Khadijah ✔️

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• This is a note for everybody who is being or has been bullied. As someone who has been bullied previously, I know how hard this might be for you. I wish I have told the ones that bullied me this when I was younger what Khadijah said. If you stood up to your bullies before, I wanna let you know how proud I am of you. Just remember, you're stronger tha you will ever know •

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Khadijah was relieved when she saw Luke's reaction to her putting the veil on. He stumbled into her little world and made it big. Without her even realizing so, he became a very important part of her life. Maybe even who she was.

She liked him, she admitted. It has been a long time since she felt such affection for someone, making her forget what it felt like.

She wanted to her parents, she thought. She never lied to them or hid the truth to them. She was not lying, but it still made her uncomfortable not telling them the entire truth.

She did tell them about Louisa and the girls. They were over the moon. They couldn't be more relieved for their daughter to tell them that she succeeded in making friends. They didn't doubt her ability. In Syria she had plenty of friends. But in her situation, it made it awfully hard.

She walked into her art classroom and sat down. Khadijah strummed on the table with the tip of her fingers. As soon as the bell rang, the teacher started talking. Similarly to what happened in literature class, everyone started to stare at her and whisper.

"Today, I want you to paint the most beautiful place you have seen."

Khadijah sighed as the image flashed in front of her eyes. She picked up her brush ad she allowed her memory and her hand to lead the way. Half way through, she felt tears threat to slip but she quickly wiped them away before they could fall. Before class ended Khadijah was done with her painting.

She smiled softly at the landscape drawn. It was a beautiful beach that her parents and her would go to every weekend for a little family picnic back in Syria. She missed it. It was home. She has been in Ireland for as long as she can remember since the war has started.

Class ended as Mrs. Tyson dismissed the class. Khadijah hugged the sketch book close to her chest as she fiddled with her scarf, liking the feeling of it over her head. She hasn't Louisa or the girls for the whole day. She quickly headed for the cafeteria, eager to see her friends. She couldn't admit it but, she was nervous to see their reaction. She has become so close to them that she was afraid they would part away because the new addition in her appearance.

As soon as they saw her, their eyes widened making her gulp. They then smiled at her. Louisa got up from her seat and pulled her into a hug. Khadijah hugged her best friend back tightly, exhaling a heavy breath of relief.

"I feared your reaction so much," Khadijah confessed.

"What are you talking about? You look stunning. Beautiful."

Khadijah smiled before sitting down next to Ava. They were laughing at a lame joke Mia said when suddenly all the laughter died down.

"Louisa, who's the ratchet? Oh sorry my bad. It's just Khadijah," an all too familiar voice said. It was Isobel and her little group of 'friends'.

Louisa was fuming, she was about to stand up to Isobel before Khadijah put her hand up for her.

"You know what? I got this," Khadijah assured her. Louisa was a bit hesitant, nevertheless, she sat down.

Khadijah turned around to be met with Isobel's smirk.

"Why are you doing this? For attention? Itching everybody's love? Because I can assure you, that nobody really cares. If you think these people behind you are your friends, then you really need to find yourself a dictionary. Because friends, don't allow to let people down. On the other hand, friends are never afraid to tell you when you're wrong. Because being the best version of yourself is what they are supposed to be guiding you to.

"I am not here to judge your choices that regard yourself. But I am here to tell you to stop. Pushing people down just to make yourself seem superior never lasts. At some point, these people that you are putting down, will soon stand up to you. And if you have been in their situation, I wanna ask you why are you doing this if you have been in their place? To prove a point? That you can stoop to their level? That they still have the affect on you that you are doing the same thing they did to you, to other people who think they don't have the power to stand up to you? Well I am. I have had enough of beating myself up, because I thought that I deserved what you gave me. I am tired of curling up in a ball on the cold tile grounds of the bathroom and constantly wearing shielding clothes to hide the daily bruises that you planted on me. In behalf of every soul you have crushed and destroyed, I am telling you that we have had enough. Enough, Isobel."

Khadijah finished, leaving every one speechless. Isobel was in tears before she pushed through the crowds. Khadijah let out a heavy breath before she was engulfed in one of Ava's comforting hugs. Without intending, tears started to slip from her eyes. She felt two sets of arms around them that belonged to Mia and Louisa.

"You did it, Khadijah." She whispered to herself.