I had just finished my night reading and was about to take a quick nap before showering and heading to class when a loud bang rattled the door. My heart skipped. Who could be knocking at this hour?
Dragging myself up, irritated, I swung the door open—and froze.
"Hi, I'm Molly, your new roommate. What's yours?" the stranger said, smacking her gum loudly as she leaned on the doorframe.
I blinked, taking her in from head to toe. Her hair was streaked pink and blonde, her bangs falling over her eyes in a way that looked both messy and intentional. She wore ripped trousers, dark eyeliner, and a studded jacket. Trouble wrapped in gum and leather. Exactly the opposite of the quiet, studious type I'd been hoping for.
Still, I forced a smile, remembering the Prophet's saying about greeting others kindly, even if you don't feel like it. "Hi, I'm Aisha," I said, trying to sound warm and welcoming.
Molly just stared at me, chewing, waiting. The silence stretched until heat rose in my cheeks.
"Uhm… nice to meet you, roomie," she said finally, her tone flat but polite. "I hope we get along well."
"Of course!" I blurted too quickly. "We definitely will. I'm really easy to get along with. Everyone says that about me." I chuckled awkwardly, then extended a hand like we were in some formal meeting.
She coughed into her fist, clearly amused. "Right. Uh… thanks?" Instead of shaking my hand, she nodded toward a box sitting in the hallway. "Mind helping me carry that in?"
"Absolutely, no problem at all," I said eagerly, scooping up the box before she could blink. It was heavier than I expected, but I managed a strained smile. "See? Strong and helpful."
"Uh-huh," Molly murmured, stepping past me into the room. She flopped onto the empty bed with a sigh of satisfaction, blowing a bubble that popped loudly in the silence.
I set the box down carefully and turned toward her. "Welcome to the dorm! I mean, it's not much, but I tried to keep it tidy since I moved in. I didn't know when you'd arrive, but I thought you'd want a fresh space, so I wiped everything down—twice actually, just in case." I laughed nervously, tugging at my hijab to make sure it was still pinned neatly.
Her eyes flicked to me, smirk tugging at her lips. "Twice, huh? That's… thorough."
"Yeah," I said quickly. "I like things clean. But not, like, obsessively clean. Don't worry, I'm not uptight or anything. I'm super chill. Very chill."
She raised a brow. "You keep saying that like you're trying to convince yourself."
Heat flushed my face. "Oh, no, not at all. Just—you know, roommates should be comfortable, right? I want you to feel at home."
"Right," she said slowly, crouching to rip open the box. Clothes tumbled out in a chaotic heap—black shirts, chains, ripped jeans, and boots with enough metal on them to set off an airport alarm. She started shoving things into drawers without folding them once.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. Ya Allah, grant me patience, I prayed silently. "So… Goth fashion, huh? That's really… cool. I like it. Very unique."
She glanced up, smirking. "Do you?"
"Totally," I said, nodding too eagerly. "I mean, I could never pull it off, but it looks amazing on you. Really suits your vibe."
"Uh-huh." Her tone made it clear she didn't quite buy my cheerfulness, but she didn't call me out either. She just went back to unpacking, humming under her breath.
I perched on my own bed, smiling like it was glued to my face, fighting the urge to keep talking. Silence pressed on me like a weight. I hated it. I wanted her to like me—I needed her to like me.
Finally, I blurted, "If you ever need help with anything, just ask! Boxes, laundry, notes from class—I'm always available. Really. Anything at all."
Molly looked up, one brow raised, a grin tugging at her lips. "You do a lot, don't you?"
My chest tightened. "I just… I like being helpful."
She leaned back on her elbows, blowing another bubble. "Noted."
I turned away, lips pressed tight. She couldn't even say a proper thank you. SubhanAllah, give me strength, I muttered under my breath. Out loud, I forced a breezy tone. "Anyway, I have a class to get to. Make yourself comfortable."
And with that, I grabbed my towel and head for the bathroom I couibe late to class