I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World by Yousafzai Malala & McCormick Patricia

Author:Yousafzai, Malala & McCormick, Patricia [Yousafzai, Malala]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9781780622170
Publisher: Hachette Children's Group
Published: 2014-08-18T16:00:00+00:00

23

A DAY LIKE ANY OTHER

The second Tuesday in October started out the same as any other. I was late, as usual, because I’d slept in, as usual. I’d stayed up extra late after talking to Moniba, studying for my year-end exam in Pakistani studies. I’d already done a disappointing job on my physics exam, so I would have to get a perfect score on this exam if I was going to take the number one spot back from Malka-e-Noor. It was a point of pride. It was also a sibling thing: if I didn’t come first, I’d never hear the end of it from Khushal.

I gulped down a bit of fried egg and chapati with my tea and raced out of the door, just in time to catch the bus crammed with the other girls on their way to school. I was happy that morning, ridiculously happy. Before I left, my father had been teasing Atal, saying he could be my secretary when I became Prime Minister. And of course, Atal said, no, he would Prime Minister, and I would be his secretary.

It seemed as if everything in my life was going well. My mother was learning to read. I was on my way to the school I loved. And Moniba and I were friends again. I told myself not to worry about Malka-e-Noor and instead to work hard. And, I thought, I should thank God for all I had. So I did. I whispered a prayer of thanks before I managed a few last minutes of studying for my exam. ‘Oh, and God,’ I said, ‘please don’t forget to give me first place, since I have worked so hard.’

I always prayed the most during exams. Usually, I didn’t pray ‘on time’, which means praying five times a day, our religious duty. But at this time of year, my friends and I all prayed on time. I asked for help with my exams, or help to come first in the class. Our teachers always told us though, ‘God won’t give you marks if you don’t work hard. God showers us with his blessings, but he is honest as well.’ So I always worked hard too.

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