Chapter 239 Taking the Next Step (1/2)

They were quiet, both lost in their own thoughts.

Ali, thinking deeply of what Kyle had laid out in the open for him.

Kyle, thinking of his past life.

Kylie had found love, but that love either got 'comfortable' or it was just ... dead. There was no hatred nor fighting but it was damn boring. Routine.

Once a person gets married, the journey doesn't end. There is no magical 'happily ever after'.

The real work starts then! If only one person was doing all the work, it saps you out.

Learning to live as a couple. Living as parents, Working and all sorts of things. Those really put a strain on the 'love' that people were so deep in when they first got married.

Put religion in the mix? A recipe for disaster if you don't have a common ground to hold onto.

Kyle looked at Ali, who was so deep in thought.

Kyle truly did admire Ali for how he was with his Faith. It was one of the things that piqued Kyle's interest.

The fact that Ali was a Muslim was a huge deal at Retsu Primary School. There were so many whispers about him and all sorts of rumours going around. Kyle observed him silently and saw how he took everything in his stride.

He was patient and though bullied, he didn't bow his head down or acted out. Despite people trying to get him to take pork, for example, he was always polite to refuse.

So Kyle kept an eye out for him.

He always had a lunchbox just for Ali, for the time when he could 'make his move', so to speak. When Kyle saw how Ali had been attacked, it was then that Kyle decided enough was enough. Ali had proven himself time and time again for being a steadfast, loyal person to his faith - despite his young age.

Kyle would have helped anyone who had been bullied, actually, but when it came to Ali, Kyle had taken the extra step.

He watched Ali silently, admiring him for his constant, unwavering faith and love for his God. His belief.

As for Kyle? Well, he himself wasn't a devout believer. He did believe something, but ... Kyle shook his head.

In his previous life, he had been a Buddhist which essentially, wasn't a religion. There was no 'God' but a person who had attained Nirvana through living life well.

In this life, he was born into a Christian family. So long as it didn't interfere with his own concept of 'justice', he was fine with it. He didn't want to rock the boat, so to speak, and have his parents go into a hissy-fit or think he was possessed by the Devil or something.

Kyle did believe that there was 'something' out there. His reincarnation just shouted something like a higher power at work ... but he was still exploring. He believed that whatever that 'Higher Power' was, would understand.

Which was why he admired people like Ali, who were devout believers.

Not the self-proclaimed zealots who did terrible things in the name of 'their God'. Every religion had its good and bad PR. Be it Christianity with its Crusade, or Islam with its terrorism.

The bottom line with Kyle was: are you a good person?

Ali had proven himself time and time again to be such a good person. Kyle didn't want him to lose himself just because he had fallen in love.

That's why, in this case, Kyle had to be the one to act and help.

So the two of them just sat there silently. The silence was not uncomfortable, though.

After a long while, Ali took several deep breaths and got up, saying, ”Thanks, Kyle. You're right. This is my test. If she's meant to be, it'll be.”

”I will work at it but I won't force her into anything. There is no way that I'll reject Islam but I won't force her to convert either. If she doesn't believe in what I believe in, then how can we truly be destined for each other?” Ali said.

Then, he started to laugh, ”That's even assuming she likes me in return! Man, I'm so big-headed.”

Grabbing Kyle on the shoulder, he said, ”Come on, let's go and eat. My treat, as thanks for being my sounding board.”

Kyle got up, flung his arm around Ali's shoulder and said, ”YES!! FOOD!! I'm starving!!!”

Ali groaned. He forgot how big an appetite Kyle had. This was going to take a while.

Still, a smile formed on Ali's lips.

It was worth it.

✿✿ ✿✿

Despite the talk, it wasn't like everything was smooth and dandy.

Since Ali finally realised that there was someone that is occupying his heart, he had more problems to overcome.

First, he had to determine whether Sophia felt the same.

Second, which was more difficult: to gauge what she felt about his Faith. They'd never really talked about this as it was never an issue before. He wasn't going to be preaching to her about it suddenly.