Left Hanging

"I stopped attending school since last semester." She says, her sadness not hidden.

"Why?"

"No money and my friends used to beat me for being poor so mummy took me away from there."

"So you haven't been to any school since then?"

"No."

Noticing her downcast mood, Akeelah asks her "Do you still want to go back to school?"

"Yes. I still want to go back to school." She replies cheerily.

"Okay. You know what we will do? I'll let your Mummy and you decide which school you want to go. Any school at all, hm? I'll send you there so you'll make better friends." Akeelah assures her by placing a hand on the little girl's shoulder.

"Yaaaay..." She shrieks happily and hugs Akeelah's legs.

At the entrance of the room, hidden behind the door, stood Mrs Baek with a glass cup and bottle of Soda in her hands, and tears in her eyes. She stays there for another moment so she can regain her composure.