𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍 / 𝐀𝐁𝐑𝐀 𝐂𝐀𝐃𝐀𝐁𝐑𝐀

الترجيع - 𝙨𝙪𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙨𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙨

𝙧𝙚𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙙 — 𝙨𝙪𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙨𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙨
𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰
𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵/𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦

"what was that?" jamilah looked at abdul, expression mixed with different emotions.

"being a friend." he mumbled. in his fit of anger, he dragged them out of the library and out into the courtyard. this was their last hour of the day so it wasn't like they'd get in trouble. "you okay?"

"my arm is sore." she said hesitantly. she'd been holding that part of her arm for a while now. "probably need to ice it."

he nodded. his head was spinning. he had hoped he didn't scare her with his behavior. "i was gonna handle him later when no one was around, but i lost myself for a second."

"thank you," she ducked her head. "for stepping in."

"i won't let them bother you anymore." he told her. "if anyone does anything, let me know."

she nodded.

"promise." he demanded.

"i promise." she agreed as he took her bag and put it over his shoulder. "what now?"

"what do you wanna do?"

jamilah was quiet while she thought. "i'd like to go home. today's been drainin'... even before that."

"i'll walk you." abdul offered.

they lived in neighbouring estates. he wasn't sure she'd ever noticed that before though. it was sad seeing her alone all the time. but now they were together and he felt calm knowing no one would get away with hurting her again.

"alright."

they walked together and jamilah talked to him, mostly about how annoying it was dealing with kids like harmen everyday. she hated that she didn't fit in or that she hadn't made friends. being the new girl was terrible.

even though she was quiet in school, jamilah was actually a bit loud and even angry, something he'd grow to love about her.

abdul grabbed her hand. "i'm right here."

she smiled for the first time which gave abdul an anxious sort of happiness. he'd never seen her smile, ever. he cursed in his head, knowing he likely wouldn't see it again for a while.

"i appreciate that."

he pursed his lips to smother his own smile. "you wanna do something this weekend?"

"sure, i've been wantin' to go to westfield for a while." she glanced at him. "everyone is too busy to take me though."

"i'll take you." he assured her without having an actual plan of how he'd manage that. he didn't have a car.

"wallahi?" her tone was shocked.

the corner of his lips turned up. "yea... you're muslim?" she didn't wear a hijab so he didn't realise.

"yes!" she exclaimed. "are you? do you want to study the quran with me? i don't get to go to the mosque very often 'cos my aunt is always at school or work, and our cousins aren't fond of me. i really wanna go though."

his eyes looked over her face. "yea. whenever you want, i'm down."

"seriously? please tell me you're serious. that would mean so much to me." she was flinging her hands while she spoke.

he looked down at their hands. she wasn't holding his due to her excitement, but his stomach turned when he realised that she hadn't ever pulled away during their walk.

"i can teach you arabic as well."

she flung her arms around his neck, quickly hugging him. "i weren't sure but i think i'd like to be friends now."

he didn't get the chance to hug her back because she had already pulled away.

"you never had a choice." he joked.

"my aunt is at work so you can come over to mine." she fully smiled for the first time and abdul felt his heart skip a beat. "we can study and i have a couple books i think you'd like."

"yea." he managed in a soft voice.

"come on."