by S. Nahar
“When are they coming?” Tanwir asked while keeping a straight face.
“In a few weeks. In Sha Allah (If Allah wills it) when they get here, we can get them better medical attention,” Mum replied, and seemed to be studying Tanwir’s face. Just like me, she was trying to figure out his emotions.
Tanwir abruptly stood, and without saying another word, he ran up the steps, slamming the door shut behind him. The crackling of the harsh noise crinkled across the thin air, and my parents were exchanging worried looks with one another. I felt my own concern claw at my chest. Why did he seem so upset?
***
My parents assured me that they would handle all the immigration paperwork, so I didn’t have to worry. My only focus should be on my grades, my father had said, and that was exactly what I did.
I was in our gym class, prepping for a huge chunk of my grade. The plan was to get graded on how well our field hockey form was and our ability to communicate game strategies with our teammates. The coach paired the groups together. We needed a team of six, and of course we were not allowed to pick our own team members.
“Team Seven is Damon, Maya, Alexis, Priya, Ryan, and Amira,” Coach Jackson announced.
Oh great. I’m stuck with the two barbies, Maya and Priya.
They were always flirting with any guy. It sickened me at how these girls threw themselves on any guy, as if seeking validation through their lustful comments while kicking those below their status even lower into the muck of high school hierarchy. They were the queens; we were the peasants.
Ryan, the other teammate, was a pretty smart guy. He was that quiet mysterious kind of guy in school. I’d seen him play in sports before and he was incredible! Watch him be a famous athlete in the future.
Alexis and I were good friends. She was a hipster. She had good taste in music and was always up for a challenge. She supported her friends through anything, no matter what the situation was. At least I have her, I thought with relief.
“Alright guys, we are going to crush the other teams,” grinned Damon.
We all nodded. Maya and Priya started whispering and giggling with each other. Damon and I sighed. Those girls seriously annoyed me. Ignoring them, I turned back to Damon with a raised brow.
“So, what’s the plan? Who’s on defense and offense?” I asked.
Damon scrutinized us before speaking again. A competitive gleam entered his evergreen eyes, igniting a drive towards victory, and a burning need to crush those who opposed it. He was playing for a win. “I’ll be on offense with Ryan. Alexis, Priya, and Maya can be defense. Amira will be goalie.”
“What?” yelled Alexis and I simultaneously.
“Why do you guys get to be on offense while we’re stuck on defense with them?” Alexis whispered the last part.
“That’s because we’re awesome and way better at this,” smirked Damon.
I was about to protest, but Ryan beat me to it.
“Dude, we can have alternating players. Alexis and Amira can switch positions. Alexis can help with offense. Amira, you can switch your goalie position with Maya or Priya and then become an alternating player. Only come when we make eye contact with either one of you. Got it?”
Alexis and I nodded. I put on my hockey mask and gloves. Alexis and Ryan were talking strategy with each other while Maya and Priya gossiped, checking their nails. We were up against a pretty decent team. They had two good players, so we had to be alert for them. As I was thinking, Damon came up to me.
“Nice mask,” he teased.
I glared even though all he could see were my narrowed eyes, since the mask covered my face. “Oh, shut up. This is very uncomfortable.”
“I can tell.”
As I was adjusting the mask, I couldn’t help but feel his stare on me like he was a scientist observing an experiment. My body heated to a degree from being under such meticulous eyes.
I cleared my throat. “Staring is rude, you know,” I mumbled.
“I wanted to talk to you.”
This perked my interest. “About?” I pressed.
He sighed, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his Nike sweatpants. “Listen about that day in the library, I’m sorry if I offended you.”
To say that I was shocked was an understatement.
“I really did mean what I said to Maya. You are my friend, even if I don’t agree with how you choose to live your life.”
“Wow,” I said, “I wasn’t really expecting an apology after all that.”
He shrugged. “I figured it sounded really cold-hearted of me to treat you like that, and I’m sorry. I may not like a lot of your people-” he started.
“You mean Muslims?”
He winced at my disappointed tone. “Yeah,” mumbled Damon, “but can we just agree to put our differences aside now, at least for the sake of this game?”
I smiled. At least he apologized for being a jerk. I didn’t expect groveling, although, it was a favorable scenario. “Agreed.”
Damon visibly brightened, eyes lighting with elation when we made our truce. “By the way, you look good today,” he winked before catching up with the rest of our teammates to get into position.
My cheeks heated with a blushing ember.
Coach Jackson blew the whistle, and the game started. Team Three was better than I thought, and from the looks on Alexis, Ryan, and Damon’s faces, they were shocked as well. Regardless, they continued with their plan.
Team Three managed to use passes to make sure Damon and Ryan couldn’t get the hockey puck. Ryan made eye contact with Alexis and she nodded as she went straight to them. Alexis stole the puck, and passed it to Ryan. He caught the puck, and protected it as he made his way closer to their goal, passing the puck to Damon.
I was in my goalie position and couldn’t see anything because Maya was in front of me. I mean, I was crouching down and her tanned legs were blocking my view. I looked up at her.
“Do you know how to twerk?” she asked me.
“I should answer this question because...” I trailed off.
She rolled her eyes, and turned to Priya. “I wanna show you how I twerk,” Maya said to Priya.
Oh no. I didn’t know if she realized she was in front of me, but she started shaking her bottom around, moving her hips as if a drum had thumped to the rhythm in the background. My eyes widened, instantly closing. They were supposed to be on defense, not shaking their behinds!
I heard Priya laugh. “Maya, you’re making her uncomfortable.”
“What do you expect from virgins,” she huffed before walking away and leaving us defenseless.
I didn’t say anything since I had a million rude things to say to her, but all I did was narrow my eyes at Maya, a lethal glare staring like daggers at her back. Just then the puck went into our goal, giving Team Three a point. I exhaled a frustrated sigh.
“What the hell?” Damon yelled.
He ran up to me with Ryan and Alexis following close behind.
“How did the puck get passed you?” demanded Damon.
“I was distracted,” I mumbled quietly. By the two annoying girls you forced me to work with.
Damon closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. Ryan turned to Maya and Priya, who were snickering at me. “Why were you two not doing your job as defense?” he asked.
“We were, but that terrorist was being a bad goalie,” Maya scoffed.
“What did I say about calling her a terrorist, Maya?” Damon growled.
Maya rolled her eyes.
“You two weren’t doing your jobs. You were busy twerking in front of Amira,” Alexis glared.
Priya gasped. “How dare you?” she screamed while getting in Alexis’s face.
I stepped between the two. “Stop it! I’ll take the blame. I was distracted when I should have been focused. I’m sorry!” I yelled in an attempt to get the girls to calm down.
“Guys, we need to score so we get a tie. Come on and this time, everyone should focus on their jobs,” Ryan
said, giving the girls a pointed look.
I sighed, walking back to the goal. I was disappointed in myself for letting my team down. The guilt ate at my flesh, as a cloud of darkness loomed over me. I had a duty to my teammates, an important role in their plan, yet I screwed it all up. I was too focused on my disgust and had easily been deterred from my position. I might have cost my team not only their victory, but their grade as well. Before I could get to the goal, a hand clasped onto my wrist.
“Cheer up, it wasn’t your fault,” Damon whispered softly, making sure only I could hear him.
He let go of my wrist, and went to stand next to Ryan. A weird feeling erupted in the pit of my stomach again. He comforted me. Damon barely ever comforted or apologized to anyone, even if he was a jerk to them.
Chapter 8
Playful Tease
Amira Sarker
As soon as I got home, I checked my Google chat. Damon didn’t chat with me. I felt a tinge of disappointment in my chest before I mentally slapped myself.
What the hell is wrong with you? Stop craving for his messages, nitwit!
I closed the laptop, and went upstairs to my room to do homework. As I finished half of my work, Tanwir barged into my room.
“Sup Tubby,” he said, as he laid himself on the bed. Tubby was a nickname he always called me.
“What do you want?”
“Nothing,” he said while getting comfortable on my bed.
“Then get out. I’m doing homework. Now leave,” I commanded, as I tried pulling him off.
“But I’m too comfy,” he playfully whined.
It was funny how he could go from the worst to the best. He sure was bipolar.
“Get off, you pig,” I grumbled.
“Nah. I’m enjoying myself here.”
“Mum! Bhaiyah (brother) won’t get off my bed and he’s annoying me!” I yelled.
Either she didn’t hear or she didn’t want to deal with us.
“You annoy Mum too much, Tubby. Give the woman a break.”
“Look who’s talking? You’re the one with bipolar moods,” I stated, as I crossed my arms over my chest.
“I have my reasons.”
“Care to share?” I asked.
“Nope. Stop pulling me,” he ordered.
I didn’t stop. This time I took a pillow, and started hitting him with it. He kept dodging my hits, laughing at my weak attempts.
“Get a life, you weirdo,” I glared.
“I have a life. You don’t,” he smirked.
“Get off my bed!” I whined, as I pulled at his legs. He didn’t even move!
“Hey! What’s going on in there?” Mum yelled, as she walked into my room. She saw the scene in front of her and sighed. “Grow up you two! You act like five-year olds.”
“He started it,” I said, as I pointed a finger at Tanwir.
“She’s disturbing peace, Mum. Make her shut up,” he groaned while placing a pillow on his ears.
I gasped, exaggerating how offended I was of course. “You came into my room and you lay on my bed. You disturbed the peace not me.”
“Both of you stop it! Tanwir, leave your sister alone. Amira, respect your brother,” Mum scolded us before walking out.
Tanwir got up. “See ya, tubby,” he said, as he left.
“Jerk face,” I mumbled to myself.
When Tanwir left my room, I felt ease crawl back into my heart, witnessing how easygoing he was today without bursting in rage. He was unpredictable at times, but today, his mood was different and oddly reassuring. On a normal day, we would have bickered nonstop until eventually someone left either in tears or in rage. Today neither of us erupted like volcanoes at one another, which was a step towards progress.
Then again, maybe I was over analyzing the whole situation.
I decided to check my Google chat on the laptop. As I expected, Damon sent me a message. I felt excitement rush through my veins. Geez, I needed to calm myself down. He’s just a guy, nothing special.
Damon: I can’t believe they did that 2 u in the gym.
Me: I know right! So messed up. But eh, I’ve seen worse.
Damon: Can I ask u a question?
Me: Sure.
I wondered what he wanted to ask me, anxiously waiting for his reply.
Damon: Y do Muslims have to have an arranged marriage?
I knew what he was thinking. He thought Muslims were forced into a marriage with a complete stranger. I shook my head. Society made Islam sound like a prison when it really wasn’t.
Me: It’s not the type of marriage u think. It’s not a forced marriage. It’s actually haraam (forbidden) to force a person into marriage. The girl or guy has the choice to refuse the proposal. And the point of not dating is so we stay pure for our spouse and vice versa. We believe that self-respect for ourselves mean not flaunting or using our bodies in inappropriate ways.
Damon: Y does a girl or guy have to follow that guideline?
Me: Allah knows what’s best and for those who keep themselves pure, it’s rewarding for both parties. A man and woman are each other’s first, so the experience is different. It’s really about self-respect. For example, I don’t waltz into any guys arms because a lot of people are just looking for casual relationships with no indication towards a married life, which is why Muslims wait.
Damon: But u still have to marry a stranger. That’s dumb.
Instantly, I felt my defensive side rise. I didn’t like it when people insulted my religious beliefs and Allah’s word, but I understood where Damon was coming from. He, like many others, didn’t know the truth behind everything. It made them blind towards Islamic teachings and a complete victim to falsehood.
Me: Actually, the guy and girl meet up with each other in a public place to get to know each other before accepting the proposal and everything. There is a supervisor who makes sure things don’t go out of hand with the guy and girl when they meet up so, they r not completely strangers.
Damon: Oh. Well, I still prefer to have my sexual freedom. It’s the twenty first century after all.
Me: You do have a reputation that precedes you.
It was silent for a bit, and I wondered if I took it too far with the subtle comment.
Damon: Well, at my previous school, I did have a lot of friends with benefits, but idk, I’m trying to focus on just school now. My mom would kill me if I didn’t.
Me: Y would she do that?
Damon: My mom wants me to get into a good college before my dad gambles everything for addiction. I’m basically relying heavily on some scholarship. Money and fooling around with girls aren’t going to give me that.
His dad was a gambler. I couldn’t believe it.
Me: Your father gambles?
Damon: Yeah. He does it behind my mom’s back sometimes, but it’s usually not too much money.
Me: Damon, I’m so sorry you have to go through that.
Damon: Don’t worry about it. It’s no big deal.
Me: But that still doesn’t explain why ur so tense around me.
Damon: U know the rumors of a fight make an educated guess.
Me: I don’t want to believe in all rumors.
Damon: I don’t want to talk about it then.
I didn’t need to be told twice to drop that conversation, but it still made me wonder. What did that Muslim student do to Damon for him to be so untrusting toward any Muslim? Questions flew around my thoughts like a flock of birds but I didn’t act upon my inquisitive nature, it was just too personal.
The only way I could show Damon that not all Muslims were horrible was by being a good Muslim myself.
Me: What r u doing?
Damon: Watching Pretty Little Liars.
Oh, my Allah. Guys watched Pretty Little Liars too? I thought girls watched it mostly because it was all about how pretty girls find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery.
Me: OMG I love that show!
Damon: Lol yeah, it’s pretty great. My little bro and I watch it 2gether.
Me: U never did tell me about ur family. How many siblings do u have?
Damon: I’m the oldest. I have 2 little brothers. One is in 13 and the other is 10. The 13-year-old watches it with me.
That was so cool. I wondered if they look like Damon. I never would have guessed that he had two younger siblings.
Me: Cool. I just have an older brother. He’s so rude. Like today he just sat on my bed and wouldn’t get off. I even pulled him! And then he said, “I disturbed peace.” Can u believe that?
Damon: XD Lol I can believe that. U do disturb peace.
Me: Ur so mean!
Damon: Don’t u know it sweetheart ;)
Me: What’s up with u and ur nicknames. I have a name ya know?
Damon: But I like teasing u.
I didn’t know why, but that comment made my stomach clench. I shouldn’t feel this way. It never ended well.
Me: Another reason on y ur mean.
Damon: U know u love it.
Me: Y are you suddenly being so nice to me?
Damon: To be honest, I felt a bit guilty after that library day. I was out of line.
Me: Really? What brought the sudden change? No offense, but you always seems so cautious around me like I’d bomb you or hurt you.
Damon: That’s because I believed one day that you would.
Me: Should I be worried?
Damon: Probably not. U don’t seem threatening.
Me: I’ll take that as a compliment, but u know that not all Muslims are terrorists, right?
Damon: I don’t know what to believe anymore.
Me: What do u mean?
He was quiet again for a brief moment as if he was contemplating whether or not to tell me what really happened in that fight, something that other students didn’t know. In that regard, Damon and I weren’t that different. I had a secret I concealed my whole life, a trauma that I hid behind my writings or my complete focus on my schoolwork.
Sometimes, I wondered why death had taken such an important person away from me, why I was meant to suffer while others lived happily. Death didn’t discriminate against who it takes, but I knew it was all a test from Allah, a test of patience and healing, a test of my faith.