Your Average Girl.

How Far She Had Come.

The humming of a perfectly tuned engine, cruising along with the wind in your hair, a solitude that is equally vital in solving one's paradoxes and clearing your head from all sorts of malice was the reason why Minaal loved driving around. Unfortunately, today was not one of those days where she could just enjoy the drive. She was in a car filled with six overtly enthusiastic, recently graduated girls, stuck in traffic someplace in PECHS because "someone *glares at Ammana* said this was a shortcut and it would be quicker. "Trust me. I live around here."

"To be fair, Ammana apnay ghar ka rasta sahi se nhi samjha sakti, why did we listen to her in the first place." Namal put forward a very valid point.

"Aisa bhi nhi hai"

"Aisa hi hai beta"

"Jee nhi. Faltu baqwas nhi karo...."

"Aray chup karo yaar" Haya interrupted the whole argument. "Look Minaal, our old school."

As Minaal turned to look, it was sure enough their old school. A solitary year she had spent at, studying with Haya. Even though they weren't friends then. Then again, she didn't have lots of friends back then. And with that, she couldn't help but go back 11 years back into her life. The fact that it had been an emotional day didn't help her block out the memories she tried hard to own.

ELEVEN YEARS AGO.......

Minaal already lies awake, even before her mother has had the chance to disrupt her slumber. Her excitement at starting a new school year at a completely new school refused to dissipate, preventing her from getting even an ounce of sleep. It was only adrenaline which keeps her going. Even though she'd been to 5 different schools in the past 6 years, this was the first time her family had been able to settle down and plant roots in one place. Minaal could potentially be attending the same school for the next 4 years. The thought of which made her squeal with delight. Her father's post in the air force meant she had never been able to make the kind of connections most kids do. Safe in the knowledge that she would probably have to leave behind her friends, made her wary of becoming attached to anyone. This worried her parents enormously and they had shared their concerns with Minaal, but she brushed them aside. But now, at the threshold of a new year, she could not have been more convinced that her former ways had been completely wrong. She meant to make most of her time now.

Her parents dropped her off at school, wishing her good luck and warning her from getting involved in any endeavor against school rules. And with that, she started her new school with her new uniform crisp as a chip, bag and shoes with her hair done neatly. She made her way to her new class just as the bell rung for the start of a new school day. She took a deep breath, said a prayer and stepped into the class.

"Excuse me ma'am, my name is Minaal, I'm a new admission." She informed the teacher present in the class.

"Hello Minaal. My name is Sidra. Welcome to our sixth grade class. We're very pleased to have you here. Why don't you introduce yourself to the class?" Her teacher spoke to her kindly. Minaal liked her instantly but not the fact that she had to speak in front of the whole class. "Hi. My name is Minaal Khan. I'm 14. And I'm not exactly sure about my likes and dislikes but I'd like to figure that out." Managing to make the class laugh did her a world of good.

"Thankyou Minaal, why don't you go sit next to Fatima." Minaal made her way to the seat next to the girl her teacher pointed towards. While she sat down and greeted Fatima, she failed to notice the look of disdain not only etched over her face, but the look she also shared with her friends.

As days progressed, Minaal tried to study as best as she could. She was a smart kid but she never really felt like she was a favorite amongst teachers. There was Haya, always the teacher's pet and there was Ammana the overly studious student teachers can't help being aware of and then there was her. She was bright but she didn't particularly show it. Regular teaching systems and the general favoritism of teaching staff meant she did just okay.

That is hardly how you could describe her on the basketball court though. There, she reigned supreme. Basketball was her stage, the place where she stood out and was even known for. Be it school or the playgrounds at every air force base she had lived in, the basketball court was her home. She was crazy about it and made many a friends playing it (also losing some over it).

Basketball remained a constant for her throughout life, especially during her time at the girl's branch. Another cherished constant was her best friend Maimoona. As Minaal began to fit in this feminine environment, she became aware of how she was slowly becoming part of a 'group'. That's how she befriended Haya and five other girls whom she had barely anything in common with. Maybe it was the fact that she had no sisters and her cousins were not ones to obsess over makeup and boys or maybe it was her mother's influence along with Minaal's preference for sports that left here with little love for boys, pointless drama and makeup. While girls from her school formed friendships and relationships with boys from the boys branch across the street, Minaal made no secret of the fact that she had absolutely no such inclinations. Come seventh grade and she was asked questions like, "So Minaal, do you have a crush or a boyfriend?"
"No, never" was her standard reply, although she sometimes resorted to "pagal ho kya" or "aye haye nahi bhae". The girls would laugh at that, it was almost as if they didn't even expect her to have one.

"Not really surprised. You're not exactly what one would call pretty." Fatima had jokingly said one day.

"Kaali si ho" " Moti bhi ho kaafi" "And your hair......"

Shocked by the sudden poison in their words, Minaal often went on the defensive. "I don't believe in relationships. I just think they're stupid and completely irrelevant at 14."

Although she had friends like Misbah and Maimoona to count on, she couldn't quite escape the bullying that came with being a sporty, wild, strong girl who was avert to boys and makeup in a girls school. True, she had beat up boys on the basketball court for being unfair and mean and yes, she was always confident when it came to standing up for what she was taught but the bullying was somehow always there. It reached its nadir in the March of 2008. Minaal was eating her lunch when Fatima approached her. Fatima was not only one of the most popular girls at school but also a resident of the same neighborhood.

"Hi Minaal. So I just came here to invite you to go for lunch with us this Saturday. It's my birthday party and I hope you'll come. It's at the café near our homes." Fatima explained.

Minaal couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was naturally skeptical but banished the thought away. This was her chance to make friends with the girls in her neighborhood; she wasn't going to blow it.

"I'd love to go with you guys. I'll ask my parents when I get home"

Upon hearing of her plan, her mother immediately gave her permission. She knew Fatima's parents as her father was also in the air force. The day arrived and Minaal reached the café on time. She had her hair forced into neat plaits and she wore her brand new sneakers, her joy and pride. She knew that she was early so she just waited for the others to arrive. But they never did. As she heard the sound of azaan being called for Maghreb prayer in the distance and twilight approach the skies, Minaal finally succumbed to the fact that she had been duped. Fatima and her band were never going to show. This was just their ploy to further humiliate her. Choking back on tears she walked home. One look at her mother and Minaal wanted to break down crying, she was so angry and so hurt. Her mother noticed the pain-stricken expression and the way she was biting her lips, trying to be strong and she asked her if everything was okay. Pride didn't let Minaal break down but she answered her mother's questions in small replies and hurried to her room, leaving her mother worried.
The girls would surely tell the whole school and ridicule her tomorrow. She sighed, wondering if she would ever feel truly at home at school... Maybe at her next school. Her parents had been talking about transferring her to PAF chapter for Olevels. If that came to pass, maybe she could make some guy friends, people she felt truly at ease with.

HOOONNNKKKKKK!!!!!

The driver beside her blared his horn and gave her a deathly glare muttering a few choice words as he drove past her, probably abusing her and any from her gender who dared to drive on these Karachi roads.

"Oh bhae sahi se chalao. Abhi maar deteen!", said Ammana.

"Too caught up in old school memories, were we?" Haya addressed her.

Minaal could only give a coy smile as she drove along to her destination.