Chapter 3: How I met the jerk - Bram?

AMINAH

She takes a deep breath before entering the classroom. She's expecting something might come again so she will not let her guard down. To her surprise, everyone was looking at her but unlike before there was a look of admiration, respect, and amazement.

Three of her classmates come to her and do something unexpected – talk, they’re talking to her.

“Aminah! I don’t know you’re such a fighter”

“You look amazing yesterday”

“Finally, they learn their lesson!” A girl with her thick glasses intentionally raises her voice and looks at Percy and her underlings. She just rolled her eyes and ignored what she heard, things she rarely does. Something changes from her aura; she has a less barbaric atmosphere.

The classroom atmosphere changed and she no longer felt different from them, as they treated her no differently from them now. They’re more welcoming and talkative with her than on her first day.

One Friday night, she was alone, and there was no available vehicle to ride at that time. She stayed in the library for too long as she was finishing her research paper and lost track of time. She then decided to walk on the dark path, it scares her but still pushes her to walk despite how frightened she is. Later on, there is a group of street boys walking toward her, she walks fast in the opposite direction to avoid them but to her surprise, they block her path and say nasty words. When someone touches her shoulder, she can’t bear it anymore. She tries to escape, but someone grabs her hand and it makes her cry like a child. She cried out loud hoping someone could hear her, but the street boys were just laughing at her. She felt helpless and prayed, she didn't want to end up like those girls on the morning news; helpless, hopeless, and lifeless.

She halfheartedly accepts her faith that she’s going to die that night, but a silhouette of a man suddenly appears. She can’t clearly see his face as the light from the streetlight covered his figure. The way he stands looks so arrogant, holding a bag on his shoulder, and one hand in his pocket. The dim light from the pole manages to sneak and light up his clothes, he’s wearing the same school uniform as she is. We’re schoolmates! She really thinks that someone answered her prayer but the man continuously walks and passes them. Aminah noticed the street boy also paused and just observed how the boy ignored them, she took this chance to grab her things and run as fast as she could. She passes the ruthless man and makes sure that he will see her glare, succeeding that, its nameplate catches her attention. I’ll definitely remember its name.

She heard them calling her and running but she never looks back as it scares her, and continues to run for her life. Miraculously, the men couldn't catch up, so when she finally got away, she sat up tired and scared, gasping for breath. Aminah feels that she has discovered her talent in running, finally, she can say that she has talent when someone asks her.

Though tired she continued to walk home, she planted that she would never spend the night again at school. Yet Aminah doubted what she promised, if the internet was stable at home and there was a computer shop nearby, she wouldn't spend the night at school.

When Aminah got home, she saw her grandmother on the terrace, her face showing concern with her cousin next to her grandma, who was also restless with her cell phone.

“Where have you been!? I’ve been calling you nonstop and you don’t even bother to answer it” Angel, her cousin looks upset but at the same time concerned.

“Sorry, I didn’t notice the time, I’m at school doing my research and my battery died” she apologizes sincerely as it is her fault for not informing them, she wanted to tell them what happened to her, she wanted to shiver and express how scared she is, but their worried faces worries her the most. Her grandmother looks so anxious but just sign her to

“Go inside and eat dinner”

Aminah also made a sign “I’m sorry”

“I know” her grandma made a gesture again.

She hugs her as she can’t contain how guilty she is for lying, hiding her frightful experience, and making them distressed. Her grandmother is mute their only way to communicate is through sign language. She honestly wanted to tell more but she is still learning and doesn’t know a lot of sign language.

After dinner, she washes up and treats her wounds. 12:35 am and she still has a hard time finding her position to sleep but she can’t. She decided not to and goes to the balcony, she looks at the sky and she was still amazed at the number of stars visible. She rarely saw things like this then, but now she just peeks out the window effortlessly, then she can see them. Aminah then remembers the nameplate of the selfish jerk he met – Bram --