After staying late at the hospital, a frantic Zee furiously brushed her teeth, the bristles on her brush jabbing into her gums.
She ran down the stairs, almost losing her footing on the penultimate step.
Zee's shoes in hand, her father placed them on the floor, next to her feet.

"Abba, I could've gotten them myself", said Zee.

"Zalim, the way you hurried down those stairs made me scared you'd meet Allah a lot earlier than planned", he said.
"You get careless when you rush."

"Sorry, Abba", said Zee.

"Are you sure you want to go to school today?
I hate you missing school, but with everything that happened to Zaira-"

"No, I want to.
Don't want to miss out on another riveting class on fractions", she said sarcastically, widening her eyes a little at the end.

Zee's father laughed heartily.
"Don't mock fractions, beti!
They were my favourite area of maths growing up."

"Great, you can do my homework for me then."

"Oh wow, sounds very tempting, but I could never rob you of such a wonderful task", he teased, earning a playful eye roll from Zee.

"Ok, ok, fine.
Anyway, I gotta go now.
Make sure you rest, ok?"

"Zalim, I've been resting all week!
I'm going to go for a walk."

Zee shook her head.
"Nope, no way!
You'll try to stop by the gym and then you'll do your back in."

Her father sighed.
"Sweetheart, I know you're looking out for us, but you don't need to be so paranoid.
We won't do anything to make our health worse-not when it impacts you as well."

Zee nodded, deciding to take her father's word.
Part of her wanted to continue the conversation, but that was mainly so she wouldn't have to see Atlas and the others at the school gates.
She didn't have history class today, so it would be much easier to avoid them.

Sensing that something was bothering Zee, her father placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What's troubling you, beti?"

Zee shook her head.
"Oh, it's nothing."

Her father raised an eyebrow.
"Come on, tell me.
Maybe I can help?"

Zee exhaled sharply, her shoulders slouching.
"I don't think you can help with this, Dad.
I kind of... lashed out at some of my classmates.
They were asking about Zaira, and she had just told me she didn't want to see me at that point and I... well I wasn't very nice."

Her father's face softened.
"Ah.
I see.
Well, an apology can go a long way."

Zee screwed her face up, like she had sucked on a lemon and smelled a foul odour at the same time.

"I don't know..."

"What's the worst that could happen?"

"They could reject it.
Then I'd look like a right idiot."

"Of course, because your appearance is what's really important here."

"Dad..."

"I know, Zalim.
You're at that age where everyone's opinions matter.
But, very quickly, it could end up turning you into something you're not.
Your sense of character, beti... that is what matters.
In this life, and the next."

"You're right.
I didn't mean to-"

"It's ok.
But don't underestimate the power of an apology either, Zalim.
Apologies have great importance in Islam, you know."

"They do?"

He nodded.
"Yes.
Allah is pleased with those who apologise, because it means they recognise their mistakes.
And it also means that they care enough to rectify their mistakes.
Just as promises are sacred, so are apologies.
So apologise, Zalim.
Everything else will fall into place."

◆◆◆

Zee and Aurelia were walking towards the school building.
Aurelia's jet black hair was straightened, with the front pieces braided and tied back. She had a black shirt on with vibrant geometric art on it-something she made herself.
Her turquoise and purple flares matched her purple trainers.
Her laces were turquoise.

Zee wore an olive green turtleneck, with a matching jacket and jeans.
Her hair was in a messy bun.

Atlas approached the pair, a small blue gift bag in his hand.
Although Aurelia stood confidently, Zee looked down as Atlas came closer to them. She hadn't talked to him since her outburst after Zaira's attack, and was yet to apologise to any of the others as well.

"Atlas, hey!", called out Aurelia.

Her eyes landed on the gift bag, and a playful grin appeared on her face.
She rolled her eyes.

"Atlas, come on.
We broke up ages ago, and we promised not to make it awkward.
There's no need for you to keep getting me gifts."

"Oh... actually, this is for Zee."

Aurelia stared blankly for a few seconds, her brain struggling to process the surprising revelation.

"It is?", questioned Zee, her voice quiet.
For the first time in, well forever, she sounded shy.

Atlas nodded.

"Uh, you know what... I just remembered I need to get to art class quickly.
I wanna grab all the good paint before the lesson starts", said Aurelia.
"See you later, Zimi."

She patted Zee's arm, before hastily walking away.

A sheepish Zee watched as Atlas stepped closer to her.
He gave her a small, reassuring smile, which confused Zee.
He should be furious with her!

"I got you a little something small", he said, before handing her the gift bag.

She took it, taking a second to admire the blue glitter that covered the bag.
She peered into the bag and saw a small book.
She squinted to try and see what the words on the cover said.

"It's a comic strip book.
Well, it's full of templates.
I know you like to make comic strips sometimes, so I figured you could use a proper book for them", he explained.

The only students that knew about Zee's hobby were the ones in the support group for those who had family in the army.
Zee remembered mentioning it in one of the earlier meetings, but only as a throwaway comment.

"Y-You remembered I liked making comics?"

Atlas nodded.
"Yeah, obviously.
And... it's also an apology gift."

"Apology?"

Atlas nodded.
"For what happened... when Zaira got hurt."

Zee furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. She quickly shook her head, and shoved the bag back into Atlas' hands.

"What?
No, you've got nothing to apologise for!", she exclaimed.
"I'm the one who should be apologising.
I shouldn't have lashed out at you."

"You were going through a lot.
I shouldn't have-"

"Atlas, stop!", she exclaimed, before throwing her arms up in frustration.
"I don't need you to pity me."

"I'm not", said Atlas.

"Yes, you are.
Ok, yes, I was upset.
But all you were doing, all you've ever tried to do... is look out for people.
You were doing a nice thing and I shouldn't have shouted at you.
At any of you."

Atlas' expression was unreadable, for just a few seconds, and then he broke out into a grin.
"Wow.
Are you being... nice?"

Zee felt the tension thaw a little, and she relaxed her shoulders.
She gave him a half-smile, although she looked like she was fighting the urge to smile properly.
She rolled her eyes and snatched the bag out of Atlas' hands.

"Oh shut up."

Atlas chuckled.
He watched as Zee looked at her present again, her ability to fight a smile weakening. He exhaled softly, a huge sense of relief washing over him.

"You ok?", asked a concerned Zee.

Atlas quickly nodded.
"Uh, yeah, yeah.
I just, um, I thought... I was worried I lost you."

"Lost me?"

"You know, your friendship.
I know you like to act like we're not friends, but, that's how I see you."

"Would losing me really be that big of a deal?"

Atlas screwed his face up, into a look of complete bewilderment and shock.
He let out a dry laugh.
"You are kidding, right?
Of course it would."

Zee raised her eyebrows, and jerked her head back a little.
She was taken aback by Atlas' response.
No one had ever made her feel needed before.
Of course, her parents needed her to look after them, but no one her age made her feel like their lives were actually better because she was in it.
Not even Aurelia.

"Well uh, keep playing your cards right and I won't be going anywhere", joked Zee, making Atlas laugh.

◆◆◆

Zee's last lesson of the day was English, and her classroom just so happened to be next Eloise, Spencer and Rowan's English classroom.
She waited nervously as students started to spill out of that classroom.
She sunk her teeth into her bottom lip, gnawing away at it as her nerves increased.

"Zee?
Hey, are you ok?", asked Eloise.

Rowan and Spencer followed after her, but stopped when they saw she was talking to Zee.
They would've kept on walking, but Zee's lingering looks to them made them think they were somehow needed for the conversation.

"Sup, Zee?", greeted Spencer, with a nod of his head.

"Is everything ok?", asked Rowan.

"Uh... no.
Actually, I need to talk to you.
All three of you."

Eloise furrowed her eyebrows in concern, before guiding the group to a quieter area of the hall-underneath one of the stairwells.

"What is it?
Are you in some kind of trouble?", asked Eloise.

Eloise's urgent tone shocked Zee, a wide-eyed expression appearing on her face as she fumbled to find her words.

"Wait, it's not Zaira, is it?", asked Rowan.

"No it can't be, we literally dropped flowers off for her the other day", said Spencer.
"We would've known if-"

"I'm sorry!", yelled Zee.

The sudden noise startled the trio, with Eloise having to clutch her chest.
The immediate silence that followed, whilst it didn't bring about tension, did create an uncomfortable feeling amongst the group. None of them had ever seen Zee look sad, let alone hear her utter an apology.

"Uh, r-right, right... just to clarify, what exactly are you sorry for?", asked Spencer.

Spencer took a step back, using Eloise as a human shield in case things got nasty. What?
This had never happened before, what if Zee just spontaneously combusted right then and there?

"I... I shouldn't have shouted at you guys the other day.
You were concerned about Zaira, and you were only trying to help."

Eloise's face softened.
"Oh, Zee... you were in a bad place.
It's ok."

"No-I, please... don't start justifying it.
I just wanted to offer my apology-a proper, sincere apology."

"Well, I forgive you", said Eloise.

"Me too", said Rowan.

"Same here", said Spencer.

Zee's mouth opened into an 'o' shape.
There was no way it was that easy.

"That's it?
You don't want anything in return?
No inside information on a student's secrets or whatever?"

Spencer held his hands out and shook his head.
"Nah, no way.
Keep that sh*t to yourself."

"Yeah I've got enough on my plate without worry about a guilty conscience too", said Rowan.

"Seriously Zee, we don't want anything in return.
I think I speak for all of us when I say let's just draw a line under all of this", said Eloise.

"Oh... ok.
Yeah.
That would be, uh, really good actually. Thanks."

Eloise smiled.
"Now if you'll excuse me, Ellie Baker in the year below forgot her P.E kit so I need to leg it to Lost and Found before her Football Practice!"

----

Hi.

This was not the chapter I was hoping to publish first. The reason it has taken me so long to update this is because I literally couldn't write the chapter that I was supposed to publish before this one. It focused on the teachers and reception staff and, in theory, I really loved it. I could see it playing out in my head and thought it flowed well, but I just couldn't write it. I really like the teachers and what I have planned for them, but I realise that in order for you to like them as well, I need to include them more and let you actually get to know them. I'll probably give it another go after the next chapter or so.

This chapter was heavily Zee related, and the chapter I was supposed to write before this would've helped break up all the Zee content. The next chapter, provided I don't shift it around, is quite a long one! I'm so excited for you to read it—I had so much fun with it!

This chapter was also very weirdly paced—nothing really flowed. I tend to share my criticisms of my work with you all a lot, and whilst some might say it's not the best thing to do, and that I should just include the good stuff, I feel like telling others about the things I'm not so proud of will not only help me get advice and improve, but it will also show others that it's ok to make mistakes. I've been writing on here for quite a few years, but I'm still nowhere near the level I want to be. Writing is a journey, and I think we should embrace the downs as well as the ups.

Personally, I really love writing Zalim's home life. I think I've only written one other Muslim character before, but I didn't really dive into how her religion impacts her life. Her faith is a big part of her life, not necessarily through going to the mosque all the time, but by the life lessons it gives her. Her faith allows her to be a better person. But, she's only sixteen, so she's bound to make mistakes along the way. Not just now, but throughout her life. All of these teens will, and that's something I'm really looking forward to highlighting/exploring.

I also want to clarify that it wasn't wrong of her to lash out in the previous chapter. This chapter makes it seem like it was a mistake, but it wasn't.
It was her genuine response to all the pressure she was feeling. Zee felt like it was a mistake though, and that she should've handled it better.

What are your thoughts on this chapter?

TRANSLATIONS:

Abba: Means father

Beti: Means daughter

Allah: The God in the Islamic faith

starryeyedturtle

DoodleYeet

LeMystical-Puffle

1-800-RICKY-BOWEN-

Tornado-Jockey