Spirited Away

Waahid

                                                                          Waahid

Sauliha timidly glances at the principal and shifts in her seat. 

Her bottom lip quivers nervously.

"You can't be serious!" Tatheer protests beside her, staring at the said woman in bewilderment. "How can you expect Sauliha to adapt in such a short time?! And we weren't even informed by the class presid-"

"I told her it wasn't necessary," Mrs. Wafa replies sternly. "As your new headmistress, I'm obliged to observe all matters which your previous and incompetent headmaster left in my disposal, and since we do not have a counseler at the present moment, the job solely rests in my hands." She briefly looks at the wallflower occuping a cushioned seat. "Sauliha may excel in academics but her participation in co-cirricular activities is shockingly small. Can you expect an average college with an approved faculty to accept her if she fails to display any sort of talent other than her GPA?"

Tatheer grimaced. "That may be, but we can't ignore the fact that my friend has difficulty coping with her class, let alone an enormous club-"

"Social interaction is a daily routine in life." Mrs. Wafa firmly places her hands on the table. "If Sauliha cannot learn to cope in a challenging and harsh world, then I'm afraid that she will never succeed in life, let alone her high school."

"Ma'am, please," Tatheer says in an exasperated tone. "You may think you're doing her good by pushing her towards something that seems right, but it will only force her to withdraw more, to a point where it's absolutely impossible for her to come out!"

The principal laughs and waves a dismissive hand in the air. "Don't be dramatic, Ukhti. I'm sure Sauliha is a strong girl who is capable of achieving something she wants if she sets her mind to it. If you block her by being so sensitive, then you will become the crutch she will forever lean on." She leans forward to pat their heads affectionately. "Don't be sad, girls. I know it's hard for both of you, but Insha'Allah, you will succeed. Have faith in Allah and remember Him at all times. If He is by your side, then everything else ceases to matter, right?"

Sauliha stares at her kind face adorned with wrinkles and feels a small glow kindling in her heart.

If Allah is by my side....?

Tatheer hangs her head low in frustration and snatches her bag, lacing her fingers through Sauliha's and pulling her up.

"Jazak'Allah for your guidance, Ma'am," she says softly, bowing her head before exiting the room with a pensive friend in tow.

Mrs. Wafa stares at the strands of hair as they disappear from her view and slowly smiles.

"Ya Allah," she murmurs to herself, shaking her head as she sits back down, "youth is such a pleasurable pain."

>>

Sauliha tentatively sneaks a peek towards her frowning friend. She winces as Tatheer stabs an innocent and rather overcooked piece of chicken.

The latter grumbles under her breath and takes an aggressive sip from her bottle.

Can adults not grasp the concept of leave us alone?

It was going well and good. 

Another stab.

Sauliha's fingers twitch.