The Storm Beneath Her Calm

My name is Samiyah Al-Faiz. I was born in Najran, rural Saudi Arabia, to a family of poor farmers. I should have been married off to some older man but lucky for me I was brilliant, and won one of the King's Scholarships. That's how I ended up at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. In this strange new world, I made a wonderful friend, Jacob Henderson. Even though he was born and raised in Canada, and studied at the University of Ottawa, he's ill-at-ease here, just like I am. Me for my Muslim faith and culture, him because he's black. Jacob offered to teach me how to drive, an opportunity I couldn't pass up. Women aren't allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. With Jacob as my guide, I began to explore new things. We fell in love. If my family finds out about us, I'm a dead woman. Wish us luck, Insha'Allah !