Take off your Hijab (Rewriting)

What are you doing here? ✅

"She was unconscious for two weeks during the first incident" Azad revealed, making my heart stop for a moment.

"What?" I say shock clear in my voice.

"It started like any other day. I was finally done making lunch for my husband and myself, getting ready to head to school for my psychology class when she called" Azad trailed off, his eyes clouded with the memory...

Azad's POV

"Hey, big sister!" Amal's cheerful voice crackles through the phone, and Azad's fingers fumble as she tries to finish up making dinner for herself and her husband.

"Hi, so what's got you so pumped this early morning?" Azad replies, her tone light, but a sense of unease starts to creep into her voice as she heads back to her room to dress.

"You are aware how today is World Hijab Day, right?" Amal's excitement is palpable even through the phone.

"Technically it's tomorrow, but yup," Azad says, her voice trailing off as she struggles to pull on her pajamas while still holding the phone. Her heart begins to race with an unsettling feeling.

"Well, I'm going to be participating in it this year" Amal declares, and Azad's entire body goes rigid. Her hand and head are stuck halfway inside her pajama top as she stares at the phone in shock, her eyes wide as if her sister were standing in front of her rather than just on the other end of the line.

"What? So soon?" Azad's voice wavers, her mind scrambling for words. The girl was growing up, but this—this felt too sudden, too overwhelming.

"Yeah, I'm already 15 and turning 16 in a few months. I'm not too young to join the hijab squad," Amal says, her excitement bright and infectious. Azad wants to scream that she isn't ready, but she forces herself to stay calm.

"Okay, big girl, but do you even have a headscarf?" Azad's voice is filled with a desperate attempt to stall, to buy herself a moment of clarity amidst the rising panic.

"Yes! MOM GAVE ME A FEW one even has polka dots on it; it looks like a ladybug! It's so cute!, however Mama made sure to give me a lecture before she gave them to me, regardless of saying how important ir is she kept on saying that i did not have to rush into wearing it now, i can do that when I'm older but her reluctance to trust me with such a responsibility only makes me want to wear it even more" Amal says with a confident laugh, Amal's enthusiasm only deepens Azad's dread, unbeknownst to Amal, Azad seconded her moms opinion saying that Amal does not o have to wear it now...but however Amal didn't have to know that Azad thinks to herself as she listens to the bountiful amount of excitement in her little sisters voice, due to her latest act of victory in her eyes or at least that's what Amal believes...Azad wonders why her mom didn't seek for her advice before giving in to Amal's demands this time, or maybe the time was just right, what if she is the only one overthinking things because of her own tragic past...maybe it won't even be that bad or at least so she hopes.

"Well, I'm happy for you. But please Make sure that you keep me updated on how your day goes, like about every single things that happens, I just want to know please" Azad says with a strained smile, her sister brows furrows on the other line as she rolls her eyes before muttering out the words fine, Azad was starting to sound similar to her mother right now and she was annoyed to find that even if her sister was trying hard not to sound like she didn't trust her, she ended up coming off as that, Amal couldn't see her sisters hands shaking after they ended up saying their goodbyes before she hangs up the call. Azad heart was pounding, her breath was coming out in short gasps.