Journal of a Teenage Muslim.

Chapter 5 - Dad... What to Say?

"Hey dad," I rushed downstairs.

"Hey kid,"

"What's up?" I said.

"I'm making pasta," He grinned taking the pasta out of the grocery bag.

"Awesome!" I exclaimed, a hot meal would be perfect for Azalea and pasta was my favourite.

"Help me heat the stove will you? I'll just go upstairs and get changed," Dad told me handing me the bags.

"Ok," I said, hoping he wouldn't open my room door. I heated up the stove and filled the pot with water then left it to boil.

I rushed back up to my bedroom where Azalea was sitting on my bed looking at the photo of me and my mom on my side table.

"We're making pasta," I said, "Just wait here and I'll bring some up, but don't make a sound, I don't want my dad to find out you're here,"

"Why?" She asked.

"Because he might want to send you to the orphanage and that place is horrible from what I've heard, when the foster parents get tired of you they just send you back, it's better here, trust me."

"Ok," She nodded understanding immediately. I closed my room door quietly than rushed back downstairs.

"The pasta was great," I told Dad taking the dishes and setting them in the sink. "In fact it's so good I could have another helping,"

"You can have all the helpings you like," Dad smiled.

"Could I take it up to my room? I have tons of home work and stuff," I lied.

"Of course,"

I took the hot plate of pasta and a fork up to Azalea.

"Dinner?"

"It smells delicious!" She sniffed.

"Knock yourself out," I grinned.

After she finished her dinner, she told me all about what she could remember, sitting outside the mall, the scary stories late at night.

"I haven't had a proper night's sleep in forever, I'm always so scared, the nights are pitch black when the mall's closed and the dogs barking in the distance and the sound of people screaming, maybe they're just partying but it scares me."

"There's nothing to worry about here, no barking dog or crazed psycho can hurt you," I joked.

"Yeah," She sighed happily.

"In fact, I think we should go to bed, I bet my dad has already gone to sleep, he's kind of the early bird of the house."

"Ok," She agreed.

I let Azalea take the bed, and I piled some of my blankets together on the floor, it was as good as any bed, than I switched off the light and crashed out.

"BRING, BRING, BRING!" I slammed my alarm clock off. I forgot about school! What was Azalea going to do?!

"What happened?" Azalea shot up wide eyed.

"It's fine, it's just me alarm clock," I calmed her down. "I have to go to school."

"Can I come?"

"I think that would be a good idea," I nodded, I hadn't thought of that.

I got ready, wearing long black trousers and a long sleeved maroon top and a black scarf that was embroidered with carefully sewed on red beads, it was my mom's, it even smelt a bit like her, the smell of bakhour (the Arabic name given to wood chips soaked in fragrant oils).

I gave Azelea my long, knitted blue and white sweater with black leggings and boots, than I gave her one of those warm winter hats to wear on her head and a blue scarf to wrap around her neck.

"When my dad leaves than I'll call you to come down and we'll have breakfast together,"

"You need a ride Maydah?" Dad asked as usual.

"I need excercise," I joked.

"Ok then kid," He laughed, "I'll see you when I get home."

Than my dad left the house, I made sure his car was out of the drive way before I called down Azalea.

I quickly made scrambled eggs for both of us than put it on some toast with baked beans on top.

"This is so good!" Azalea said, her mouth full of it.

I laughed, "We'd better get going," I put the plates in the sink than grabbed the house keys from the counter and we set off for school.

"If any one asks who you are, you're my cousin from Jordan and you're just visiting for a while," I told her in the locker hall, before the bell rang.

"Got it," She said eagerly.

All the teachers let Azalea stay in the class with out a problem. But Haylie found a new way to mess with me today.

"So this is you're cousin huh?" Haylie sneered.

"Back off," I muttered.

"She ain't as ugly as you.. Look she's even got hair, or is it a wig?" Alicia giggled, taking a lock of Azalea's hair into her hand and twirling it.

"Leave her alone!" I said fiercely to Alicia.

"Or what? What are you going to do about it?"

"You know them lot, always got a new way to create mayhem," Haylie curled her lipstick red lips.

"That's not true!" Azalea protested, "That's nothing but an illusion! She nicer than you lot, she was the only one who helped me when I was abandoned next to the mall!"

"Abandoned next to the mall huh?"

"Uh-oh,"

"So she's not your cousin," Haylie poked me, "So who are you?" She turned to Azalea.

"She means she got lost at the mall when we were young," I lied, but it wasn't a very good lie to cover it up.

"Right." Haylie rolled her blue eyes. "I wonder what the authorities will say about this."

"No! You can't tell!" I exclaimed desperately.

"Aww too bad," She said in a baby voice than turned around and walked out of the hallway, followed by Alicia and the rest, their high heels making clicking noises with every step.

"What do we do now?" Azalea asked, her eyes filled with fear and anxiety.

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