<p>She took another look at him and noticed something else—he was friendly, with a hint of gentleness. He had broad shoulders, wasn’t too muscular, nor was he too slim. He was perfectly balanced.</p><p>From inside his car, his fragrance reached her, making her momentarily close her eyes before opening them slowly—only to find him looking straight at her.</p><p>Her heart pounded heavily, and an unexplainable desire made her want to lock eyes with him again. But he seemed to deliberately avoid eye contact and instead turned his attention toward Fatima-Zarah.</p><p>He drove closer and stopped right where they were standing. Stepping out of his car, he said, "Excuse me, young ladies, please don’t ignore me. I need to ask you something…"</p><p>Ya Subhanallah! Aisha-Labibah whispered to herself. Never in her life had she heard a man's voice as soothing and pleasant as his. His voice was soft yet captivating.</p><p>Both girls turned to him, but Kamal—his name—felt his heart skip a beat again as his eyes locked with Aisha-Labibah’s for the second time. This made him quickly shift his gaze back to Fatima-Zarah.</p><p>"I just wanted to ask for your name, my love," he said.</p><p>Fatima-Zarah looked at him carefully before saying, "Oh, I don’t have a name."</p><p>He chuckled. "So, you mean you are a nameless girl?"</p><p>"Maybe," she teased, "but we’re in a hurry. We just have about fifty steps left before we reach our house, so if you have something important to say, you have one minute."</p><p>He wasted no time. "The truth is, the moment I laid my eyes on you, my heart was struck with love. I love you, my love."</p><p>She smirked. "Too bad for you. Someone else already captured my heart before you."</p><p>Aisha-Labibah, who had been staring at Kamal the whole time, was lost in the moment, unable to move. She was entranced by his voice, his presence. She didn’t even realize when Fatima-Zarah walked ahead.</p><p>Noticing her lingering gaze, Kamal smiled.</p><p>Innalillahi, Aisha-Labibah muttered internally. His smile only made him more attractive.</p><p>He chuckled. "Oh dear sister, do you feel sorry for me? Is that why you’re staring at me? Please, tell me her name and yours too. But start with hers, so my heart can be at peace—I truly love her."</p><p>Aisha-Labibah’s heart clenched at his words. He loved Fatima? She lowered her gaze, feeling a strange ache.</p><p>Just then, Fatima returned and, within three seconds, said, "Her name is Fatima-Zarah."</p><p>Kamal’s face lit up upon hearing her voice, but he wanted more. "And yours?"</p><p>Aisha-Labibah looked at him briefly before whispering, "Aisha-Labibah."</p><p>He immediately shut his eyes as if savoring her name.</p><p>Fatima grabbed Aisha’s hand and whispered, "Be careful! He might be a journalist digging for information. Don’t let him trick you into revealing our secrets."</p><p>Kamal smirked. "Oh, my love, I’m not a journalist. And besides, your friend isn’t even talking to me that much."</p><p>But Aisha-Labibah stayed silent and followed Fatima home like a camel on a leash.</p><p>Kamal drove slowly behind them, watching their houses closely before leaving.</p><p>That night, both girls lay in bed, lost in thought—Aisha-Labibah remembering his smile and voice, while Fatima-Zarah mused about his charm.</p><p>And thus, love began to take root in their hearts…</p>
