1.
SECOND TERM, three days after resumption
Class listen up! The class slowly quiets down. 'What now' Fatima thought as she slid the novel she was reading in her desk locker. This is your new Maths teacher, Mr Abdulazeez. The Headmistress, Mrs Rosalind Finn squeaks in her all too familiar strict voice. Though today there was an almost unnoticeable quake to it. The class was silent. Totally and utterly silent. No usual greetings that were issued to teachers out of respect, no nothing. At that moment Fatima thought she finally understood the pin-drop silence books raved about. 'Ohhh God!' She thought as she caught sight of the 'maths teacher'. 'Is that even acceptable?'
Mr Abdulazeez, the new 'maths teacher' had a face that didn't belong in a setting as such. Or any teaching or learning centers for that matter. It was too distractingly dashing for its own good. It demanded attention and yet as Mr Abdulazeez speaks, saying something along the lines of 'hoping to make maths interesting for the class' it falls on deaf ears. Why was it that people with such beautiful faces tended to be so darn ignorant? Fatima thought to herself. He was causing such a chaos that the class didn't even know how to react to him. So as he concludes his speech the class remained as silent as ever just staring as if there was nothing else they'd rather do. No applause no acknowledgement no nothing. Fatima looked around the class chuckling softly at the absurdity of it all.
The new teacher glances at her, staring for a while. As if at an object under his scrutiny or a new object he'd just discovered seconds ago and is observing in deep facination. He had a straight face on not smiling, the only form of reaction on his face was the squinting of his eyes. Fatima gives a small bow of my head and looks away not really reading deep into it.
Everything fairly normal right? NOT! It was normal at that time but as time progressed things took a drastic turn. Not really 'drastic' per se, but something weird was going on and you could feel it down to your bones, or at least Fatima, in question, could feel it down to her bones.
At first it was just the brief glances she got from him and sometimes when they had after break classes, he'd come early and there'd be a few students in class
She a constant one
, she'd caught him staring one too many times with a deep intense look and as soon as she'd notice, he'd turn.
'What to say about Mr Abdulazeez?' She thought to her self one day. He looked barely 25 for one. She also noticed the other teachers monitored him a lot. At first she thought it was because he was new but it went on for almost 2 terms. Till date she still caught other teachers trying to do it discreetly but failed woefully. He never talks to the female population of students outside of class except when greeting, and girls aren't allowed in his office
He has an OFFICE! Which she though was totally absurd! Most teachers barely had desks at the staff room.
except if he called for you. At first girls tried but it was bad! She'd heard whispers about him totally ignoring them or taking down their names in a book. She'd also seen the looks they give him. It was bad!
One thing she'd been sure of was that he seemed closed off. He only talks when he's teaching, answering your questions or greetings. If you talk to him and it's nothing related to that, if you're a guy, he'll consider. A girl? Blatantly ignore you.
Like one of her very funny memories, and the only time She'd met him outside of class, was when she and Faith were returning to class after going to the canteen during break. They saw him approaching in their direction. When he reached them, they greeted him and he answered softly.
"S-sir."Faith had suddenly stammered. "I've been meaning to talk to you". He stares at her for a whole minute then looks to Fatima briefly.
"You can say it when I come to class."Mr Abdulazeez says sounding very uncomfortable.
"But- but..."She say glancing at Fatima as if she could make her disappear. "It's personally." she tried to whisper softly tucking a strand fo hair behind her ear. Seconds after the words were out of her mouth, Mr Abdulazeez was already making his way to his office. No nod of acknowledgement, no nothing, just the wisp of very faint Oud milk perfume. 'Lord!' Fatima thought. She would have licked her lips at that if she wasn't too busy laughing her head off. Faith was so annoyed she left for class without waiting up for her. Fatima on the other hand was having the time of her life, she literally had to drag herself to class crouching because she was still shaking with laughter.
And that! People, is the image you see when you think of Mr Abdulazeez. At least what Fatima used to see when she thought about him, which she rarely did. Well until that fateful day in the mid of June. She was living her best life at that certain time, which in her esteemed opinion meant she had found a book that was making her very happy at that time. The thought of it alone brought a smile to Fatima's face, 'that type of good!' she thought softly. On that fateful Tuesday,
because, how could Fatima forget
she was seated alone in class during break
Best atmosphere for reading! As she'd emphasized earlier, living her best life!
so engrossed in her book that she didn't hear Mr Abdulazeez coming into the class or seating for almost 10 to 12 good minutes. That is until she reached an oh-so funny part in Twenties girl by Sophie Kinsella and she totally embarrassed herself by laughing out loud. She'd laughed for a whole minute before realizing she had company. She froze. The laughter cut short and dies in her throat. Then she starts to blabber:
"S-sir! I'm so sorry sir. I-I thought I was a-a-alone I'm so sorry."She says bowing her head frantically and dying a million times inside from mortification.
"It's fine!"He says with a soft chuckle
A chuckle!!
"Truly."He insists."You can't help it when the book is that good!"He says
"You can't."She sighed, a second later realizing what a grave mistake that was. Before she could fall into another round of apologies, She noticed the huge grin on his face. 'What a freaking beauty!' She thought looking down with a small smile of my own.
"What have you got there?"
"Twenties Girl."
"Wait! Don't tell me."He suddenly says."Sophie Kinsella?"
"Yeah..."Fatima says with an astonished smile. "Do you..."
"Oh no!"He says with a smile."Just that my sister reads literally nothing else."Now Fatima was grinning a full blown grin. The squity eyes, gum display typa grin.
"She knows the stuff!"Fatima says with an approving nod and he laughs. The bell suddenly rings. Fatima gives him a small tight smile before placing her head on the table and resuming her reading.
Nothing ever happened again. She never saw him during break and even in class she never asked questions so life went on. They never spoke again. They completed the term and went for a long term break before entering the next grade
Fatima's final grade
. Fatima's break wasn't really eventful just full of studying for college exams and trying to pick colleges.
Before she knew it she was trudging to class as early as 7 a.m on the first day back to school. 'Once an early bird always an early bird' she thought with a chuckle. She was dressed in an awfully too big new unform she'd purchased a week ago all because she'd gained some weight during the break. She had to collect a uniform twice her size because apparently her last also awfully big uniform as at last term was suddenly clinging to her curves. Which was becoming a fit hiding these days. She had to maintain her nerd\loner\kinda a weirdo vibe going.
She went to class and dropped her bag. Afterwards she went in search of hot water because she'd developed a habit of taking tea to school and drinking it while she did some school reading. She headed to Mr Roe's office as usual.
"Fatima!"He says with a chuckle."Good to see you this fine morning!"
"Good morning Mr Roe."Fatima murmurs with a small blush.
"Morning."He says glancing to the dispenser."Well I don't seem to have had my refill yet. You might have to check other places for water today."
"But where sir? This is the only place in the section."
"No there's one in Mr Abdulazeez's office. Have you never been?"
"No sir."
"Go and check. I'm sure he has."
"Thank you sir."She says gloomily dragging her feet as she left.
When she reached Mr Abdulazeez's office, she knocks cautiously. The door suddenly swings in and no one is in. She stepped in and decides to just fetch the water and run before he comes back. She successfully fetches the water, closed it's lid securely and turned to the door. About five steps to the door Mr Abdulazeez also walks in and they bump in to each other, She, almost falling from the force of the bump. He pulls her to him just before, resting his hands dangerously low on her back just above her derriere. Their bodies meshed together and eyes locked on each others.
