Chryedians please don't throw rocks at me for changing the canon!
I hope this is *somewhat* enjoyable, I wrote it on a whim. If you hate it/me (:P) feel free to review and tell me.
This is a bit of a work-in-progress.
Anyway, I'll shut up now.
Dedicated to the lovelies on the WFCTGIO thread.
'You're my best friend Sy-Sy.'
'No. You're my best friend Christian.'
The two boys smiled at each other as they sat side by side in the sandpit. The playground was completely deserted but for them.
'Are you coming to my birthday party tomorrow Syed?'
Christian was turning 7 tomorrow. He had many friends but the only friend he wanted at his party was sitting next to him. He and Syed had been friends since they were 2 years old, their friendship beginning the very day Syed's mother had moved in next door to Christian.
Syed furrowed his brow, looking much older than his tender years. 'Dunno, Christian. I want to but I don't know if my mum will let me.' For some reason, Syed's mother, Zainab had taken an active dislike to Christian. Syed didn't know why his mother seemed to think Christian wasn't a good enough playmate for him, so the only way they could see each other was at school. Or after school in this instance. Christian's face fell. 'Oh.'
'But don't worry, I'll get you a really good present, I promise.'
Christian pouted. 'I don't want a present. I just want my best friend at my party.'
'Close your eyes.'
'Why?' Christian peered at Syed suspiciously. 'You're not going to throw sand at me are you?'
Syed smiled impishly. 'Would I do that?'
'Yes!'
'Do you trust me?'
Syed moved close to Christian.
'Er...'
'Fine. No present for you.'
'I thought you were going to get me my present. I didn't think you'd already got it!'
'It's not a present I have to buy, silly!'
'What is it then?'
Quick as a flash, Syed sidled up to Christian and kissed him on the lips, making a loud smacking noise.
'Errugh!' Christian wiped his lips. 'Why did you do that?'
'Because you're my best friend.'
'Best friends don't kiss!'
'Yes, they do. My mum says her and Aunty Bushra are friends and they kiss on the cheeks so because you're my best friend I have to kiss you on the lips!'
Christian considered that for a moment. Looking at Syed with a comically serious expression, he steadied Syed's face with his hands and inched closer to him. Syed watched him, trying to gauge what he would do next. Not taking his eyes off Syed, Christian pressed his lips on Syed's, their eyes both closed now. They sat like that for a few seconds until...
'Syed! What are you doing?' Zainab ran up to the boys, who jumped apart.
'Nothing.' Syed mumbled, sheepishly.
She grabbed Syed by the arm, roughly.
'Mu-uum, you're hurting me!'
'What were you and that boy doing?' She glared at Christian. 'I told you not to associate with him-'
'We weren't doing anything wrong.' Christian protested. 'I was just telling him he was my best-'
'Quiet you!' Zainab growled. 'We'll see what your mother has to say about this, shall we?'
She frogmarched Syed towards the direction of their house, Christian trailed behind, his face flushed. Syed shot Christian a confused look, when his mother was distracted with muttering under her breath. Christian shrugged, clearly equally confused. Syed got the feeling they'd been caught doing something very, very wrong... it hadn't felt wrong at the time, it had felt natural, showing his best friend he cared. But judging by his mother's grip on his arm, it was wrong. He felt a deep sense of shame and revulsion at himself. He hated his mother's disapproval.
They arrived. Zainab banged on Christian's front door. 'Linda! Linda!'
'Alright, alright, I'm coming-' Distant mumbling and groaning was heard as Linda thumped down the stairs and opened the door. 'What do you want Zainab?'
Christian looked down. Relations were frosty between his mother and Syed's. He didn't know why, he'd heard his mother muttering about how Zainab thought she was too good for them.
Zainab pushed Christian in front of his mother. 'Go on. Tell her.'
Christian stayed silent.
'Fine I will. I went to pick Syed up from the school playground and I saw them kissing!'
Syed dragged his feet on the floor, kicking a pebble.
Linda didn't even blink. 'Zainab, they're kids for God's sake. They were just playing! It was entirely innocent.'
'Innocent? Innocent? Your son seduced my boy. Do you know how many other boys he's done that to?'
'Excuse me?' Linda folded her arms, 'Seduced? What are you trying to say about my son?'
Zainab pushed Linda aside and walked into the house. 'Where do you think you're going?' Linda called, as she followed her, seemingly forgetting about the two bewildered boys outside.
They looked at each other in silence.
'Christian? Was what I did bad?'
Christian shrugged. 'I don't think so. Do you?'
Syed shrugged. 'No.' He sighed. 'But our parents are acting like we've done something really bad...'
Christian saw Syed's eyes water and hugged him. 'It will be ok.'
Syed sobbed into Christian's shoulder. 'I was just trying to show you... you are my best... friend...'
'Arrrrgh!' Zainab's scream made the two boys jump apart once again.
'You see!' She shouted at no-one in particular. Linda was still inside the house, frantically talking to her husband.
She grabbed Syed. 'You two are not to associate again! Do you hear me?'
'-But' Syed protested.
'But nothing! Now come on...'
She pulled Syed to their front door, slamming it shut.
Syed managed a quick apologetic glance at Christian before the door closed.
Linda came out, her face stony. 'Christian. In. NOW.'
'But Mum, you said it wasn't wrong...'
'I said that to HER. What you did was very wrong!' She grabbed Christian by the ear and hauled him inside, ignoring his shouts.
The Masood household was pandemonium personified.
'I told you Mas! I told you not to let those two boys be friends. But no, you said, they're just boys, you said...They were KISSING!'
Syed sat in between his parents, his tears yet to dissipate.
'Syed.' Mas said, gently. His eyes belied his voice, they were- Syed gulped- full of fury and disappointment. 'It is clear we haven't taught you what is hallal and what isn't. Do you know what homosexuality is?'
The word was long and complicated sounding. Syed nodded, hoping his father would spare him his anger if he knew what the horrible sounding word meant, then halfway through the nodding motion, shook his head, realising prematurely his father would still be disappointed in him whether he knew what it meant or not.
'Homosexuality...' His father said the word slowly, 'is when- how do I put this?- a boy likes a boy.'
'But-' Syed was confused. 'I like you Dad, and Uncle Inzaman and-'
'No Syed. It's different. You kissing Christian was different to the way you'd kiss me or Uncle Inzaman. You kissed Christian the way I would kiss your mother or the way two people who are in love would.'
'But I do love Christian, he's my best friend-'
'No!' Syed jumped as Masood banged on the coffee table.
'Syed, you know when a man loves a woman, they give each other special seeds and make a baby?'
Syed squirmed uncomfortably. 'Yes.'
'Well, the way you kissed Christian was the way a man would kiss a woman, in the way where they would make a baby.'
'I don't understand...'
'What your father is trying to say Syed, is that it is haram.'
Syed gasped. He had only heard the word 'haram' uttered with the deepest disgust at the most cardinal sins.
'You will go to hell if you kiss another boy the way you kissed him.'
Syed shivered. 'Will Christian go to hell too?' He didn't want his best friend to get in trouble with Allah because of what he did.
'-Yes'
'-No'
Syed blinked as his mother and father answered the question at the same time with very different answers.
'We do not judge Christian.' Masood said softly, ruffling his son's unruly hair. 'But in our faith you – and your mother and I- have to heed the rules Mohammed the prophet and Allah says we should live by. Do you understand?'
He didn't but Syed nodded all the same.
'Good. Now go to bed Syed.'
'But it's only 4:30... and I haven't had dinner.'
Zainab interjected. 'Think of this as a preview of what will befall you if you carry on with your behaviour.'
'Zainab!' Masood hissed at his wife.
Syed hung his head and dragged himself up to his room.
I repeat... PLEAAAASE don't hate me!
R&R por favour!
