The School in My Dreams

A story of hope, hard work, and the will to learn.

Chapter 1: Morning Without a Bell

In a small village near Dir, a 12-year-old boy named Bilal woke up at sunrise. Not to get ready for school — but to prepare his fruit cart. He had to help his father, who was ill, and support his family financially. As other children walked to school with bags on their backs, Bilal walked to the market with a wooden cart full of apples to sell them and earn some money to complete the necessary things for the house. But every time he saw a classroom, he slowed down… to watch what was happening inside. He watched the children laugh, write, and read aloud. Deep inside, he whispered, "One day, I will sit in that room too and make my future bright." He wanted to become an educated person who could help the children who wanted to study but were forced to work.

Chapter 2: The Friend with a Pencil

One day, while selling fruits near a school gate, a girl named Meena came to buy apples. She noticed Bilal staring at the school window, trying to watch something. "Do you want to study?" she asked gently. Bilal nodded, but looked down. "We can't afford school. I help my father instead." Meena thought for a moment. Then she handed him a pencil. "Let this be your start, but you have to work hard." From that day on, Meena would bring him one page of her lessons every evening. They sat on a stone under a tree, and she taught him slowly, bit by bit, so that he could understand clearly.

Chapter 3: Light After Sunset

Bilal worked all day, but after sunset, he opened Meena's pages. He practiced reading, writing his name, and solving sums with a small torchlight. His fingers were rough from pushing the cart, but he turned the pages gently, like they were made of gold. The villagers started noticing. Some laughed — "Fruit seller wants to be a doctor now?" But others admired his spirit; they all motivated Bilal to work hard and get success. One old teacher of the school near which Bilal used to sell his fruit saw him reading and said, "If you want, I'll teach you in the evenings for free." Bilal's eyes filled with tears. His dream had found a path.

Chapter 4: A Dream in Uniform

Months passed. Bilal learned faster than the teacher had expected. The old teacher arranged a scholarship for him. Finally, one morning, Bilal wore a school uniform for the first time in his life. He didn't walk with fruits anymore — he walked with books. Not toward the market — but into the classroom he had only dreamed of. His classmates clapped as he entered. Meena smiled the brightest.