Chapter 4: Her First Defender
629 Words
It started on a Thursday morning — the day I met her.
The bell had just rung. I was already seated, like always, near the window at the back. The teacher hadn’t come in yet. The class was noisy, full of movement. I was quietly writing down some corrections from yesterday’s Business Studies.
Then the class monitor walked in with a girl behind him.
“She’s the new student,” he said.
Everyone turned.
She stood there — calm, gentle, and fully covered. She wore a soft blue hijab, neatly pinned under her chin. Her uniform was clean and modest, and she had that same quietness in her eyes that I once had on my first day.
Something about her reminded me… of me.
The monitor pointed to the only empty seat — the one right beside mine.
She came and sat down without a word.
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We Didn’t Talk at First
We sat together for almost the whole day without saying much. She was quiet like me — maybe even quieter.
But during break, I noticed she didn’t leave the class. She brought out a small food flask and water bottle, and sat with her back straight, eating slowly. No noise, no drama.
That’s when I smiled.
“Assalamu Alaikum,” I said.
She looked at me and smiled back, “Wa Alaikum Salam.”
Her voice was soft, but confident. Peaceful.
“My name is Rukoyyah,” I said.
“I’m Maryam,” she replied.
Just like that… I knew.
She was a Muslim, too.
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A New Kind of Peace
Over the next few days, things changed.
Maryam didn’t talk much, but when she did, it was always meaningful. She was focused in class, respectful to teachers, and polite to everyone.
Some students tried to size her up at first.
One girl said, “Another quiet one? Hope you can talk oh.”
Maryam smiled and answered, “Only when needed.”
The class laughed, but not in a mocking way. Some even seemed to like her.
But not everyone.
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The Day of the Joke
One of the boys, Sunkanmi, thought it would be funny to mock her.
During IRS class, when the teacher stepped out for a few minutes, he shouted, “Maryam! Your hijab is covering your brain!”
People laughed.
I expected her to stay quiet. But she didn’t.
She turned to him and said, clearly but calmly:
“My hijab covers my head, not my intelligence. Try again.”
The whole class went silent.
Even Sunkanmi was quiet.
Then someone said, “Omo! This one get mouth o!”
From that day, the respect for Maryam started growing.
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My First Time Feeling Seen
During group work in Literature, the teacher paired us together.
We worked quietly but well. She had great ideas, and we agreed on everything. At some point, she said, “I’ve seen your notes. You’re very smart.”
I blinked. “Thank you.”
Then she added, “I heard what some of them say behind your back. Don’t let them stop you. You belong here, Rukoyyah.”
Nobody had ever said that to me in this school — not from the class.
Not someone like me.
I felt seen. I felt understood.
For the first time, I felt… not alone.
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The Prayer Corner
That week, Maryam showed me a small quiet corner behind the admin block where we could pray during break. She brought her small mat from home, and I brought mine the next day.
We started praying Dhuhr there together.
Just the two of us. No crowd. No judgment. Just peace.
And every time we finished praying, I whispered in my heart:
> Alhamdulillah for this girl.
Alhamdulillah for not being alone anymore.
- Writer
