Little Miss Different [in editing]

28: Am I Or Am I Not?

Content note: carries on off previous themes, including running away and ableism. It also contains depictions of gender discrimination and Islamophobia (this occurs in a scene called 'At the interview'.). There is also a depiction of a non-fatal car crash. There's also a brief mention of attempted car theft that does not occur. :) (Also, I couldn't remember if I'd given Aasma a surname, so they have one now).

IMPORTANT: This chapter contains a car crash scene. A bold asterisk (*) and warning will be shown before the scene and at the end. A brief summary will be in bold at the end of the scene.

IMPORTANT: The scene containing the gender discrimination and Islamophobia depictions labelled as 'At the interview' will have a brief bold summary afterwards, similar in format to that of the car crash scene.

Aasma hurriedly shoves books into their bag as quick as possible. "Ellie! Have you got your car keys?"

"Yep!" says Ellie, jangling the keys as she twists into the room, quickly adjusting her hijab. "And the directions are loaded onto my phone."

"Brilliant," says Aasma. "Thanks."

Aasma slings their rucksack onto their back as the pair leave the house. Ellie locks the door behind her and unlocks her car, picking a penny out of the passenger door handle. "Ugh, I hate car thieves," she mutters, flicking it across the road before opening the door for her sibling. "Enbies first!"

Aasma laughs and slides into the passenger seat before Ellie closes the door and hops into the right-hand seat. She turns her keys in the ignition, slams her door shut and starts driving away.

"Aasma," she calls over the radio, "can you get up the instructions?"

"Sure," replies Aasma. They touch ID themselves into Ellie's phone and bring up the instructions. "Shoot! I'm gonna be late!"

Ellie mutes the music. "Wait, what time?" she asks.

"Five minutes late," groans Aasma. "And I've already had to reschedule this interview for health reasons, I'm screwed if I'm late."

"Look, I know a shortcut, it'll be fine," says Ellie. "I'll take a route that goes out of town. The roads there are deserted."

"Okay," sighs Aasma, adjusting their formal attire and checking themselves in the sun visor mirror. "I think I can do this."

"I know you can do this," smiles Ellie.

At the interview

"Mx. Aasma Alvi, please follow me," says a pleasant-sounding lady wearing a professional outfit. She has a smart jacket, neat shirt, tight black pencil skirt and shiny grey heels on. She glances at Aasma's outfit disapprovingly before leading them towards the meeting room.

The lady knocks on the door and then proceeds to let Aasma in. The door closes behind them.

A balding man with a red face and extraordinarily large eyes sits at a desk and motions for Aasma to sit. "Mx. Alvi, am I correct?" he asks.

"Yes, sir," they reply. "If I may ask, how am I to refer to you?"

The man laughs. "You're wonderfully polite, aren't you, young lady?" Aasma stiffens. "You should call me 'sir'."

"Thank you," replies Aasma tensely. "One thing before we begin, if I may." They wait for the man's approval to state it. "I do not identify as female."

The man looks visibly disgruntled. "Are you transgender? Are you a male?"

"No, I do not identify with either, I identify as non-binary, hence my title of Mx.," Aasma says. "So my preferred pronouns are they/them."