Burning Hearts ✔

CHAPTER 37

YASMIN'S POV
I glanced at Jake and he also looked at me. My heart hear pounding so loud that I can here the sound in my ears. I'm scared. I'm in the class solving maths.
I'm not scared because of the questions, but scared that Jake might find them difficult. I didn't tutor him on the topic and there are a lot of questions on it.

If Jake fails the exams, he wouldn't graduate this year. But he is smiling, like seriously smiling when I'm bloody scared he will not be able to answer them.
"Miss Ahmad, are you through?" The invigilator asked.
"No sir."
"Then face your exam!"
He's right, I need to face my work and let Jake be. I silently prayed to God to make it easy for him.

*****
It's being 20 minutes and Jake hasn't finished. I anxiously waited for him so I can get feedback.
Immediately he stepped out, I jumped at him.
"So how was it?"
"Easy." he simply said.
"Easy! I didn't even teach you the topic."
"Well I read it on my own a day to exams and fully understood it."
"Yasmin and Jake, can you step in the class." The teacher said. We walked in and he stared at us not once did he say his eyes eyes off ours.
"Is there a problem sir?" I asked "How did you get this score?" He asked Jake and brought out a paper. It's Jakes and at the top is a big 98%
Woah! Jake got 98%, that's A+

"Did you cheat? I know you cheated." He accused him.
"I didn't. I got an 98% with the help of Yasmin and reading." He replied.
"I don't trust-"
"No sir, he saying the truth. He had clearly mastered all the topics, so the test was so easy." I cut in. "
"I'm not buying it, I want you to rewrite the exam right now."
"But I told you he did not cheat." I defended him. I'm so furious, how can a teacher behave this way?
"Don't worry, I will rewrite it."

An evil smile plastered on the maths teacher's lips. Jake's face held no expression and in less than an hour he was done. The teacher's face drop and turned red. I don't know if his face turned red because he was embarrassed or angry.
"You may leave." He murmured.

"Come I have something to show you." I followed him and we came across Max holding two big bags with a little one.
"What's this about?"
"We are gonna sleep in school." "Why?" I asked shocked.
"It's from your bucket list." He said and handed a bag to me.
"But I didn't bring my sleeping bag, no food and no covers." I complained.
"It's all in this bag."
"Do we have to do this?" I whined.
"Yes."
"But it's just a silly list." I went on.
"Silly means fun to me. Stop complaining and move this to the abandoned class room." We took the bags there and waited for everyone to leave. As usual all the classes were locked except for it. The school became dark and I took out a sleeping bag and a flashlight. He brought out a book titled 'Burning Hearts.' I love the title, I'm sure it's interesting. I removed my shoe and put on the flip flops I found in the bag. There is also a big hoodie.
"Is this yours?" I asked him.
"Yeah." He replied. I love it, Its very big and black. It has a sign of a wrestler. I'm trying to remember his name. I watched his match two days back and I can't even remember his name.
It's not my fault, that's 48 hours back!"
Bingo! It's Finn Balor. I put on the oversized hoodie and I'm pretty sure it's the hoodie that put me on.

JAKE'S POV
she looked so cute in the hoodie.
"So how's mum doing?" I broke the silence.
"Better, the operation is in two days time." She stared into space and was quiet for a while.
"Jake." She called.
"Yeah!"
"Do you still hate Muslims?"
"No! Of course not. What made you ask?"
"Well, you hated me because I'm a Muslim."
"Yasmin, I was a jerk. I admit it. I hated Muslims because of what my dad did and because I had a crush on you in elementary school but you didn't like me. I'm sorry, I now know how wonderful you are. A person's religion doesn't define him a person doesn't define his religion. No religion permits terrorism so it's one's choice. But I promise to make it up to you and always be there for you. No matter what happens. I promise."
I touched her hand and she held mine. My body just seemed to move on its own and I moved closer to her.

My eyes held hers and like magic, I couldn't take it off her. Her lips are slightly opened and eyes drifted to it.
My body is moving in its own, I want to kiss Yasmin, I do but I have to respect her religion. I have to stop. Our lips were just few inches away and
FLASH!
A bright light flashes breaking us apart.

YASMIN'S POV
Is someone still in school or perhaps a guard. Whoever is out there, he isn't alone. The sound of lockers being hit and shoes stomped on the floor frightened me.

What if it's a guard, are we gonna get expelled or suspended.

Or is it a...ghost!
Nah! Ghosts don't exist. But what if they do?

The light is getting nearer and so are the footsteps.
"Stay behind me." Jake whispered. I don't need to be told twice.
The door suddenly swung open and six figures stood before us.
All of a sudden, they bursted into laughing and it is then I realised who they are It's Khadijah, Annabelle, Jason, Jacob, Max and Angela.
What the heck are they doing here?
"You should have seen your faces, you looked scared. I can't believe we caught you guys, you almost kissed!" Angela exclaimed.
"I told you to wait till they start kissing before we take the picture but you took it." Annabelle folded her arms.

I'm blushing so bad. I wish the floor will open up and swallow me but doesn't crush me. Just swallow me and nothing more. But it rejected my call.
"We were just playing a game." I quickly covered up.
"A game of kissing, I see." Khadijah blunted out.
"No silly! It's a game of...of..of..s..staring. You stare at your opponent and the first person to blink loses."
"So you guys were staring with your lips?" Jason joined.
"No-"
"Save the explanation, we've seen everything." Max said.
"What are you guys doing here?" I inquired.
"Joining the party, who knows what will happen next. Maybe they will start staring with their tongues." Jacob smirked.
"Shut up!" I picked a pillow and chased him round the class hitting him with it.
"It seems like we are gonna have to share the sleeping mat." I said.
"No need, we brought ours and we also brought noodles." Max said.
They spread theirs next to ours and handed everyone noodles with chopsticks.
"Why do we have to eat with chopsticks? you know I can't eat with it. You could have brought a fork." I complained. I can't even hold it.
Jake took my noodles from me and the chopsticks. He dug it I to the noodles and told me to open up.
"Are you gonna feed me? I'm not a baby you know."
"You have two choices. Either open up or starve. So choose?"

Without pressing further, I opened my mouth and let him feed me. He reminded me of Leo back in middle school when I did henna on my hands. Poor Leo had to feed me.
Wait! Where's Leo? Haven't seen him in a long time. He didn't even write the exams. I'm gonna call him tomorrow.

*******
"So are we gonna play the game of staring?" Max mocked.
"Max!" I shouted.
"Sorry."
He didn't know my eyes are half open so he whispers to Angela.
"I still think we should play it."
"I heard you!"

*******
Next day

I was reading the book that Jake gave me yesterday. The book is just amazing. It's about two love birds who can't be together and whose love is forbidden due to status, religion, and background. Both of their parents are against it. They meet at an abandoned house every night. The woman is from a royal family while the man's family are farmers. The book was written during the Elizabethan era by Robin Goldsmith.

Maher Zain's song played, cutting me from reading. I looked at the caller .
Jerk face.
Oh! It's Jake.
Don't ask me why I saved it that way.
"Hey!" I picked the call.
"Can you come out? I need to talk to you." He said.
"Sure."

I put on my headscarf and went downstairs. I stepped out of the house but saw no one. I went further, still searching for Jake.

A balloon bursted on my cloth with water dripping from my shirt.
It's a water balloon.
Another one hit me and more came. The clique came out of their hiding places and Annabelle shouted, "From your bucket list!" She threw a water balloon, it hit my face and splashed.

I smiled and thought, its game on!
I saw a bucket full of water balloons. I picked some and fired shots at Jake..But I realised something.
Something bad.

The water balloons in my hands have finished and Jake's hands were full of it. I did the only thing I'm good at. Well if you take away reading and academic stuffs.
It's running. I ran like a crazy hyena but Jake caught up with me, hitting me with water balloons. He must be a crazier hyena. I fell to the ground and he continued. I couldn't get up, the clique gathered round me and fired shots at me.
Let me cut it short, I ended up with flu and sore throat.

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