Samantha and I just stared at each other like wow this is our world now and there is no escape. I then told Samantha “ What’s so wrong about being equal for once like being different is something beautiful speaking more than one language is beautiful I just don’t understand why people hate us we have done nothing wrong like yea some muslims aren’t treating the world right but we are disgusted by it they are turning people against us when all we want is to fit in!” “I agree with you and because of that I think it is time to tell our parents, we can’t keep being treated like this!”
I was ready to go home but I still had three hours left of being at school. Time was passing by so slow and during class I couldn’t focus because I kept thinking of how I was going to tell my mom, how do you tell you tell your parent that you are being discriminated especially when this has never happened to you.
The time came when the clock hit three- thirty all the students got up and left right away a spaced out for a moment the noise of students walking down the hallway and talking slowly faded away as I thought about the phrase “Speak English this is America!” and I also kept playing the scenario in my head of how I was going to tell my mom.  “Amal! Amal! Hello!!” said my friend Samantha as she waited for me by the door. “Is everything ok?” she asked “Yes i'm good don't worry.” I replied. But in reality I was freaking out but I couldn’t show Samantha how I felt or she would feel bad and she wouldn’t wants us telling our parents but right now that would be the best choice to pick.
As I got home my heart started beating faster each second it like if my heart was right next to ears of how fast it was beating.  As I was walking down the street arriving to my house I could smell the food my mom was making about three houses away.  As I walked into my house my dog Alya came up to me and I played with her while my mom added the finishing touches to the food, I was ready to dive into the food. “Amal food is ready.” said my mother.  As I walked to the table my heart started beating because I knew that right now was the right moment to tell my mom about what was going on, “Amal is everything ok?” asked my mom. “Mom I have to tell you something that is going on around school.” I replied. “What is it hun i’m listening?”

I took a deep breath… “ Mom have you ever been treated differently recently?”  “ What  do you mean sweetie?” my mom said. “Well like yea… have you been discriminated lately like because we are arabic and all that?” I  replied. “ Amal is this what is happening because there is nothing wrong being arabic, you should be proud of who are because you are bilingual and different.” my mom said “I know mom but at times I wish I wasn’t different, i’m scared to go out in public I don’t know what people can say about us and I do care of what people think about me mom. I’m scared mom anything can happen to us…” As I was talking I felt like if there was a knot in my throat, all of the sudden I started crying because of how much fear I had and out of so much anger. My mom then came up to me and hugged me and she said, “Amal stay strong honey, I know how you feel about it ok but we have to stay strong because we belong here no one can tell us to leave and if they do then we have to show them that we aren’t scared, now go clean up and rest ok Amal everything will be ok I promise.” She then gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Thank You mom.” I said while leaving the kitchen
I went into my bedroom and layed on bed just staring at the ceiling and the phrase “ Speak english this is america”  kept playing in my head over and over as if a record player was stuck on one part.  All of sudden I started getting sleepy and decided to change into my pajamas and brush my teeth, as soon as I started getting under the covers of my bed a sound came from my laptop. I got up to check what it was and it said “ Youve been tagged in a post.” I clicked on it to see what the post was and I saw that it was a joke about me being muslim, I then scrolled down to see comments and they were awful and mean. I then started seeing comments that said, “ Check out more on Hailey’s FaceBook page guys!” I then saw that there was jokes about every kid who was from a different place around the world.  Tears started running down my face I couldn’t believe what are world has came too, I looked again about the post about me and comments kept coming in faster than a race car on the track. The comments said  “ Her family probably caused 9/11, I’m scared to sit next to her in class now she can blow me up at any moment, My family knows her mom and her mom threatened to kill us if we didn’t give her jewelry”  I then scrolled more down and saw one that hurt me the most which said, “ She should go kill herself instead of killing us if you agree like this comment.” and the likes went up every second. I tried reporting the post but it wouldn’t let me I tried many times but then gave up because half of the world has seen it already so what was the point. I turned off my computer and sat down in my bed crying.

The next morning I realized that I cried myself to sleep but luckily it was Saturday which meant no school for me. I layed in my bed for a long time thinking about what happened last night, my mom then came into my room say goodbye because she was off to work. As soon as she left I grabbed my laptop and sat with it on my bed and opened up FaceBook again hoping that the post has gone away but just my luck it was still up and comments kept coming in left to right. I then just closed my laptop and put it back and layed on my bed and turned on the TV.  I was on my bed for the whole morning until about twelve-o'clock in the afternoon because I got hungry of course, I went into the kitchen and saw ramen soup so I decided to make it and I also poured myself a glass of orange juice. I went into the livingroom to eat my food, as I was about to sit down I heard someone knock at the door as I opened the door I realized that it was my friend Samantha she just then came me the biggest hug ever and she then said, “Bye Amal.” with tears running down her face. “What do you mean bye?!” “I'm leaving back to my county because of what is going on and my parents don't want me in a environment like this or to get hurt so they decided that leaving is the for the best.” she said. “But you can’t leave I need you here with me you're my only friend Samantha!” I told her “ So come with me Amal we can start over.”  she said “I’m sorry but I can’t leave my mom she’s the only thing I have and she will need me Samantha.” I told her “ I understand Amal but I have to go now ok, I love you and stay strong Amal.” She said while giving me a hug. I couldn’t say goodbye to her so I said, “ Until next time Samantha I love you too.” As she was walking down the rock path in front of my house a huge knot started building up in my throat and a tear drop was running down my cheek.

The next morning I realized that I cried myself to sleep but luckily it was Saturday which meant no school for me. I layed in my bed for a long time thinking about what happened last night, my mom then came into my room say goodbye because she was off to work. As soon as she left I grabbed my laptop and sat with it on my bed and opened up FaceBook again hoping that the post has gone away but just my luck it was still up and comments kept coming in left to right. I then just closed my laptop and put it back and layed on my bed and turned on the TV.  I was on my bed for the whole morning until about twelve-o'clock in the afternoon because I got hungry of course, I went into the kitchen and saw ramen soup so I decided to make it and I also poured myself a glass of orange juice. I went into the livingroom to eat my food, as I was about to sit down I heard someone knock at the door as I opened the door I realized that it was my friend Samantha she just then came me the biggest hug ever and she then said, “Bye Amal.” with tears running down her face. “What do you mean bye?!” “I'm leaving back to my county because of what is going on and my parents don't want me in a environment like this or to get hurt so they decided that leaving is the for the best.” she said. “But you can’t leave I need you here with me you're my only friend Samantha!” I told her “ So come with me Amal we can start over.”  she said “I’m sorry but I can’t leave my mom she’s the only thing I have and she will need me Samantha.” I told her “ I understand Amal but I have to go now ok, I love you and stay strong Amal.” She said while giving me a hug. I couldn’t say goodbye to her so I said, “ Until next time Samantha I love you too.” As she was walking down the rock path in front of my house a huge knot started building up in my throat and a tear drop was running down my cheek.

“ Well this is my story and what I am trying to say is that words can hurt anyone so be careful with what you say. It doesn't matter  where you are from but your background can change the world if you put your mind to it and if people don't accept you for who you are then they are missing out on so much you could have taught them and there is nothing wrong to being equal.  Thank You for listening have a goodnight.” the crowd then got up and clapped for me and I knew by sharing my story I could change so many lives out in the world.