"Don't you know yet? It is your light that lights the world." - Rumi
The mobile in Yelin's jittery handshakes. It is the fourth time she is placing her mobile on her lap to rub her hands together. She needs to get up. The guest room at The Ma'arif High is too suffocating. She glances at Selena whose legs are bouncing. She plays with the button of her coat.
"I need to use the bathroom.", Yelin whispers but everyone in the room hears it and looks in her direction.
Selena gets up before Yelin and helps her up. She slides her hand in Yelin's arm as she leads her out of the room. There has been a little change of plans. The Ma'arif High has invited all the year 13 students of all the schools in the area to attend the event in their renovated auditorium.
"Selena, I am scared.", Yelin mutters as she walks into the stall and locks the door.
"It's gonna be okay!", she tries to calm her down.
"No, see... This school has always been unjust to me. I don't owe them anything! They owe me. I shouldn't have come back.", Yelin recalls the bad times. The announcement of results. Her overachiever self knew she will have the highest marks. And she didn't. The announcement had left her speechless. Like someone ripped her apart. She could see her world crumble down, shattering into pieces she couldn't glue back together. That bitch. So much for being Iranian.
"They owe you a big time. They do.", Selena knowing the entire story tries to phantom the idea of rich people buying marks. Eating up the deserving right of those who have worked their ass off for it. Now their children study in MBRU calling themselves valedictorians of the school. Asshats.
"I wish I wasn't Iranian. If only I was Arab I could have shut all of them up by shoving their money back in their mouths.", Yelin opens the door and comes out to wash her hand.
Selena stares at Yelin's phone screen that she has been holding for her, "You still have time. You have today. A subtle hint is all it requires to make them dig their graves in embarrassment."
Yelin pulls a tissue paper from the machine and wipes her hands off. She closes the running water tap with the tissue paper. She pulls out her hand sanitizer squeezing a confectionery-smelling liquid in her palm. In the doorway, she grabs Selena's hand to squeeze it in hers too, "Feco-oral."
Selena is still thinking about how Yelin hates being Iranian. Being bullied for being one. Being rejected opportunities for a petty reason. The dean of one of the prestigious universities in Sharjah dared to outright say that in her face.
"You know...", Selena stops in the corridor, "You should be proud of being Iranian. Iran is the country of poets. Jalaluddin Rumi. One of the greatest poets of all time. You have the cities of flowers. The real ones! You stand alone in the face of the entire world. Persian is as old as Arabic. Persians go back to the time of Prophet Muhammad. Do you realize how amazing you are! ", Yelin who has stopped in her tracks ahead of Selena finally turns around.
Her navy blue blazer flaps behind her as she leaps at Selena to wrap her hands around her neck. Selena's hands hold Yelin in place. Her hands wrap around her waist hugging her closer. When Yelin finally lets go she looks at Selena determined and confident.
"A slight change in speech won't make a big difference. Let's go!", she grabs Selena's hand as she races down the corridor knowing the map of her school in the back of her mind. Their matching navy blue blazers flap behind them. She knows which class will be empty.
As the auditorium starts overcrowding with year 13 students and their school representatives Dr. Sabila's eyes scan for Yelin and Selena. Almost all the participants have been seated on the sofa on the stage. Aariz stands up pretending to adjust his white shirt beneath his navy blue blazer. His eyes spot Amelia sitting amidst her friends. She waves at him and pulls out her middle finger. Her friends look in his direction. Her ladies as she calls them. The protective smart asses.
Aariz quickly turns around and sees Selena and Yelin sitting across him with Selena's hand grasping onto Yelin's who looks paler than she was before she left the guest room.
The event begins with the recitation of Quranic verses from Surah Nisa,
O, believers! Stand firm for justice as witnesses for Allah even if it is against yourselves, your parents, or close relatives. Be they rich or poor, Allah is best to ensure their interests. So do not let your desires cause you to deviate ˹from justice˺. If you distort the testimony or refuse to give it, then ˹know that˺ Allah is certainly All-Aware of what you do.
The opening speech sugar-coated with fancy words is followed by the thunderous clap from the audience who haven't even been paying attention.
The event starts in full swing after Dr. Sabila takes over the mic, "I wish I could make you realize what you have: today."
Yelin being the alumni starts first. Her jittering hands clasp the mic tightly. Sigh! She closes her eyes and breathes deeply. When she opens her mouth to speak words flow rather easily. Selena's hands hold onto the hem of her hijab. She scans the audience sitting in the darkness interrupted by small patches of yellow light illuminating quotes on the walls.
Aariz's eyes shift between Yelin's back in front of him and Selena across him. And at that moment they both turn to each other with eyes meeting. He wants her to look away, to let it slide but she doesn't. She holds his gaze and crosses her leg to get into a more comfortable position.
Aariz wants to see her facial expression behind the white mask although he can read her eyes which have declared war. And when she finally gives in and looks away he smiles in satisfaction still looking in her direction. Selena's undivided attention is now on Yelin's last part of the speech.
"In the end, I would like to say just one thing, don't be disheartened by the under the table deals of the rich because if they get where they aren't supposed to be their caliber won't EVER be able to match yours.", the principal sitting in the first freezes in her place. Her eyes follow Yelin as she walks back to the sofa.
Selena wraps her arm around Yelin's as she whispers, " EXALANT! "
---
I have heard so many such incidence that I had to discretely mention this in my story.
Have you subjected to such injustice?
YOU ARE READING
𝐅𝐚𝐮𝐱 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬
RomanceSome loves don't end with marriages but with hopes of meeting each other again and promises that must be fulfilled. *** What Aariz hates the most is Selena who has been needlessly put on a pedestal. But what he doesn't know is that she is trying her...
