She was ten when the war started, just a little girl with golden curls and wide dark eyes. She had heard of the term "Arab Spring" on TV and from her father. He was a professor at the University in Aleppo, one of the Al-Assad family's quiet critics. The news of the boys arrested and tortured in Deraa quickly made their way to the Zuabi family. For the next two weeks, ten-year-old Rasha and fifteen-year-old Hassan were taught at home by a tutor.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The slam of the locker down the hall made her jump, a soft gasp escaping her lips. Shit. She hated it when that happened. She hated being scared. It wasn't often that she felt like this, but when she did it took forever for her to shake the feeling. Feeling her phone vibrate in her pocket, a small ghost of a smile crossed her face and she pulled it out. Zoe. She quickly replied to her and went to their usual meeting spot, under the stairs. Pulling out her headphones, Rasha sat down and started to flip through her phone. There weren't a whole lot of people from home on Facerange or Hastygram anymore, so she looked through the older pictures. Pictures of her friends at the beach, pictures of them wearing their school uniforms…a solitary tear rolled down her cheek. The memories from the past were happy for the most part and she would be lying if she said she didn't miss being back in Syria.
Her heart stopped when the shadow loomed over her. With a quick jerk of her hands, Rasha tugged the headphones from her ears with a gasp.
"Hey." Zoe said softly, sitting down like she was approaching a scared animal. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." She said, sitting down beside the other girl. Her hands twisted in her lap as she looked at the curly haired girl with a soft gentle look.
"I am okay," Rasha said softly, sliding over to make space for the dark-haired girl. "I am sorry, I know you are busy and you are wasting your free time here." Her heart rate started to slow and she smiled at Zoe.
Zoe stared at her girlfriend. God, did she love Rasha. Like, seriously. She was so perfect in so many different ways. She loved her bright smile, the way she seemed to get the attention of everyone in the room…she could go on and on. "I'm never wasting my time when I'm with you," Zoe said wrapping an arm around the other girl's waist.
Smiling, Rasha rested her head against the other girl's shoulder. It had been a long week for her, it was the beginning of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, and besides her anxiety being high, she was tired and hungry. Zoe softly ran her fingers over her girlfriend's arm. She wasn't sure what was bothering Rasha, but she could feel it was something. "What are you doing tonight?" She asked, her voice low as she adjusted their position and held Rasha in her arms.
"Probably going to go home and try to sleep a bit before going to the mosque, and break fast. I do not think that I am feeling up to going back to the mosque for the evening prayer." Rasha said, her fingers playing with her girlfriend's. She stayed silent for a few minutes before looking up at Zoe. "Do you want to join us? I mean, I know that Mr. and Mrs. Nahir are going to be leaving on a business trip after the late prayers, so we can have the whole weekend to…just hang out." She offered softly.
Zoe nodded and kissed Rasha's forehead. "I would love to." She said softly. "But I ate breakfast, so is it like disrespectful that someone who hasn't fasted is there?"
A soft smile appeared on Rasha's face and she shook her head. "No, not at all." The bell rang and Rasha sat up with a sigh. "Just be sure to bring a long sleeved shirt and either pants or a long skirt."
"And pajamas and a change of clothes for tomorrow." Zoe chimed in, helping her girlfriend to her feet.
"That too." The fair-haired girl leaned in and pressed a soft kiss on Zoe's lips. "I will see you tonight?"
Zoe nodded. "How about we meet after school and then we can drive to the Nahir's together?" She offered, walking down the hallway with Rasha.
"That sounds great. I will see you then." Rasha fluttered a soft kiss on Zoe's cheek before peeling off to her class, leaving the President to head to hers.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
It was the day before her 11th birthday when her father went missing. They all held out hope that he would return home. They knew who had taken him, Al-Assad's goons. They were the same ones that were slaughtering people in the streets and using gas to clear areas. Packing up everything they could carry, the remaining Zuabis slipped out of their house in the middle of the night. The scent of burning flesh, chlorine and sulfur hung heavy in the air…
. . . . . . . . . .
That smell, she had smelled it before. Jerking up, her eyes open and wild, Rasha searched around the science lab, her heart hammering in her chest. Their teacher, Mr. Baldwin looked at her in confusion, the match he had used smoking in his hand, the chlorine mixture sitting on top of the Bunsen burner. "Are you okay, Miss Zuabi?"
"F-Fine." Rasha said quietly, sitting back down in her seat. Because of the war, and spending time in the refugee camp, she had been able to take her core classes at grade level, but not electives like chemistry. Frankie and Lola gave her soft smiles. "You get used to the smell." The blue haired girl said gently. "Once we all start the experiment, he'll turn on the fan." Her small hand shot up in the air. "Mr. Baldwin, since Rasha is new here can we be a group of three?" She asked brightly. Hearing no complaint, she grinned. "And we can help."
Slumping down, Rasha nodded. She closed her eyes and tried to clear the vision from her head of the burning bodies, the sound of the screaming men and women, and the smell of torched flesh. She swallowed hard, swallowing the quickly rising bile in her throat.
Frankie glanced over at the girl and grabbed her elbow and quickly pulled her from the room leaving Lola to give a reason. Heading into the nearest washroom, Rasha emptied her already partially empty stomach with a few heaves and emerged from the stall pale and sweaty.
"Do you want me to find Goldi…or Zoe?" Frankie asked as she sat on the sink, gently dabbing an errant bead of sweat off the girl's forehead.
"No. I will be fine." Rasha said quickly. I always am.
Nodding, Frankie hopped off and washed her hands, waiting for Rasha to do the same. She fished a piece of gum out of her purse and handed it to the girl. "Lola and I can do the lab, we're pretty good at science. You don't have to if you don't want to…we'll still put your name on it."
Rasha smiled and followed Frankie back to the classroom, but not before she placed some solid perfume under her nose to block the heavy scent of death that she had smelled before.