HANEEM'S DIARY #6: A problem shared

I was busy folding the clothes that I had washed preparing them for ironing. I had been so consumed by it that I barely noticed that the top was quiet-too quiet than usual.
She was lying quietly on the upper bunk. I paused and turned to face her.

'Zahra are u okay?,' I asked breaking the silence.

'Yeah',she replied absent minded.

'Are you sure?'

'For God's sake leave me alone Haneem', she snapped.
I got the confirmation that I needed. Something was bothering her.

'What is the problem?', I asked gently.

The spring of her bunk made noises as she turned her back on me.

'So you won't discuss it with me right?, I understand,' I said quietly feigning hurt.

'Its 'the one',she said as she turned to face me.

'The one?' My memory retrieved the little I knew of the stranger who had become her friend.

'Nini,I'm in trouble',Zahra blurted.

She dropped down to the ground in one swift move. I cleared away what was left of my clothes to make room for her to sit on my bed.

'Wow! Slowdown,how?' I asked as I sat next to her.

'I've finally met someone I'm willing to be serious about but he is a piece of work darling,I don't know where to start from,' she began.

'Bulbul speak English,its like you're talking in parables.'

Bulbul is Zahra's nickname. I rarely called her by the indian name because it sounds funny to me. I used to wonder if it was gotten from the hausa word for balloon, 'bollon-bollo'-which is impossible.

'He is such a party rider-which I can totally relate to because I used to be one- but the things he does at the party...' She nodded her head in disappointment.

'Wait...he told you the things he does?' I asked in shock.

'Yes',she replied curtly.

'Then he is the honest type but are you sure he was not pulling your legs?' I enquired.

'I'm sure!',She snapped. 'Crazy people like me are not so plenty. Its so rare to find someone who goes to parties and just sits there observing everything, Zahra burst out.

'Well that's true but...'

'Can you believe he drinks?' She interrupted with an expression of disgust on her face.

'Drinks? Drinks what?,' I really didn't want to believe it.

'Alcohol of course!,' Zahra blurted.

'Auzubillah(I seek refuge in Allah)!' I exclaimed.

'In his words, "I never get drunk,I only sip a little just to shut my friends up," she said using air quotes.

'What are his intentions over you?' I asked with keen interest.

'We've had a really good start but I'm so confused right now.' She said sadly.

'Ignore the bad habits and tell me what you think of him as a person,' I questioned.

'I think he is very friendly,caring,thoughtful and you won't believe how educated he is islamically. I think that he is around bad influence,that's why he is struggling,' she confided.

'Bulbul,fix him!' I blurted.

'Fix who? Please Nini,where do I start from? I can't do it,' she announced.

'Yes you can! You're the best person for the job. You've helped me clear most of my confusions,this should be easy!'

'No its not!'

'Yes it is! You just need to remind him. He knows what's right and wrong, a little reminder is all he needs.'

'Haneem,why are you here? Why the hell are you studying MCB(Microbiology)?'

'Why is that suddenly a problem?' I asked confused.

'You should be a psychotherapist,you'll be super good!' Zahra suggested jokingly.

'Oh please...!' I sighed.

'Thank you so much darling!' She said as she hugged me.

'What are friends for?'