Hidden Pearl [EDITING]

Chapter 1

Chapter 1


I nervously bit my bottom lip as I waited for Zakariyah to pick me up to go to school. "Jazirah baby half your lip is gonna be gone by time Zak picks you up." Ummi said, coming towards me with a bagel on a napkin. "Here eat this. You can't start your first day of school without eating." she said with a worried look on her face.

"Shukraan Ummi," I thanked her for her offer," but by the time I get to school with the way Zak drives I'll be sick."

What is taking him so long? I thought inwardly.

I took out my phone from my purse to see the time. 8:30 am. I sighed. Late for the first day of school.

I was just about to text him when I heard a car honking its horn outside. My mom jumped up from where she was sitting and embraced me in a tight hug. When she let go she smiled at me and started to fix my hijab.

"When you go to that school you make your mama proud and hold your head up high." She said looking as if she was sending me away forever.

"Ummi, don't I always?" I heard another one of Zak's impatient honks.

"I gotta go!" I said kissing her on the cheek and running out the front door.

"What took you so long?" I yelled as I reached him.

"Asaalamu alaykum to you too." Zakariyah laughed, getting into his car. "What's with you?" he asked when I got in the car.

I just looked at him in frustration. "We're late!" Oh Allah, give me the patience to deal with this guy today.

"Chill out Jazzy," he said coolly pulling out of my drive way, "you worry too much."

I just could not wait to see my other, more tolerable bestie Sofia. I hadn't seen her all summer because she had spent all summer with her cousins in California. The summer was barely any fun without her. With my mother abandoning me for her new 'hubby', I had to spend my summer with my blood brother Hakeem, and my milk brother Zakariyah.

Going to the mall with one of those two was torture! All I'd hear from them was; "Jazzy hurry up!" "Jazzy are you finished yet?" "Jazzy, we've been here for hours! I wanna go!" Talk about lazy mahrams (men in your family who protect you)!

"Jazzy." "Jazirah we're here!"

I jumped out of my daydreaming state of mind and realize we were parked in the school parking lot. Zakariyah got out of the car and headed towards the school.

"Meet me in the teacher's lounge at lunch for dhur prayer." he yelled behind him to me.

When I got into the front office Zak was already running down the hall towards his class. "Jazirah, just the person I wanted to see!" Mrs. Walker, the school counselor said. I looked up and smiled at her as I finished signing my name on the tardy sheet. Beside her was a tall stocky boy. His brown hair was cut short. His tan face looked at me in confusion with one eyebrow raised. I quickly turned away from him to look at Mrs. Walker.

"Why did you want to see me?" I asked her.

She gave me another one of her fake smiles as she placed her hand on the boy's shoulder. "This is Darren Owens. He and his family just moved here."

"That's nice." I responded wondering where this was going. "Soooo..... What does this have to do with me?"

"Darren will be shadowing you today until he gets his schedule." She must have seen the 'HECK NO' look on my face when she quickly added, "You won't have to talk to each other. He'll just follow you to your classes. The longest it will take is a week for his schedule to get straight."

"I don't know." I told her. What do I look like having a boy I don't even know following me around all week?

"I wasn't asking you Jazirah. The principal and I already sorted this out. You did such a good job with that girl from Ghana, what was her name again. I think it was Mary." she said tapping her chin.

The only reason they chose me to help Mary around was because they thought she was my cousin. I mean seriously! Just because I wear hijab and I'm brown skinned doesn't mean I'm an foreigner. I just sighed. There was no reason to continue arguing with her. I was late for class as it was. "Fine." I said giving in. She smiled wider than ever, glad that I'd given in. "I need a late slip for class." I reminded her. Still smiling she handed me the slip that was already written out.

"The reward of those who exercise patience will be doubled...[28:54]" I reminded myself silently as I took the slip from the annoying woman.