I Want To Know (ON HOLD)

Of Mice and...Snakes?

I was, without a doubt, super late. 

My first class was at precisely 7:45 and there was no way I was going to make at all. In my defense however, Mihirmah did not remember to pick me up on her way and now Mrs. Devlin was going to have another one of her notorious fits and this time I won't be the one munching on popcorn in the back and enjoying it, I'd be the object of her displaced anger.

I shuddered. 

Grabbing my backpack and tote which held my final project for Forensics, I speedily ran down the stairs, almost knocking over my older sister Daneen, who gasped as she fell from a miraculous height of... 2 inches. 

I rolled my eyes at her and ran towards the door, jogging the rest of the way towards a beat up car and got in with the last morsel of my strength. 

"Took you long enough, I still can't believe I lied about needing to go to the bathroom so I could come and pick up your lazy ass" Yusuf shook his head in disappointment as I grinned sheepishly, putting on my seatbelt.

"I know, I mean you should have told her you were going to the library, that way your absence could be explained." I pointed out, stealing his iced coffee and grabbing a spare straw.

"Wow, Ahlam, next time just tell me you want some too, you already make me run about 500,000 errands for you on a daily!" Yusuf groaned.

I laughed. It was true so I didn't dare deny it. Yusuf was one of my oldest and closest friends, and one of the only ones nice enough to do so many favors.

He turned around to glare at me, the light reflecting off of his brown eyes. "I swear to God, one day I'm going to murder you. It's our senior year, you can't pull stunts like this. This isn't like making me go Halal Clothes Shopping with you and Safaa!"

I put up both hands in defense. "You had fun that time!"

"No I didn't!"

"Yes, you did."

"You're so immature" Yusuf gave up and ran a hand through his messy black hair. I grinned in my seat and adjusted my black sundress. I had won.

By the time we had made it to campus it was 7:43 and I had no time to dash to my locker, so I bolted straight into English. The bell rang, just as I put my foot in the room. 

Mrs. Devlin let out a puff of indignance as I made my way to my seat, plopping down besides Safaa, who was doodling away in her sketchbook.

I had always been jealous of Safaa's pin straight brown hair and the chocolate smooth skin. She was without a doubt, one of the most beautiful people that I had ever seen. And the most fashionable too. I had no idea how she managed to turn haram pieces of clothing halal. For example today she had taken a crop top and and sewn thick lace around the border making it longer, along with some ripped jeans that had the prettiest patches on them.

"Just one of these days, Devlin is going to murder you, Ahlam" Safaa laughed as Mrs. Devlin began a lecture on punctuality.

"Well that makes too, because murdering me just so happens to be on Yusuf's agenda as well. But do you know who I'm going to kill? Mihirmah. I'm going to wrap my hands around her throat and squeeze so damn hard that she won't even have a chance to say 'Hai Allah' before she's 6 feet under".

Mirhimah was the only one of our friends who wasn't Pakistani or Indian. Mirhirmah was turkish, and had the curliest hair you'd have ever seen, (I've mistaken it for ramen before). She was also the smartest, having already taken AP Calculus as a freshman. 

But she was friking weak and I'm certain I could take her on.

40 minutes later, as I made my way outside the burning hot room, wiping the sweat off my brow, I cursed my desicion, 3 years prior, to have grown out my hair. Not only did I have a severe migraine at 8:30 in the morning, but it smelled gross with sweat too.

Nothing some dry shampoo and ibuprofen couldn't fix but I like to complain OK?

As I walked into study hall, and signed in Ismael, another one of my closest friends approached me. 

"AHLAM, oh my God, I'm so glad I found you. Ok, listen, I need some help-" I cut off the tall, lanky guy in front of me, (I swear to God he was so pale). 

"For the last time Ismael, I'm not going to be your accomplice in you illegal trade of air pods!"

"No, that's not what I need! Remember that book we read in English, sophmore year? Of Mice and something? Do you remember what it was called?" His brown eyes widened in desperation.

"Oh that was Of Mice and...Snake?" 

"Umm, I don't think that sounds quite right bub."

"No you frigging idiot, there's A SNAKE RIGHT BEHIND YOU!" I expertly leapt onto the cafeteria table, with Ismael's girl shriek ringing  in my ears as he followed after.

The other students seemed to notice the disturbance and took the same precautions we did.

"Is there a reason why 20 of my seniors are on top of cafeteria tables?" Principal Wren declared as she stormed in, both hands on her hips. 

"Prinipal Wren, there's a snake right behind you!" Some junior named Marla whispered.

"That's not a snake Ms. Cherele. Thats a piece of rope dyed black for the play production! Now, everyone get off the table before I call each one of your parents individually."

I grinned sheepishly, as several students gave me dirty looks.

"I can't believe you did that Lampshade." Ismael laughed, bringing back my butchered name from 7th grade.

"Don't make me remind you about time when you were praying in the ladies' section of the mosque." I warned wagging my finger at him.

"That was so long ago! I was so young!" He protested.

"That was last Eid, Ismael." 

"I hate you".

"The feeling is mutual, bitch".

"You're a bitch".

"No you are."

"No you are".

"Actually both of you are, and you can kiss my ass, because this girl right here just got a 94 on her English test, and she won't be getting hit with a rolling pin by her mother any time soon" Mihirmah strolled in with her freshly graded test in her hand.

"I hope you die in a ditch" I told her.

"I'll take you down with me" She replied. Ismael left to go to his class.

"I can't believe you forgot to pick me up." I pushed her shoulder lightly. (I was actually just wiping my hand on her shoulder).

"I was already driving before you texted me, besides Yusuf picked you up." Mihirmah wagged her eyebrows suggestively.

"For the last time Mihirmah!" I groaned.

"Yusuf and Ahlam sitting in a tree..." She began to sing.

"R-E-A-D-I-N-G" Yusuf walked up to us handing us some drinks. 

"Mirhimah Demir! What are you doing here! Just because you're a senior doesn;t mean you can do whatever you want! Get to class" A teacher told off Mihirmah as Yusuf and I mouth instant karma to each another.

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"It's easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend"-Unknown