picture book

In the world there are good people and bad people, but here in New York City, there is a boy with a good heart and family. His name is Hassan, he is a Arabic Muslim boy. Every day is the same, goes to school, talks with friends, and most of all, he enjoyed his life. Until one day something happens that nearly ruined his childhood life. 

Hassan would wake up to the sounds of knocking from his mom trying to get him from school. 10 minutes are so he would say goodbye to his mom and leave for school. School was mostly his second home; his friends were his brothers and sisters, the teachers were his grumpy but sometimes nice neighbors, and the classrooms and cafeterias were his room and kitchen.

One day while leaving school he thought of a day that would make his life miserable for a little while. He never knew it would be today. A couple of hours later, the devastation of the twin towers had just occurred, that day was never forgotten, the day September 11, 2001.The day the twin towers collapsed. Everybody was scared and sad for what has happen to the people who died and to the people who made this occur. The next day in school, taking his first 10 steps today in the cafeteria of the school, a big sound of voices flew deep into his ear drums. For a second Hassan didn’t know what was happening. That all changed when words of “YOUR KIND OF PEOPLE DID THIS, YOUR PEOPLE KILLED ALL THOSE PEOPLE. HOW DARE YOU WALK INTO THIS SCHOOL AFTER WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY YOU TWERP!” The next thing you know, different kind of foods was being thrown in the air hitting Hassan’s body hard.

He couldn’t believe what was happening to him. He didn’t know what to do; he even stayed in the classroom when it was lunch time. Then all of a sudden, he thought that maybe his friends could help him, maybe they could make him feel better.

Hassan walked and walked until he found his friends near the water fountain.  Hey, what’s up Hassan yelled out. His friends just looked and said back “leave us alone, you and friends that made the towers blow up have already did so much damage. Hassan was shocked; his own friends didn’t even want to talk to them. Hassan immediately went to the bathroom and started crying.

He couldn’t see this happen again so just got all of his things and walked home. His mom was already home from work and saw Hassan come inside with tears running down his face and his clothes covered in food.  She went to go check on him.

“What’s wrong honey” said Hassan’s mom Alia. “Everybody hates me now because of what happened yesterday, the teachers don’t look at me, nobody wants to sit next to me, and even my friends won’t talk to me.”

Did you try to talk to your friends said Alia. Yeah but they walked away from me every time I tried said Hassan. Sorry but I don’t know what to do to fix this problem said Alia. It’s okay; let’s just hope for the best.

As Days soon went by, Hassan didn’t want to go back to the school but was forced too. But yet again, he was pelted by food by his fellow school classmates. But this time he didn’t really care, he just looked at his friends, seeing their faces, they even looked sad.

When lunchtime began, he still stayed in the classroom. He didn’t want to go downstairs. He just looked outside the window waiting until lunch was over. While looking outside, he soon heard the sounds of kids walking through the hallways. Hassan figured it was just some kids talking down the hall. Couple of seconds later, the classroom door opened. Kids started to come in the classroom, but lunch time wasn’t over. It was Hassan’s friends. Hassan thought it was probably a trap and they would beat him up. He was wrong. “We’re sorry for yelling at you and thinking that you were the same as those who terrorized. You’re special and different, you’re much better than them” said Muhammad, one of Hassan’s best friends. Hassan looked back and smiled, everybody didn’t hate him no more. He was once again happy and once more could feel the sweet joy of eating with friends that were considered my brothers.