sobs made their way out of my mouth and I found it hard to see anything through the pools of water coming out of my eyes.  I felt Miss Lily hugging me, telling me everything was all right.  To have confidence that Father would come home.  I did not feel embarrassed that as a 13-year-old boy, I was crying like an infant on the shoulder of my teacher.  All I felt was comfort.  That someone wanted to help me and plant the feeling of hope inside of me.

                  That day, for the first time, I walked back home from school with a sense of calmness.  Miss Lily gave me just what I needed, which were hope and faith.  She made me feel at peace, for the first time in weeks.  I felt a deep gratitude towards her and a ghost of a smile played on my lips.  It had been a long time since I smiled, even if it is the smallest smile imaginable.

                  I swiftly went up the front porch steps with confidence radiating out of me.  I opened the door with my back straight and hope swelling inside of me.  As I hanged my coat on the coat rack, I heard the sound of faint sobs coming out of the living room.  I anxiously made my way across the hallway, ready to comfort my mother. For now on, I wanted to be there for my mother.  However, I stopped in my tracks as I looked into the living room.

                  My mother was standing with someone who was already comforting her.  Her sobs were muffled because that person was hugging her tightly to his chest, not caring that her salted tears were staining his army uniform.  He was crying, too.  The figure then turned around and smiled tearfully at me and said, “Hello, son.”  I cried with joy and ran towards my father, hugging both my parents as we all cried with delight.  Even though my mind was preoccupied with the presence of Father, I could not help but thank Miss Lily for believing in me.  Truly, only the best teachers would believe in their students and help them, even if it does not affect the teachers themselves.  Making sure my parents could not hear, I whispered softly, “Thank you, teacher.”

Yours truly,

Lost Mermaid

You Are Alive

She dashed down the dirty path, with rain pelting down on her in a bruised-like force. With fear, she ran from the shadows that fervently chased after her, licking at her feet when it started to catch up to her. Blinded due to the lack of light, she steered off the path and pushed frantically at the branches that were in her way.  In her rush to escape the darkness, the branches broke due to the force she exerted on them. She didn't notice that even though she broke the branches, they still stood against the shadows that tried to catch her. She continued running without a thought to the branches that she hurt and ignored the scratches and dirt that covered her hands as she tried to wipe away the raindrops from her face. Without losing her pace, she peered over her shoulders to see how far she was from the shadows.

The demons were inches away from her.

Her terrified scream was swallowed by the rumbling thunder and the beat of the rain. No one was close enough to hear her. Her tears mixed with the rain and she prayed for someone to save her from the dark abyss that was threatening to engulf her. She tilted her head up (while still running) and tried to look for any signs of being saved.

Suddenly her knees banged onto the ground. Her face slammed against the muddy ground when her hands slipped from her attempt to catch her fall. Stars were dancing in her vision and pain seared all over her body and would not relent when she cried out in vain. With the last of her strength, she rolled onto her back and saw the sinister eyes of the shadows, beckoning her in.

She almost gave in. She almost welcomed the infinite darkness that she was desperately trying to escape. But something made her look up again. Something forced her chin to tilt upwards once more. And as her vision started to clear from the tiny stars, she saw it.

A magnificent, bright light that was going to carry her home.

Yours truly,

Lost Mermaid

Ignore the grammar mistakes and the atrocious choice of words I used.

I was trying to be poetic while writing this lol.