I Can Wear My Hijab

Chapter 16

"So did you talk to him?" I asked, pushing open the school building's ugly grey doors.

"Yeah, it went well," Jedayel smiled.

"Wow, it just took one conversation?" I asked surprised.

"Well, that and one other tiny little piece of knowledge,"

"Huh?"

"My mom is pregnant and Jamal needs to be there, in his sane mind for the baby.. Thank god that got through his thick skull."

"Wait what?" I asked trying to take in all the information at once. "You're mom is pregnant?"

"Yeah,"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Must have slipped my mind," He shrugged.

"Oh, well congrats, to her.." I said, "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"Girl," He said.

"Oh you going to have a baby sister, that's wonderful!" I remarked.

He smiled.

"And that concludes the Brownian theory of motion," Our physics teacher Mr Kipkurai concluded in unison with the end of day bell.

"Cops haven't caught you yet for you're criminal acts eh,"  Rob scoffed as we came out of physics.

I ignored him and carried on walking.

"Oh no!" Rob said catching up with me and his posse not far behind, "You're probably stirring up some way to blow my house up ain't you,"

"No."

"So is there any hair under that scarf? Or just a shiny bald head,"  Lynsey giggled, she was part of Rob's posse.

"Can you guys stop?" I sighed, " This is our last year of high school, we're graduating at the end of this year, can you please try and not make it the worst year of our lives?"

"Aww what an inspiring speech. But maybe if you acted on your words and not gone up blowing people's houses, the world would have been a better place today," He said in the tone a teacher talks to kindergarten kids.

"And maybe if you weren't such a jerk you might have some friends instead a bunch of people who are scared to go against you," I said angrily, then ran all the way home, not wanting him to say anything.

I slammed the door behind me and went to the kitchen. I was surprised to see both my parents were home early.

"Why so early?" I asked breathing heavily.

"Umm Ameerah, Auntie Maymoona is coming over," My mom told me.

"I didn't do anything wrong this time," I stated.

"Why don't you go change and come downstairs, she'll be here any minute," My mom said rushedly.

I went upstairs, took a quick shower then changed into a baggy pair of jeans and a grey shirt.

I came downstairs just as soon as the bell rang, my mom went to the door and opened it.

"Salaam," She greeted in her usual squeeky , high pitched voice.

"Alaikum Salaam," My mom smiled back and invited her into the living room.

"So how have you been Zackaria?" She asked my dad in arabic.

"Good, good," He replied in arabic.

"Ameerah, come help me get the drinks," My mom told me. I got up and followed my mom into the kitchen.

"After you give the drinks you can excuse yourself by saying you have homework, if you want to," My mom told me. I grinned at her then went to give the drinks and went back up to my bedroom.

After three long hours, I heard her leave and my dad calling me down, wonder what she complained about me this time.

"Yeah baba?" I asked entering the kitchen "What did she say about me this time?"

"Ameerah!" My mom said strictly, "That is not the way to talk about an elder."

"Sorry.. But it's just that - why does she hate me?"

My mom looked at my dad but didn't answer.

"She doesn't hate you Ameerah," My dad said sounding tired.

"Then why is she always complaining about me?"

"She doesn't,"

"Yeah right," I muttered.

My mom and dad exchanged uneasy glances, I could feel there was some tension.. There was something they weren't telling me...

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