Believe Me

Zaria

A tall man walks. He was looked buff. I lower my gaze onto my paper. "Who let a terrorist into my house!" The man yells. I jump up in shock. Who the hell was this man. Xavier and his mom walk in. "Don't call her that... you don't know her," Xavier says. "They are all the same... don't get fooled you dumb boy," the man says. "So you are saying I'm one," Xavier says. "You are not a Muslim and if you think you are, you will not live in my house," the man says. I watch them confused. "This isn't your house... you don't have the rights to leave and then show your ugly face!" Xavier yells pissed off. "You don't talk to your father like that," the giant man says. "You're not my father... get the hell out of my house!" Xavier yells. The man smack him across the face with his giant hand knocking Xavier off the ground. His mom tries to attack but fails in attempt. I grab Jazlyn and hide her behind the sofa.

"Get out of my house right now," the man says. "I'm calling the police," I say. He tries to grab me "don't you dare touch me!" I yell. He pushes me onto the sofa. "You are not calling anyone do you understand," he says pulling out a gun. I stare up at him my hands trembling. "Don't you dare touch her!" I hear Xavier yell. "Oh, look who put on his big boy pants," the man says. Xavier runs at him but he's hit with the back of gun. Blood is drawn from his forehead. "You shouldn't have done that!" the man yells. "This is not my fault... it's all yours!" He yells at me. He walks out the house. I catch my breath that I was holding. "Xavier," I say kneeling down beside him. My hands were shaking. "Xavier," I try again. Mrs.Daniels wakes up finally. I dial the police as she checks his pulse. Jazlyn comes out hugging her mom who was crying.

Xavier is taken to the ER. I sit there waiting in the waiting room. Mrs. Daniels comes out and sits beside me with Jazlyn on her lap. "How is he?," I ask her my hands still a bit shaky. "You should go talk to him," she suggests. I hesitate for a second then get up and walk to the room. I stand by the door waiting a second before I knock. I finally decide to knock. "Come in," I hear on the other side. I slowly walk in. "Hi," I mumble walking in. He just looks up at me not saying anything. I sit down at the chair beside the bed. "You didn't have to do what you did," I tell him. "You don't know that man, he would have shot you right there and then," he mumbles staring into space. "Well then, thanks for saving my life," I tell him. It was quiet after a while.

Xavier sits up and looks at me. I lower my gaze. "Why didn't you tell me you're getting married?" He questions. I glance at him "who told you that?" I ask sitting up straight. "My mom," he says. I don't say anything. "So you weren't going to tell me you were engaged?" He questions sounding pissed. "Shouldn't you be happy for you?" I rise my eyebrows. "No... I'm not happy that you are going to marry another man and didn't tell me," he mumbles. I look at him shock "I don't have to tell you... it's not your business," I tell him. "It kind of is," he says pissed off. I roll my eyes shaking my head "what? You wanted me to say; hi my name is Zaria Salim and I'm getting married to Samir Abdulwahab," I smirk. He stares at me in shock. I walk away annoyed.

Xavier refuses to speak to me but I don't care it's graduation. In a month or two I'm off to college. Everyone was happy and hugging each other. I was suppose to share this moment with Noora but now I'm standing alone watching everyone. Gavin and Xavier walk pass me. Xavier glances at me and walks away. "Hey," Gavin says stopping. "Hi," I mumble. "I'm going to miss you after this," he says. "Yeah... same here I guess," I smile. "Wow, four years went by so fast," he says. I sigh sadly "yeah, it was some crazy four years," I tell him. "Tell me about it we all grew so much and now we are leaving to try to conjure the world," he says. My mouth falls open "that's the smartest thing you said... ever," I smile. We both break out laughing. "See you later," he says.

We all go home and get dressed up and wear our cap and gowns for the evening. "Mashallah you look beautiful," my mom says. "Thank you," I smile. We all head to the hall that the graduation was being held. We are to get in line, alphabetically. We wait until we are called in. We are grouped in twos. "Brittany Ross, Joe Ryan" they call. We were up next. "Zaria Salim, Justin Sanders" they call us. We walk out. "Zari," I hear. I look around to see my family. I wave to them with a smile.

We take our seats and the valedictorian gives his speech along with the principal and a few others. They show pictures of us from freshman year until senior. Everyone breaks out laughing at the beginning at the end most of us were tears because now we know we are leaving and we may never see each other again. We get up and get our diplomas.

We all start taking pictures. "Zaria," Carmen says. I give her a hug. "I'm gonna miss you," I tell her. Carmen was my only true friend throughout soccer. We take pictures. I turn around bumping into... Xavier. "Can I get a picture of you two?" my mom says. I shake my head "please," she says. We both awkwardly stand there. Mrs.Daniels comes along wanting a picture as well. I do cross eye. "No... another one you're eyes were crossed," she says to me. I break out laughing. She snaps a picture as I was laughing.

"Hey, Zaria congratulation," Samir says coming up to me. "Thank you," I smile. Xavier walks off. "Can you get a picture of us?" Gavin asks handing his phone to Samir. "Me too," I say handing him my phone. We make silly faces. "Come on be serious," Samir says. We both break out laughing. "You two are silly," he says handing us our phone.