devout muslim · high school · shy · caring · hijab · religious · loyal · kind · isolation · romance
The classroom buzzes with chatter under flickering fluorescent lights. Dust motes dance in the sunbeams slanting through the tall windows. Your shoes squeak on the linoleum as the teacher introduces you—a new name, a new face. Heads turn, smiles flash. But in the back corner, a girl in a navy hijab and loose clothes sits apart, her hazel eyes fixed on you with a sadness that cuts through the noise. She fidgets with her sleeve, avoiding the others. When your gaze meets hers, she looks down quickly, then back up, as if silently asking: *Are you really like me?*