The narrator, Maya, shares her story of being constantly belittled and bullied by her sisters, Laila and Selma, who are jealous of her beauty and unique features. Her father is also unsupportive and critical. Maya's mother is her only source of comfort and encouragement. When the family moves to a new city, Maya starts at a new school, where she faces more bullying from a girl named Nur.
Despite the challenges, Maya finds support from a boy who likes her and from her mother, who stands up for her against the bullies. In a dramatic turn of events, Selma, one of Maya's sisters, reveals that she has been jealous of Maya's beauty and personality all along, and the two sisters finally make amends.
Ultimately, Nur's bullying escalates, and she is expelled from school, along with Laila. The story concludes with Maya feeling empowered and confident in her own beauty and strength, thanks to the support of her mother and her newfound self-acceptance.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The narrator, Maya, is from Jordan.
2. Maya has two older sisters, Laila and Selma.
3. Maya's sisters have blonde hair, blue eyes, and light skin.
4. Maya has black eyes and curly hair.
5. Maya's family used to live with their father, but they left him and moved to a new place.
6. Maya's father divorced her mother after she decided to leave him.
7. Maya's sisters, Laila and Selma, were mean to her and made fun of her appearance.
8. Maya's mother was supportive of her and encouraged her to pursue her interests.
9. Maya wanted to attend an international school in the capital, but her sisters were opposed to the idea.
10. Maya's family eventually moved to the capital, and she started attending the international school.
11. At school, Maya met a girl named Nur who had red hair and was known for being mean.
12. Nur made fun of Maya's appearance and called her an "ugly duckling."
13. Maya stood up for herself and shouted at Nur and the other students.
14. Maya's sisters, Laila and Selma, appeared and apologized for Maya's behavior.
15. Maya discovered that Nur was bullying a younger girl in the bathroom and intervened to stop her.
16. Nur retaliated by revealing Maya's secret: she had burn scars on her stomach.
17. Maya's sisters, Laila and Selma, had told Nur about Maya's scars, which hurt Maya deeply.
18. Maya's mother stood up for her and confronted Nur, who was eventually expelled from school.
19. Maya's sister, Selma, surprisingly defended Maya and their mother against Nur.
20. Selma apologized to Maya for being mean to her in the past and told her that she admired her beauty and personality.
21. Maya forgave Selma and they hugged, marking a new beginning in their relationship.
22. Laila, on the other hand, was still mean to Maya and eventually moved out of their shared room.
23. Nur gave a presentation on Earth Day, but it was sabotaged when photos of Maya with mean comments appeared on the screen.
24. Nur was expelled from school, along with Laila, for bullying and mean behavior.
25. Maya's mother was proud of her for standing up for herself and being confident in her own skin.