Chapter One - The Beginning of the End

Sabrina Khan stared up at the building that towered over her. It was beige colored, with shiny windows and the words New Hope High sprawled over the entrance. Students filtered in and out of the school, searching for friends and gathering into groups. Girls squealed and hugged fiercely as if they hadn't seen each other for years and guys fist bumped and exchanged nods.

It was a beautiful, bright day and the rays of the sun bore into Sabrina's back. Birds chirped nearby and a soft breeze whispered through the air. The weather was the total opposite of what she was feeling, though. She figured no one felt happy on the first day of school. Not to mention it was a new school, in a new neighborhood. She glared up at it, darkly.

Her family had recently moved which meant she had to say goodbye to her old high school - and with it - her friends. At least she did know one person who went to New Hope. Just as she reached for her phone to text said person, she heard a loud shriek behind her.

Sabrina turned to see her best friend, Leila Patel, sprinting towards her. Her hijab flew around her head and her grey eyes danced in glee. Leila pounced on Sabrina in a huge bear hug, causing the girls to burst into delighted giggles. Sabrina was super happy to see her best friend, whom she had known since they were toddlers. Her familiar face brought back happy memories and the years they had spent together.

"Assalamu'alaikum." Leila said, breaking the hug. Sabrina returned the greeting while Leila stared at her with a look of awe on her face.

"What?" Sabrina asked, "why are you looking at me like that?"

"Cause, I just cant believe we'll be spending senior year at the same school!" Leila said. "I've missed you so much these past couple of years."

"It'll be like the good old days." Sabrina agreed, thinking back to the time they studied together in Elementary and Junior High.

Back then, New Hope wasn't in Sabrina's district, so she wasn't accepted into the school at first, which meant she had to enroll in another. Her Junior year in high school had been tough since it was the first time she had been without her dear best friend. But now that her family had moved into New Hope's district, Leila and Sabrina could spend their final year together. It almost made the fact that she was going to a brand new school not so bad.

"C'mon, lets go!" Leila exclaimed, gesturing towards the entrance. "By the way, I love your outfit."

Sabrina smiled in thanks and looked down at her dark blue blouse and her black skirt,  topped off with a lilac colored hijab. As they made their way towards the school, Sabrina's attention was drawn to her friend's clothes.

"Um...why are you wearing that?" She asked, slowly. 

Knowing Leila - and she had for about thirteen years - she never left her house without her Gucci tote or her absurd, neon-colored high heels. Today she wore blue track pants and a simple grey hoodie. A plain light blue hijab was wrapped around her head. To say the least - she looked the exact opposite of her usual high end, top model self. Also, her tote bag was MIA which was a first, as far as Sabrina was concerned. She wondered if Leila had changed a little bit too much in the past couple of years. 

"What?" Leila asked, looking down at herself. "Oh I just though you know: it's the last year and everything, not to mention the Diploma exams so I thought, you know, I should focus on school this year," she mumbled, turning pink.

Sabrina stopped dead in her tracks and stared at her best friend. Leila stopped too, frowning in confusion.

"Is this a dream?" Sabrina sighed, placing the back of her hand on her forehead, dramatically. She pretended to swoon. "Is Leila Patel really letting go of her inner fashionista to focus on school - of all things?"

"Oh stop it." Leila muttered, pulling Sabrina's arm down while Sabrina continued to stare at the sky in wonder. "You're hopeless."

"Me - hopeless?" Sabrina asked innocently. "My best friend is coming to terms with what's important in life and that's considered hopeless?"

"C'mon," Leila said, shaking her head, "I have so much to show you."

* * *

The school was mostly empty, probably because no one wanted to enter until they absolutely had to - that is - until the bell rang. Sabrina supposed they had the right to enjoy what little freedom they had left before the grueling school year officially started.

They walked through freshly polished hallways and past gleaming blue lockers. The school had high ceilings and colorfully decorated walls unlike her bland old high school. A few students wandered around with blank faces, their brows furrowed over their schedules. Sabrina shuddered as she realized that without Leila, she would have been one of those students, looking lost and spinning in dizzy circles.

Leila chattered happily as she gave Sabrina a tour of the school, pointing out the computer labs and cafeterias. They even stopped by the library and waved at the friendly librarian. As they walked down another hallway, Sabrina's head spun and she wondered how long it would take to remember where everything was located in this huge school. Leila stopped suddenly in front of a plain door with a poster on it that read 'You snooze, you loose!'

"Oh my God, this is Mr. Hart's class. I had him for History and if you do too, just remember one thing: NEVER yawn in his class!" Leila said, "Seriously. He takes it offensively and may even give you detention for it."

Sabrina nervously glanced down at her schedule and sighed in relief when she saw that she didn't have him for History. She thought detention for yawning (of all things) was a little harsh.

"Any other overly sensitive teachers I should be worried about?" She joked.

Leila was silent for a moment as she thought it over, her face serious.

"Well...as long as you don't say the words 'kill' or 'meat' in front of Ms. Hale, then, nope."

Sabrina stared while Leila shrugged.

"No one knows." Leila answered Sabrina's appalled look.

"Right, well then-" Sabrina began but then stopped as her eyes fell upon a boy who stood across the hallway.

He had a tall, lean figure and sported a tight red shirt. He flipped his dark hair aside to reveal icy blue eyes. He was talking and laughing with a group of girls that hung to his every word. Some of the girls stared at him intently and looked as if they kissed the ground he walked on. Sabrina, on the other hand, felt as if she had been kicked in the gut. Leila, who had been blabbing away about rumors and eating habits, noticed Sabrina's silence.

"What-" She stopped, as she saw who Sabrina was staring at and smirked in disgust.

"Why didn't you tell me that he went here?" Sabrina managed to croak out. Her throat was dry and there was a loud drumming sound in her ears which she realized was her heart.

"Oh..uh...well..." Leila stuttered and then trailed off. She shrugged, sheepishly. "I totally forgot about Khalid." 

Sabrina winced at his name.

"Leila!" Sabrina exclaimed, horrified. "You know I don't like him and, not to mention, that he hates my guts!"

"Oh, come on! That was years ago. He probably doesn't even remember you." Leila assured, waving her hand.

At that moment, Khalid turned towards them, his eyes landing on Sabrina's. The frozen girl held her breath hoping - praying - that he would turn away without recognizing her. Unfortunately, he seemed to remember her all too well.

His eyes widened for a brief second before his face twisted into a cold sneer. Sabrina could almost feel the hatred emanating from him, she could almost see the gears turning behind those electric blue eyes. His handsome features twisted in disgust. But there was more: a hint of dark fury burned fiercely in his narrowed eyes.

From the way he glared at her, Sabrina just knew that her senior year at New Hope High was going to be hell.

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~~~shoutout to @random_muslimah2 for the cover art~~~~

Just to let you all know: this is NOT a love story. It has a tiny bit of romance but only at the end.

Also this story has a sensitive topic (it'll appear later on) so I want all of you to know that I mean NO disrespect or offense to ANYONE.

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Asalaam'alaikum: Peace be unto you