The next day at school, Naima went to see Principal Hashford and told her about her final decision.
She tried to make Naima change her mind but she had already made up my mind. It was the only way.
Naima was given a schedule of all the games to be played that year so she would be able to prepare for the games to come.
Not that there was anything to prepare for. The first football game was two weeks from now and she felt her heart was going to burst.
After thanking the Principal, she left her office with a lot of unknowns on her mind.
Was she supposed to dance?
French was her first class that morning.
Her locker was close to her French class.
She took out the books she would need.
After locking her locker, she began her short journey to her class.
As usual, she walked by the side of the hallway with her gaze lowered to the ground to avoid unnecessary eye contact with others.
Out of nowhere, she crashed into a hard body.
This wasn't her first time walking by the side of the hallways and she was positive there wasn't any wall on her path.
Unfortunately for her, she was taken aback and her newly acquired books fell from her hands as all the stationery in her side bag fell out.
Naima went down to start picking her stuff up quickly when she noticed the person she crashed into was helping her pick up her books and her thousands of pens and pencils (don't blame her. . . She tried to come prepared and with backup at all times.)
Whoever she crashed into definitely had manners because under the normal scenario, she would have received a look of scorn, a harsh insult and a shove. . . It had happened before. Hence why she decided to stick to the side.
She looked up to see at whoever the person was , just to see the most beautiful golden brown eyes she had ever seen in her life. MaashaaAllah .
She had never seen anything that looked so deep in anybody's eyes and yet they looked just as conflicted but covering that confliction with happiness-wait since when did she start to interpret people's eyes?
Astagfirullah! Haram! May Day! haram!haram!
She had been staring at the person for what felt like 10 minutes already and a non mehram at that. What if he thought she was weird?
She was. . . But you get the point.
She quickly snatched her books and pens from his hands and he seemed surprised for a second by her actions.
Naima quickly got up from her squatting position and walked briskly away not looking back because she could feel those eyes boring into my back.
By the time she got to her French class only a few people werevthere and she thanked Allah for that.
No one wanted to be late for class right?
Or was it just her?
⚜️
The guys where pissing Tawfiq off.
He told them explicitly to tell that fake bitch he wasn't around but of course they did the opposite. How could people be so foolish?
That was why people believed jocks were a bit dumb. Handsome but dumb.
They were going to pay for doing that.
So now, here he was, trying to avoid Lacey-who named their child that- Americans. He thought.
Not that he was scared of her, he just didn't want her ear piercing flirty voice ringing in his ears, so he decided to avoid her at all cost.
He couldn't blame her though. He was an amazing specimen. He was from the UAE and had all the things to make women fall for him in a second. He wasn't bragging. He was stating facts. But fortunately he didn't find that very interestingly fun to do like the other guys.
He walked by the side of the hallway with his grey hoodie over his head. And out of nowhere a random person bumps into him.
At that moment, he was genuinely about to give the person a piece of his mind when he realized it was a girl particularly the only hijabi in the school.
She didn't socialize a lot. . .maybe even at all so Tawfiq didn't really know her but who could miss the only hijabi in school.
Tawfiq helped her pick up her books and pens which he honestly couldn't count by himself. He had no idea what she used all of them for anyways.
She finally raised her head and looked straight into his eyes like she was in a trance.
Tawfiq didn't mind because he used that as a chance to analyze her face.
Her lips for one looked amazing. It wasn't very plump and fake like some other girls who couldn't get enough Botox in there but it was simple and for a moment he just wanted to. . .no, he didn't want to do anything.
Tawfiq continued to look at her lips for a long time as she stared into his eyes looking at God knows what.
After a whole lot of minutes and seconds passed by, it was like someone just slapped her and she snapped out from her staring faze.
Without so much as a word, she snatched the books and pens from Tawfiq's hands also without any form of gratitude.
Not that he wanted to hear her voice or something but saying thank you wouldn't hurt anyone. At least that's what he told himself.
She got up and walked away without looking back.
Wow, that girl was weird. One minute she is staring at him like he was some sort of precious object and next thing you know she is walking away quickly from him like he was the plague.
Tawfiq looked at her while she walked into the French class.
Well, well, look at that, He had French right now too with Mrs. Petit.
He had switched most of his classes to fit into his schedule for training.
Formerly, he was in Mr. Anderssen's French class.
He was going to his locker to get his books when he bumped into her.
Well Karma was a mean bitch and they couldn't do anything about it.
Tawfiq smirked and chuckled as he continued to walk to his locker. He opened it up and took the books he needed out. Then out of nowhere it was slammed shut by Dean, his supposedly best friend almost brother.
Dean was the one who told Lacey he was around when Tawfiq told him to say the opposite.
Tawfiq give him a death glare and he gave his own sad eyes.
"Get out of my face, Dean." Tawfiq muttered.
"I was only playing around T, you know that."
Tawfiq frowned. "Well you know how much I don't like talking to Lacey but yet you still insist "
"Sorry T. I won't reveal your location ever again. Scouts honor " He said making the scouts honor sign and chuckling.
" Stop fooling around, you weren't even a scout member."
" How do you know that. Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't. You weren't even in the same elementary school with me, T." he said with an angry pout.
"Do you look like someone who was a scout member?" Tawfiq asked with a smirk.
"Should I take that as a compliment or an insult?"
"Dean, you can take it as anything you want." Tawfiq said whiles shrugging.
"Thanks, T." He said with a wide grin like a child.
"But I. . .you know what forget it. . .You know you are real funny at times."
Tawfiq didn't want to waste time explaining anything further to Dean. He acted dumb at times.
The bell went off.
"Tawfiq. . .gotta go. . .see you later, at lunch?" He questioned.
Tawfiq nods.
"Yeah. Sure thing."
He jogged away and Tawfiq turned to move to his French class.
Mrs. Petit was going to be pissed for sure because he was late.
He had no idea why her name was petit when she was the opposite of small.
She was kind of intimidating with her thick and tall body but who cared right?
He entered the class and all eyes were on him except the only eyes he was wishing to see.
"Mr. Rahim, you are late." Mrs. Petit stated the obvious and omits the Abdul from his surname. Oh she did not.
It pissed him off.
"With all due respect," Everyone knew no form of respect came after that line. "I can see I'm late. And my surname is Abdul Rahim not Rahim so if you could please show some respect and reverence to the name, it's one of the names of God and. . ."
She looked at him and the whole class did the same. Everyone confused and dumbfounded.
"You know what, never mind. I'm sorry I was late, Mrs. Petit."
"Um. . .see the Principal after school." she said.
"Sure." He said without sparing a glance.
I go and sit by sitting place. Which I feel is at the far opposite end of where the hijabi sits. She hasn't even looked my way.
"Okay class, so we were able to finish all the syllabus for last year. This year we are starting with Joan of Arc. I believe I told you to go and read on that before we come back?" Mrs. Petit said with a happy smile.
Oh shit...Tawfiq forgot all about it. Mrs. Petit had informed him about it when he switched.
He was good in French. . . the language. Not the history of French people.
"So class, who wants to give us a brief summary on what they learnt during the summer break?" She said with her smile still in place.
After a few minutes of silence, it turned into a frown when she realized no one read on it.
Could you blame them.
It was summer vacation.
"Oh really, someone say something before I give you all 4 weeks of dentention .....and 2 weeks of continuous essays on it and also everyone gets an F in the finals. You kids had 3 whole month and you couldn't use one day to read anything!"
Someone said 'she's bluffing' in the class and she seemed to have heard it.
"Oh I'm not bluffing. Try me out. I'm sick and tired of you students doing what you want. Someone say something sensible before I lose it. I went to a military school so don't tempt me, class." She shouted.
She was really angry and if this was a cartoon, smoke would be coming out of her ears and nose.
Out of nowhere, the hijabi he bumped into sitting behind the class raises her hand up shyly.
Someone doesn't like F's, I see.
Everyone released a breath they didn't know they were holding.
No body like F too.
"Yes Miss....?" She asked.
Even the class teacher didn't know her name.
"Abdul Salam" she says quietly not looking up.
"Sure, Miss Abdul Salam go ahead. . .the floor is yours."
At least she added the Abdul.
"Okay. . .
Joan of Arc was considered a heroine of France for her role in the Lancastrian phase of the Hundred Years' War and was canonized as a Roman Catholic Saint. She was born to Jacques d'Arc and Isabelle Romeé a peasant family . She was born in Domrémy in north-east France. She received visions from the Archangel Michael, Saint Margaret and Saint Catherine of Alexandria asking her to support Charles VII and recover France from English domination in the Hundred Years' War. She was sent on a relief mission by uncrowned Charles VII to the siege of Orléans. She gained prominence after the siege was lifted later. Charles was crowned king then in Reims. This awaited victory improved French Morale and paved way for the final French Victory. . . erm that is all I know."
Everyone starts to clap instantly mostly because she saved all our asses.
"Well. . . I don't know what to say. . .well done. You students are lucky she answered. " Mrs. Petit said.
Wow.
Even if Tawfiq researched on it, he wouldn't be able to give a summary like that. She was standing while answering which surprised him as well. No one stood to answer questions. This was high school in the brightest century.
He was sure it was out of respect though.
She took her seat and looked away from the teacher.
Tawfiq saw her raise her head in his direction and her eyes landed on him but as quickly as that happened she looked away.