WHY MEEEE????

Twenty-one

Maryam's POV

"Maryam are you by any chance pregnant?" hajara asked. We are currently in the school cafeteria having our lunch.

"uhmm, nahhhh Why would you think of something like that?" I half-yelled.

"why wouldn't I think of something like that? See the way you're eating food." she said.

"Toh doctor hajara, where did you get that from?" Bilkisu  interrupted.

"oho ooh, ask her. And for you information, I am not pregnant." I turned and continue eating my shawarma. Shawarma is bae, who's with me?

"okay okay, I got, you're not pregnant but you eat too much." hajara said and the all laughed.

I snorted and said "can someone at least tell me what's funny here?" I rolled my eyes. I really got myself a bunch of crazy friends. But am glad I got myself people I can call friends.
If you were to tell me I was going to have friends a year ago, I would say you're crazy. I thought no one would like to befriend someone like me. I guess I was wrong, if I had given someone out there a chance, my life wouldn't have been as lonely as it was.

But then, which sane person will give friendship a chance after what happened with jamal? No, not me. Whatever it is, it's in the past. And I wouldn't let my past affect my future. Jamal is past.

"hey! Are you there?" bilkisu snapped her fingers trying to bring me back.

"sorry what?" I asked.

"Are you even listening to what I was saying?" she asked. "or you're day-dreaming about Ibrahim again?" she eyed me.

" can't I think of anything else?" I retorted.

"well, who knows?" Fatima talked for the first time. Then I noticed she is unusually quiet today.

"hey fatima, anything the matter?" I asked her. "you are quiet, which is quite unusual." I added.

She looked up and smiled "you're indirectly calling me a talkative right?" she said, more of a question.

"everyone knows you're a talkative" hajara chirped in. "and yes, Maryam is right. Oya spill." she added.

Hajara and her bossy attitude.

"ouch, that hurts you know." she said feigning hurt.

"you are trying to change the topic Fatima." I pointed out.

''l told you guys my mom was pregnant right?" she asked and we nodded.

"well.... she gave birth yesterday and the the.... baby died leaving her life at stake." broke down. "she was only twenty-four hours to live if they can't save her." she added.

"and you decided to tell us after we asked?" Hajara half yelled.

"Hajara! This is not the time of that." I told her.

"Am sorry Fatima" she apologized.

"No worries" she forced a smile. "I should have told you." she added.

"may her soul rest in peace" bilkisu said.

"Ameen" we replied in chorus.

"and for you mom, in Sha Allah she'll make it." I told her.

"in Sha Allah" bilkisu replied.

"if she doesn't make it abbi will be devastated. She is his strength and weakness." she started crying. "I don't think I can survive this." she said standing up and carrying her bag. "I need to go" she said.