𝐊𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐉𝐀𝐇'𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 / 𝐃𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐈𝐄 𝐁

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟕: 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓.

Her father walked him out of their apartment with the meanest mug on his face that Khadijah had ever seen. She sat on the edge of her bed, curling into herself as her mother came over to her—smacking her on the back of the head.

"Waxaan ku nidhi ha ka laadlaad-laadin! Haddana, waxaad keenaysaa mid iyaga ka mid ah saqafkeena hoostiisa (we told you not to hang around them! Yet, you bring one of them under our roof)!" Her mother had shouted, and Khadijah didn't even have words to defend herself. Her mother slapped her shoulders a few times before she exhausted herself from yelling. Her father came back into the room, staring at her, partly in disbelief and partly in disappointment. Khadijah knew as soon as she looked at him.

There was no going back.

Her parents had shouted at her a few more times—going back and forth, arguing over what to do with her, before her mother finally stormed off. She couldn't even bear to look at her anymore. Her father lectured her for a while—long enough for tears to spill out of Khadijah's eyes. He'd taken her phone and forbid her from leaving the house.

"Aad baad ii niyad jabisay (you disappointed me so much), Khadijah," her father had said before he finally left the room as well, the door clicking shut behind him.

She just buried her face in her hands and cried.

✧

Her father had always told Khadijah that her name held weight.

Khadijah itself meant trustworthy, but her father had chosen the name because it symbolized respect. She was expected to be a respectful girl--respect her elders, follow rules, and act accordingly to what was expected of her. As a young girl, she eagerly ached to fulfill her father's dreams for her--becoming a lawyer, and making it big enough that they'd be able to move out of the Bronx and never look back, but all that had changed in her sophomore year of high school.

Her mother had walked her to the subway the next morning, glaring vehemently at Arion and Kevin, who stood outside waiting for her. Thankfully, her mother kept quiet—just forced Khadijah to stick to her side until the train came, watching carefully to ensure Khadijah stayed away.

She stayed stoic when the train left the station, watching her mother's face turn into a tiny dot fading into the distance from the window before she let out a tired sigh.

Khadijah exited the subway alone, dodging Kevin and Arion as she made her way to her locker. It wasn't long before they caught up to her, though and showered her with endless questions.

"Bro, are your parents mad mad?" Arion asked her.

"What the fuck do you think? They took my phone," she grumbled, shoving her bag into her locker, "all because Kevin didn't stick to his fucking word and come get you last night. Why the fuck were you popping percs anyways, Arion? Are you crazy?" She bit out at Arion, a glare on her face. He seemed a bit taken aback, pursing his lips slightly.

"Shit took longer than expected—I was tryna text and call, but niggas were slumped," Kevin sighed, shrugging his shoulder slightly.

"I'm sorry, Jah, deadass—I ain't mean to—" Arion stumbled over his words, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

"Just stop, Arion," she snapped at him, holding her palm in the air, "my parents are on my ass about this. If they see me with you guys, they'll ship me back home, and they weren't fucking playing this morning. I just can't believe that shit happened." Khadijah whispered the last sentence to herself, just exhausted with the morning's events. "So from now on, in public, just act like you don't know me. Thanks." Khadijah spoke dryly, slamming her locker shut. She spun on her heel, walking away towards her social sciences class; hearing the two guys mumbling behind her.