Sarah's POV

"Why won't you talk to guys?" I asked Zarah, as we were walking home.

"I do talk to them.." She answered.

"But you mostly try to avoid them." I said.

"Well, I don't get why I should. Especially if Islam doesn't allow it."

"You won't even meet their gazes. I mean, if Islam tells you to fall off a cliff, are you going to do that?" That's when she looked up at me and frowned. 

"Jihad. Yes I would. I would definitely strive in the name of Allah. It would be the best thing I could ever do. But in the end, I know I wouldn't. Why? Because, I'm still a teenager. I love my religion, but I also love my life. I don't have that much understanding or much confidence to give my life up."

"Jihad's striving in the name of Allah?"

"Yes, it is. I'm doing Jihad right now! Wearing my hijab." Zarah looked ahead. "My legs are hurting. I want a slushy. You got money?" She asked.

"Didn't you get your allowance?" I asked. Our parents gave us each $20 each week. I'd always go out and spend mines instantly. I used to get at least $50 a week before. More than enough to go out  shopping. Our dad doesn't like spoiling us. As soon as Zarah sees money, she grabs it and locks it up in our room... somewhere safe perhaps?

"I'm saving up." She replied.

"For what?" I asked.

"For something... Well I haven't really decided yet... But I did swear I wouldn't waste a cent." 

"Okay, I'll get you a slushy." I said, bored."Wanna get something to eat too? I don't want to go home early." 

"Sure!"Zarah replied, happy because she didn't need to waste any money.

We sat at the closest pizza store (which had to be halal) while we drank our slushies as we ordered. My phone vibrated. I opened it to check. 'Can you sneak out tonight?' I looked at the screen with no emotion. 'What time?' I text back. Zarah looked at me from across the table.

"Something wrong, Sarah?" She asked.

I shook my head. "Nothing, It's just Alveena, asking about the chem homework." She nodded, sipping on her slushy. But... it wasn't Alveena. It was Mike. I wasn't allowed to meet my guy friends anymore. But I still did, from time to time. 

After I ate, I had another text from Mike, who asked me to meet him at 10 o'clock; my curfew. 'I can't.' I texted back. 'Fine, nine thirty?' I guess it could work. 'No. In half an hour, at the usual place.'

"Alveenah?" Zarah asked. She was standing right beside me.

"Uh, yeah. I'm gonna go get a coffee, cuz I completely froze from that slushy. You go on without me." She nodded and started walking away. I got on a bus, and headed towards the park we usually met at.

A while later, I got there. Facing Mike, I looked at him. "What's up?" 

"Nothing... I just felt lonely." He said, as he slid his hand around my neck and pulled me in for a kiss. It was deep, and I didn't like it, so I pushed away.

"We should stop it." I said, straightening up.

He dyed his hair darker than black, and wore black jean, with a black shirt, and jacket. With his usual brown boots. He tilted his head. "You used to like it. What's wrong?" He asked with a grin.

"Right. I used to. Cuz I had nothing better to do in life." I said, looking at his changing face.

"And now you do?" He said, a little angry. He was one of my best friends. We did a lot of stupid stuff together when we were bored. "I don't get it. What's wrong with you."

"I don't want to go around the bush while meeting you. If my family doesn't want me to talk to boys, I shouldn't, right?" I said. I suddenly felt really surprised. But I didn't take back what I said.

"What? Since when did you ever respect their wishes? They hated you, abandoned you, and forgot you. Remember?" He asked. That stung. And I really felt like I needed to smack him across the face. But I didn't.

"Right. Respect their wishes. If they hated me and wanted to forget me, they wouldn't come looking for me." I twisted my face, trying to remember how much I hated them before.

"You've changed... " I narrowed my eyes.

"In what way? It's not like I was some super rebel from outer space. It's not like I hated people."

"You didn't hate people in general. But you hated terrorists, remember?" He asked. I blinked.

"Un-hunh?..."

"You hated Muslims and hated them to the max." I blinked again.

"Ah! They're not so bad... There religion... makes sense sometimes... " I said, under my breath.

"Oh! You mean how they force women into wearing that head covering?" He said. "That makes sense??" I looked up at him.

"They aren't FORCED. You idiot... And it does make sense. I don't care if you continue thinking like that, but you really should change the way you think. Stop focusing on stereotypes. It's just plain stupid. 

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