Karim & Samra

1. School

Asalamu Alikum! My name is Karim and I am about tell you how I met my soulmate Samra. It all started in Biology class during my Junior year in high school when Mrs. Jady assigned us our new class partners.
" Today class, you will be getting new partner as it's been two weeks with the same partner,"
Mrs Jady said, standing in front of the class smiling.
" Here I'm passing out papers that will give you a number and you will pair up with a person who has the same number as you," she added.

Everyone started getting up. I scratched my head , feeling very nervous and grabbed my peice paper . People are already hollering out their numbers to find out who their partners but every number that was said didn't seem to match mine.
"Hey what's your number"
"Hey I have 3, how about you,"someone asked.
People hollered back at each other. Everyone seemed to find their partner except me. I was standing there alone struggling to find my partner.
"Omg, is my partner not here?"I asked myself .Then I saw a girl looking at her paper and coming towards me. She is a new girl in our class and doesn't say much. I went up to her to find out if we had the same number. "Do you have number 5,"we both asked at the same time. Set and ready we were partners. I nervously welcomed her.
" Please  have a seat ," I said her awkwardly smiling.
"Um..what's your name" I asked her nervously.
"I am Samra," she replied.
She didn't ask me my name but I told her anyways.
"I'm Karim" I told her.
"Karim, from Morroco," I countinued.
She just smiled and looked down. Samra is a Muslimah and is so far the only Muslim girl wearing Hijab in our class. By looking at her I have this feeling I have never felt before. I've never came across a Muslimah wearing hijab in this school before and not just that, also Samra came into my feelings too fast. Samra was also modest. She was covered from head to toe beautifully. I guess she knows her obligations. I thought to myself. I tried to lower my gaze. Her blue eyes catched mine. Auzubillahi mina shaytanir rajeem " I mumbled. "Lower your Karim, gaze lower your gaze" I repeatdly reminded myself. Then I looked down to see what was on my piece paper. I'm supposed to be asking questions to my partner and answering them but for the past few minutes all I asked was what's her name and didnt bother to write it down either.
"Now class, this is due at the end of class, make sure to finsh," Mrs Jady reminded everyone. I started to ask her more questions and from there we took turns and got it done.
The bell rang. I Packed my stuff and gave salams to Samra. I hurried down to my locker and on the hallway I seen Umar and Drake standing next to my locker more like our meeting place for every period. Umar and Drake are my bestfriends. More like my brothers . Umar is from Yemen and Drake is from Palestine. Three of us are Arab so we do understood each other languages although the dialect was a problem sometimes. Umar is the tallest out me and Drake. Sometimes we tease him by calling him names like giraffe but he doesn't get offended at least not immedietly . As I walked out of class I had this huge smile on my face. It made Umar and Drake ask me why I'm smiling . They would make me answer anything but I wasn't about to answer the reason behind this smile to them. I distracted them hoping they would not ask agian. Then Drake asked again.
"Tell us why you're so happy today Karim," Drake asked.
"Can't I smile," I joked.
Then drake bursted out laughing which made everyone stare.
"HAHAHAHA"
I laughed along without saying anything. I opened my locker and got out my next period book Algebra II. I had this class last period. The 30 second bell rang which made us separate. Math was my least favorite subject. Algebra seems very familiar but I'm not sure if the book has the same meaning as the algebra Arabic word.The word Al translates to "the" and Jabra meaning "to reunite,". After few minutes iin class , I asked my math teacher Mrs Fabiano if I could use the restroom. As I walking down to the bathroom. I saw a girl, She faced backwards and wore Hijab. So I didnt doubt it wasnt Samra. Yup it was Samra. I tried to avoid her but I couldn't help it. It seemed like she was lost and trying to figure out something. She was looking at classroom numbers while holding a paper. I felt guilty and wanted ask her If she needs any help. She handed me her class schedule and it said Mrs Fabiano 5th period for her next class. I couldn't believe I have her in other class . As I seen Samra again I forgot all about going to the restroom. I told her to come with me as I went to math class.
"Your in my 5th period Samra," I said to her.
I walked her into the class and explained to Mrs Fabiano why I was late.
"Mrs. Fabiano this is Samra and she was wondering in the hallway so I helped her get to class as I was on my way to the bathroom and I found out it was this one." I said.
"She is new to school," I added
"Well, lets see," Mrs Fabiano replied as he was looking through the roster.
"Samra Haqq, right," he asked her.
"Yes Sir," she responded.
"Your sit will be right next to Sandra, "Sandra please raise your hand, so Samra can see who to sit next to" he said.
Sandara is a Muslim from Cuba. She don't wear the Hijab and I hope Samra will realize that she is a Muslim , and not feel left out. Class was nearly over. With the blank of an eye, the end of school bell rang.I just wanted go home.