Good Kid-Bad Kid[COMPLETED]

Chapter 36 (Laila)

Note: the chapter pic is my idea of Yassin ❤️ isn't he so mashaAllah! Also I'm just trying to put some distance between the next time you see Badr haha

Bilal was a little bit different then I'd expected.
Okay, a lot.
For instance, when he'd first walked through the door I'd greeted him with a smile and he'd taken me into a bear hug while Yassin stood gaping.
But then when the boys had come down for lunch he'd thoroughly criticized the Biryani. Yassin had pointed out I hadn't made it, it was from a restaurant, and Bilal had simply said, "oh good. But you should cook once in a while- girls need to know these things"
I'd wanted to reply with who are you, my dad? But I was determined to get along with this guy so I said nothing. I wondered how Bilal would ever find a girl who could meet those sky-high expectations.
Still, I minded my own business most of the time.
Okay fine, maybe I tried not to be wherever Bilal was. And he seemed to be everywhere. Yassin had told me Bilal was a ex-architecture student, so he really loved inspecting Baba's house and was often muttering things like "incredible" or "wow that was clever" or "interesting..."

Bilal was I guess, interesting.

Friday morning I woke up for fajr and tiptoed down to make breakfast, hoping Bilal didn't think I was an intruder and bowl me over. It reminded me of that time when Badr had intercepted my Suhoor. The thought made me involuntarily smile. Who'd have thought I'd miss you Badr! I thought in amusement.
I guess you just felt really safe with him around. So far Yassin had his work cut out trying to protect me from Bilal's erratic behavior.
"What are you doing?"
Speak of the devil... I turned around to find the eldest AbdulQadir leaning against the counter, wearing a singlet and sweatpants.
Bilal was a stocky, tall guy. He reminded me of a bear in a way with the way he was- strong, sturdy. He had a deeper voice then Hassan and that was saying something. He seemed like the kind of formidable uncle every family had.
"I'm making breakfast" I replied warmly, "Nutella sandwich. Would you like anything?"
"Three pancakes with cream and syrup" he replied in an offhand voice. I stared at him. He didn't appear to be joking.
Thank god I knew how to make pancakes.

After all that and almost missing Fajr I started getting ready for school. I had soccer practice first, the last one before the game tomorrow. I was excited- my team knew each other because they'd been playing together for a while now over the past years, and were good friends, familiar with the way each other worked. The only newbies were Laura and I- Laura because she was an exchange student from Belgium.
I guess we all knew that we had to work with each other, so when I got selected the team was super nice, and I was getting to know how it all worked. A couple of girls, Helena, Tori, Sasha and Brearna kind of had their own clique but they weren't mean.

I dressed in my training gear- the navy blue shirt with white piping and New Forest crest as well as sweat pants of the same scheme. The other girls would be wearing shorts but because I didn't show my legs I'd requested for sweats- the coach didn't seem too happy about that.

"Hey, Laila- you ready?" Yassin asked tapping my door.
"Yeah- sorry I'll just-" I muttered crossing the mini living room thing and opening it. Yassin looked nervous, his hands in his pockets, rocking on the balls of his feet.
"What's up?" I asked, wondering what on earth could make someone as cool and calm as Yassin nervous.
"Um so Bilal is in that I'm going to do everything mode..."
I tried not to groan.
"And he's going to take you to school today. There's only two seats in my car and I told him to not to take his truck because it's going to attract even more attention..."
I nodded and forced a smile, "it's okay, he's your brother I'm sure it'll be okay"
He scrutinized me for a moment.
"Laila, you're actually really brave"
"Erm you're scaring me now"
Yassin laughed and I gazed at him in amusement. He was ridiculously handsome, perfect in almost every aspect of appearance. He dressed like a model unlike Badr and Bilal who seemed to only have "black" as their fashion statement. He was smart, cool, but he was also thoughtful and he didn't like to share what he thought about most of the time. He surprised me- he didn't even blink in the direction of attractive females most of the time although one by the name of Niha was slowly changing that...
"What?" He asked, realizing is been staring at him for a while.
"Nothing. I guess I'll be off? I'm getting late"
He saluted me in an off hand way, "Au revoir comrade"
I rolled my eyes.

Bilal was waiting downstairs, the car already running. I quickly took the passenger seat and no sooner had I closed the door did he take off at dizzying speed down the driveway.
"Erm would you mind slowing down a bit?" I asked nervously, my eyes on the speedometer. Bilal laughed, a big booming sound that rolled around the interior.
"I was being serious" I said wryly.
"Relaaaax Laila have some fun" he replied in a chill tone. I winced as he cranked up the stereo and rap music roared in my ears.
"So, why are we going to school so early?" He asked after a while, thankfully turning the stereo down.
"Soccer practice" I replied sullenly, "out first game is tomorrow"
"Oh wow" he sounded genuine, "you nervous?"
"Are you feeling okay?" I asked cautiously, "I can't seem to understand these ups and downs"
Bilal glanced at me and I couldn't quiet figure out what he meant by it.
"I asked a genuine question and you have a problem with it?" He rolled his eyes with mock exaggeration, "unbelievable"
I tried to resist the urge to bang my head against the dashboard.
"No I'm not nervous" I snapped.
"Good. Because I'm coming to watch"
Oh what the f****
I pressed a hand to my temple where there was a throbbing vein.

We started off with some warm up laps around the field, and I ran with Ellie, who was super nice. She talked about her volleyball game last night and how they'd lost because one girl hadn't been cooperating. I sincerely hoped that wouldn't happen here.
After that we got into it, everyone in their form.
I was going to play striker tomorrow alongside Ellie and Laura. We moved together naturally, better then I could have dreamed. At one point Coach made us try take the ball past half a dozen defenders. We just barely managed it but that was good because it meant they were pretty good.

It was only in the changing rooms that red hot pain dashed through my head and body. I gasped, tears springing to my eyes immediately.
The world began to spin and I groped at the wall for support.
"Laila, are you okay in there?" Laura asked from the shower cubicle next to mine.
"Y-yeah" I replied, my cheeks wet, "just a headache"
Oh but it was so much more than that.
How was I supposed to play with this tomorrow? There was no way I was going to step out now.