Isolated

Chapter Three: New Faces, Old Lessons

As Firdous and Taqib neared their house, Firdous's curiosity about the parked car grew. She clutched her school bag a little tighter, her eyes scanning their quiet street. The car wasn't parked in front of their house after all, but next door, where the old Zeenath Aunty had lived before she passed away. That house had remained abandoned for what felt like ages, and now, it seemed to have come back to life.

Taqib quickened his pace, excitedly calling out as he rushed into their home. "Ammi! Ammi! We have new neighbors now!"

Their mother appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. She smiled at Taqib's enthusiasm. "Yes, beta, I saw them earlier. That's Zeenath Aunty's son's family. They've just come back from Dubai."

Firdous perked up at the news. New neighbors? Her mind raced with the possibilities of meeting new people, especially if they had kids her age. Maybe, just maybe, she'd make some friends outside of school too.

Ammi gestured towards the dining table, where lunch was already set. "Now, both of you, wash your hands and have your lunch. We'll go over in the evening to greet them. They're probably tired from the move."

Firdous and Taqib quickly complied, their excitement making them eat faster than usual. As they finished their meal, Ammi busied herself in the kitchen again, preparing a batch of her famous halwa, a sweet delicacy that Firdous loved. The smell of cardamom and sugar filled the house, adding to the warmth of the afternoon.

Later that evening, after the sun had dipped below the horizon, Ammi gathered the halwa in a small dish, covered it carefully with a cloth, and motioned for the children to follow her.

"We're going to say hello to the new neighbors," she said with a smile. "It's always nice to greet someone with something sweet."

Firdous was practically bouncing with excitement as they made their way next door. When Ammi knocked on the door, it was opened by a tall man with kind eyes and a welcoming smile. He greeted them warmly, ushering them inside, where his wife and two daughters were seated on the couch, still surrounded by unpacked boxes.

The girls looked to be around Firdous's age, which instantly caught her attention. Her heart leaped at the thought of new friends living so close. The girls smiled shyly at her, and she smiled back, feeling a sense of hope blossom inside her.

Ammi and the man's wife exchanged pleasantries, introducing themselves and catching up briefly. "I'm so glad to meet you all," the woman said warmly. "My daughters will be starting school soon. Could you tell me a bit about the school Firdous attends? We'd like to enroll them there."

Ammi nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! It's a wonderful school, and it's very close by. Your daughters will fit in just fine." She shared more details about the school, while Firdous stood next to her new neighbors, already envisioning what it would be like to walk to school with them.

The girls' mother thanked Ammi and praised the halwa, promising to send something in return once they were settled. Firdous couldn't wait to show her new friends around school, but as she glanced at Taqib, she noticed a shadow of discomfort on his face. He hadn't spoken much during the visit, and now he seemed ready to leave.

On the walk home, Firdous asked, "Taqib, what's wrong? Aren't you excited that we have neighbors now? The girls will be going to our school too!"

But Taqib's expression didn't change. "I don't mind the neighbors," he muttered, "but I'll only take you to school, Firdous. I don't want to take them too."

Ammi overheard and gently scolded him. "Taqib, they are like your sisters now. You can't leave them behind. But don't worry, the school is just a few steps away. They'll be fine walking on their own if they need to."

Taqib sighed but didn't argue further. Firdous could tell something was still bothering him, but she let it go, deciding to focus on the good things instead.

The next day, Firdous woke up feeling eager about school. She was excited to see Haya again and curious to learn more from her lessons. But as the day went on, she realized that school wasn't just about making friends or playing games. There were real lessons to be learned, and some of them were harder than others.

By mid-morning, Mrs. Perera entered the class and announced, "Alright, children, it's time for dictation. Take out your books and get ready to write the words I give you."

Firdous, sitting beside Haya, took out her notebook and pencil. As Mrs. Perera started calling out the words, Firdous focused carefully, making sure each letter was neatly formed. Haya, sitting next to her, was doing the same. Firdous felt confident, knowing they were both doing well.

But then, halfway through the exercise, Mrs. Perera called out another word, and as Firdous began to write, the girl sitting next to Haya leaned over and whispered, "That's wrong. You've written it wrong."

Firdous paused, unsure of what to do. The girl looked certain, and Haya seemed to believe her too. Both of them hesitated before erasing their answers and writing what the girl had suggested instead.

When the dictation ended, Mrs. Perera walked around the class, collecting their books to check their work. Firdous and Haya waited anxiously, hoping they hadn't made any mistakes. But when Mrs. Perera returned their books, Firdous's heart sank. She had marked that word wrong, the very one they had changed.

The girl who had told them to change their answer smiled smugly as Mrs. Perera announced the day's winner of the motivation medal. It was her, the girl who had convinced them to change their answers. Firdous felt a pang of disappointment in her chest. Haya looked equally disheartened.

As they walked home that afternoon, Firdous couldn't hold back her frustration. "Taqib, it's so unfair!" she complained. "We wrote the right word, but that girl made us change it, and now she gets the medal!"

Next to them, Haya was venting her frustrations to Sulaiman. "It's not fair! She told us we were wrong, and now we're the ones who lost marks."

The two older boys exchanged glances but stayed quiet, listening to their younger sisters' complaints.

When they finally stopped at the gate of their home, Sulaiman turned to both Firdous and Haya, his voice calm but firm. "You know, sometimes people will try to mislead you. Maybe they do it because they're unsure themselves, or maybe because they want to get ahead. But you should always trust yourself first. If you know something is right, don't let others convince you otherwise. You both wrote the correct word. Next time, believe in your answers."

Firdous and Haya nodded thoughtfully. It was a hard lesson, but one they needed to hear. Firdous realized that school wasn't just about learning math or dictation. It was about learning to navigate the world, a world that wasn't always fair.

As they sat down to dinner that night, Firdous replayed the events of the day in her mind. She knew she'd face more challenges like this one—times when people tried to pull her down or convince her to doubt herself. But now, with her brother's and Sulaiman's advice in mind, she felt a little stronger.

Still, a question lingered in her mind as she lay in bed that night. What other challenges would she face? And when those moments came, would she have to face them alone?

This chapter explores the emotional complexities of trusting oneself in a world where others might not always be kind or fair. The growing relationships between the children, the introduction of new characters, and the advice from Sulaiman add depth to Firdous's journey as she continues to navigate school life.

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