Book Club

Love is like a seed; it thirsts for care, and the more you love, the more it grows until it bears fruit. The true essence of love is passion and respect—without them, even the most beautiful body is just an empty shell

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Plzz read soufi, my love elif shafak… life changing

To the self-aware and genuine women out there who are ready to connect… Send a message, and let’s start with a good conversation.

I’m reading the brothers karamazov and I stg there isn’t a single character in this book so far that isn’t a complete ******* to women, holy

What is your current read? Mine is start with why by Simon sinek and 100m offers by Alex Hormozi

Hi everyone! Is anyone interested in reading a book together and discussing it as we progress?
I want to try reading at the same pace so we can discuss after every single chapter. It's so much fun to talk about theories and plot twists while everything is still fresh in our minds.
I haven't locked in a specific book yet, so I am completely open to genre suggestions! Let me know if you want to join and we can figure out the details.

The great paradox of the brain is that everything you know about the world is provided to you by an organ that has itself never seen that world.

The brain exists in silence and darkness, like a dungeoned
prisoner. It has no pain receptors, literally no feelings.
It has never felt warm sunshine or a soft breeze. To your brain, the world is just a stream of electrical pulses, like taps of Morse code.

And out of this bare and neutral information it creates for you — quite literally creates a vibrant, three-dimensional,
sensually engaging universe. Your brain is you. Everything else is just plumbing and scaffolding.

• -The Body. Bill Bryson. 2019

In the land of Holy Book
Kissing gets you beheaded
Killing gets you a medal

Reminds me of that couplet of Parveen Shakir

Aei meri Gul zameen tujhe chaah thi ek kitaab ki
ahl-e-kitaab ne magar kya tera haal kardiya

(O my beloved land of flowers, you longed for a book of divine wisdom,
But behold what its self-proclaimed guardians have done to you.)

BENEATH THE SHADOW

By Anonymous writer ✍️ 🕊️

CHAPTER TWO PART (2) THE CRUSHING GAME

One evening, Sumayya and Amina sat at the dining table, enjoying their dinner.

The dining area was cosy, with warm overhead lighting illuminating the table. Outside the window, the evening sky had deepened into shades of blue and purple, while the estate gradually settled into its nighttime rhythm.

Somewhere outside, a car engine hummed before fading into the distance.

Sumayya pushed a spoonful of food into her mouth, chewed thoughtfully, and then looked up with a deeply dissatisfied expression.

“I didn't move into this apartment for nothing,” she announced.

Amina continued eating.

“Okay…”

Sumayya put down her spoon.

“I haven't seen my crush. Not even once!”

Amina slowly lifted her eyes to meet hers.

“Should I check his location for you?”

Sumayya's face brightened instantly.

“Yes, please!”

Amina shook her head, trying not to laugh.

Without looking up from her food, she asked, “How much would you pay for that?”

Sumayya pretended to think.

Then she smiled.

“Your price is to be the maid of honour at my wedding with my crush, Mr. Unknown.”

Amina burst into uncontrollable laughter.

She laughed so hard that she began coughing, immediately reaching for her chest as she struggled to catch her breath.

Sumayya quickly handed her a glass of water.

“Go ahead and choke!” she teased. “That way, you'll lose your voice and won't be able to give your speech at the wedding!”

Amina took the glass and drank, her eyes watering from laughter and coughing.

When she finally recovered, she stared at Sumayya in disbelief.

“Seriously, Unni, you're on another level! Are you sure you don't need to see a doctor?”

Sumayya giggled.

“Actually, yes. I need a doctor location to find my crush, Mr. Unknown!”

Amina dropped her head into her hand.

“Wow. Unbelievable.”

She shook her head, smiling despite herself.

“Anyway, I'll check for you. I'm curious too. This crushing game of yours is beginning to feel like a movie.”

Sumayya clapped her hands excitedly.

“Exactly! And we're only in the first act!”

“May Allah give me patience,” Amina muttered.

“It's not patience you need, sis. It's a front-row seat!”

They both burst into laughter again before returning to their dinner.

MISSION: FIND MR. UNKNOWN

After dinner, Amina checked her phone.

A few moments later, she suddenly looked up.

“Perfect spot!”

Sumayya nearly dropped her phone.

“What? Where? Tell me!”

“Your crush is at the gym right now.”

For a second, Sumayya froze.

Then she jumped to her feet.

“Alhamdulillah! Finally! I'll see him today!”

She rushed around the table and hugged Amina tightly.

“Thank you, sis! May Allah bless you abundantly!”

“Just remember me when you're famous,” Amina replied dryly.

Sumayya was already halfway to her room.

Within four minutes, she emerged dressed for the gym, wearing modest gymwear with a light jacket over it and her veil neatly arranged. She grabbed a water bottle from the refrigerator and tucked it into her bag.

Amina watched her preparations with a mixture of amusement and disbelief.

“Let's connect,” she said, reaching for her own earpod. “I can't miss this encounter.”

Sumayya grinned.

“Munahika!”

Let's do it!

They connected through their earpods, and Sumayya headed out.

The lift carried her down to the ground floor before she made her way towards the estate's gym.

Inside, the air was cool, carrying the faint scent of disinfectant and rubber flooring. Treadmills hummed steadily, weights clanked against one another, and the rhythmic sounds of exercise filled the spacious room.

A few residents worked out in silence, while others chatted between sets.

Sumayya signed in at the entrance.

Then she began looking around.

Her gaze moved from one person to another until—

There he was.

A.A. Alpha.

On a treadmill.

Dressed in black gym wear, he looked as though he had been carved out of stone. His tall, well-built frame moved with controlled ease, and his light-brown complexion contrasted with the dark clothing he wore.

His expression remained unreadable, even as he focused on his workout.

Sumayya stopped walking.

For a moment, she simply stared.

Then she whispered, “Ohhh, what a handsome man.”

A slow smile spread across her face.

Finally.

She approached him, her steps filled with the confidence of someone who had rehearsed this moment in her head a hundred times.

When she reached the treadmill beside him, she tilted her head and spoke loudly enough to be heard over the machinery.

“Oh, wow! Look who we have here!”

He didn't respond.

Sumayya continued undeterred.

“Are you stalking me or something? Everywhere I go, I find you!”

Nothing.

Not even a glance.

She stared at him, waiting.

Still nothing.

Her smile slowly turned mischievous.

Oh, so we're playing this game today?

Without thinking through the consequences, she reached towards the treadmill's controls and increased the speed.

At first, A.A. Alpha continued running.

Then the belt moved faster.

His stride faltered.

Before he could regain his balance, he stumbled backwards and fell.

For a split second, Sumayya froze.

Then, seeing him on the floor, she burst into laughter.

“Oh my God!”

She laughed so hard that she had to cover her mouth.

“Oooops! I'm sorry!”

Her apology sounded anything but sincere.

“I thought you were a pro, but turn out you are just a beginner!”

A.A. Alpha slowly rose to his feet.

He didn't shout.

He didn't argue.

He simply picked up his water bottle, collected his gym bag, and walked towards the exit.

His silence was somehow worse than anger.

Sumayya's laughter faded.

“Wait!”

She hurried after him and moved in front of him, trying to catch his attention.

“I'm really sorry, okay? Please, I just want us to be friends.”

He stopped.

She gestured between them, her expression suddenly earnest.

“Don't you see that the universe is supporting our friendship? We keep meeting by coincidence!”

For the first time, he turned fully towards her.

His light eyes settled on her face, cold and sharp enough to make her words die on her tongue.

There was no amusement in his expression.

No curiosity.

Only irritation.

“Get out of my way,” he said.

His voice was low, firm, and utterly dismissive.

Sumayya blinked.

For once, she seemed to remember that the man standing before her wasn't a character in one of her romantic fantasies.

He was a real person.

And he was clearly not impressed.

She stepped aside immediately.

A.A. Alpha walked past her without another word.

No backward glance.

No hesitation.

Nothing.

Sumayya stood there for a moment, watching him leave.

Then she grabbed her things and hurried after him.

By the time she reached the gym entrance, he was already heading towards the ground floor. The gym was upstairs, and she knew that by the time she got downstairs, he would probably have disappeared into the estate.

Sumayya stopped at the balcony, hands on her hips.

She looked left.

Then right.

Nothing.

A long, offended sigh escaped her lips.

“Unbelievable.”

She glanced towards the compound, there he is, walking out of the gym entrance towards the apartment. then suddenly straightened as an idea came to her.

If he wouldn't listen to her when she spoke normally, perhaps he needed a little encouragement.

Or perhaps she had simply lost the last remaining piece of her dignity.

Either way, she cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted at the top of her voice.

“MR. BLACK T-SHIRT!”

Several people turned.

Sumayya took a deep breath.

“LET'S BE FRIENDSSSSS! JUST FRIENDSSSS!”

Her voice echoed across the compound area.
But still nothing, he didn't turn around let alone reacting.

A man walking past slowed down.

Two women exchanged glances.

Someone near the reception desk turned to see what was happening.

Sumayya had officially become the centre of attention.

And she didn't seem particularly bothered.

Through her earpod, Amina's voice suddenly rang out.

“Ya Salaam, Unni! Enough embarrassment already!”

Sumayya slowly lowered her hands.

The silence that followed was almost as loud as her shouting.

She cleared her throat, glanced at the curious faces around her, and muttered under her breath.

“Ha! Tell me about it…”

She clicked her tongue.

“Tsk.”

Then she turned and walked away, shaking her head as though the entire situation had somehow been A.A. Alpha's fault.

In her earpod, Amina was still laughing.

Sumayya rolled her eyes.

“Laugh all you want, madam. One day, you'll be thanking me when you're standing beside me at my wedding.”

Amina laughed even harder.

And Sumayya?

She was already thinking about their next encounter.

Because if there was one thing she had never been good at, it was giving up.

Especially when it came to Mr. Unknown.

😂😭 My people, gather here!

Sumayya is doing EVERYTHING to get Mr. Unknown's attention, but this man won't even give her a chance! 🤦🏽‍♀️😂

Now tell me the truth:

❤️ TEAM SUMAYYA: She should keep trying. Love requires effort! 😂

🖤 TEAM ALPHA: She should respect herself and leave this man alone! 😭🤣

And the BIG QUESTION 👀👇🏽

If you were A.A. Alpha, what would you do if a girl kept appearing everywhere you went? 😂😂

I want to read EVERYONE'S opinion in the comments. Don't be a silent reader today, ooo! 👀❤️

— Your author....... 🕊️