Take off your Hijab (Rewriting)

What does she want?✅

Azad's eyes shot open at the sound of fading laughter and footsteps, a chilling reminder of the painful reality she had just faced. She pushed herself up from the ground, ignoring the sharp pain that shot through her head and body, each throb a cruel reminder of the encounter. Clutching her temples, she fought back tears of frustration and hurt. Fucking cowards, she thought bitterly, the anger swirling within her like a tempest.

She didn't want to know what she looked like; the bruises and scrapes didn't matter as much as the heaviness in her chest. Instead of looking in the mirror, she stumbled out of the bathroom, her heart racing with a desperate urgency. She had to get to her sister. Carefully and slowly, she made her way toward the nearby middle school, her legs feeling like lead with each step.

As she approached the school, the sight that greeted her was alarming. The playground was eerily empty, a stark contrast to the usual chatter and laughter of children. Ignoring the pain in her legs—and in fact, her entire body—she quickened her pace, searching for a glimpse of Amal.

When she finally reached the playground, her heart sank. There, sitting on a swing with her head bowed, was Amal, tears streaming down her cheeks. Azad's frown deepened with worry as she rushed over to her little sister.

"What happened, Bee?" she asked, her voice a mix of concern and urgency as she knelt beside Amal. The sight of her sister crying twisted something inside her.

Amal looked up, her big brown eyes filled with confusion and hurt. "Azad, is it true that Muslims are responsible for people dying?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Azad felt her heart drop. Anger surged through her at the thought of anyone burdening her innocent sister with such a heavy question. "What? Who told you that?" she asked, her voice sharper than she intended.

"Maxi said that I'm responsible for the Paris blast," Amal explained, her hands twisting nervously in her lap.

"No! You are not responsible for anything, and neither are we!" Azad said firmly, her tone protective. "Muslims are not killing anyone! Islam is a religion of peace. We don't kill; we love everyone—just like I love you." She pulled Amal close, wrapping her arms around her little sister, feeling the trembling stop as Amal took comfort in her embrace.

Amal sniffled, her cries quieting as she absorbed Azad's words, the comfort of her sister's embrace slowly easing her pain. "Now give me a big smile," Azad cooed, trying to bring back the light in her sister's eyes.

A faint smile broke through Amal's tears, revealing a few missing teeth but shining with a resilience that made Azad's heart swell.

"Yeah, that's it! Now let's go home to Mommy and Daddy," Azad said, determination flooding her voice.

"I want pizza and ice cream!" Amal declared, her spirit lifting slightly.

"Okay, princess, anything you want—just to keep that smile!" Azad squatted down, offering her sister a piggyback ride despite the pain shooting through her entire body. She gritted her teeth, forcing herself not to flinch as Amal climbed onto her back. With a burst of energy fueled by love and determination, she took off, running around the playground, determined to drown out the hurt that loomed over them.

Amal gasped in surprise, her small arms wrapping tightly around Azad's shoulders as they took off. She couldn't hold back her squeals of excitement. "Faster, Azad! Go faster!" she urged, her voice bubbling with joy.