Aisha doesn’t present her work as she is absent from class. The teacher explains that Aisha’s mother has sent her a message saying that her daughter has a fever and is unwell, so she can’t make the presentation. At this point, Maria, annoyed by the situation, frowns and doesn’t want to face the teacher, and the rest of her classmates laugh and look at each other with complicity . The teacher is intrigued and asks João, Manuel and Madalena how the work has gone and whether they had managed to help Aisha. In response, the students began to make up excuses to justify what had happened. At the end of the lesson, Maria approaches the teacher to describe what had happened when they were supposed to be working with Aisha. The teacher then calls the students together and talks to them about their attitudes, warning them about the effects of their behaviour. She then realises the possible reason for Aisha’s absence – she didn’t manage to do the work, nor was she able to accuse her classmates, who should have helped her and failed to do so. Later, furious, João picks his mobile phone up and impulsively writes a message to Aisha: “If you don’t understand, go back to your country! Ever since you arrived, you’ve been nothing but trouble. If you’ve moved, get on with it. If you tell anyone about this, you’ll see what happens to you. Aisha is shocked. Her classmates didn’t help her, she didn’t accuse them to steer clear of conflict and now she receives an intimidating message.
