When Stars are Hidden

Chapter 17

After the nurse at the infirmary gave Naima some pain killers and something to bring down the swelling, she had gone on to ask so many questions about how it happened.

Tawfiq lied throughout and when Naima asked him why he lied, he just shrugged it off saying it wasn't a big deal and he would deal with it himself.
Whatever that meant.

Tawfiq made sure she was okay and asked to send her home after school but Naima refused and said she would go with Belinda instead.
Tawfiq reluctantly agreed after a short argument.

So, right now she was at home, avoiding Aunt Faiza and Zain. She didn't want to lie to them but if they found out they would flip.

The bruise wasn't so bad so she could cover it up with makeup till it disappeared.
The swelling had stopped and gone down at least.

Friday came in a flash. She had the normal lunch time with Belinda, Tawfiq and Dean and sometimes Malik and Steven would come around. It was fun if she must admit. She really hadn't had people she could call 'friends' for a while now.

The problem was now Lacey. Not that she had confronted Naima. The opposite actually.
She hadn't tried anything, scratch that, Naima hadn't seen her since she pushed Naima on Monday.
Not that she wanted to see her, but people who have sworn to make you miserable don't just disappear. 

She had asked Tawfiq and Dean about it but they just shrugged nonchalantly.

People now stared at her and some talked behind her back. A week ago, no one even knew her. She was just that hijabi girl. But now she was the girl who was carried by the handsome captain of the school football team and the girl who had lunch with the best football players.

Again. All her work, gone down the drain like nothing.

But fortunately, anytime she was with Dean or Tawfiq, they would glare at them.

The staring died down later when a first year student run around the school in only his briefs and singing Adele's "hello".
He practically saved Naima from being the center of attention.
The pictures of her in the washroom with Tawfiq and Belinda and when he carried her to the infirmary had literally disappeared from the internet in one day. Like literally no trace. Like it was never there.

Something wasn't right. Everything had turned too normal to be true.

Tomorrow was Saturday and she had to meet Tawfiq for the French project. They had decided to go to the park because it was open and had picnic tables too so it was convenient.
Belinda was glad to come with her.

Her precise words were,
"Yaaay! I have nothing to do on Saturday, so yes, yes of course I will come. I will even bring some food if you want."

It was left with Zain for her to convince to come. She planned on asking him that night.
If she told him two or three days before, he would downright refuse and tell her to find someone else. But if he thought she was using her last options on him, he would give it a thought.

Smart move, Naima.

She went downstairs after praying and saw Zain in the living room with a large bowl of popcorn, probably for his usual Friday night movies.
He would constantly ask her to join but she always refused. The movies were always too long. And she loved her sleep too much to waste part on it.

"Zain, my dear big brother." Naima said lovingly.

He caught on to it though.

He placed his popcorn on the table and give her a dry look.

"What do you want, Naima?" he said to her.

"Whoever said I wanted something?"  She asked innocently and acted oblivious.