Only five minutes had passed when Mr. Patel assigned Noor's class another project.

It was worth twenty-five percent of their grade, which shouldn't matter, but regardless, Noor was anxious. Suppose, it's become instinct, to get excelling marks. Perfection guaranteed success; Noor couldn't risk decreasing her overall average, not even in the slightest.

"I've already assigned each of you a pair, and it will be up to both of you which Nazi Germany event you choose for your research," Mr. Patel announced before he started calling out their names.

Noor looked around. She didn't know anyone in her History class and almost all of the students in her class didn't hold half the work effort she had. The possibility that she'd end up doing most of the work was pretty likely.

Noor perked up when she heard Mr. Patel yell out her name. "Noor Rahal and Fletcher Greenly."

Immediately, the dark-eyed girl turned to the ginger-haired boy seated at the back, whose attention was solely focused on the window and the world outside. Fletcher Greenly wouldn't have been Noor's first choice since he wasn't driven. He would do his part, sure, but it wouldn't be the best - and Noor needed the best. But perhaps, considering how Fletcher Greenly managed to surprise her at every turn - from the afternoon he took the blame for her cigarette to the night he cried at the graveyard - suppose it wouldn't be that bad to have him around.

Noor once said he had potential, but she has just yet to fully unravel what Fletcher Greenly can do. And maybe, she too might discover whatever redeeming quality Thea Banks saw in him back when she was alive.

-

Noor was already at the library by the time the bell rang. It was lunchtime, but instead of being at the cafeteria like the rest of the students, she was here. Studying.

Don't get her wrong - she has friends. Well, they were more of companions than friends, but still. Noor sat with them whenever she had time, however little it may be. It wasn't her fault she distanced herself from them, due to the number of electives she takes, she had to use her spare time wisely and catch up on her other classes.

By now, her so-called "friends" didn't mind. Sometimes Noor wondered if it mattered to them whether she was there or not.

Noor had been reading through her AP Chemistry textbook when she heard a loud thump and her table moved. Looking up from her book, Noor saw Gabriella Matsumoto, clutching onto her side as she stood amid a mess of books.

"Dammit," she muttered, and to herself, she scolded, "How did I not see a table there?"

"You okay?" Noor asked. At the sound of her voice, Gabriella visibility tensed. Noor took a quick glance back to the books on the floor and noticed the different letters on the covers. "I didn't know you were interested in Japanese Literature."

"I'm not," Gabriella quickly defended. "I was just putting them back on the shelves."

"You're a terrible liar."

"Whatever," Gabriella said as she bent down to collect the books from the ground.

"You shouldn't be ashamed of it, you know -"

Gabriella slammed the book she had in hand against the stack of books on the ground. Although she wasn't looking at Noor, the way her shoulder hunched and her posture went rigid told Noor that the other girl had had enough of the conversation. "Just drop it, okay?"

Noor stared at Gabriella - this girl whom everyone praised and adored - with utmost pity. "Okay," she whispered.

For a while, they were both silent, with Noor focused on studying and Gabriella determined on getting rid of the books scattered before her. When Gabriella was about to leave, she stopped herself and she turned to Noor. "I don't get you."

"Excuse me?" Noor asked, setting down her book.

"How could you just sit there and...not be bothered?" Gabriella asked. "I mean, we're the minority. We're different. But you act like it doesn't matter."

"Because it doesn't -"

"But why?"

"Because," Noor said and, in her mind, she thought all the times' someone mispronounced her name, said the food she brought to school smelled, and called her terrorist for wearing a hijab. "I'm always going to be different, so I'd rather be made fun of for the person I am now than for someone I'm not."

At her response, Gabriella went quiet. Then, coldly she said, "Then I guess that makes us polar opposites."

And, with that, she left.

-

"Fletcher, wait up!" Noor yelled as she chased after him down the hall. School had just ended and Noor was determined to get her History project over and down with by the end of this week. It had taken her a moment to find Fletcher since he was quite good at blending in with the crowd, and when she did find him, she had to push through the sea of students just to get to him.

By the time she had reached Fletcher, Noor was already out of breath. She may be smart, but god, was she unfit. "Are you free this afternoon?"

Fletcher raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, why?"

"Let's do the project."

"You mean, right now?"

"Yes, right now."

"We literally just got it," Fletcher stated.

"I like getting my tasks done early," Noor said, shrugging. "So, my house or your house -"

"Your house," Fletcher said almost immediately.

Noor noticed the way his hands tensed at his sides, but she chose not to pry. Knowing how Fletcher had trouble expressing himself, it was best not to push him. "I live about a block away from school," she said. "You don't mind walking, do you?"

Fletcher shook his head before following Noor. They walked in silence on the way home, and they barely spoke as they worked on their project. Conversation came when Noor suggested research on Kristallnacht - or in English, Night of the Broken Glass - and when Fletcher would ask small questions regarding content details and paragraph structure.

Both of them were thoroughly focused on their assignment that they hardly notice the hours that gone by. It was only until they were halfway done with their report did they realise that it was past sunset.

Noor checked the time on her computer. It was nearly seven o'clock.

"Damn, it's late," she swore out loud. She turned to Fletcher, who sat on the ground near her bookshelf. "Your parents must be looking for you."

"It's fine," Fletcher said. Then, quietly, he whisperer, "I doubt they noticed anyway."

"Do you want to stay for dinner then?"

"Huh?"

"Do you want to say for dinner," Noor repeated. "My parents and I have dinner at around 7:30 since that's the time my dad gets home. Have you ever had Egyptian food?"

Instead of answering, he asked, "You sure it's okay with your mum?"

"Yeah," Noor replied. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, she seemed kind of..."

"Strict?" Noor finished for him. When Fletcher nodded, she sighed. She turned away from the other boy and stared at her ceiling. She looked specifically at the small glow-in the dark sheep she stuck onto the ceiling when she was five, and all her problems back then were being too short and the darkness. "Yeah, well, my parents are immigrants. They're tough on me because they want me to be tough. That's why sometimes I can be a little...brutal."

Fletcher nodded. Then, out of the blue, he said, "I guess, in a way, I'm the same."

Surprised at Fletcher's sudden willingness to open himself up, Noor turned back to him. "What do you mean?"

"My home life's tough," Fletcher explained. "So I don't let my guard down. It's one of the reasons why I never got along with Thea."

"To be honest," Noor said, sliding down from her bed and next to Fletcher. "I always kind of envied her. She was so carefree. I wanted to be like that."

"Does this make us bad people?" Fletcher asked, his gaze almost child-like. "Envying her, I mean."

"I don't know," she answered. "Jealousy is an emotion, it's uncontrollable. Our actions, though, are an entirely different thing. I -" Noor paused. She gave herself a moment, wanting to formulate her answer right. "I think means we could be better people."

"Yeah," Fletcher agreed. "I think so."

They were quiet again, but this time, the atmosphere was lighter. Noor couldn't help but remember of her conversation with Gabriella and how, like her conversation with Fletcher, it was quite ironic. How these two people she's never talked to until now could relate to Noor more than her actual friends. And regardless that they were practically strangers, it proved one thing - there were similarities between opposites. It was only up to you whether you choose to acknowledge it or not.

Noor and Fletcher stayed there, on the floor, not talking, until Noor's mum called and told them it was time for dinner.