Mohammad and Osama were having their last conversation. Mohammad asked Osama, "I heard you muttering while you were unconscious and crying. What happened to you? I also heard Zaynab's voice. Is she your girlfriend or your sister?"
Osama replied, "No, no. It's just some things from a miserable past."
Mohammad responded, "If you don't mind, I'd like to hear the story of your past."
Osama answered, "It's just a sad past, and there's nothing good to even mention about it. But since you're interested, I'll tell you."
Mohammad replied, "If you don't want to tell me, that's fine. Don't force yourself to do something you don't want to."
Osama said, "Ha ha, don't worry. I'll tell you. In the past, my life was tough because I never knew the meaning of a mother's or father's love. They were always focused on my older brother and younger sister. I worked so hard just to get their attention, even for a single glance, but they never did. I felt like I wasn't their child."
"Then, during the end-of-year exams, I passed with high marks. I was so happy. I saw everyone celebrating with their children, but sadly, my parents didn't even come to find out my results. I felt so sad and went to an empty place and started crying from my heartache."
"While I was sitting there, some older boys saw me sitting. When they saw me crying, they said, 'You look like a girl,' and they started hitting me. While they were hitting me, a man came and saved me from them. He was a huge, muscular man, looked like a boxer. The bullies were scared and ran away."
The man said to me, "Get up and don't be too sad. The day will come when you'll be stronger, and you'll have a good friend who loves and respects you. When that day comes, hold onto them tightly."
Osama replied, "Really? I'll have a friend? But how could anyone accept to be friends with someone like me, a crybaby?"
The man responded, "Don't be sad. Crying doesn't mean you're a bad person. We're all human, and we have hearts that both cry and rejoice. You've gone through tough times, and you'll get through them. Don't give up. What's truly wrong is giving up and staying in this misery and sadness."
"Also, that person, he suffers like you, and he cries like you, but your lives will change. Don't worry, and try to prepare yourself well for that day."
Osama said, "Really? You're saying it's okay to cry? Really, I'll have a friend, but how will I meet him?"
The man replied, "You'll know when you meet him. And I want you to be his friend and help him with his future because he'll need you a lot. I trust you. Don't worry, live until that day, and everything will change."
Osama replied, "Really? But how do you know all this?"
Osama felt shocked and confused. The man answered, "You'll know everything in due time. Now, go home and don't worry."
So Osama went home, feeling hope, happiness, and curiosity all at once because of the mysterious man.
While Osama was heading home, the mysterious man was standing. Then another man appeared out of nowhere and said: "Are you sure about this, sir? Why did you choose this boy out of all of them? He seems weak and doesn't have anything special. Also, you told him things he shouldn't know about anyone."
The man who helped Osama replied: "Don't worry, I know he won't disappoint me, especially those looks in his eyes. Alright, let's go so we avoid unnecessary problems."
Osama returned home, and as usual, no one paid attention to him. He went to his room, didn't care much, and went to sleep that night, happy because he believed he would gain a friend in the future.
The next day, Osama went to school. When he entered the class, everyone started laughing at him because he had been manipulated by Zaynab.
The next day, Osama went to school. When he entered the class, everyone started laughing at him because he had been manipulated by Zaynab. But Osama didn't react as usual. He had set a goal in his mind: the victory of the day when he would meet that person and become stronger.
Day by day, Osama was mocked by both boys and girls. Also, no one at home cared for him. His life was hell. The only thing that kept him going was the words of that man.
When he was 10 years old, he was locked in a school room. Osama was terrified because it was a dark room, and he was scared of those who had locked him in. He screamed and cried, and the teacher had forgotten his bag in the office. When he returned to get it, he heard a child crying and didn't know where the sound came from.
The teacher said, "Where are you now?"
Osama heard the voice of the man, not realizing it was the teacher. He started screaming and crying with tears in his eyes, saying, "I'm in an empty room, I'm here, I'm here."
The teacher rushed and opened the door, finding Osama crying and afraid of the dark. He asked him who had done this to him. Osama didn't answer because he was scared that if he told the teacher, they would take revenge on him.
Osama replied, "I fell here, and they locked me in without me knowing."
The teacher was shocked by Osama's foolish answer! But he realized at the same time that he had been bullied, and he was very angry, thinking to himself: "How could this happen to a child of his age?"
When morning came, the teacher went to Osama's classroom and told the class: "Yesterday, I found one of your classmates locked in an empty room. Why didn't anyone save him?"
Everyone was silent, and no one answered. The teacher got angry and said: "I know there's someone here who bullies their classmates, and I'm telling you this: if you don't stop, I promise you I'll find you, and I'll punish you and expel you from the school. Not only that, but I'll tell everyone what happened here."
The bullies were frightened, and from that moment on, they never bullied Osama again. Thus, Osama had a peaceful school year.