Judith began to wear a hijab the next day to school, playing it off as a fashionable type of scarf. People began to mock and whisper about this but she found herself a friend group that didn't care at all, becoming a support line she trusted to fall back on. It was always in secret that she did it before school, avoiding her mother at all costs. However, the Baroness did not let this behaviour go unnoticed and found out about it a couple of weeks after. Working downstairs in the kitchen, Laila winced as she heard loud shouts from above, screeching with reeling anger.
"I will NOT be having MY OWN DAUGHTER being DEFILED by this… this.... awful clothing. What are you THINKING! Do you think you're some sort of TERRORIST or something? Or is this a petty rebellion. Do you think you're being smart by acting dumber?"
Laila paused. Her hands were shaking with writhing anger. She'd heard these words before.
Over and over by the same tongue, the same mouth, the same 'mother'. But it hurt in a different way when it wasn't being spoken to her. The plate in her hand nearly slipped from her grasp as she endured hearing it all, feeling the pain she didn't doubt Judith was suffering from. Softly putting the plate down, she balled her hands into fists and slammed it on the table, gritting her teeth. She couldn't take it anymore. Not even noticing the screams had died down, she began to stomp up the stairs to the source of the noise - the Baroness's room. Even within her frail maid's outfit and niqab, she felt her shadow rise with fury, doubling its size behind her. Blinking, she looked back and saw nothing. Taking in a shaky breath, she felt for the familiar bottle at the bottom of her neck and clutched it with her hand as she approached the door. An eerie silence had settled as she'd arrived and she looked around nervously, noticing Iris inside her own room across the hall.
The door had been left open and Iris noticed her, waving with a smile. She winked and pointed to the Baroness's door with a cheery expression. Rage roared within Laila to see such a casual reaction to this, like she was intent on treating her own blood sister how they'd treated Laila all those years. Huffing, she made to open the door when it was flung open by a honey eyed girl in a dark blue hijab, yellow sparkles trailing down the fabric. Upon seeing Laila, Judith's eyes lit up and she hugged her immediately.
"Did you hear? Did you hear?"
Laila groaned out loud, glaring at the room behind the girl's back.
"I did… I came up here to give that woman a piece of my mind..."
Judith started to laugh and the other blinked in surprise, turning her head to her.
"What… why are you-"
"Darn it you didn't hear it!"
Judith broke the embrace and beamed at her, a red slash across her cheek glowing red underneath her eye. Worry instantly took over Laila's expression as she softly reached up a hand to the scar, bristling when Judith grasped her wrist to stop her.
"Don't. I'd like the scar. Argh I wish you'd heard it, I stood up to her!! I shouted right back at her about how badly she's treated you and Iris and me and how she's a terrible mother and I wear what I'd like! You should have seen her face!"
Oh. Laila's eyes softened as Judith began to chuckle, proud of herself. Smiling, Laila crossed her arms loosely.
"Really? Sounds like what every teenage girl says when she gets into that phase."
Judith gasped, offended as Iris cackled from the other room.
"Excuse me, it did nOT."
Laila grinned, taking her hand and pulling her into Iris's room, not wanting to stay outside the Baroness's room any longer.
"It so did~"
Iris didn't look up from her book as she giggled and pitched in.
"Sorry Judith but it really did sound like that stereotype. And WE are meant to be the younger ones here, such a shame."
Judith's face contorted into a pout.
"You guys are so meaaaaan!! Stop bullying me, I was so proud of myself just a second ago!"
The two sisters laughed as she flopped onto the bed, claiming Iris's pillow with her face.
"I hate you both."
Laila sat on the bed next to her, snickering.
"Aww don't worry. I am proud of you, that was the most any of us has ever said against your mother-"
Iris cut in.
"-I beg to differ, you yourself have been upfront facing her your entire life. Judith's victory has just been the loudest of any of us-"
Rolling her eyes, Laila nodded.
"-well, yes. But still. It's more than I expected of you ukhti, plus. Did you do that hijab yourself?"
Judith's face shot out of the pillow, beaming.
"Yes!! I did!!"
"And did you steal that from my drawer again too!"
"Yes!! I..." Realising her words, her head slowly sank into the pillow again, embarrassed. "...did."
Iris shut her book to laugh loudly as Laila sighed, holding her veiled face in her palm.
"You guys have enough money, you should go out and buy some for yourself!"
A groan was heard from inside the pillow, followed by a whiny pout.
"But you always pick the best onesssss."
Her eyes nearly ached from rolling them again but roll them she did as Laila sighed, patting Judith's arm.
"Fine, I'll come with you to get some more."
Surprised, Iris and Judith looked up to her, one's mouth gaping and the other one's grinning.
"Really??"
Confused, Laila shrugged.
"Of course, why wouldn't I?"
Looking away, Judith rested her chin on the pillow again as Iris explained.
"We kind of… thought you still hated us and wouldn't want to be seen with us outside. We know that we can't always show we like you, not with our mother around so we're always afraid you think we don't love you."
Judith blurted out.
"Even when we were acting horrible to you, we still liked you a lot."
What? This was… new. If anything, Laila would've thought that it would be the other way round. The two were staring at her, bright yellow and blue beams gazing at her nervously. Taking in a breath, she tensed for a moment as she thought about explaining all of her feelings and emotions, explaining everything she'd felt these years and how her faith was in forgiveness- but then she relaxed and began to chuckle.
"Oh of course not, I'd love to show off my superior marketing knowledge in the face of all of your friends~"
Jumping on top of Judith's defenseless back, she laughed heartily.
"You ain't getting rid of me and my smug grin for a while~"
Relaxing and snickering herself, Iris jumped to the top of the pile - much to Judith's frustration.
"Bullies!!!"
However, she joined the joint laughter and softly murmured half to Laila, half to herself.
"That's good. I hope we never will."
Across the hall, Catherine sat in silence, listening to the girls' giggles from the other room.