Sixteen

BK 2 chapter 16

      "Are you going?" He asked me for the nth time.

Abdulrahman came early to check on me whether I was doing great or not.

I told him I was going to Abdullah's school to meet the headmaster. He said the headmaster needed my attention.

"Is it necessary?" He whined, "can't you go out with me today".

"Abdulrahman!, I said this earlier that I was needed in his school and you didn't tell me you are coming today" I raised my brow to validate my point.

"Huff, but Sophia I wanted to talk to you" he resat on the couch, facing me.

"What do you want?," I asked him.

"Sophia, sincerely I've changed, I'm now a changed man. Please forgive me for all I've done. I can't change it but I can make the present" he pleaded. I sighed tiredly and pinched the bridge of my nose.

"I've heard but please let me be back from Abdullah's school" I replied.

"Should I tag along?" He asked, buckling up his shoes.

"Yeah, if you want to babe" I winked.

"I'm going to shower, I'm coming," I said walking to the door.

"Should I come and join you?" He grinned.

"In your dream honey," I said sarcastically while the grin wiped off from his face.

"You are now a tease S" he groaned while I smirked at him.

~**~

"Assalamualaikum ma'am and sir, you are welcome to At-Tawheed school" the receptionist greeted us.

"Walaikum Salam warahmotullahi wabarakatuh" I replied.

"How may I help you," she asked.

"I'm Abdullah's mother, it was said that the headmaster wanted to see me" I replied.

"Okay ma'am, let me call him," she said and took the line phone.

"It's Abdullah's mother".." she's waiting here"...," she should come in?", "Okay sir" she finished the call.

"Ma'am, you are free to go" she smiled cheekily at me.

I went straight to the headmaster's office while Abdulrahman trailing behind me mumbled some words under his breath, "stupid school rules, 

ewk!".

When we got to the door I knocked on the door softly and heard 'come in'.

"Assalamualaikum ma'am, welcome" the headmaster stood from his seat and motioned for two free armchairs for us to sit.

"Walaikum Salam warahmotullahi wabarakatuh" we replied in unison.

"I've been meaning to talk to you about your son," he said while I nodded for him to continue.

"Abdullah is a smart and intelligent kid, he has a sense of humanity" he smiled," he wises more than his age and is a very inquisitive child. He wants to know and learn more" he said.

I smiled sheepishly because I knew it was through, my boy behaved like an adult. He was responsible and protective. He was what you could ask for in a child.

"Well, the reason for this talk is that I don't want you to feel disheartening. I think your boy is not suitable for this school anymore. I think he needs a special school" as he finished his talk, I stood up abruptly clenching my fist.

"How dare you!" I shouted I couldn't keep it in anymore. "My boy doesn't need a special school, he's alright and okay" I gritted my teeth.

"Ma'am, calm down," he said softly, "what I meant was that your son stuttering is affecting the students" he replied calmly.

"My son is not disabled" I shook my head," my son is perfectly fine, just because of his stuttering that doesn't mean he's not human" I cried.

"Ma'am.."

"Shut the crap, stop calling me ma'am. You stood there doing nothing while my son was being bullied and making jokes. And you call yourself a headmaster" I huffed, "you are nothing but a piece of excuse" I bang my fist on his table. He flinched back.

"Even though my son is disabled, does he mean he'll not be successful. Why do we humans look down upon those who are disabled? They have feelings and emotion. They can sympathize, empathize. They have blood running through their stream. Why!. Why can't we take them for who they are? Just because they are disabled doesn't mean they can't feel. Yeah!, I know my son is stuttering but nobody knows whether you'll be the one in his position" my body shook while sobbing. 

"Why can't he be with his peers and friends he has known from a young age. Why did you allow my boy to be isolated" Abdulrahman was patting my back softly and whispering for me to calm down?

"Is my boy not human? Why should I push him away to the disabled school?" I whispered, "I can leave my boy, he's my everything, my strength, my power. He's the reason I'm moving on when I wish to give up" I cried, clutching my chest. My breathing changed, it was like the air was seized, I couldn't inhale or exhale. 

"My--bo-y" Abdulrahman shooed me.

"S, issokay, breath in and out for Abdullah," he said softly.

"In"  I breathed in.

"Out" I breathed out.

When I felt my breathing return, the headmaster asked, "are you alright ma'am".

I glared at him, "Just give me the withdrawal letter, I'm a boy and there is no more school here" I sneered.

"Okay ma'am, let me take you to his class".

As we entered Abdullah's class, I noticed his female teacher was glaring at me.

What's her deal, I thought.

"Moooom" my boy squealed at me before he jumped at the arm.

"Baby" I kissed him all over his face, before putting him down.

"What a-re you do-ing here mo-om" I'd forgotten I was in the middle of the class before I heard the class erupted in laughter.

I raised my head and saw the class were making fun of my boy. I was angry and super annoyed.

I marched to the teacher angrily," can I have a moment with you" I seethed.

"Yeah" she scowled back.

"My baby..." She cut me off rudely.

"What are you doing here, nobody wants you. Why are you here? Plans wrecker" she snarled, looking around frantically," he can't even remember you because..."

The door opened, I was backing the door, "mom me-et cap-tain Z" I heard my boy's happy voice.

As I stared up, I was shocked and surprised, my breathing hard. Dizziness washed over me.

Not again, I thought. Shaking my head furiously.

My chest constricted, everything was turning. I couldn't see anything clearly.

I must be going crazy!

And I mumbled out a word that I'd buried deep down my soul.

.

.

.

.

.

"Yusuf" and everything went black.