Classroom 

The students sat silently in the classroom because the math teacher was a strict and fearsome man, which made them all focus intently on the board. He was explaining calculations, but no one could understand. When he finished, he asked, "Do you all understand?" The students replied, "Yes," out of fear of him.

Uncle Musa said, "Good, now let me give you classwork." 

The students panicked. Uncle Musa wrote two calculations on the board and told them to start. Suddenly, a girl no older than 15 years came running in, out of breath from her dash. The students watched as Uncle Musa shouted, "Stop there!!!" The girl stopped, trembling, her legs shaking.

Uncle Musa demanded, "Why are you late to my class?" In a shaky voice, the girl replied, "I'm sorry, Sir." She burst into tears, while the students quietly laughed, making sure the teacher didn't hear them.

Uncle Musa ordered, "Kneel down and give me your hand. Next time, you won't dare come late to my class." The girl extended her hand while crying, and he hit her without mercy. After kneeling, she went to her seat in the front row and sat down. He then instructed her to complete the classwork.

The poor girl took out her notebook and began to write. Within minutes, she finished the classwork and went to submit it. Uncle Musa watched her in amazement, and the students felt even more annoyed with her because she was more diligent and brilliant than them. The students continued their work until break time, when they went outside.

During break, I heard someone call out "Sa'eeda." It turned out to be the girl whom Uncle Musa had punished. She turned and saw Maryam calling her. Maryam asked, "Sa'eeda, what happened? You knew we had Uncle Musa today."

Worried, Sa'eeda replied, "Hmm, it was Umma Kande who sent me on an errand, and the place was far, that's why I was late."

Maryam looked at her in astonishment and said, "But she knows you have to go to school, and she still sent you even though she has older daughters." 

Sa'eeda gave a painful smile and said, "It's okay, it's just the way things are. One day it will just be a story."

They continued their conversation until it was time to return to class. They had more lessons until 2:00 PM, when school was dismissed, and they all went home.