The Muslim Criminal

Chapter 15 - A reality check

I'm in my business class right now and my phone won't stop buzzing. I chose to ignore it since I'm not allowed on my phone during class. Once it's over Ayaan comes to me.
"Hey" he says.
"Hi" I say as I walk to my locker and put my books away.
"Why was your phone buzzing the whole way through the lesson?"
"I don't know, but aren't you a little nosy for asking?" I joke slightly.
"Only wanted to know" he puts his hands up in surrender. "Besides you were ruining my education" he smirks.
"I feel bad for you" I fake concern "I mean you're so stupid you need every lesson you get" I put on a sad face, he sends me a glare making me laugh. Then I realise what I did and turn away.
"Alright then, I'll see you later" he says
"Bye" I say quietly. I really need to have more control, this doesn't usually happen.
I continue sorting out my locker, arranging my books for the next class. One of the books fell so I crouched down to pick it up and my door slammed making me jump up. If I was even a centimeter closer to my locker door I would've got seriously hurt.

I immediately looked up to glare coldly at whoever it was.
"Chief?" I ask in surprise my anger being replaced into confusion.
"Who else!" He says. "Come on" he says before dragging me out of school.
"Chief, I-"
"Don't talk yet!" He orders.
Ok, I have a feeling this is bad. Chief never talks to me like this unless it's bad.
We get into his car before he drives off. The car stops at the police station.

I enter his office and watch him sit down however I stay standing. I know when I can joke about with Chief and when it's time to be serious, this is the serious time which is why I need to behave in a formal manner.

"Sit" He says.
I cautiously sit down in the chair in front of him.
"Did you check your phone at all today?"
I shake my head.
"I didn't have time"
"Were you wrestling crocodiles that you didn't have time!" He shouts.
I flinch but don't say anything.
I watch as his anger subsides and he sighs.
"Sorry. I'm sorry"
"What happend Chief?" I ask softly
"Nuh found our lawyer"
My eyes widen.
"What!" I shout.
"Luckily he didn't say anything but there's still a doubt"
I sigh in defeat.
"What doubt?"
"Our lawyer is fine Alhamdulillah he's honest and hard working. He won't rest until you're free which is why he never gave out any information. Nuh, however, is the problem. The fact that he found our lawyer gives us the idea that he knows something is going on. He knows you're planning something which is why you need a double act"
"Like what?"
"You can't live the life you are, you need to get closer to him Zayna"
"Never going to happen" I say "Chief you know what he did. I can't stay in the same room as him let alone get close to him"
"Zayna you're not getting this! If you don't do this then Nuh will definitely figure out one day or another, we can't afford any mistakes because our one little mistake will give him the entire truth"

I look at Chief for a while then look away.
"Explain more" I sigh.
"Over the next few days you need to give him the impression that you've forgave him. That you want him like he was when you were a kid. If I know Nuh then that'll be enough for him to soften up and he will be easier to get. I've talked to our lawyer about this and he agrees."
"Well then you don't know Nuh. He's changed Chief, he doesn't care about any of them then why will he care about me"
"Because you're the only link... To her"
My jaw clenches.
"I told you not to mention her" I state.
"What am I supposed to do when I need to mention her"
"Don't"
He shakes his head slightly with a small smile playing. Then it seems as if he remembers something.

"Zayna, I saw you today during school. I know you won't like this but I need to tell you that you can't be like you are"
"I got it" I say.
"I'm serious, Nuh won't rest until he gets to the bottom of this, he can even ask your colleagues which is why you need to make sure you dont give him any clues. Once this whole thing blows over you can be normal, but for now you need to act like The Muslim Criminal"
"I understand Chief"

It's time I got a reality check and that is that my life will never be like I want it. Oh Allah please help me.

****

Ashley's POV

Zayna comes back into school but she looks distracted.
"What's up?" I ask her.
"Nothing"
I nod. I know there is something wrong but she won't tell me. I know she won't. First she disappears during the day and then comes back lost in her own world. It doesn't take a genius to figure out something is not right.

We walk to Maths together and I watch her not even starting on the work. Usually she's completing every topic and every booklet but now she's just tapping her pen on the desk. She seems so lost in her world that she doesn't notice the teacher calling her.
"Zayna!" I say and shake her arm. She jumps up and looks at me.
I point to the teacher so she looks at her.
"Now that you're with us all. Can you tell me why you haven't done any work today?"
Zayna looks at her work.
"Miss, I'm already two chapters ahead of everyone. It doesn't affect my education if I don't do any work for a lesson since I've already done the topics these lot are doing"
"I guess that's true. But still I don't want any slacking or any thoughts thinking you can mess about in future lessons just because you're ahead. Is that clear?"
"Yeah" she says not even listening to the teacher.

She opens her book and starts some of the questions. I chose to leave her for now and start my own work. I'm not going to get my As by staring at Zayna.

"Zayna. Are you ok?" I ask her once we leave the lesson.
"I'm fine" she says. "Why you asking?"
"Because you left school half way and didn't come back until an hour later, you're here now but you seem distracted"
"Chill Ashley, I'm fine. I'm just stressed that's all"
"About what? From what I know you're perfectly fine in school I mean you don't even struggle in any lessons"
"It's family problems" she waves off
"You can talk to me you know"
"Yeah. I know" she smiles. She looks at my weary face.
"Chill, you don't need to be a therapist here" she jokes, after contemplating for a while I let it go and smile with her.

I don't think she will tell me, but I have to respect her decision. If only she knew I could help her. She's done so much for me I want to do something for her.

Because of her my bullying has stopped, the girls that once bullied me run away from me. Yeah I admit there is a few insults that are still there but Zayna doesn't need to know that. I know if she does then she would go berserk, it's still weird how empathetic she is.

***

Zayna's POV

When we arrive home I can't help but think how I'm going to do this, actually I've been thinking about this all day. If I be nice to him straight away then he will surely know something's up. I need to think this through carefully.