Khadijah ✔️

• 01 •

• Please don't forget to vote and comment because seeing the notifications really makes my day. •

~~

The noise in the cafeteria got extremely loud that it echoed through the halls of the now, empty ones. Her footsteps echoed as they hit the ground.

She hugged the new book she just burrowed close to her chest and held her lunch in the other hand. Although it was her fourth year of walking down these halls, every day felt like her first day.

The cliché of the new kid walking down the school's halls was something that she lived every day for the past few years. It became part of her daily routine.

Every pair of eyes were on her. From the new Freshmen, up to the Seniors. Each turning to their friends, whispering. She just quietly sighed and just walked away.

She pushed the cafeteria doors and walked quickly to the table she sat at ever since the start of that year. She gently opened the book and took out her lunch.

As she turned the pages - feeling engaged into the book - she, without pulling her eyes off the paragraph, she picked up her freshly squeezed orange juice and took a long sip.

She took a bite of her sandwich and continued with reading her book. The noise of the loud students who were gossiping, chatting, and laughing, soon started to fade away.

She quickly glanced at her wristwatch and realized that class was ten minutes away. She reluctantly closed the book and threw her trash on the way out. She couldn't help but notice that only a few students left the room.

She had a Literature class. She sat at the very end of the class. Right after the teacher walked in, a guy walked in and handed her a slip that seemed familiar.

She was taught not to lie. And she admitted that he was a bit attractive. His thick brown hair that perfectly complemented his light blue eyes that reminded her of the beautiful ocean.

He scanned the room, frowned for a second at the thought of not finding a seat. He smiled as soon as his eyes found the empty seat next to hers.

He dropped his bag next to his desk and pulled the chair and sat down. His eyes averted from the empty desk to her. She lowered her head, feeling heat spread across her face.

"Hello," he said in his ever-so-present British accent. He averted his attention from the desk and to her, smiling. "I'm Luke."

She chose not to reply and listen to the teacher as she called out the students' names. She took out a pen and wrote something on the list.

"Kadigah?" The teacher looked around looking for her.

She raised her hand. "Present."

"So, your name is Kadigah?" Luke said.

"No actually. It's Khadijah," Khadijah smiled.

He imitated her action. "Huh, Khadijah. I like it."

She blushed and looked away.