Unanticipated Turn

FOUR

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Meenah rolled her eyes and lolled her head forward, watching her feet as she walked on the sidewalk with Aurora. She kept her head down until they were past the school entrance and into the halls that lead to their lockers. Aurora walked away from Meenah's direction to put her things in her own locker. Meenah huffed, head low as she shuffled down the hallway. All around her were teenagers. Freshmen gripping their bags nervously as  they tried to find their friends from middle school in the waves of other teenagers. There were sophomores who thought they now knew best, who thought they were now popular and perfect because they conquered one year of high school already. Juniors who were realising that they are closer to the end of high school than the start, who were starting to panic. And then the seniors-like her-who just didn't care anymore.

Everyone seemed to be joyous that school was back because they all missed their friends.

As Meenah reached her locker, her other best friend, Fariq Omar Razak, was leaning on her locker with a soft smile on his lips. They have been best friends since when they were in diapers. Their parents had always been close, most especially their grandmothers. Fariq was only a year older than Meenah.

Fariq ran his hand through his hair as he stared at Meenah, smiling nervously. His long brown hair falling down to his shoulders, long enough to put up. His eyes were deep brown, almost like melting chocolate. He stood tall with a smile that means he is flawless, which was a lie. Although Fariq had a hiccup in his family, after the death of his father. Better yet, his step father adored him. Even though he had the perfect family, his mother a medical doctor and his step father a lawyer, a kind and loving grandmother and a stupid but caring half brother, perfect grades, good looks and he was great at sports, being the captain of the football team, he like hiding things from everyone, except Meenah. He was loved among his peers and family especially his grandmother.

"Meenah?" Fariq said raising a brown eyebrow. Meenah snapped out of her trance, she hadn't even realized that she had been staring at him the whole time.

"Fariq!" Meenah jerked her head as Nadeer Basher Muhammad, Fariq's half brother came racing down the hallway. His grin was wide, almost contagious. Meenah reached her locker, twisting the dial as Nadeer crashed into Fariq. A grunt followed the impact, and many teenage heads swivelled around to watch the two boys.

It was a lip-twitching struggle as Meenah watched Fariq attempt to push Nadeer away. It was seemingly impossible for him to untangle himself from his half brother's arms, though which Nadeer seemed pleased about.

"Nadeer!" Fariq grunted, gripping Nadeer's arms to push him away. He raised an eyebrow at his brother, but Nadeer didn't let him go. Meenah hid a smile in her locker door as she watched the struggle. Eventually Fariq pushed Nadeer off, and the boy toppled to the floor. She bit back a smile as Fariq smiled in exasperation."Don't do that again."

Nadeer had the decency to flush bright red as he scrambled to his feet. Despite the flush, he continued to grin."Sorry, sorry. I'm just excited to see you!" Fariq hummed with a nod. He straightened his jacket and ran a head through his blonde hair."And where is this excitement coming from?"

Somehow Nadeer's smile widened. He punched Fariq's arm with an enthusiasm Fariq didn't reciprocate-but Meenah did see the glint of amusement in his eye, even if it was gone too quick to be sure. Just another thing he hid.

"Bro, come on, I haven't seen you in three days. I missed you." Nadeer opened his arms for another hug, one which Fariq didn't look too happy about-but Meenah noticed the sag of his shoulders, the acceptance he had for his half brother, even if he felt obliged to hide it.

Meenah didn't have the chance to watch it play out, because light but quick footsteps against the linoleum warned her for an incoming attack. Hands snagged her dress and spun her around. Her breath caught as she was shoved against the locker, a tingle passing from her tailbone up her spine. It would be the worst pain she endured today.