IMAAN'S FIGHT & OTHER STORIES

IMAAN'S FIGHT II

Christian

...Honestly, you'd think that after that incident with Amber and Imaan, someone would've gotten some disciplinary action taken against them.

All Amber and her friends got was two hour detention after school for the whole week.

I remember sitting outside the principal's office waiting as she and Imaan had a talk. Minutes later,she came out sobbing vehemently.

Like I said Imaan hates when people see her cry so she'd do it in the lonelist of places, library or after class when everyone's out for recesses.

"Come here," I gently pulled her into a warm hug while rubbing circles on her back to try and calm her down.

"She said, I'm banned from practicing my religion on school grounds."

That was insane...

"I'm not allowed to wear my Hijab."

I felt the vein in my temple throb out of anger as I tightly hugged Imaan.

"Christian.. I've been suspended,"

"What! How? You're the victim here? How's that fair?"

Sadly enough, there wasn't much I could do to help her case. I tried talking to the principal only to end up with a detention for being involved in a school fight.

After I said goodbye to her at the school gate that was the last time I saw her. My last image of her was her teary eyes and red nose. I told her I'd come see her after school but I didn't make it. On my way home I got beat up by Kingsley and his team his reason being I made him get detention.

Too ashamed to show up at her place looking all busted, swollen eye, broken nose and cut lip. I decided to just crawl home and sleep my injuries off. I sent her a text ,saying I'll pass by hers in the morning.

Next morning, there was an ambulance and police cars at her place. Her parents crying by one of the police cars as they talked to the cops. The movie scene gave me a sick feeling in my stomach. I saw two men walk out of the house carrying a stretcher, on it lay someone wrapped in a white sheet.

Her parents... the ambulance...the cops, it was an easy math...the one on the stretcher was my best friend. The moment it hit me, my legs moved, I ran towards the men in uniform, towards the stretcher. I was being yelled at not to get close, but I did anyway. My shaky hands slightly lifted off the sheet and I was met with a beautiful cold dead pale face.

My best friend...

My confidant...

My Imaan...

She lay on the stretcher ...

Cold ...

Dead...

In that instant I felt the ground beneath me shutter and I instantly fell into darkness. There was nothing left to hold onto, nothing to look forward to, nothing to step on. I just kept falling.

On the evening of her suspension. Imaan had drowned herself in her bathtub. She left behind a lengthy email to the school, a note to her parents and one for me. Honestly to date, I've never really opened it to read it.

Do I hate her for taking the exit? No, I just hate myself for not being there. Maybe if I really did make it to hers that evening,she would still be here.

"NONE OF YOU CARED!" I suddenly yelled, pulling down the balloons, flowers and little notes.

Everybody stopped to stare,some gasping.

Bastards each and everyone of them!

At the far end of the hallway stood Kingsley and Amber. They stood shoulder to shoulder,staring at me, unfazed.