Two-Faced

What...No...How?!?

Literacy is probably the most boring subject on the planet.

So that's why I was more than happy when the principal, Mrs. Griend called for me to come to the office with her. She told me to bring all of my belongings with me.

I grabbed my bag and walked out of the class. We took a quick stop to my locker and then we went downstairs to the office. The whole time, the principal didn't talk to me. Not even when she saw my locker which was filled with models with a lot of makeup on. She didn't explain why I was going to the office either.

I went straight to the principal's office, where I saw my Aunt Tameera sitting. This was odd. Usually if something happened at school, one of my parents would come to my school to pick me up.

But here was Aunt Tameera sitting in my principal's office. She looked like she had been crying.

"Auntie?" I said. "What's wrong?"

She cried even more.

"I'm sorry," said Mrs. Griend.

"For what?" I ask. "Why won't anyone explain anything to me?" I ask, frustrated.

"Your parents...they..." said Aunt Tameera.

"Your parents have died in a car crash," said Mrs. Griend.

"What...No...How?!?" I exclaimed.

After that, I didn't do anything, I just stood there, in shock. Except, I made one request.

"May I call someone?" I ask Mrs. Griend.

"Sure, just follow me," she said. I followed her to the phone and dialed the number.

"Hello?" she said on the other side. It sounded if she had heard because she was crying a bit.

"Salam, Nano," I said. "Is it true? Mama and Abu have...have..."

"Left us forever, yes," she said.

"So what will happen now?" I ask her.

"We will have to wait and see Aaliyah, just wait and be patient," she replied.

"Okay, nano. I will call you later. Salam." I shut down the phone and turned to see Aunt Tameera.

I didn't burst into tears. No matter how much I wanted to, I didn't. I don't get why people cry at sad times, times of depression. It's not like anything will happen from crying. They're not going to come back. They're gone...forever.

But I let her cry. It's her choice. Everyone cries when something sad happens. Except me. Maybe I'm weird. Who knows?

"Let's...let's...go," stammered Aunt Tameera. "Thank You, Mrs. Griend for bringing Aaliyah down." Her voice sounded surprisingly calm.

"I hope you endure this loss with patience," Mrs. Griend replied.

~•~

We left the school in silence. I didn't ask Aunt Tameera anything and she didn't say anything either. I was fine with that. I was mulling over some of my own thoughts anyways. About what's going to happen next.

I suppose I would go to Aunt Tameera's house, if only just for a while.

She, like her mother, my dado, has ten kids. She can't possibly also take care of me forever.

While thinking, I just realized something. I'm an orphan. My parents are dead, and there is no one legally in charge of me right now. How could they do this to me?

We arrived at Aunt Tameera's house. Usually, when you enter her house it seems like a jungle by the noise. Siblings fighting, instruments being played, loud music and the TV were just a few sources of the usual noise.

But now, there was pin drop silence. I went inside and greeted all ten of my cousins.

The cool thing about them was that they were all a twin. There were five pairs of twins and they were all boy-girl twins. The oldest, 19, Laila and Luqmaan. Following them were the 15 year old twins, Sadaf and Safwan. Then the 13 year olds Khillat and Kambiz. Next, Heba and Hatim, who are 11. And the youngest, 9 year olds Razia and Rohail.

The girls were all sniffling, and although the boys weren't, they looked solemn and respectable.

I went with Laila, Sadaf and Khillat to their room. Aunt Tameera told me that I would be borrowing some of Khillat's clothes for the night.

~•~

A little while later Aunt Tameera called us down for dinner. The dinner was simple. Just some pizza and coke.

During the day, a lot of relatives came by to offer their condolences, both from my mom and dad's sides.

But by dinner, they were all gone.

"Aaliyah baytaa," called Aunt Tameera.

"Yes, auntie, " I replied.

"Come here."

I went to her, confused about why she called me.

"We need to discuss plans for your future," she said.

"Yes auntie."

"I was talking to your nano today and she suggested..." she started.

I gestured her to go on.

"She suggested for you to go and live with her," she said.

I didn't answer right away. I was shocked at the sudden possibility of me living with nano. I could help her out because she's getting old now. And she could help me bear the loss of my parents.

But that meant going across the country to live with her. Leaving my friends and school behind.

"So what do you say?" asked Aunt Tameera.

Leaving my whole life behind to start a new life.

It would be hard, really.

But I still said "Yes."

~•~

Definitions to some words:

Nano = Maternal Grandmother
Mama = Mother
Abu = Father
Salam = (Greeting): Peace Be On You
Dado = Paternal Grandmother
Baytaa = Dear