Bad Boy Meets Hijabi

CHAPTER EIGHT

Chapter 8:

KEVIN

She ran over to me, blocking me from walking any further. I didn't want to push her like the last time so I turned away and left the house. She continued to follow me. As she was rushing out of the house to catch up to me, she fell and sprained her foot.

I could hear her growling in pain. I don't know what happened to me but I felt the need to help her. I ran back and held her in my arms, dropping her on the sofa.

I got the first aid kit and massaged her leg with an ointment. She was crying like a baby.

What a drama queen.

"I will drop you home." I rolled my eyes. She didn't say a word and so I carried her to my car.

After dropping her at her hostel, I went straight back home and turned on the television.

That very night, there was an attack on a black man and it was caught on camera. Some white police officers arrested him as a suspect and shot him in the back three times.

The video I watched was very disturbing. I read some comments about the incident and the comments were touching.

I don't like black people but that was inhuman. No one should be treated like that. I couldn't sleep because I kept seeing the image of that terrible attack.

The next day at college, most people in the class were talking about the racist attack. Some people were really mad while other people didn't even care.

I spotted Juwariya sitting down, looking very sad, scared, and disturbed. I couldn't help the inside urge but ask her what was wrong.

As I approached her, Ahmad approached me and told me Juwariya wasn't in our group anymore. She had requested to change groups and the lecturer had agreed.

Why on earth would she do that?

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JUWARIYA

Later that evening after my Maghrib prayers, Lizzy walked in, looking very angry. I asked if everything was ok and she broke the disturbing news to me.

It was a video of a black man being harassed and attacked by some racist officers. Since I was from Nigeria, we don't experience cases like this except for tribalism. These are the kind of things these African-Americans face every day.

I was so frustrated that I didn't realize I started crying. This event was so scary and it happens a lot. This is just one of the many, caught on camera.

But why do people always discriminate because of skin colour? My whole mood was ruined for the rest of the day. I prayed my Isha prayer, my foot still hurting, and went to bed. I couldn't sleep that night.

I remembered that Kevin is also racist and that I have to avoid him before I get myself into danger. I switch on my phone to see the progress. I wanted to see people's reactions to the event.

I dozed off a while later as I scrolled through random comments.

The next day, I was still very bothered and scared for my life. I mean, I could be the next person to be attacked due to my skin colour.

I shook it off instantly.

I wore a very plain blue dress and wrapped in a black hijab. I wasn't in the mood to dress up.

I went earlier so I could ask the Professor if I could change groups. He didn't disapprove because someone from another group was complaining about her group as well.

I told Ahmad after I was successfully switched. He asked why I did so. I told him I didn't feel comfortable working with Kevin and he understood my situation. My new group had white girls in it, Phoebe and Clara. They were both very nice thankfully.

Ahmad and Kevin's new project partner was none other than Simone. She was the one complaining about Phobe and Clara. I mean these girls were so nice.

I had a feeling she wanted to be with her boyfriend - Kevin.

She is unbelievable.

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Thank you so much for reading this chapter. I have not been myself ever since the George Floyd Incident and it scares me that this incident is just one of many cases.

Just thinking about the countless people who had been murdered and aren't known because they weren't lucky enough to be recorded makes me so depressed.

I hope this world becomes a better place where people won't be treated differently because of their skin colour or race.

💌 All lives can't matter until black lives matter!

#blacklivesmatter!