Malak walked in the school break alone. She wanted to hang out with Yasmin again but it turned out that she had something to do that didn't concern her, and Malak didn't want to annoy her and her friends by sticking her nose in their business like she normally did.

Then she spotted Badr and Yousef walking around the football field eating together. She strolled forward in their direction, but then stopped and turned back. For a moment she thought she could approach them and just walk and talk next to them. However, maybe she'd just annoy them and ruin their soccer game conversation.

Even Jack didn't have time for her. The whole break he was too busy playing basketball with other guys, or even cards with Bilal. She sighed as she just stood there pacing back and forth doing nothing.

"I swear, that 'security' needs a mental hospital," she faintly heard someone say, his voice husky and intimidating.

His friend smirked: "Yeah, I barely finished my second cigar."

"Next time we'll beat up anyone who sees us," the guy called Zach was having a conversation with Essam and their friends.

It sounded like a bunch of guys laughing and having the time of their life. Malak paced over to where the voices came from. She saw many guys from her grade and she instantly recognized them; they were the guys who walked around with invisible crowns on their heads.

"Anyways, anyone down for a party this weekend?" Zach suggested. He was really big and definitely the scariest out of all the other guys.

"I guess, yeah," another guy with curly brown hair nodded. He took a bite of the delicious-looking round pizza in his hand.

"I wanna go somewhere where we can hit on some girls," one of them, Nader, laughed. The rest of the guys agreed loudly. Malak was going to turn and leave when something caught her eye. Someone, more like.

She stared confusedly at Yahya. He was actually talking to these guys? Malak shook her head. Then she noticed something that made her go furious.

The boy with the pizza had left the crust untouched and was now approaching the bin. He threw his leftovers in the bin.

"Why did you throw it in there?" Malak's voice was shrill and high. The boys glowered at her. "Finish it at least!"

"Wow, you're getting scolded, Anas," the boy with the slicked-back hair, Kamal, chuckled. Anas gazed at Malak.

"What the hell, get out of here."

"No! Get it from the bin and eat it now!"

"Ew, no way!"

"Some people die because of starvation and you're just here...throwing the leftover pizza in the bin? If you don't like it, then at least put it aside!" Malak screamed, her face reddening with anger.

"Well, weirdo, if you want it so much then go get it yourself!" Anas answered back. Malak glared at him furiously and marched over to the bin.

"Wait - seriously?" Nader was in disbelief. Malak took the pizza piece out of the bin and put it on a nearby bench.

"Eewww, f*ck you, that's so disgusting!" Zach insulted, running his hands through his dyed purple shoulder-length hair.

Shrieks of laughter came from two boys and Malak noticed it was Yahya and another short guy with very dark skin.

"What!?!" Malak asked, annoyed.

"Is that even a question? How's that gonna help starving people?" the black guy laughed.

Yahya chuckled a little more and then spoke. "Let's just go, this is getting boring."

The guys nodded and walked past Malak. Zach gave her one last glance and jeered "trash girl" before he left. Malak sighed helplessly. She kind of regretted what she did; moreover what she just said didn't exactly help the poor people. And on top of that, it was the popular boys that she interfered with. No matter who it was, she would never get along with them.

The next day Malak found out that it was a terrible idea to get involved in the whole pizza situation because everyone who heard what happened started calling her 'trash girl'. She observed that some of the students in her grade moved away from her wherever she strolled near them. She just walked past them, ignoring whatever insults they threw at her. But no matter what they said, she still kept her head low with a fake smile plastered on her face as usual.

"Ew, oh my God, trash girl," the girl with shoulder-length locks, Talia, pointed at Malak. Malak took a deep breath and unlocked her locker. While she searched for her science book and plastic folder, she overheard the group of girls talking.

"Look at the way she does her hair!" Taleen giggled.

"Yeah, so dirty and plain," Julia laughed, whispering. "She looks like an unkempt boy!"

"She really does come from trash!" they concluded, eyeing Malak up and down. Malak's eyes were tearing up but she tried to keep a straight face. She quickly closed her locker and walked away, her heart aching with pain.

In class, she tried to ignore everyone and pay attention to the science teacher. But she realized it was impossible when he called her out.

"Malak, do you have an answer for number three?" he asked. Everyone immediately turned their heads to stare at the nervous girl. Malak blushed beet red and read the question: 'How many significant figures are there in 0.0290?' She thought about it for a few moments then stuttered: "Three significant...figures."

"Well done," the teacher wrote the answer on the whiteboard. The class gave one last disgusted look at Malak then turned around again. Yousef wondered why they were being so rude. He thought about the possible things that might have occurred between her and some others. Yousef had also noted the people making fun of Malak anytime she walked by. After twelve minutes that felt like hours, the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Yousef packed his books and bid goodbye to his friends. He shuffled through the corridor, carrying his heavy grey backpack.

"I just...I just put it aside!" he heard Malak proclaim to a group of girls. They laughed.

"You do smell like trash! That's probably why no one talks to you! Do you even have any friends?" Basma sneered with her other friends at Malak.

"She doesn't have friends. Just stop bothering her." Yousef said loudly. Basma flipped her caramel brown hair and left with her group. He glared at them as they left.

Malak frowned at Yousef then lowered her head. Her eyebrows went up to show a face of sadness. At this moment, she was unable to make any eye contact with anyone. Then without a word, teary-eyed Malak gathered her belongings and immediately left. Yousef sighed then paced forward, trying to see where Malak ran off to.

"Hey!" Badr exclaimed from behind him. He shook Yousef's rather small hands. "I was looking for you."

"What's up?"

"Did you hear the rumors...about Malak...?"

"Y...yeah..."

There was a pause, and Badr suggested: "Well then, do wanna, you know, help her out a little? Like...you know they're calling her trash and that's not nice but we're her friends right?"

"Uh...sure then, let's go."

The two boys started searching around the school for Malak. Yousef was starting to get worried once he saw the time; it was getting really late.

"This won't work..." he suddenly told Badr. Badr nodded.

"Let's split up."

Badr smiled before leaving as Yousef began searching in all the lonely areas he could think of. Why did she run away from him?

Just as he was on the verge of giving up, he noticed Malak near the thick bushes, hidden. "Ah! There you are!" He sped forward to talk to her. She ignored him and just walked forward between the trees.

"Hey! You there! I have been looking for you!"

"What? Just hurry up and say what you want to say," Malak did not face him.

"You, um...are you hurt from what I said before?"

"No...I don't really care about what you said..."

"Then is it from them?"

"N...no."

"Hey, silly...you," Yousef whispered, moving closer.

"Stop saying YOU! I have a name you know! It's Malak!" She suddenly lost her nerve. "Go away! Just leave me alone."

"I'm sorry. I never thought it could go this far..."

Malak turned towards him, breathing heavier than ever.

"I truly am sorry, Malak," Yousef tilted his head sideways and stared at the ground for a while. "I'm sorry I insulted you before. I guess we cannot really become friends, and you don't wanna see my face so...bye."

With those words, Yousef turned to leave. But just when he was about to leave, he heard Malak's footsteps approaching from behind him.

"Wait! Yousef!" Malak hurried after him and firmly grabbed his hand. "Please! I didn't mean...um...I...I-I'm so sorry! Please! Give me a chance!"

"A chance?"

"I...just...what you said was true. I don't have any best friends and I'm ashamed of it. I tried my best, but I-I couldn't manage to make anyone accept me. I'm still the same as before..always alone." Tears started covering her eyes, and soon enough, they reached her chin.

"Why? Why do I have to always be lonely? How do you even make friends? I don't understand!" Malak's voice unexpectedly got louder as she burst out, her eyes reddening second by second.

"Malak, you already are friends with Badr! What are you saying! Are you an idiot?" Yousef urged. "I just...I thought you didn't want to be our friend since you are always afraid and...hesitating to hang out with us in the break!"

"But...I...I didn't know! I thought you'd be annoyed from me, because you are always in a bad mood when I'm around. So I stopped talking to you!"

"E-E...em...well...I didn't really mean...um....to make you think that...or anything, s-sorry," Yousef cleared his dry throat then blushed and turned his head sideways to the ground.

"Hehe, you're kind of funny...you and Badr are lucky to have each other," Malak chuckled a little bit, but the somber expression returned once more. Yousef was confused and wondered what to do to make her feel better.

"Look...erm...it's okay if no one accepts you. It's fine because-well you have someone who does. And that's me. And Badr of course. I'm sure he already considers you as a close friend. So Malak, I'm sorry about everything that happened between us before and...do you wanna be friends?" Yousef stared deeply in Malak's eyes holding out his right hand for her to shake, waiting for her to answer.

"U-um," Malak cheeks flustered at his kind words; she always believed that Yousef as rude, ignorant, and stubborn. She never knew he had a caring and soft side.

"Malak! Yousef! You're here!" Badr popped up from behind. "What happened?"

"Hmph, she needs an invitation from us to ask her to become our friend," Yousef growled, crossing his arms.

"Hey!" Malak bawled.

"Why? Aren't we already friends?" Badr asked, confused.

"Apparently we're not!" said Yousef.

"I don't know...not really; I'm just trash anyways," Malak cried, her eyes still damp.

"NO! YOU'RE NOT TRASH! Don't listen to them!" Badr convinced Malak earnestly. She wiped her eyes while he added: "And we are friends by the way."

"I didn't think that...you just don't understand. You would never."

"Why?"

"Because we're really different..."

"Yeah, I know I'm different from you, but we're both humans!" Badr replied.

Malak sighed. "I know that...but, I..I don't deserve friends anymore. I shouldn't have shouted at the popular guys. I didn't even help the poor! And I can't do anything useful. And I lost everyone I loved in my family and..." Malak swayed her head away. "Sorry you don't have to hear this."

"What? How?" Badr sat down on the grass and Yousef did the same.

"We wanna hear everything," Yousef stated, ready to hear Malak out.

"No...no need. I'm fine anyways," the blonde girl shyly looked away. Badr and Yousef stopped Malak from leaving.

"MALAK! If you keep running away, you will never get to experience the happy things! Just tell us, don't keep all your pain hidden!" Badr insisted while he tightened his grip on her wrist.

"But...I...I don't want to bother you."

"C'mon, you're my friend right? I want to help you!"

"But you'll hate me..."

"No Malak, just say everything. Tell us why you are lonely," Yousef signaled for her to sit near them.

Malak's lips twitched in worry. "Fine...I'll tell you from the beginning then." They all sat down on the rough and shaggy grass.

Author's Note: Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed reading this. This chapter is actually really long so I split it into two parts. What do you think of Yahya? What do you think made him join that group? What about what happened to Malak?

If you have any comments or concerns please post them! We'd love to hear what you think.