Our Fates: Book III of the Fate Trilogy

Three: Barakah Muhammad: Superhero Should Be A Real Job

"Yaya Barakah, what do you want to do in the future?"

I turn around, Hoor is standing behind my study chair, smiling. I tilt my head to check the door at the corner, then frown, "Did you knock?"

She nods, "what do you want to do in the future?"

"You mean 'be'?" I ask.

Her eyes widen, "you want to be a bee?"

"No," I roll my eyes, "I'm correcting you. You're asking what I want to be in the future, right? Like my future career?"

She jumps in reply.

I look at the wardrobe by my right, trying to think. I'm not sure I've ever thought about it, talk more of decide. "I don't know yet." I shrug and face my desk, where my beloved Mathematics assignment is waiting for me.

"You know what I want to be?" She jumps, appearing beside me. I shake my head, eyes on my notebook. "A Superhero!" She shouts, doing a star jump and hitting my chair.

I stare at her in surprise. "Are you serious? Is Superhero a job?"

She drop her hands, "is not a job?"

"Nope. Only on TV." I face my work, hoping she'd go away.

"But why?" she cries out, stamping her feet on the floor. "That's what I want."

I frown in disgust. "See, I don't know. Go and ask Mommy."

She stares at me, unblinking. " Superhero should be a real job."

I blink. Okay...

"I will be Hoorah Star." She pumps her fist in the air.

I laugh. "Hoorah what?" I shake my head, "who formed that name?"

She glared at me, "me!"

"It's not nice. You should be Queen Hoor or Star of Hoor o-"

"Wonder Hoor!" She exclaims.

I shake my head, "that's not sweet. You s-"

"Hoor, have you finished your homework?" Mommy shouts from her room.

Hoor widens her eyes, smiles, puts a hand over her mouth and replies, "no, I'm looking for my pencil." I watch her peep under her bed.

I roll my eyes and resume my work.

•••

"Monday mornings is the worst!" Brianna cries as she slumps on our chair.

I roll my eyes, "that's because you don't sleep on time." I sit down, placing my bag on the desk.

"That's even worst. I had to catch up on all the Netflix series I missed. And I have just one free day. One!" She indicates with a finger, lower lip jutting out in a pout.

"Then watch it during the day and sleep early at night." I shrug. That's what I do, and it works. Why can't she do the same?

She sighs, "you will never understand."

I turn to her. "I think you're the one not understanding." I shrug, "anyways, have you done your assignment? What did you get in number 2 and 3?"

She blinks, "assignment? When?" She quickly opens her bag and removes her books. Standing, she sorts through them before sitting, eyes blank. "I didn't bring it."

I roll my eyes. Of course she didn't.

"Wait," she raises a finger, "which assignment?"

I sigh. She's more hopeless than Hoor.