Thursday - September 21

The next two days passed in the blink of an eye. That's been happening a lot lately. And for all the wrong reasons. Kareem's been zoning out all day, thinking about tomorrow. He sits in his final class period of the day. World history with Mr. Knowles.

The bell rings.

Kareem slowly gets out of his seat and puts all his books in his book bag.

"Mr. Shahidi." Kareem looks up to see Mr. Knowles leaning on his desk. "You okay?"

"Yeah." He continues to put his books in his bag.

"You seem kind of distracted. Is there something bothering you?"

"...No."

Mr. Knowles looks down at Kareem's notebook. "You've barely taken any notes this week. I don't want to be the teacher that negs but it is my job to make sure you're not failing. You're not, but if you don't put in any effort you will be and I'm here now to stop that before it starts."

Kareem nods.

Mr. Knowles drops two stapled pieces of paper on Kareem's desk. "I'm here to help. I also emailed it to you in case you lose that."

Kareem picks up the papers. This AND last week's notes. (How the freak did he get all that on TWO pieces of paper?) He puts the papers in his bag and zips it. "Thanks..y-you." (Thanks you?) He thinks.

Mr. Knowles smiles and extends his arm out.

Kareem shakes his hand before walking out of the classroom.

(I should've just told him about Victor.) He sighs.

Kareem walks out the front doors to see Maya & Azam waiting for him in the car. He walks down a few steps and then stops.

Azam lowers the window "We're gonna go get some gigantic cookies, you getting in?"

"Nah I'll walk."

"Walking the whole way there?" Maya asks.

Azam sighs. "Bro, that's like a thirty-minute-long walk. Plus if you get lost 'amm's gonna be pissed."

"I'll be alright." Kareem turns and walks off, keeping his eyes focused on the pavement, as the sound of the engine slowly fades. He slowly makes his way through the city, going back and forth numerous times.

After a while, he finally sees the bakery on the corner of the next block.

"Kareem!" a high voice calls out from behind. Startled, Kareem turns around, displeased to see Dani pacing toward him.

He waves and quickly turns around to walk the other way, pacing just as fast as Dani. He sighs after noticing the sound of steps and clinging of zippers increase.

"Hey!"

Kareem feels Dani's hand on his shoulder, forcing him to stop and face her.

He just stares.

"Hey!" Dani exclaims once more.

"Hey."

"You nervous?"

Kareem holds a confused look.

"About tomorrow. Don't you have to fight Victor Balbuena?"

He sighs. "Yeah." He whispers to himself.

"You know I wish he would just leave people alone." She waits for a response. "He just needs someone to teach him a lesson really. After you lose, let me know if anyone has anything to say, I'll shut them up."

Kareem gives a quizzical look.

"Sorry, I was just being silly." Dani lets out a nervous chuckle, then a sigh. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." he replies with downcast eyes.

"How are your parents? Have you seen your mom?"

"Uh.." He starts before an acute pain shoots through his forehead. He drops his head and rubs where it hurts. Images of multiple, oddly familiar heroes start to flash in and out of his mind.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" Dani gives a concerned look.

The pain cuts downward to Kareem's nostrils before blood comes spilling out. He tries to catch the blood from dropping but gets hit with a sudden wave of dizziness, keeping him from holding his arm still.

Dani stares with a look of concern and confusion. "Are you okay?" She takes his hand to help him stand still, shrieking in pain as the grip he holds causes her hand to crack.

Kareem notices Dani holding her hand in pain as the stress in his head and nose starts to ease. "What happened?"

"You squeezed my hand a little too tight. WOW, you're strong." Dani laughs out her words as her eyes start to water.

"Oh..." Kareem stands confused but concerned. "I'm...I'm sorry."

"Okay, I think I'm gonna go home now, Kareem." She says, her voice quivering. She turns to walk, groaning as she holds her hand, slightly bent over.

"What the freak?" Kareem whispers, wiping his nose with his sleeve.

After spending some time in the bakery, Kareem, Maya & Azam all make their way home.

Kareem stays silent thinking about what he did to Dani. (What did I do? HOW did I do that?) He thinks to himself. The three make it back home and after greeting his family, Kareem goes to his room, closes and locks his door.

"Okay, what am I gonna do? Do I help Azam? I think I should. He shouldn't even have to fight for ME. I need to prepare." Kareem takes his shirt off and begins doing push-ups.

"1, 2..3...4! Okay, that's enough." He turns to lie on his back, struggling to catch his breath. After a few seconds, he gets up and looks at himself in the mirror, examining his arms. "I should've joined that club."

He lies down on his bed thinking about Dani. "Dang I hope she's okay. I made her cry, freak. I gotta say something tomorrow...if I don't die or something."

He sighs. "Holy sugar honey iced tea."

Friday - September 22

Kareem wakes up to the sound of his phone alarm. It's Friday. The day of embarrassment. And pain. Kareem unplugs his phone charger and turns off the alarm. He notices a text.

[Damani: Hello? Are u alive?]

(About time she texted me back.) He thinks to himself. (And no, not for long to answer your question.)

He tosses his phone on his bed and ambles his way out the door.

"Good morning Kareem!" He hears coming from the kitchen.

"Mornnhmm." He replies.

He makes his way to the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind him. He turns on the shower and sits on the toilet seat with his eyes closed, resting his head on his hands. After a few seconds, he looks in the mirror and takes his shirt off.

"Holy...God! What the f-word?" Kareem stares at his reflection, appalled at what he's seeing. He flexes both his arms, watching his biceps grow and the veins in his arms appear. He then shifts his attention to his stomach. "I have squares on my stomach! HOW? What is going on?" He thinks about what he did to Dani. "Oh this is weird!"

He hops in and out of the shower and rushes to his room. He continues to look down at his body. He pulls his pants up to his waist, noticing they go well above his ankles. "Am I...tall?" He puts his uniform shirt on. His sleeves reach the middle of his forearms. He chuckles, shaking his head. He takes his shirt off and runs out of his room and sees his dad standing in the doorway.

"Good morning...Kareem." He holds a confused look.

"Hey, pops...Dad... Ab."

"Son, have y—"

"Nah." Kareem steps his way into the hall. "Yo Azam can I borrow one of your uniform shirts?... And every other part of the uniform?"

"What? What's wrong with your uniform?" Azam replies.

"Uhh...they're all dirty. Super dirty, please bro."

"Okay, I'll get it."

"Hurry."

Kareem's uncle walks from the kitchen into the hall, staring at Kareem with the same confused look his dad has.

"Wow, Kareem!" He laughs. "I didn't realize how fit you were. What have you been doing?"

"Oh, you know just...stuff and stuff."

His uncle chuckles in confusion. "Okay. Okay if you don't want to share your routine that's okay I'm sure that's normal for kids nowadays, right?" He turns to Kareem's dad, who's still staring at him.

Azam hands him his uniform and Kareem quickly retreats to his room. He quickly gets dressed and rushes out the front door. "Let's hurry!" He yells, twisting the doorknob. "Oh..." he stares at the broken knob in his hand. "Oh freak I'm sorry." He tries to put the doorknob back in the door. He slowly backs through the doorway and then turns to run down the stairs. Azam and Maya awkwardly follow.

His dad watches as the three get into the car. "I haven't seen him this energetic since before Natasha and I separated."

His uncle stays silent.

"He barely talks to me though Raheem. It's hard having a conversation with him. I can't tell if he's mad at me because his mother and I separated or... Is he getting used to it? Am I doing a good job?"

"You're here doing the job, Kamran. That's the most important thing, but he should see her. Now that you're back, it behooves you to get back in touch with her. He's her child too, maybe it'll be easier to connect with him if he had more than one person to do that with." He sips his coffee and walks down the hallway to his office. Kamran stares out the window watching the car pull off.

The three sit in the car. "Why are you in such a rush?" Maya asks, turning back to face Kareem.

"I uh— I just had to get out of the house."

"Because of what?"

"I don't know. Do I seem tall?"

"What are you talking about?" Azam glances at Kareem through the mirror.

"I don't freaking know anymore, everything's just been weird."

"Bro, why do you always say that?"

"Say what?"

"Freak. You sound like a nerd, just say fuck."

"Oh shoot!" Kareem quickly takes out his phone. He opens his messages and scrolls. "Oh..." he says, scrolling, reading the multiple messages he's received from Damani over the past week.

[Damani: Hey did u make it yet?

I'm gonna miss u K

Let me know how everything is when u can

K?

Hello? Are u alive?]

"She DID text me back." He smacks the palm of his hand on his forehead, then replies.

[Hey D sorry I meant to text earlier

I'm going to school now I'm gonna text u when I get out.]

Quickly after putting his phone down it vibrates.

[It's fine I can't stay mad at you K

Lmk when u make it home]

He smiles then puts his phone in his lap and shifts his attention back to his cousins. The smile slowly fades. "Azam isn't fighting today."

"What?" They say in unison.

"I'll fight him."

"Are you...sure?" Azam asks.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"I think I can beat him."

Maya & Azam glance at each other, then look back at the road.

The three make it to school and walk through the middle of the hallway. Catching numerous stares, as Azam and Maya pace to keep up with Kareem. Kareem frantically looks up and down the hallway. He sees Dani down the hall. "Hold on guys." He tells his cousins before jogging toward her. He grabs both of her hands, gently lifting the cast on her right.

"I'm really sorry about this D, I didn't mean to hurt you." He says with his eyes locked on her cast.

"It's okay. I couldn't stay mad at you Kareem."

He looks up at Dani as she holds a smile. A smile slowly grows on his face as he nods.

"Yo bitch!" He hears from behind, looking as everyone turns to see where the comment came from.

"I'll be right back." He tells Dani. He lowers her hands and slowly turns around to see Victor and his group pacing their way toward him. Kareem slowly walks toward Victor to meet him in the middle of the hallway. It's dead silent. He feels the heat of every pair of eyes on him.

"The fuck are you staring at bitch?!" Victor asks in an exaggeratedly loud tone of voice.

He silently stands eye to eye-with Victor. "Show me I'm one."

"What?"

"You keep calling me that freakin b-word man...Show me."

Victor looks back and laughs before quickly turning to shove Kareem, pushing himself back. Kareem doesn't move. Kareem hears the rest of the students mumbling amongst each other.

(Did that really just freaking happen?) Kareem thinks to himself. (Did I move?)

Victor grunts and swings. Kareem catches his fist and quickly throws it downward. Victor swings again, this time he doesn't stop. Kareem evades each punch. He then grabs Victor's arms.

"HIT HIM BACK!" He hears from behind him.

Kareem makes a fist and swings. His fist connects with Victor's jaw and the sound of bones cracking echoes through the hall.

"Oh sh-." He watches as Victor hits the lockers, then the floor. He quickly turns, looking at everyone staring at him in awe. The temperature seems to rapidly increase as he walks past the other students.

"Bye guys." He glances at his cousins before pacing to his classroom, Maya and Azam watching him go further down the hall.

"What did he just do to him?" Maya asks.

"I don't know." Azam turns to Maya, then back down the hall.

2:58 PM

Kareem sits in class, staring at the clock. Mr. Knowles's class always takes forever.

(Why is he still talking? There's like two minutes left!)

Kareem waits for what feels like an eternity for the bell to ring. When it finally rings he hastily gets his things together and rushes out of the classroom. He walks, failing to evade the multiple students that try to walk up to him and shake his hand.

He sees Dani out of the corner of his eye. "Hey Kareem!"

"Bye Dani!" He quickly responds.

As he walks he sees the door to the dean's office open. He stops.

"Mr. Shahidi."

Kareem stares.

"May I have a word with you please?"

Kareem goes into the office and takes a seat.

"My name is Dr. Harris. I apologize, we haven't had a proper introduction. I came back this morning from visiting my mother in Philadelphia. You know, one thing about Philadelphia, the time I spent there reminded me a lot of my childhood. It's the home of the Rocky. You know, Rocky Balboa, the Italian Stallion." He chuckles. "Are you familiar with those movies?"

Kareem slowly shakes his head.

"Just some movies I grew up watching. He was a boxer, a fighter. He was broke and became one of the best boxers in history. Money. That was his motivation. He needed money so he fought and earned that."

Kareem sits staring at Dr. Harris.

(What the freak is he on about?')

"Did you earn any money from fighting today?"

Kareem shakes his head.

"Okay, then why fight? I'm only telling you this because fighting is not tolerated in this school. It is my understanding that you were defending yourself so I'll let you off with a slap on the wrist today. But don't go around sending people to the hospital because you're angry at them. Understood?"

Kareem slowly nods. (I sent him to the hospital too?) He thinks.

"I can't hear you son."

"Oh, Yeah."

"Okay good. You have a nice weekend Mr. Kareem I look forward to hearing more positive reports about you in the future.

Kareem nods. "Ok." He then walks out of the office. He sees Azam waiting for him right outside.

"You ready bro?" Azam nods his head toward the doors leading outside.

Kareem looks around the hallway, catching numerous stares. "Maya in the car?"

"No, she's going to Dani's house."

"Hm." Kareem feels his phone vibrating. His dad is calling. "Hey ab." He answers.

"Are you on your way back?"

"Yeah, we're leaving school now."

"Okay, let me know when you make it. And hurry."

"Okay, but why?" Kareem asks.

"You're going to your mother's house."

Arabic Translations

'Amm - Uncle

Daniel C. Forrest