Hope Ablaze by Sarah Mughal Rana

Author:Sarah Mughal Rana
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group

Eighteen

“So, you won’t be performing?”

I shook my head at Jawad and my twenty other teammates. It was the day of MIST, and our school was one of the smallest cohorts in the all-Muslim regional competition. “I’m not allowed.”

“Wallah on that?” Jawad made sure.

I snorted. “Wallahi Jawad. Call my Amma if you don’t believe me. I’ll be watching and cheering you on instead,” I told them.

“But we’re going to lose points for a competitor being a no-show,” Ahmer said, a freshman.

Bushra, the vice president of our MSA, elbowed him in the gut. “Shut up and read the room.”

During the opening ceremony, the MIST executives announced a new policy where filming was to be banned in all oratory competitions. They didn’t state the reasoning but from my teammates exchanging long looks, it was obvious that it had to do with the video of my performance last year going viral.

After the ceremony, our team huddled together outside under the gray sky, propping up our school banners like umbrellas, same as the dozens of schools crowded around us boasting school colors.

MIST was the rare day when hundreds of hijabis of all skin colors gathered in one place. For once, I didn’t stick out like a sore thumb. Muslim girls were clad in the latest sneaker fits and oversized long-sleeves, their hijabs colored in every shade of nude. It was easy to blend in within the sea of Muslims.

Before the competitions began, Mrs. Sophia took me aside. “Remember, I’m here if anyone gives you trouble, Nida. Just a phone call away.”

I nodded. “Thanks, Mrs. Sophia. But I’ve only had a couple stares. With so many hijabis here, it’s hard to recognize me as ‘that Muslim on TV .’”

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