Chapter 2

As we arrived to the school, we sat in the car in silence, none of us ready to go.

Dad spoke first, "Well, I hope you'll have a good time. Now don't waste time and go."

"Okay then, come on sibs let's start our dreadful day!" I said and we all got from the car.

"Bye dad!" we all said in unison and slam the doors shut.

As soon as I left the car, a pair of arms wrapped around me and hugged me tightly.

"Hey Newal! I thought that you'd not come! What took you so long?"

As soon as the person spoke, I immediately recognised that she's my best friend, Nadely. Nadely Anderson and I were best friends since we were 6. And she was the first person who was so friendly to me beside my family.

"I woke up late today and made everyone late too, oops...and not coming? You know mom, she she never let us be absent for school. Anyways, how was summer?"

"Nothing new. Chilling out, coming to your house, watching movies

Sleep most of the time and some random stuff, what about you?"

"The usual,whenever I try to chill out people glare or stare at me as if

I'm some kind of an alien, people being rude to me, and other similar stuff to yours" I said as we started walking through the school doors.

When we were talking as we were standing in front of our lockers, some bunches of blonde haired girls bumped into me and let me fall on the ground.

"Hey! Watch it!" I yelled at them as they passed me.

"Hey! Watch it!" One of the girls mimicked me and all of them started mocking  and laughing at me.

"Oh please! No one asked you to tell us your very hilarious jokes so you better go or-"Nadely said that but one of the blonde, I guess her name is Jessica, interrupted her, scoffed and said,

"What if we don't?"

Before Nadely was about to say something, one of the bad boys, Nathan Richards, came up to us with his friends and relief flood into me. If you are confused how the bad boy would give me relief, he is Nadely's boyfriend.

Nadely and Nathan started their relationship at 7th grade. It was so weird for me to see my best friend with a bad boy, because they used

to hate each other so much. I guess some unexpected things become true. At first, I was so uncomfortable because he didn't like me that much when they started the relationship. But by the time, we grew to finally  be friends.

He helped me up and as I looked towards the girls, but they were gone.

Exactly you douche bags, off you go!

"Thanks Nathan, I-" but before I  finish he said

"I don't need your thanks. Even though I'm a 'bad boy'," he air quoted the words, "I can't stand anyone who tries to hurt my girlfriend's bestie and who also is my friends' sister. " I nodded my head and grinned too much it hurts.

Oh! I forgot! The second person who treats me well is Nathan and some of his friends.

"Aww, you're so cute babe" Nadely went to him, hugged and both of them did what other couples would do.

"Nadely, can we go to our classes before we end up in the detention room and please will you guys get a room to yourselves before I puke all over you?" She rolled her eyes at me and unlaced herself from him and we waved goodbye to him.

When we entered the class which was history, Mrs. Norris was at her desk taking the attendance.

She glanced up to us and said "Finally, Nadely and Newal came on time to class"

We walked to our seats, took our books and pencil case.

Mrs. Norris stood from her chair, closed the door of the class and started teaching the most boring lesson.

  "~~~~"

After some more classes, finally, lunch came.

"Did you see how Madisson acted when Nick hit her with a paper ball? "Nadely said that and burst in laughter.

"Of course! Her expression was priceless!" I joined in the laughter.

As we head to our table, many pairs of eyes was watching me and it was too uncomfortable for me but I just ignored those hateful eyes.

Even though as much as there are people who hate me, the are students who are lovely that either waves at me and gives me curt nods.

I guess this year won't be as bad as the others

As we sat at our table and put our food on it, we immediately dug in our food.

"Woah girls! You better eat like a person than eating like a pig" Farris commented on our eating and passed by us, and sat with Nathan and his friends.

When I looked through the whole gang of Nathan, my eyes locked to someone I've always had a crush on, Ryan.

Ever since I got to the middle school, I had a crush on him, but the problem is, I am the person he hates the most.

Nadely followed my gaze only to see me staring at him. She smirked and said "Hey, how's it going with your crush? "

I shrugged and said "The obvious, he hates me and I like him " still not breaking my gaze.

"Why won't you talk to him? Or just confess your feelings to him" She said with a little sarcasm as she took a bite from her sandwich.

"Ha! As if he'll do the same. Nadely, unless you want me to die, you'd not give me such a very helpful advice"

"Not exactly but you're welcome for the advice" She said and I rolled my eyes at her.

As we were eating , someone unexpected came to greet us, Jessica.

"Well,well,well," She started  "You thought we were scared and ran away huh? Now I present to you my dear boyfriend, Kevin. "

She was looking behind us so I guessed what she presented was behind us .when I was about to turn my head.

I felt a hand behind my head, holding my hijab and pushed my head to the table where my face was dipped with spaghetti.

When I raised my head up, everyone in the cafeteria was pointing at me and laughing. Nadely was shouting at him and tried to push him but with little effort he pushed her back and she fell to the floor."Hey!" I said but he couldn't care less.

Tears came but I didn't let them drop. As I was about to go to help Nadely , Kevin turned me to face him, gripped my arm so hard and said "Now the drama starts"

He pulled his arms and get a hold of my hijab. When he was about to pull it off, Nathan and Farris came up to him. Farris was the first who punched him straight on the nose. He let go off me and Nadely held came up to me saying "It's okay Newal".

Nathan held Kevin by his shirt and hit his jaw. He staggered backwards and when he was about to hit Farris,

" Richards, Sherif and Williams come with me to my office, now! " Our principal, Mr. Wellington, shouted and all three of them stopped.

They followed him and went out of the cafeteria. I stood there, frozen

Nadely had a worried face and said, "Newal, I think we should go to the nurse office"

"Why? Nothing happened to me," when I touched my face, I flinched when I reached my cheek.

"That's why we should go. Come on" She looped he arms into mine and we headed to the nurse office.

After what felt like years, we left the nurse office and went to the principals' office. When we reached there I saw all three of them and Jessica glued to Kevin.

As both Farris and Nathan looked up and saw us they plastered a small smile on their faces.

"You didn't have to do this guys, see, now you're in trouble" I said that and both of them glared at me but Farris spoke first,

"Are you seriously insane? He was about to take off your hijab and humiliate you in front of everyone!"

"And did you even thought that we would just sit there and watch

him hurt you?" Nathan continued.

"I didn't even finish with that asshole yet, he freaking bruised you!"

"Try me then" kevin said and when  Farris was about to go and kick his butt, Nathan stopped him.

"Farris, this dumbass is not worth it. Just let him do it again then I'm with you." Then  he continued to me " See Newal ,we-"

"Okay,okay! Youre right! Now tell us what happened inside" I said and both of them shrugged and Nathan said "Nothing bad, just detention for the whole week"

"Oh God Farris, dad will surely kill you for fighting and getting yourself a detention."

"Oh no he will surely award me for protecting my little sister " he said.

"For the billionth time Farris, you're just a minute older than me! So I don't count it like you're older than me!"

"I don't care if it's a minute or a second, I'm older that's it."he said smirking at me, knowing that it would annoy me.

As I was about to say something to him, the principals' office door opened and the receptionist came up to us and said,

"The principal says that if there would be any of these kind of such behaviuor again there would be a suspension so be careful. Now you can go"

All three boys grunted and thanked the receptionist for the piece of information.

The bell rang signalling for going to our classes. Nadely, Nathan, Farris and I made our way to our classes and luckily we all were going to the same class which was biology, yay! I really love biology because I like learning about the anatomy of a person and whatever it is.

As we got in the classroom, my favorite teacher Mr. Johnson, greeted us with a warm smile and we sat on our tables. I sat beside Nadely and Nathan and Farris sat in front of us.

I whispered to Farris saying, "I better text dad that we would be coming home by the school bus cuz it's better if the drama would start home "

Farris nodded his head without uttering a word so I unzipped my bag held my phone out and texted dad:

    *Hey dad, Farris, Fawzan and I will be coming by the school

       Bus so no need to come*

After not even 3 minutes he replied,

      *Okay sweetie come home safe*

And with that I put my phone in my bag and made my attention to

the lesson.

After school ended, Nadely and I hugged each other goodbye and caught up with Farris when we were out of the gates of the school,we were greeted by an excited Fawzan.

"Guys you don't know what happened! The-" when he looked at me his face drooped and turned to a worried one.

"Sis, what happened to your face?" He asked me but Farris answered him.

"Everything will be explained home. Now please let's hop in the bus before it leaves us here."

We walked to the school bus and sat at the far end of the bus. We we-

nt the whole journey in silence and when we reached to our stop and the bus mad a halt, we stood up and got out of the bus.

When we eached home andknocked on the door, mom opened it.

Great. Just great.

My subconscious said and as my mom saw me,

"Newal! What on earth happened to you!!"

Remember when I said that this year would be better? Well, guess what? I take it back.