The Examination
Today was our first board exam. On this day, all parents send their children to their exams after feeding them curd and sugar and offering countless prayers for their success.
Something similar happened to me, too. I hurriedly skipped taking my medication, picked up my bag, and headed outside. When I looked around, Rizwan was nowhere to be seen. When I asked Aunty about him, I found out that he had already left for school without even waiting for me.
During board exams, students are assigned examination centres at different schools. However, Rizwan and I had our examination centre at our own school, although we were assigned to different classrooms.
I wanted to see Rizwan just once, so I searched for him in several classrooms, but I couldn't find him anywhere. I only wanted to wish him all the best for his exam. There was just one classroom left to check when the bell rang, and I had to return to my own classroom.
Our exam was three hours long, and two and a half hours had already passed. Only thirty minutes remained. I had almost finished my paper and had just one question left to solve when, suddenly, I started feeling cold.
I lowered my head onto the desk and began shivering uncontrollably. I was trembling so badly that the teacher noticed me. She took me to the rest room and made me sit there.
By the time everyone had finished their exams and left, the teacher asked me for the name of someone I knew. Somehow, I managed to say Rizwan's name.
The teacher called Rizwan and asked him to take me home safely.
Seeing me in such a condition, Rizwan became extremely worried. In fact, I felt as though he was trembling even more than I was.
Even in that condition, I couldn't resist teasing him. I said,
Rizvi: "Look at you! I'm the one who's sick, yet you're the one trembling. Do you care about me that much? Then why don't you just give me an answer?"
Rizwan: "Rizvi, even in this condition, all you can think about is talking like this? I don't know what will become of you!"
Rizvi smiled faintly and said,
Rizvi: "If you want, so much could happen between us."
Rizwan replied,
Rizwan: "First, get well. Then we'll talk about this later."
Rizvi asked him,
Rizvi: "You're scared, aren't you? You're probably thinking that if I die, you'll be blamed for everything. That's why you're talking like this."
Rizwan looked at Rizvi with concern and replied,
Rizwan: "May Allah never let anything happen to you, Rizvi."
He held Rizvi's hand and continued,
Rizwan: "If you ever say anything like that again, I will never talk to you again. Do you understand?"
Rizvi smiled slightly and replied,
Rizvi: "Yes, I understand."
Looking down the road for Rizvi's father, Rizwan said,
Rizwan: "Uncle still hasn't arrived. I already called him. Come on, Rizvi, let's slowly make our way forward. Uncle will catch up with us."
On the way, we met Rizvi's father, who picked both of us up. He took Rizvi straight to the hospital. After her treatment was completed, the three of us returned home.
Rizvi's father told her to rest and then stepped outside.
Before leaving, Rizwan said to Rizvi,
Rizwan: "Now get some rest. And if you have any problems with your studies, make sure you call me, okay?"
Rizvi replied,
Rizvi: "Okay! When I have you, what do I have to worry about? Now go home."
Rizwan left and returned to his own house.
As soon as he arrived home, he told his mother everything that had happened.
Rizwan's mother asked him,
Rizwan's Mother: "How is Rizvi feeling now?"
Rizwan: "She seemed fine after we brought her back from the hospital."
His mother spoke with concern,
Rizwan's Mother: "Her exams are going on, and look at what has happened to that poor girl!"
Rizwan: "She worries too much, doesn't she?"
His mother asked curiously,
Rizwan's Mother: "Worries? What does she have to worry about?"
Changing the subject, Rizwan replied,
Rizwan: "Oh, Ammi! I mean, she's worried about her exams."
Rizwan's Mother: "Yes, that makes sense. That must be it. When you meet her again, tell her to recite a Surah during her exams. It will help ease her anxiety."
Rizwan smiled and replied,
Rizwan: "Yes, Ammi, I'll tell her. Besides, she really needs it."
After our first board exam, the students had two days off to study at home before the next examination.
The very next day, Rizwan and his mother came to my house to see me.
Aunty was a wonderful woman. She cared about me a lot because she didn't have a daughter of her own, so she treated me like one of her daughters. I loved that feeling because Rizwan's mother was always so affectionate towards me.
Rizwan's mother asked me,
Rizwan's Mother: "Dear, how are you feeling now?"
Rizvi: "I'm fine now, Aunty."
Rizwan's mother then said,
Rizwan's Mother: "Rizwan told me that you seem to be worried about something. Is that true?"
Taking a playful dig at Rizwan, I replied,
Rizvi: "Rizwan knows very well what I'm worried about, Aunty."
His mother looked surprised and asked,
Rizwan's Mother: "He knows? But he didn't tell me anything about it!"
Rizwan became nervous and quickly said,
Rizwan: "Yes, Ammi! Didn't I tell you that she must be worried about her exams?"
With a suspicious look, his mother replied,
Rizwan's Mother: "Yes, you did tell me that. But why do I feel like there's something going on between you two?"
The moment Rizwan heard those words, he started sweating nervously.
He quickly asked his mother,
Rizwan: "What could possibly be going on, Ammi?"
Rizwan's mother smiled and replied,
Rizwan's Mother: "Oh, you two would know that better than anyone else! How am I supposed to know?"
I looked at Aunty and said,
Rizvi: "Yes, Aunty, you're absolutely right. There is something between us, isn't there, Rizwan?"
Rizwan looked confused and stammered,
Rizwan: "Yes... no! I mean, no, there's nothing! What is there? I don't know anything!"
Teasing him, I said,
Rizvi: "But I know! Should I tell her?"
Aunty looked at me intently.
Before I could say anything, Rizwan quickly tried to change the subject and said...
