The Girl They Chose to Hate

Zaynab had never liked attention. It wasn’t fear—at least, that’s what she told herself. It was something deeper. Something that made her shrink whenever eyes lingered too long, whenever voices dropped just to talk about her. And they always talked. Because Zaynab was beautiful. Not the loud, flashy kind of beauty that demanded the room. No—hers was quieter, almost dangerous. The kind that made people stare a second too long, then look away like they’d seen something they weren’t supposed to. But beauty, she had learned, didn’t bring peace. It brought problems. “Zaynab!” She didn’t need to turn to know who it was. That voice—sharp, loud, and always looking for trouble—could only belong to Tami. Zaynab sighed softly before turning around. “What do you want, Tami?” Tami stood with her arms folded, her friends clustered behind her like backup dancers in a show no one asked for. Her lips curled into a smirk. “You think you’re special, don’t you?” Zaynab blinked. “I don’t.” “Please,” Tami scoffed. “Every guy in this school looks at you like you’re some kind of prize.” Zaynab said nothing. Because arguing with Tami was like pouring water into sand—pointless. Tami stepped closer, lowering her voice just enough to sound dangerous. “Especially Zaid.” That name. Zaynab’s fingers tightened slightly at her sides, but her face stayed calm. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Tami laughed. “Don’t lie. Everyone knows he likes you.” Zaynab shook her head. “He doesn’t.” But even she wasn’t sure she believed that. Zaid. The boy everyone liked—but no one truly understood. He wasn’t loud like the others. Didn’t chase attention. Didn’t try to impress. Yet somehow, everything about him drew people in. Zaynab had noticed him. Of course she had. It was impossible not to. But she had also learned something important— Not everything you notice is meant for you. “Stay away from him,” Tami said suddenly. Zaynab frowned. “Excuse me?” “You heard me.” Tami’s voice hardened. “He’s not for you.” Zaynab almost laughed. Not because it was funny—but because it was ridiculous. “You don’t own him.” Tami’s eyes flashed. “But I can make your life difficult.” Silence fell between them. For a moment, Zaynab considered responding—really responding. Saying something sharp, something that would wipe that smug look off Tami’s face. But she didn’t. Because she knew girls like Tami. They thrived on reaction. So instead, she simply said, “Are you done?” Tami’s expression darkened. Zaynab turned and walked away. She thought that would be the end of it. She was wrong. Later that day, everything changed. It started small—whispers in the hallway. Laughter that stopped when she passed. Eyes that looked at her differently. Not admiration. Something else. Something colder. Zaynab ignored it at first. She always did. Until she heard it clearly. “She’s a boyfriend snatcher.” Zaynab froze. Her heart skipped once—hard. “What?” The girls nearby didn’t even try to hide it. “We saw her with Zaid,” one of them said. “She’s trying to take him from Tami.” “That’s crazy,” another added. “She acts innocent, but look at her.” Zaynab felt something twist inside her chest. This again. Rumors. They spread fast. Faster than truth ever could. And no matter what you said, no matter how much you denied it— People believed what they wanted. By the time school ended, Zaynab was exhausted. Not physically. Emotionally. She just wanted to go home. But peace didn’t follow her there. The next morning, her phone buzzed nonstop. Messages. Unknown numbers. Notifications. Zaynab frowned as she opened one. Her breath caught. It was a picture. Of her. With Zaid. But not just any picture. The angle. The closeness. The way it looked— It told a story that wasn’t true. And people believed it. Her fingers trembled slightly as she scrolled. Comments. Insults. Accusations. “She’s fake.” “I knew she was like this.” “Homebreaker.” Zaynab dropped the phone onto her bed. For a moment, she just stared at nothing. Then slowly, she sat down. This wasn’t just school drama anymore. This was something else. Something bigger. Something dangerous. ⸻ That was when she realized something she had been trying to ignore for a long time: This wasn’t about Zaid. This wasn’t even about Tami. This was about her. About who people thought she was. And no matter how quiet she stayed… No matter how much she avoided trouble… Trouble had finally found her. ⸻ Zaynab exhaled slowly. Her eyes hardened for the first time. If they wanted a story— Then maybe it was time she stopped running from it. ⸻ And somewhere, watching all of this unfold… Zaid smiled. Chapter one!!