A Nerdy Muslim Girl's Youth

Chapter One

The bell rings. Thank God. I've been in this Geometry class for an hour, I can't tell you how much I don't care how to find the sum of a triangle. I pack my things up, making sure I don't forget my copy of House of Hades I just got in the mail. 

"So, do any of you know if we have a reading quiz in A.P today," I ask as I set my stuff down on the table for lunch. "Because I'm screwed. I stayed up all of last night reading my book, and when I mean book, I mean not my textbook." 

"Of course you were," says Amal as she takes a bite out of her sandwich. She smiles and speaks. "Unlike you, I was up all night texting Moe. At least one of us has a love life." 

"For your information I do have a boyfriend -" 

"Harry Potter doesn't count." 

A couple of our friends laugh, and my face started to feel flushed. 

"Shh, why would you even say that," I ask while I look around making sure no one heard. "You know, one day, you'll get karma for saying all of these things." 

"Oh! Will I get Avada Kedavra-d? Golly, I sure would love that. Maybe then I wouldn't have to hear you go on and on about him," Amal says as she rolls her eyes. 

I sit in my A.P class, and am ready to take the textbook and shove it up my nose when Majd walks in and sits down right next to me. I panic. 

"Hey Nadirah," he says as he smiles, showing me his white straight teeth. "Did you read the pages for todays quiz?" 

"No," I say, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. "Up all night reading. You know me." 

What I want for him to say is yes, I do know that you love to read. I know that you'd rather finish your book than get a 100 on the quiz, even though you care more about your grades than anyone I've met. Instead all he says is, "Oh, you like to read?" 

"Yeah. Do you?" 

"Eh, not too crazy for it. I get bored within minutes." 

Class begins, and I start to wonder how in the world I ever fell in love with Majd.