Changed

Chapter 61

I arrived to Doyen High School; the last month of the first trimester. To think that it's already December is surreal. It feels like it was just yesterday when Abeera woke me up late and I nearly missed the bus, but now it's already the first day of December and so much has happened. I'm actually nervous to see what is next for me. Is there more new changes to my life and more unexpected returns from my relatives? 

I sigh deeply, and walk up the stairs. Usually I would always stop by Mira's locker, even last year and the year before that I have always done it. But now we aren't really in touch anymore so it makes sense to not stop by her locker and speak to her. It kinda feels like I've replaced her with Ifrah, but oh well.

I unlock my locker and shove my backpack inside, taking out notebooks and pencils. Everyone chattered to their friends, telling them what they did over break. If I were to be asked about what I did over break I'd probably laugh straight at the person who was asking. What would my response even be?

 'Yeah it was great, my father came back even though I thought he was dead, also smacked me for insulting him, which lead to him getting tackled by Adam. Then Adam told me Maya's pregnant but it's not his and that's it's Zafir's, but I don't know what to believe. My sister isn't actually related to me fully she's my half sister, because my mother and Abdul committed a great sin and I don't know why. Then there's this girl named Mariam who is basically my brothers wife and I thought she wasn't Muslim but turns out she was playing with my head. Oh and then my biological dad who I thought died years ago tells me he has cancer and lies saying that he has two weeks to live when it was actually barely a day. My break was just fabulous,  how was yours?'

Yeah, that would be the best reply. 

I shut my locker and notice Adam opening his. His bus arrived later than mine, which is strange since we do kinda live close to each other. 

Something about him is different. Very different. Maybe it's the change in clothing, he went from tight jeans and black t-shirts to dark blue jeans and a white t-shirt with sleeves. His hair wasn't as gelled up, he let it form it's own quiff- which surprisingly looks better. He even got a different backpack, one that doesn't have any holes or stains. The backup is red and black, with the logo 'trans' across it. 

Adam turns his head to me and I quickly stare elsewhere. "Hey." He smiles showing his bright teeth, finally noticing my existence. 

I return the gesture and reply with a hello. He seems so happy too, did something happen? Well isn't this quite laughable. It use to be me being the joyous one and him being the suicidal teen, now look. It's me being the numbed one and him being the joyous teen. Who would've thought.

He kneels down and takes out notebooks and folders out of his new backpack. I scoff seeing how eager he was, but for what? 

"Someone is happy." I say bluntly, holding my supplies tightly to my chest. He snaps his up head to me and smiles, and something about it being so genuine shocks me. He usually fakes a smile, or I have to do something really dumb for him to smirk, but now he's doing it all on his own. He turns his head back to his locker and shoves his backpack in gently, then stands back up and shuts the locker. 

"Yeah well something amazing happened." He remarks, standing beside me as we walk to advisory. 

"Really? What happened."

"I-" Adam stops abruptly, looking at me with an intense stare. "Before I tell you what happened, I just wanted to say my condolence for your father." he says softly. "Stay strong and remember you're not alone." he adds quickly after noticing the frown forming on my lips.

I don't need anyone's apology, and I certainly did not want to be reminded of Omar's death at school, but I nod my head slowly and mutter a thank you to him. "So.. what happened?" I change the subject.