Hectic Life of A Muslim Girl (ON HOLD)

Chapter 6 ~ Welcome Home... Part One

Turns out we both liked finger painting and shapes. Pretty basic things but hey, we were five. After snack we went back to our spots and resumed back into class. I later discovered that a pair of twins, Mark and Martin, kept poking at Benny and pulling his hair. I got frustrated that the teacher isn't stopping this. I stomp over to them and yell at them "Stop and leave my friend alone!"

The two boys stop to stare at me and begin to bawl. I hadn't noticed the teacher behind me as she grabbed me by the elbow to the time-out corner. As she pulled me away, I turn back to Benny to find him smiling at me. I smile back. I've done a good thing. But suddenly my smile vanished. Mom and Dad aren't going to like this. Time-outs on the first day were a HUGE deal

After hours go by with chanting numbers to 10, shape-pointing and coloring, its finally home time.

All the students run out with huge smiles plastered on their faces. Mine stayed with a frown. I was somewhat afraid about mom and dad's reaction to the time-out. I was always the good kid. I always ate my vegetables, instead of throwing it away and I never sassed to my mom. I was actually a remarkable child.

After a few minutes I realize the yard was empty. No one was in sight. But I wasn't surprised at all. My parents were always late. Although I was five at time, I had experience. I look over to my right to find Benny sitting on the grass with his legs crossed picking with the weeds in front of him. In an attempt to make him my friend, I break the silence.

"Hi!" I say with a loud and confident tone. He jumped and turned around catching his breath like ran across the world.

"Don't do that, you scared me," He puffed, holding his heart. My mood went down instantly. "I get scared easily."

"Then don't! When I think of or see something scary, I imagine myself in a meadow." I smile to the sky. I run over to him and sat next to him.

"A meadow? That place with flowers and birds?" He questioned.

I sighed to figure a way to explain my happy place. "Well it doesn't have to be that. It could be a place of flowers, birds and... cookies!" I exclaimed.

"Cookies?" He said with a great smile on his face. "And race cars and monster trucks too?"

"Anything that makes you happy dude." I reply with a big smile.

He was about to reply but then a loud honking sound interrupted us.

"Come on, Lina!" My dad called.

I groaned. "This sucks, we were just having fun."

Benny looked at me and smiled, "We always have tomorrow."

"Oh right!" I smiled.

"Wait, what's your name?" He called back.

"Lina, what's yours?" I smiled.

"Benny!" He smiled back. I'm not sure what happened but something randomly came over me and hugged him. He hesitated for a bit then hugged me too. We waved goodbye to each other and went out separate ways.

After that day, Benny and I were inseparable. We spent all of our time together, we rode our bicycles for hours on ends, and we had our late night chats on the phone while everyone was asleep. He was the engine that kept me running, encouraged me to do crazy thing and vice versa.

But after I converted, he became distant with me. He wouldn't answer my calls, talk to me at school. It's like he became a whole new person. When we were assigned as partners at school, he almost forced the teacher to allow him to work alone. Benny acted like I had this virus that could kill the entire human race and he didn't want to be near that.