Muslim (Islam)

Chapter 2

Kawthar knew her parents wanted the best for her from the moment they sent her to Crossfield, rather than to the nearby Islamic school or community school. Her father’s defence had been he wanted her to mingle with all sorts of people to make it easier for her in the future when she has to come across all kind of people with different character. They knew she wasn’t much of a social butterfly like Tawbah had been and this had been the perfect opportunity. Kawthar walked into school like a zombie, hurt, anger pain dancing on her face. She noticed the people staring but she couldn’t care less. She was a mess, her eyes was rimmed red from the endless crying, her skin didn't have its usual glow and her voice was hoarse from the endless no's she had screamed when she found out.

No one knew what she was going through and no one could sympathise, no one knew the girl they had been talking about in Crossfield news was her flesh and blood. She probably looked deranged to people in the corridors but it was grieve walking hand in hand with her, creating an invisible bubble to the people. Katie approached her in concern.

"What's wrong?" Kawthar shook her head feeling the urge to vomit and cry again.

"It can't be ‘nothing’; it looks like you were run over by a truck." It literally felt like it.

"My grandpa died." She quickly formed even though it was partly true well the truth of two years ago. Katie hugged her tight, resting her head on her shoulder in comfort.

"You'll be alright, the feeling will suppress I promise. Did you hear about the girl that was murdered on the news?" Kawthar's face paled. "Sorry I'm being really inconsiderate. Beside the point, I'm so glad your back. A week is too long to be away..." Katie continued but Kawthar's heart or head wasn't in the conversation in fact Kawthar felt dead to the world and more who would do this to her sister of all people. Tawbah was one of the nicest people ever; it was a fact- voted the nicest girl in high school, valedictorian, and class representative. She had her whole life ahead of her. Who was she going to ask for advice on anything remotely fashion based or homework or anything for that matter. Kawthar felt awful but her parents were absolutely distraught.

It had taken ten years of marriage to have Illyaseen, Tawbah, and then her. The abuse and hurt her mum had to endure during that time was not to be talked about. The name calling she received from her so called aunts and uncle still left a soft spot in her mum's aching heart. Now there were two. Who could do this to her sister?

"Are you alright?" Mason Montgomery positioned himself right in front of Kawthar and she blindly wiped the tears away. He leaned in further and she moved back.

"Haven't you heard of personal space?" she snapped and he held his hands up in guilt.

"Sorry." He gave that winning smile that seem to have won scouts over at football games and had the girls swooning but now was not the time. The smile quickly disappeared when he realised Kawthar was not in the best of moods. "I heard your grandfather died. I remember when my brother died, it's not the same thing but you get it." She blinked back her surprise and wanted him to continue. He understood what it was like to lose a sibling, even if he had no idea she just lost one too. "I felt like my world was falling. One minute I was talking about how badly I was going to beat him in the game next thing you know he is six feet under." He relaxed against the lockers arms folded. "I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep. I would wait by his bedroom door at night praying when I pushed it open he was on the other side ready to jump out it was all a joke." He seemed to have gone all serious. He ran one hand through his lustrous messy black hair, rubbing his temple. "Anyways I have to go, if you need anything I'm here." He clocked out, speeding down the corridor in a record time and all of a sudden she felt all alone again, for that split second when Mason was talking about his brother, she could relate.