NEW LIFE : A SECOND CHANCE

That night, like any other night, Ali was texting Sophia.

She was very worried about 'the talk' that Ali would be having with his parents and she waited anxiously for their usual chat.

'Hey' - Ali

'Hi' - Sophia

'What 'cha doing?' - Ali

'Waiting for you' - Sophia

Ali gripped his phone and was grinning away like some idiot.

'Well, I'm here now' - Ali

'I can see that. Did you manage to talk to them yet?' - Sophia

'Yes' - Ali

Sophia waited for a while but Ali didn't say anything after that. She couldn't even see the usual 'Ali is typing...' at the top of the chat.

Sophia frowned.

'That bad, huh?' - Sophia.

'No no' - Ali

'Then?' - Sophia

Sophia waited again and this time, she could see the chat text stating 'Ali is typing....'

She waited.

And waited.

Finally, in exasperation, she texted, 'Nevermind. Bye'.

Ali panicked.

He had been trying to figure out how to phrase the words without sounding offensive, or making it sound bad. So he would type out one line, then delete it, tried again and backspace to delete it again. He didn't realise how long he had taken until Sophia texted that.

He was so flustered that he sat up on his bed and was frantically trying to call her instead.

Without knowing how it happened, his fingers somehow just flipped the phone instead of holding onto it. He watched, seemingly in slow motion, as the phone did a somersault in the air.

Ali's brain somehow got fried, his left and right hand were not coordinating properly. Instead of being able to hold the phone, it kept jumping in his hands until it fell onto the floor.

He watched, in great despair, as it crashed onto the floor, smashing to pieces. Ali leaned over his double bunk bed, groaning and hitting his head at the edge of the bed.

He was saying 'Stupid' at each knock of his head until he started seeing stars. Rubbing his forehead, he panicked again and jumped off the bed. Landing on his feet, he absorbed the jump by crouching a bit and then sprinting towards his wardrobe.

Ali flung the door open and started rummaging through a box.

"Ah-HAH!!" he shouted triumphally. He found it. His old phone. He kissed it and thanked God that he didn't give it away like he normally did. For some reason, he had held on to it and now, it proved to be his saviour.

He quickly got his sim card from the smashed phone, inserted it and plugged in the phone. He punched in Sophia's number on the keypad, praying fervently that she'd pick it up.

It had already been 8 minutes since she 'hung up' on him.

? Sophia ?

Sophia was staring blankly at her phone.

Ali seriously didn't reply?

He just left it like that?

Seriously?!

She couldn't believe that Ali would do that, so she kept staring at the phone.

Finally, after what seemed like years (it was only five minutes), she screamed out in frustration and flung her phone on the bed.

Fine. If he's going to be like that, then she's not going to sit around waiting like a fool.

With a huff, she stomped down to the kitchen, remembering that there was a tub of ice-cream in there. Somewhere.

Just as she walked out the door, her phone lighted up and started ringing. Unfortunately, Sophia was already out of earshot and never heard the phone.

Of course, on the other end of the line, Ali was in all full-time panic mode by now. He was walking around his room in a circle, listening to the phone ringing on and on.

She wasn't picking up.

No!! Ali gritted his teeth and when the phone went to voice mail, he hung up and called again. He put his head on the table, banging his forehead repeatedly on its hard wooden surface.

"Stupid stupid stupid ... come on, Sophia. Pick up ... please pick up ..."Ali was mumbling under his breath, "Oh God, if she picks up, I'm never going to .."

"Hello?" came the most melodious voice in his life.

Ali was so relieved that he held onto the phone for dear life, and said breathlessly, "Sophia, thank God you picked up."

"Well, yeah. I left my phone in the room when I went downstairs," Sophia said, trying to be nonchalant, keeping her breath even.

She didn't want him to know that when she heard the phone ring, she practically ran and jumped headfirst onto the bed, grabbing the phone like it was her lifeline. Luckily she still had the presence of mind to put down her tub of ice-cream rather than flinging it aside - that would be one sticky mess to clean up otherwise.

Ali turned and lay on his back on the chair, while hitting his forehead. He winced, as there was a dent there now from the constant knocking he had done.

"I'm sorry," Ali said softly.

Sophia was quiet at first, then she asked, "Are your parents against us?"

"No," Ali replied, "It's just that ... well, you know I can only marry a fellow Muslim."

"Well, of course," Sophia replied, "But we aren't getting married."

Ali sighed, "I know that ... but ... well, you see ... erm, that is ..."

"Oh come on, Ali," Sophia said exasperatingly, "What is it?"

Sophia could now understand why Kyle had finally flipped that day, and held Ali in a chokehold while revealing Ali's feelings. When was he going to get to the point?

Was Ali always this dopey?

"Having a girlfriend is the same as being the future wife for us," Ali said in a rush.

"Huh? But we're only 14! That's hardly what anyone our age would be thinking of," Sophia said in surprise.

Sure, she was in love with Ali but marriage? Could she envision being married to Ali? When that thought entered her mind, however, she didn't find it repulsive ... in fact, it made her heart beat a little bit faster.

It was just something that she never considered: a 'forever' future together.

Though, in retrospect, it should have been.

Should it?

Now it was Sophia's turn to have her mind going around in circles.

Sophia heard Ali sigh loudly over the phone.

"Yes, I know," Ali said, "This is very new for us. Sophia, I ... well, I truly do love you."

Sophia's heart lurched in her throat. Although it was a wonderful thing to hear, why did it sound like it was a prelude to something ominous?

"I love you, too, Ali but ... " Sophia hesitated.

Ali panicked upon hearing her 'but' and he shot up into a sitting position immediately, jerking the phone off the wire from its charger. It was a good thing the phone already had some battery left, so he wasn't disconnected.

He fumbled again, when trying to reconnect the wire and the phone fell loudly on the table.

Sophia could hear the loud clattering sound and took the phone off her ear, looking at it, wondering what was going on, "Ali?"

"Sorry, sorry," Ali said hurriedly and sighed internally, wanting to bang his forehead on the desk again even though a slight bump was already forming, "You were saying?"

His heart was beating so rapidly that he felt like it could come out through his throat and out his mouth. He kept swallowing whatever little saliva he had in his mouth, his eyes clenched closed as he focused entirely on Sophia's next words.

"I ... well, it just sounded like you wanted to say something," Sophia replied, "There seems to be something else on your mind. What is it? Just tell me."

"Okay, but just listen. You don't have to say or decide anything right now," Ali began, thinking deeply on what he needs to tell her.

"Okay," Sophia said softly, feeling a bit worried about what was going on. It sounded so serious.

"Do you believe in the existence of God?" Ali asked.

She was right. It was serious. This was heavy-duty serious.

Of course, this was something that she knew she would have to think about but she thought it would be far in the future. She loved Ali, yes, but to the point of deliberating over the existence of God?

She had been curious once, but the concept was just so far-fetched to her that she never quite explored it. She figured that it was something she may think about, or delve into, when she was older.

It didn't seem to be important or something to be considered at all before this.

She now realised that her thoughts were the opposite of Ali. While she was under the impression that this 'God' aspect was something she'd think about after she was sure of her future with Ali, Ali was of the opinion that it should be settled before they got more serious.

Which was the correct one?

She didn't know but whatever it was, she now knew it was something she'd have to think about now.

"I can't say yes, nor can I say no," Sophia admitted, "The concept is just too bizarre for me."

"Would you be willing to talk about it then?" Ali asked tentatively, scared of her reply.

Sophia thought long and hard about it, and wondered whether she wanted to. She thought about Ali, and her heart just started beating so fast again. Was he worth it to consider this matter seriously?

"Yes," Sophia answered after some time had passed, making Ali relieved.

"Thank you," Ali said gratefully, "There is no pressure, Sophia. I mean, you don't have to force yourself to believe. I'll show you what it means to me - as in, how I view God and why I believe."

"All I am asking for, is for you to keep an open mind and consider it at your own pace. You can ask me anything," Ali said, "Okay?"

Sophia smiled at that. He sounded so caring, even though it was about something so serious.

"Okay," Sophia said softly.

"I love you," Ali said again, smiling dopely, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Sophia replied, putting down the phone. Although she would have loved talking to him longer, she needed to process this now. To re-look at their relationship.

As she lay down on her bed, she looked up at the ceiling and for the first time since she was a kid, she started thinking ... Are you up there?

Ali stared at the phone for a long time. He was quiet about the one-year deadline. That was something she didn't need to know. He wanted her mind to be clear, and not riddled with any sense of urgency or be filled with pressure.

Let him bear that.