𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍 / 𝐀𝐁𝐑𝐀 𝐂𝐀𝐃𝐀𝐁𝐑𝐀

الترجيع - 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡

𝙧𝙚𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙙 — 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡
𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘳
𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵/𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦

the schools library might've been abdul's favorite place to spend time.

he wasn't much of an academic, he didn't do much studying or preparing for his GCSE's. however, he did love reading up on animals and the way they functioned. he knew it was impossible but he always thought of having a career involving animals.

on top of that, being in the library gave him an excuse to see jamilah. in a weird way, he felt like he was spending time with her when they were both there.

he was a year older than her, but he seemed to see her all the time in the halls, during study period, around his neighborhood.

the girl was shorter than him— though everyone was shorter than abdul— with tight coily hair that she only wore out when she was waiting for her next braid appointment. her skin was brown and freckled with beauty marks and she had pretty doe-like eyes.

abdul fancied her quite a bit.

she was packing her bag to move to another section of the library like she did most days. 

he approached her, hands in his pockets, trying to be cool. abdul found it hard to keep up his facade when she was around, he would become too nervous.

jamilah glanced up at him through her eyelashes. "i see you haven't left." she remarked smartly.

he shook his head. "nah, wanted to speak with you."

"about tutorin' again?" she sighed, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "abdul, your grades are fine."

even though he wasn't an academic, abdul wasn't an idiot. he did his homework and he did well on exams and such. compared to his friends, he was a genius.

"i could be doing better..." he said quietly. "i aspire to have grades like yours."

"you have to study. i've not got time to be playin' games with you." the girl huffed, cheeks growing red. "now buzz off."

she began walking away so abdul grabbed her hand. "please?" his voice was soft. this was very forward of him but adbul couldn't let her slip away.

jamilah stomped her foot. "seriously, what do you really want? i can't do your assignments for you-"

in a bit of a flustered daze, feeling her pull away, he rushed out, "i know my grade aren't terrible. i just wanna hangout with you. i see you in the halls and at lunch, you don't speak to anyone... i just wanna be friends."

jamilah looked very frustrated though her voice was frail. "my friend? they've set you up to this haven't they? that's not funny."

he was still holding her hand in his. he looked down at it, heart beating heavily. for a moment he couldn't speak. "you said to be serious."

"this is not funny." she insisted, eyes welling up at the thought of being ridiculed even more by her classmates.

the boys in her class were terrible so he could understand why she was weary of him. he was different though, he really meant the things he said and he'd stop at nothing to prove that to her.

he grabbed her face, wanting to assure her he was honest. "i promise i would never do that. i wouldn't let anyone hurt you."

she shoved him away. "i hate you."

that was probably the first time abdul's heart was broken. and he couldn't be sure it ever really healed.