“Screeeek!” The tyres skidded and the car banged into a wall. The shattered windscreen glittered like thousands of tiny diamonds.
Aila’s head hit the dashboard and her shoulder was dislocated. Her father, on the other hand, was wearing a seatbelt and was completely unharmed.
Aila was taken to hospital and her family was informed. Two days later, she was discharged with a thick bandage wrapped around her forehead. She was advised to rest at home for a fortnight.
When the bandage was removed fifteen days later, she returned to school. Fifteen days is a long time for a student to miss, so Aila was far behind the rest of her class. With exams just around the corner, she urgently needed to catch up. Even though she had survived such a tragic accident, Aila noticed that no one in her class showed any concern for her. She felt hurt, but brushed the feeling aside.
She asked one of her classmates to lend her a notebook so she could complete her work, but the girl refused. Aila asked another, who also made excuses. One by one, the entire class turned her down.
Aila was both shocked and angry. “Why are they doing this to me?” she fumed.
Although their behaviour seemed rude and unkind, her classmates had their reasons. Aila herself had always been insolent and self-absorbed. Whether it was seniors, juniors, or teachers, she never behaved well with anyone. She had hardly any friends because of her rude attitude. Even when someone was hurt or needed help, she never offered support. Their behaviour was, in truth, a reaction to hers.
Yet Aila still didn’t see herself as wrong. Disheartened and furious, she told her parents everything. She was terrified she might fail her exams. Her parents then discussed the matter with Fatimah, her younger cousin who studied in the same school. Fatimah was friendly and polite, and because of this she was well-liked by juniors as well as seniors.
The next day, Fatimah spoke to several of Aila’s classmates and kindly asked if someone could lend their notebooks. Aila was sure Fatimah would be dismissed. But to her shock, many students readily volunteered. Aila felt humiliated and embarrassed that her classmates were willing to help a junior, but not her.
After a day of deep reflection, she reluctantly accepted that she was at fault. Her discourtesy and arrogance had pushed people away. At that moment, she realised she needed to change. She made a quiet promise to herself to improve her behaviour and show respect to others.
Published in Dawn, Young World, December 6th, 2025
