Just Another American

Chapter 1

The car comes to a halt. I hop in and close the door. The driver looks at the rear-view mirror. "Assalamualaikum, honey! How was your day?" I smile. Mother's voice is so comforting, it almost makes me not want to tell her anything that happened today. "Alhamdulillah, fine." Is all I say. Well, what else is there to tell? Mother's eyes narrow, and for a second I think she reads my mind. The words want to come gushing out of my mouth, but somehow I hold them in. "Okaay, good. Does Kyle leave you alone now?" Oh, common, she had to ask. My mother's been aware of him since he tore my hijab off during lunch break in eighth grade. I still remember the fear and adrenaline that pulsed in my blood, standing there in humiliation while he gawked at my head, surprised it wasn't bald but draped with hair to the hip. After that, I stopped wearing those huge 1 pieces and started with the hair bun and wrapping hijab. Not only has Kyle caused total humiliation in front of half the middle school, but he kind of vandalized my rep too. Ironically speaking, no one wants to hear about an Islamophobic football athlete swooning badly over a wannabe Muslim girl who never wanted to be involved in this whole spark-flying situation. In addition to that, there's rumors that she likes him back. Astaghfirallah. Seriously? 

"So?"

I snapped out of my horrible trance. Mother paused at a red light. Now it was my turn to answer. I took a deep breath, expecting to let the sequence of events rapidly cascade like a waterfall, but all that came out was "YesKylecomestoKeywesternHighSchoolandnohehasn'tbotheredmetoday." Mother's fingers clutch the steering wheel, and she turns her head towards me. I looked down, avoiding eye contact, suddenly seeming so interested to scramble through my backpack's front pocket for my fidget spinner. I was done talking- and she knew it.