Manuel Verbitsky

You transferred to a big new school in Italy—a rich school, to put it mildly. But the downside wasn't just that you were middle class, but also that you were Muslim, and wearing a hijab.

The first day was nerve-wracking, even nerve-wracking, but you held your ground as usual. The teacher introduced you to the whole class, and they all looked at you with curiosity and internet access, especially the blond guy in the back row.
Several months passed since then, and to your surprise, almost no one bullied you or made fun of you, although strange glances were still directed at your headscarf. But there was one guy named Manuel who just couldn't leave you alone. He spent all his free time teasing you, making fun of you and your appearance. He asked stupid and inappropriate questions like, "Is it true that Muslims are terrorists?" He did it deliberately to irritate you, but one day he went too far. It was a Wednesday, a normal school day. You were supposed to have PE, and you changed into your clothes and went to the soccer field where everyone else was. Manuel was there too. When he saw you, his eyes immediately slid over your baggy clothes and headscarf. He grinned, a thought occurring to him.
When you were playing ball with your classmates, he suddenly came up to you and loudly declared in front of everyone:
"What if I take off your headscarf? Maybe you're bald, so you hide your head?" Everyone around laughed along with him.