The Wave

Busted

"Sameena! we need Maryam and Ayesha to visit him too. It is very rewarding to visit the sick," Maryam's dad explained.

"Yes that's true," her mom agreed.

"Let me go check her school calendar to see the "No School Days", Sameena give me her school website link."

He typed the link and went on the website. "Okay where is the school calend- what is... who.. is that .." His eyebrows scrunched and his face turned raging red.

"What? what is it? let me see," Maryam's mom quickly came and looked at the top of the screen. "No, it cant be. It's not possible. I taught Maryam well. She knows her deen (religion) more than anyone. But maybe they are just friends..."

"NO, they are not JUST FRIENDS, I WANT YOU TO EXPLAIN THIS," Maryam's dad yelled. "MARYAM COME DOWN HERE, I DONT CARE IF YOU'RE SLEEPING, YOU STUPID CHILD, YOU COME HERE RIGHT NOW!!"

No answer.

"MARYAM," her dad's loud voice echoed.

"You little... I will show you who's the boss.." he got off the sofa and stormed upstairs. "Who the hell do you think you are, you don't deserve anything! YOU WILL SLEEP ON THE FLOOR." He opened the bedroom door. "Wake up! WAKE UP I SAID!"

He walked over to the bed to find nothing but a pillow and a blanket.

"SAMEENA?! WHERE IS MARYAM?!"

"Calm down, it's almost 10! People are sleeping," Maryam's mom said as tears ran down her cheeks.

Maryam's dad grabbed the phone. And dialed. "Yes, Ayesha, where is YOUR SISTER? HUH? WHERE IS SHE? is she with you?"

"No, she's at home sleeping.."

"NO SHE IS NOT," he yelled as he hung up.

"Jaan, look. it says on the school website, there is a Spring Dance tonight," Maryam's mom said quietly, while wiping her tears.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maryam's POV

"Stan stop, stop please," I tried to break free. It was no use. He was holding on to me, tightly, while forcing me to dance with him.

Then he bent over and leaned towards me, he moved his face closer to mine until he was 1 inch away from my face.

This couldn't be happening. But what did I expect. He wasn't Muslim. He dated girls, drank wine, listened to music, he did all of that. This was nothing for him.

Just as Stan was about to kiss me, someone started yelling my name.

"MARYAM AHMED, WHERE ARE YOU?"

Everyone fell silent. Stan was still holding on to me. The spotlight turned to us.

This. Could. Not. Be. Happening.

"Dad? How di- wh-?"

My dad's face was redder than the hot pepper soup we ate for lunch today.

"So I was right, wasn't I?! Huh? this is what you do? What kind of Muslimah are you?!" my dad said as he stormed toward us.

I freed myself from Stan. Tears built up in my eyes.

My dad walked up to me and slapped me, right across the face, in front of everyone.

The left side of my face stung, all I felt was heat and pain. And pain. And more pain. And on top of that humiliation.

I was smacked by my dad in front of the whole 10th grade. In front of Nazia. In front of Stan.

Stan came near me, with shock in his eyes. Then he turned to face my dad. "Are you kidding me? Whatha hell was that? You just smacked your daughter's face, what kind of dad does that? And you literally just ruined this whole Spring Dan- OW!"

My dad just smacked Stan. This could not be happened.

Everyone was silent, filled with shock.

"Dad STOP! " I ran toward Stan. "OMG, are you okay? I'm so sorry." Tears ran down my cheek.

"you shouldn't be the one who's saying sorry," Stan told me. Then he turned to my dad and glared at him.

"Dad, what's your problem?!" I yelled. "How could you smack him? He didn't do anything!"

My dad remained silent, his face still red with rage. He turned around and walked toward the door.

Just as he was about to open the door and leave, he said, "Don't talk to me, don't look at me, don't you dare call me your dad, you are no longer my daughter."