Too young for war

chapter 3

Nazeera does not say hello.

She only looks at me, gives me a small smile and looks at her food.

She wears a silk shawl around her head, which I think suits her well. It's pretty, and I want to tell her this, but I can imagine it will be awkward if I say anything.

It might come out wrong, as head scarfs are no longer suppose to be used.
religion and culture isn't suppose to exists anymore, or at least that's what I've heard.

Easier said: They're all illegal.

"You cover your hair now?" Aaron suddenly ask.

At this, she looks up, meets his eyes. She takes a long sip of her tea and studies him. And then, Says nothing.

"I think it's looks beautiful though." I say, not really knowing who I said it too, but I guess it goes to Nazzera, as she is the one wearing it.

Aaron is about to say something, I assume he wants to move on with the conversation since she is not interested in discussing it.

"So you don't think anyone will notice? That you cover your hair?" It's Kenji, speaking and chewing at the same time.

I see Aaron touching his fingers to his lips and then he looks away, fighting to hide his revulsion.
Nazeera stabs at a piece of lettuce on her plate. Eats it.

"I mean you have to know," Kenji says to her, still chewing, "that what you're wearing is an offense punishable by imprisonment."

She seems surprised to find Kenji still pursuing the subject, her eyes 'judging' him like he might be an idiot.

"I'm sorry," she says softly, putting down her fork, "but who are you, exactly?"

"Nazeera," Haider says, trying to smile as he shoots her a careful, sidelong glance. "Please remember that we are guests—"

"I didn't realize there was a dress code here."

"Oh—well, I guess we don't have a dress code here," Kenji says between bites, oblivious to the tension. "But that's only because we have a new supreme commander who's not a psychopath. But it's illegal to dress like that," he says, gesturing at her face with his spoon, "like, literally everywhere else. Right?"

He looks around, but no one responds. "Isn't it?" he says to Aaron, eager for confirmation.
Aaron nods. Slowly.

Idiots.

Nazeera takes another long drink of her tea, careful to replace the cup in its saucer before she leans back, looks at both kenji and Aaron in the eye and says, "What makes you think I care?"

"I mean"—Kenji frowns—"don't you have to care? Your dad is a supreme commander. Does he even know that you wear that thing"—another abstract gesture at her head—"in public? Won't he be pissed?"

This is not going well.

Nazeera, who'd just picked up her fork again to spear some bit of food on her plate, puts down her fork and sighs. Unlike Haider, she speaks perfectly unaccented English.

She's looking only at Kenji when she says, "This thing?"

"Sorry," he says sheepishly, "I don't know what it's called."

She smiles at him, but there's no warmth in it. Only a warning. "Men," she says, "are always so baffled by women's clothing. So many opinions about a body that does not belong to them. Cover up, don't cover up"—she waves a hand—"no one can seem to decide."

"But—that's not what I—" Kenji tries to say.

"You know what I think," she says, still smiling, "about someone telling me what's legal and illegal about the way I dress?"
She holds up two middle fingers.

Kenji chokes, I do too.

"Go ahead," she says, her eyes flashing angrily as she picks up her fork
again. "Tell my dad. Alert the armies. I don't give a shit."

"Nazeera—"
"Shut up, Haider."

"Woah—hey—I'm sorry," Kenji says suddenly, looking panicked. "I didn't mean—"

"Whatever," she says, rolling her eyes. "I'm not hungry." She stands up suddenly.

and she walks away.

"idiot." I say as I kick kenji in the leg.

"ow—I didn't even mean it like that—" he tries to say.

"well, it clearly came out wrong, and now she's gone, because you can't keep your mouth shut." I say irritated.

Aaron gives me a look which  says 'calm down', but I can't help it.

"But he made her leave, he is a complete idiot—"

A heavy, uncomfortable silence settles between us after Nazeera's gone.

"Why'd you have to say anything?" Kenji elbows Aaron. and he flinches, surprised.

"Excuse me?"
"This is your fault," he hisses, low and anxious. "You shouldn't have said
anything about her scarf."

"I asked one question," He says stiffly. "You're the one who kept pushing—"

"Yeah, but you started it! Why'd you even have to say anything?"

"She's the daughter of a supreme commander," He says, fighting to keep his voice down. "She knows better than anyone else that what she's wearing is illegal under the laws of The Reestablishment—"

"Oh my God," Kenji says, shaking his head. "Just—just stop, okay?"
"How dare you—"

"What are you two whispering about?" Juliette says, leaning in.

"I wouldn't call it whispering." I say.

"Just that your boyfriend doesn't know when to shut his mouth," Kenji says, scooping up another spoonful of food.

"You're the one who can't keep your mouth shut." Aaron turn away. "You can't even manage it while you're eating a bite of food. Of all the disgusting things—"

"Shut up, man. I'm hungry."

"I think I'll retire for the evening also," Haider says suddenly. He stands.
We all look up.

"Of course," Aaron say. He get to his feet to bid him a proper good night.
"Ani aasef," Haider says, looking down at his half-eaten dinner.

"I was hoping to have a more productive conversation with all of you this evening, but I'm afraid my sister is unhappy to be here; she didn't want to leave home." He sighs.

"But you know Baba," he says to Aaron. "He gave her no choice." Haider shrugs. Attempts a smile.

"She doesn't understand yet that what we do—the way we live now"—he hesitates—"it's the life we are given. None of us has a choice."

I shiver, not from the cold, but the though of what he just said. I think Aaron reacted too.

"Of course," Aaron say to him. "I understand." He really do.

I used google translate on the Arabic sentences—I only used it once though, (I think) but please tell me if I wrote anything wrong🫣
<3