Misfit in Love (Saints and Misfits #2) - S. K. Ali Page 0,45

me, big smile on a face encased in a trim blue hijab tucked into a white buttoned shirt over jeans. “Janna! I’m such a huge fan! Assalamu alaikum!”

I smile back, because she’s got that kind of contagious smile, but I have no idea what she’s talking about. Fan? “Walaikum musalam. Great to meet you, but I’m drawing a blank as to why you’re a fan?”

“Aren’t you a Niqabi Ninja? Like you edit the videos and fill in sometimes for Ruki?”

Oh. She’s talking about my work for Sausun, for her YouTube channel, the Niqabi Ninjas.

“Sarah caught me bingeing nostalgically one weekend and I was like, I live for these videos, and then she drops the news that she’s getting married to the brother of a ninja and I was like, YOU ARE GOING TO INVITE ME TO THAT WEDDING!” Zayneb laughs. “So I’m here for you! And, yeah, a bit for my girl Sarah.”

I get out of the car, feeling this glow ignite inside, drying teeny bits of the dampening that happened earlier.

Zayneb leans over but then pauses. “Hug? Handshake? Or none of the above?”

I’m impressed. She actually asks.

I put out my hand, and she takes it and shakes it lightly and then puts her hand on her heart. “Mentally checking off my bucket list. Met Janna, a favorite YouTuber.”

This girl. She’s one of those rare people who you can actually soak sunshine from. Like I can tell everything she said just now was the truth and not some attempt to sweet-talk me. “Aw, thanks. But maybe you’ll be happier to know that an actual Niqabi Ninja is coming to the nikah tomorrow. Sausun will be here.”

“Wow!” Zayneb raises her hands in victory. “I can’t believe it! Okay, I’m going to tell you right now that I may tag along with you guys. Be a groupie. Because you’re doing amazing work.”

“Thanks,” I say. “But it’s really Sausun that’s doing everything. I’m just helping so she can keep doing it.”

“What are you talking about? The editing is so cool. Like the time you pretended her cat was taking all the footage? And proved that animals were the ultimate humans?” Zayneb starts laughing. “Oops, I’m going to be fangirling all weekend, so I’d better do it in smaller doses, spread it out, or you’ll get sick of me.”

“Janna is amazing but too modest.” Sarah puts her other arm around me, and I swallow the feeling of claustrophobia at being held in a tight circle with Zayneb. “Come up to the room for a bit. Zayneb brought all these treats from when she went to visit her fiancé in Ottawa, and we still haven’t gotten to the ketchup chips.”

“Ketchup chips?” I make a face.

“They’re AMAZING!” Zayneb shouts, walking backward in the parking lot toward the hotel’s front doors. “Oh, Sarah, you know he’s coming tomorrow, right? Adam? We flew down from Ottawa together, and he’s staying with my brother now who’ll be driving him over tomorrow to be my plus-one. My date, finally, ooh-la-la!” She makes a mischievous face and laughs.

“You mean I finally get to meet the man?” Sarah’s face lights up. “Now I’m really looking forward to my wedding!”

“What about the guys? Haytham and… them? They said they need to get back to my dad’s.” I want to get back too. And just close the door on the world for a while.

“We’ll leave in fifteen,” Sarah promises, a bounce in her step as she follows Zayneb.

I lock the car door and tag after them, thinking maybe Zayneb’s a good distraction.

* * *

When we leave the hotel, it’s with the addition of Zayneb, who whispered to me—when Sarah was in the hotel bathroom—that Dania and Lamya said I’d promised to join in their dance at the henna party tonight. “I’ll come back with you to the house and I’ll show you all the moves before we get dressed. We’ll hide it all from Sarah.”

To the car, Zayneb wheeled an orange carry-on suitcase that had her henna party clothes and was filled with Canadian treats (ketchup chips, Kinder Surprise eggs with tiny toys in them, something called a Coffee Crisp bar, and various other things I was assured were unsurpassed in perfection) that she promised we were going to eat while we practiced dancing. I just nodded, because it took less energy to nod at the things Zayneb wanted to do.

Because Dad and Linda had insisted Sarah get ready for the party in their bedroom and had even hired a friend who was a