Amani rested his books against the bright yellow wall of the St. Bonifatius College corridor, the morning sunlight streaming through high windows to gild the polished floor. Lockers clanged and laughter echoed down the hallway as classmates shuffled to their first lessons.
Already, groups were whispering and pointing; some turned to smile at him as he passed. The chatter stopped for a moment when he caught an eye-line, and a small wave of recognition passed over the teenagers.
In one direct glance, a girl mouthed Hamadi! and grinned, as if seeing a pop star on the street. Amani felt a flush under his skin and hurried past, tucking his hands in his pockets.
"Let's go," he muttered to Malik, his close friend and fellow teammate, who sidled up beside him at that moment. Malik laughed, a low warm sound. "Easy, Professor Hamadi. You're going to be late for geography if you're swooning at your fans." The bell ringing above their heads cut through the murmurs, sending them scattering.
