The next month passed in a whirlwind of laces, silks and tons and tons of preparations, I had witnessed Reem and my sister Dana getting married but I was either too young or too busy with school to comprehend how much work it was. All the groom had to do was wait until his wedding day and shower, shave, put on his kandoora like any other day and it was done. I was sick of being prodded and scrubbed, it was my wedding day, and I felt sick to my stomach. Part of me wanted to curl up in bed and hide, calm down Deema and look at the big picture you’re finally getting what you always wanted. The prospect of studying abroad was what kept me sane, but I was ignoring the fact that I would be doing it as a married woman.
“Look at your face in the mirror 7abeebty you look so beautiful” said Reem, who was staying with me till the party started. I missed Manal, this is a moment you wanted to share with your best friend, she would tell me to relax and that my hair wasn’t too poofy and I didn’t look like a plastic doll, which is how I felt. But our friendship had gotten so mixed up I wondered if we’d ever be in the same room again.
“Are you ready, they’re waiting for you?”
Ok this is it Deema, there’s no turning back now.
* * *
The wedding went by in a daze, my only moment of comfort was when Ghaith showed up and sat next to me, he looked handsome and was grinning, and he gave me a peck on my forehead which almost sent me into hysterical giggles. He held my hand and whispered in my ear.
“Must put on a show for the ladies”
“Believe me you’ll be the hot topic of the month”
“Ha ha I know they love me bas intee 6al3a ‘3air elyoum” he whispered.
I stared at him angrily “are you making fun of me? Coz you know I can’t hit you in front of these women?”
“La Wallah I’m serious you look gorgeous” He grinned wickedly.
My heart started beating quickly, Deema don’t be an idiot, Ghaith has a thing for Manal don’t forget that.
It was finally over, I felt like an actress getting of the stage after a dramatic scene. The photographer was gone, our parents had left, it was just us now, me and my husband.
“So what’s next?” I asked.
“Well I don’t know about you but I’m tired and don’t forget we have a flight to catch tomorrow”
“Yeah Ok but where will you sleep?” I asked shyly.
Ghaith raised an eyebrow and stared at me.
Thank God I had a layer of makeup on my face so he couldn’t see how my cheeks had turned a bright shade of red.
“Deema, I’ll sleep on the floor, just go get dressed and go to sleep”
My damned cheeks wouldn’t stop their blushing.
I went into the bathroom and washed most of the makeup of my face, and contemplated how I would make it out of the room and into bed without Ghaith seeing me, I stared at the nightgown my mother forced me to buy, willing it to turn into something more decent. Ghaith’s knocking on the door was the only thing that made me move. I slipped into the silky white nightgown and wrapped the lacy robe around me. I opened the door slightly and peeked outside, Ghaith was no where to be seen, I guessed he left the room and made a leap for the bed. I quickly tucked myself in and closed my eyes to fake sleep.
“That was fast” he said from under the covers.
“Bismillah! What the hell are you doing in the bed?” I screamed.
“Well I couldn’t find any extra pillows, bed sheets or anything in this room and I need to sleep”
“And you expect me to sleep here, next to you?” I said sarcastically.
“Well I don’t know about you but I’m too tired and come on it’s just a bed, don’t be such a baby about this”
I lay there silently hearing his breathing in the darkness, the last thought I had was I will never be able to sleep next to him.
I dreamt I was in an amusement park with the safety belt holding my waist tightly until I could barely breathe; I woke up realizing Ghaith was hugging me tightly in his sleep. It was six in the morning and my alarm was ringing incessantly. We had two hours to get ready before our flight. I tried prying Ghaith’s arm from around me but it only made him hug me tighter now with both arms. This is ridiculous!
“Ghaith wake up!” I screamed.
“wha- what’s going on?” he said groggily, “Oh God I’m sorry Deema I must have been dreaming.”
Dreaming of whom, I wondered.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Forever Yours 6
The next month passed in a whirlwind of laces, silks and tons and tons of preparations, I had witnessed Reem and my sister Dana getting married but I was either too young or too busy with school to comprehend how much work it was. All the groom had to do was wait until his wedding day and shower, shave, put on his kandoora like any other day and it was done. I was sick of being prodded and scrubbed, it was my wedding day, and I felt sick to my stomach. Part of me wanted to curl up in bed and hide, calm down Deema and look at the big picture you’re finally getting what you always wanted. The prospect of studying abroad was what kept me sane, but I was ignoring the fact that I would be doing it as a married woman.
“Look at your face in the mirror 7abeebty you look so beautiful” said Reem, who was staying with me till the party started. I missed Manal, this is a moment you wanted to share with your best friend, she would tell me to relax and that my hair wasn’t too poofy and I didn’t look like a plastic doll, which is how I felt. But our friendship had gotten so mixed up I wondered if we’d ever be in the same room again.
“Are you ready, they’re waiting for you?”
Ok this is it Deema, there’s no turning back now.
* * *
The wedding went by in a daze, my only moment of comfort was when Ghaith showed up and sat next to me, he looked handsome and was grinning, and he gave me a peck on my forehead which almost sent me into hysterical giggles. He held my hand and whispered in my ear.
“Must put on a show for the ladies”
“Believe me you’ll be the hot topic of the month”
“Ha ha I know they love me bas intee 6al3a ‘3air elyoum” he whispered.
I stared at him angrily “Are you making fun of me? Coz you know I can’t hit you in front of these women?”
“La Wallah I’m serious you look gorgeous” He grinned wickedly.
My heart started beating quickly, Deema don’t be an idiot, Ghaith has a thing for Manal don’t forget that.
“Look at your face in the mirror 7abeebty you look so beautiful” said Reem, who was staying with me till the party started. I missed Manal, this is a moment you wanted to share with your best friend, she would tell me to relax and that my hair wasn’t too poofy and I didn’t look like a plastic doll, which is how I felt. But our friendship had gotten so mixed up I wondered if we’d ever be in the same room again.
“Are you ready, they’re waiting for you?”
Ok this is it Deema, there’s no turning back now.
* * *
The wedding went by in a daze, my only moment of comfort was when Ghaith showed up and sat next to me, he looked handsome and was grinning, and he gave me a peck on my forehead which almost sent me into hysterical giggles. He held my hand and whispered in my ear.
“Must put on a show for the ladies”
“Believe me you’ll be the hot topic of the month”
“Ha ha I know they love me bas intee 6al3a ‘3air elyoum” he whispered.
I stared at him angrily “Are you making fun of me? Coz you know I can’t hit you in front of these women?”
“La Wallah I’m serious you look gorgeous” He grinned wickedly.
My heart started beating quickly, Deema don’t be an idiot, Ghaith has a thing for Manal don’t forget that.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Forever Yours 5
I’m not usually an impulsive person but something about Manal’s tone and the fact she was in Paris probably having a great time got to me, and made me act childish. I called Reem and it turned out she was out. Ufff! Mush wagtah!
I ran up to the roof and peeked into their garage I could see Ghaith’s car parked there and felt relief, at least he was home. I knew I couldn’t just walk over to their house especially since my parents were home but I had to find a way to talk to him. I called Reem up again.
“Halla Reem, sorry to bother you but I needed to ask you if you saw my mum’s diamond bracelet I was wearing it that day when I came to help you pack your baby’s things… I was wondering if there was anyone home who could look for it.”
“I could tell the maid but I think it’s better if I tell Ghaith or Hamad, I’ll call you back sweetie with an update”
“uuuum actually I’m in a hurry maybe it’ll be faster if I speak to them myself?”
Yes! I finally got his number, I quickly sent a text to Ghaith to let him call me urgently.
“Halla Ghaith, thank God you called”
“Laish ma 3endech re9eed?”
“Shuuuu? No I just thought you wouldn’t answer if you didn’t know it was me”
He laughed lazily, that’s when I realized he was intentionally teasing me.
“I’m guessing the 17 missed calls I got from Manal are your fault?”
“Yeah I kind of told her about … us”
“Ok so the plan is on? You know if you agree to this there’s no going back right?”
A huge lump wedged itself in my throat, “Yes I get it”
“Ok that’s good because I already told my parents and my mother talked to your mother this morning, in fact she should be telling you by now”
The knock on my door sent me jumping of the bed.
“I’m going to kill you” I whispered before hanging up.
I opened the door to find my mother all teary eyed.
“7abeebty banootatyah Deema” she said hugging me.
What followed was the most uncomfortable conversation of my life; I knew my mum had gone through this before with my sister Dana but I felt like I was playing a game of make-believe.
Thankfully, my parents approved of Ghaith and everything was going according to plan.
We would have a small family wedding since it was summer and lots of our friends and family weren’t even in the country. We had a month to prepare and we’d be in the UK before college starts.
I called Ghaith up as soon as my mum left the room.
“You could have warned me you know”
“And hello to you too ya ‘5a6eebty” he laughed “you wouldn’t have had that doe-eyed expression if you knew it was coming”
“Oh please, what if I said No to your plan?”
“Then you could have said no, simple as that”
“Except that my dad wouldn’t have let me refuse you, you idiot”
“Oh come on this is a time for celebration Deema try to act happy”
“Are you happy?” I whispered.
“Deema I wouldn’t want to be doing this with anyone else” He said softly.
My heart started beating hurriedly, “Yeah coz no other girl would be stupid enough to go through this plan with you” I said trying to lighten the suddenly serious mood.
“You’re not stupid, you’re an evil genius” He said, I could imagine the huge grin on his face as he said that.
“Good Night Ghaith”
“Good Night Deema”
As I got ready for bed, Reem called me, ecstatic about the news about me and Ghaith.
“I can’t believe you two kept that a secret from me!”
“7beebty Reem it all happened so fast I didn’t want to jinx it and your brother told me to keep it a secret”
“That’s Ghaith’s way, wayed mysterious hal ensan, so did you find your bracelet?”
“Bracelet? Oh the bracelet turned out to be in my room, sorry about that”
“Don’t worry 7beebty, it must be your secret romance that made you all forgetful” she said laughing.
I ran up to the roof and peeked into their garage I could see Ghaith’s car parked there and felt relief, at least he was home. I knew I couldn’t just walk over to their house especially since my parents were home but I had to find a way to talk to him. I called Reem up again.
“Halla Reem, sorry to bother you but I needed to ask you if you saw my mum’s diamond bracelet I was wearing it that day when I came to help you pack your baby’s things… I was wondering if there was anyone home who could look for it.”
“I could tell the maid but I think it’s better if I tell Ghaith or Hamad, I’ll call you back sweetie with an update”
“uuuum actually I’m in a hurry maybe it’ll be faster if I speak to them myself?”
Yes! I finally got his number, I quickly sent a text to Ghaith to let him call me urgently.
“Halla Ghaith, thank God you called”
“Laish ma 3endech re9eed?”
“Shuuuu? No I just thought you wouldn’t answer if you didn’t know it was me”
He laughed lazily, that’s when I realized he was intentionally teasing me.
“I’m guessing the 17 missed calls I got from Manal are your fault?”
“Yeah I kind of told her about … us”
“Ok so the plan is on? You know if you agree to this there’s no going back right?”
A huge lump wedged itself in my throat, “Yes I get it”
“Ok that’s good because I already told my parents and my mother talked to your mother this morning, in fact she should be telling you by now”
The knock on my door sent me jumping of the bed.
“I’m going to kill you” I whispered before hanging up.
I opened the door to find my mother all teary eyed.
“7abeebty banootatyah Deema” she said hugging me.
What followed was the most uncomfortable conversation of my life; I knew my mum had gone through this before with my sister Dana but I felt like I was playing a game of make-believe.
Thankfully, my parents approved of Ghaith and everything was going according to plan.
We would have a small family wedding since it was summer and lots of our friends and family weren’t even in the country. We had a month to prepare and we’d be in the UK before college starts.
I called Ghaith up as soon as my mum left the room.
“You could have warned me you know”
“And hello to you too ya ‘5a6eebty” he laughed “you wouldn’t have had that doe-eyed expression if you knew it was coming”
“Oh please, what if I said No to your plan?”
“Then you could have said no, simple as that”
“Except that my dad wouldn’t have let me refuse you, you idiot”
“Oh come on this is a time for celebration Deema try to act happy”
“Are you happy?” I whispered.
“Deema I wouldn’t want to be doing this with anyone else” He said softly.
My heart started beating hurriedly, “Yeah coz no other girl would be stupid enough to go through this plan with you” I said trying to lighten the suddenly serious mood.
“You’re not stupid, you’re an evil genius” He said, I could imagine the huge grin on his face as he said that.
“Good Night Ghaith”
“Good Night Deema”
As I got ready for bed, Reem called me, ecstatic about the news about me and Ghaith.
“I can’t believe you two kept that a secret from me!”
“7beebty Reem it all happened so fast I didn’t want to jinx it and your brother told me to keep it a secret”
“That’s Ghaith’s way, wayed mysterious hal ensan, so did you find your bracelet?”
“Bracelet? Oh the bracelet turned out to be in my room, sorry about that”
“Don’t worry 7beebty, it must be your secret romance that made you all forgetful” she said laughing.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Forever Yours 4
I decided not to tell anyone since I obviously couldn’t tell my best friend Manal or Reem since she was Ghaith’s sister. I was seriously considering this offer since my father was pressuring me into changing my major to finance which I hated. This must be what Cinderella felt like when her fairy godmother showed up granting all her wishes but, even that came with strings attached. I knew Ghaith was a perfect gentleman and since he went for Manal’s type I knew he would never think of me in that way but it felt like a trap, what if you fall in love with someone else, I thought to myself. But part of me knew that wasn’t likely since I never fell for a guy before, unlike Manal I was so anti-love.
I was never interested in the guys Manal tried to get me to go out with so we could “double date” as she called it. I didn’t approve of her ways and never kept that a secret from her, we were an odd couple of friends but we were childhood friends and we always stuck together. She understood that my outward snobbery was just a mask hiding my shyness and I knew that her rebellion was a stab at her parents for getting a divorce. Everyone at school judged us at face value and we didn’t care. The whole Ghaith debacle was the last straw for our fragile friendship, we were growing apart especially as graduation was nearing and Manal was planning on studying at AUS.
My phone rang distracting me from my thoughts. It was Manal calling; I hesitated and reluctantly picked up.
“Deeeeeema! Intee wayn I called you a million times ya shireera, laish ma treden 3alaya?”
“Halla Manal, Ummm I’ve been busy” I said, not bothering to make up an excuse.
“Ha Ha! Oh come on Sweetie what’s keeping you so busy in AD?” She said sarcastically.
That hurt, as if I couldn’t do anything interesting without her.
“Well actually it’s good you called, Barkeely 7beebty I’m getting married”
“What?!”
“Yeah it all happened so suddenly” I laughed one of her super fake laughs, ignoring the shock I heard “It’s someone you know actually… Ghaith, we kind of hit it off when you left and we’ve been inseparable since, he even insisted we get married before he leaves for the UK so we can study there together, isn’t that adorable?”
“Umm Deema I have to go” She said and hung up.
I knew she’d call Ghaith to interrogate him, but I was sure he wouldn’t answer anyway. Or would he?
I didn’t have his number and had no patience for an online conversation; I needed to talk to him now.
I was never interested in the guys Manal tried to get me to go out with so we could “double date” as she called it. I didn’t approve of her ways and never kept that a secret from her, we were an odd couple of friends but we were childhood friends and we always stuck together. She understood that my outward snobbery was just a mask hiding my shyness and I knew that her rebellion was a stab at her parents for getting a divorce. Everyone at school judged us at face value and we didn’t care. The whole Ghaith debacle was the last straw for our fragile friendship, we were growing apart especially as graduation was nearing and Manal was planning on studying at AUS.
My phone rang distracting me from my thoughts. It was Manal calling; I hesitated and reluctantly picked up.
“Deeeeeema! Intee wayn I called you a million times ya shireera, laish ma treden 3alaya?”
“Halla Manal, Ummm I’ve been busy” I said, not bothering to make up an excuse.
“Ha Ha! Oh come on Sweetie what’s keeping you so busy in AD?” She said sarcastically.
That hurt, as if I couldn’t do anything interesting without her.
“Well actually it’s good you called, Barkeely 7beebty I’m getting married”
“What?!”
“Yeah it all happened so suddenly” I laughed one of her super fake laughs, ignoring the shock I heard “It’s someone you know actually… Ghaith, we kind of hit it off when you left and we’ve been inseparable since, he even insisted we get married before he leaves for the UK so we can study there together, isn’t that adorable?”
“Umm Deema I have to go” She said and hung up.
I knew she’d call Ghaith to interrogate him, but I was sure he wouldn’t answer anyway. Or would he?
I didn’t have his number and had no patience for an online conversation; I needed to talk to him now.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Forever Yours 3
I could barely see who it was in the darkness, I could see the tip of his glowing cigarette however I knew instantly that it was Ghaith.
“Hmm? Mnu hnak?” I decided to play all innocent.
“Wallah 7elwa hay, your standing in front of my house and acting like 3yooz m’5arfa”
“Oh God Ghaith, do you have to be so rude?”
“Do you have to act that way?” He said getting closer to me, his bitterness was obvious.
“Sorry I was just passing by to visit Reem when I remembered she went out”
“Well for some reason I don’t believe you, you know when you lie you talk a lot faster then when you’re saying the truth”
“Oh…” I found myself, for once, lost for words.
“So tell me what the real reason behind this mysterious visit?”
We went to sit in their large garden, the fountain gushing softly, while the trees trembled in a cool breeze.
“Well Ghaith I feel responsible for something that happened to you recently and I needed to apologize for it, it’s about Manal”
“I don’t want to talk about her!” He said angrily, his eyes burning into me.
“Sorry” I whispered, this is so awkward, me and my stupid interfering ways.
“Anway intee ma y’59ech” he said, lighting up another cigarette.
“I know but she’s my friend and I could have warned you about her”
His thunderous laugh surprised me and hurt me slightly, I felt like such a naïve fool.
“I don’t have to put up with this” I said getting up to leave. I felt his large hand grasp my wrist sending my heart fluttering, this was the first time a man who wasn’t my father touched me.
“Wait, don’t leave”
“Ok but I won’t stay if you keep on treating me this way” I said, taken aback by the softness in his voice.
“Deema you have to understand that I’m not a kid for a girl like that to truly hurt me, it was more of a blow to my ego, but I feel suffocated in AD after what happened and my family is making it very difficult for me to leave”
“Well ... what can you do?”
“I have no idea” he said, he put his head in his hands his fingers tousling his curly brown locks. “I can’t bear the thought of marrying a complete stranger and time is running out if I want to start by next semester.”
“Come on Ghaith I’m sure your mum will pick a pretty girl for you”
“It’s not about looks bas ma aba a’9lemha ma3aya, I’m not interested in a relationship right now”
“Well then you should marry me” I said jokingly “I’d never fall for you”
He stared at me intensely, making me blush nervously.
“Ghaith you know ana amza7 ma3ak right?”
“well Deema that actually gave me a great idea, you know how you always wanted to study abroad, why don’t we make this a reality for you without you having to deal with your family’s strict rules”
“Come on Ghaith” I giggled nervously “you can’t be serious”
“Look I promise not to give you any pressure; this is strictly a marriage on paper only.”
“I have to think about it” I said, not sure if this was a good idea. I got up to go to my house; we traded emails since we decided to finish this online via messenger.
Deema are you crazy? You’re surely playing with fire.
“Hmm? Mnu hnak?” I decided to play all innocent.
“Wallah 7elwa hay, your standing in front of my house and acting like 3yooz m’5arfa”
“Oh God Ghaith, do you have to be so rude?”
“Do you have to act that way?” He said getting closer to me, his bitterness was obvious.
“Sorry I was just passing by to visit Reem when I remembered she went out”
“Well for some reason I don’t believe you, you know when you lie you talk a lot faster then when you’re saying the truth”
“Oh…” I found myself, for once, lost for words.
“So tell me what the real reason behind this mysterious visit?”
We went to sit in their large garden, the fountain gushing softly, while the trees trembled in a cool breeze.
“Well Ghaith I feel responsible for something that happened to you recently and I needed to apologize for it, it’s about Manal”
“I don’t want to talk about her!” He said angrily, his eyes burning into me.
“Sorry” I whispered, this is so awkward, me and my stupid interfering ways.
“Anway intee ma y’59ech” he said, lighting up another cigarette.
“I know but she’s my friend and I could have warned you about her”
His thunderous laugh surprised me and hurt me slightly, I felt like such a naïve fool.
“I don’t have to put up with this” I said getting up to leave. I felt his large hand grasp my wrist sending my heart fluttering, this was the first time a man who wasn’t my father touched me.
“Wait, don’t leave”
“Ok but I won’t stay if you keep on treating me this way” I said, taken aback by the softness in his voice.
“Deema you have to understand that I’m not a kid for a girl like that to truly hurt me, it was more of a blow to my ego, but I feel suffocated in AD after what happened and my family is making it very difficult for me to leave”
“Well ... what can you do?”
“I have no idea” he said, he put his head in his hands his fingers tousling his curly brown locks. “I can’t bear the thought of marrying a complete stranger and time is running out if I want to start by next semester.”
“Come on Ghaith I’m sure your mum will pick a pretty girl for you”
“It’s not about looks bas ma aba a’9lemha ma3aya, I’m not interested in a relationship right now”
“Well then you should marry me” I said jokingly “I’d never fall for you”
He stared at me intensely, making me blush nervously.
“Ghaith you know ana amza7 ma3ak right?”
“well Deema that actually gave me a great idea, you know how you always wanted to study abroad, why don’t we make this a reality for you without you having to deal with your family’s strict rules”
“Come on Ghaith” I giggled nervously “you can’t be serious”
“Look I promise not to give you any pressure; this is strictly a marriage on paper only.”
“I have to think about it” I said, not sure if this was a good idea. I got up to go to my house; we traded emails since we decided to finish this online via messenger.
Deema are you crazy? You’re surely playing with fire.
Forever Yours 2
Ghaith’s family were our neighbors since childhood, his younger sister Reem was a close friend of mine and I spent most of my childhood in their busy home, playing with Reem who is an only girl in the middle of four brothers, getting annoyed by her older brothers Mohammed and Ghaith and babysitting the twins Hamad and Ahmed.
Reem is older than me by three years and since she got married last year, I haven’t been to their house since. She moved to Dubai with her husband and we keep in touch my messaging or calling but I barely get their news these days. Ghaith who was 24 had just graduated from a college in the UK and I knew he was back since my dad and mum were invited to a celebratory dinner at their house. The last time I saw him was a few weeks ago but I had no idea this romance was going on between him and Manal.
I was sitting by the front gate waiting for the tutor to arrive when a brand new black Range Rover pulled up in front of me.
“Deema is that you?” came a deep male voice from the car. I looked up to find a man staring at me.
“Ghaith Yes of course it’s me, who else would be sitting here, I have a tutor coming and she doesn’t recognize our house”
“I thought you were some poor old women or something sorry” He chuckled to himself.
My cheeks turned a bright shade of red, “Ha Ha ‘6a7aktny,” Men could be so childish sometime but I was trying to hide my hello kitty pjs under my abaya so he wouldn’t find something else to joke about. “So how’s life now that you’re back in AD?” I said trying to change the subject, I wasn’t used to joking around with Ghaith the last time we saw each other was before he left for the UK and I felt uncomfortable with the new him, His close shaven beard and the ghitra and 3egal made him look older than the mischievous boy I remembered. He was tall and attractive, with chocolaty eyes that any girl would melt into but to me he was still Ghaith who put chocolate in my hair as a kid.
“It’s great but I’m not planning on staying here for long, I’m planning in getting my masters next”
“you guys are so lucky, you have the option of studying wherever you want”
“Hmm I guess but it does come with strings attached, you know”
“Like what?” I asked curiously.
“Like ….” He looked at me hesitantly, as if he wasn’t sure he should be confiding in me.
I did my best innocent expression, which worked like a charm.
“Like my parents want me to get married first,”
“aaaah ok and you don’t have anyone in mind or your scared who your mum will choose for you?”
“No I have someone in mind I’m just not sure she’s ready for that yet”
Little did I know he meant Manal.
* * *
“Deema, are you listening to me?!”
“Yes, Yes I’m listening akeed” I said. From what I could wrap my head around Manal and Ghaith had met and started flirting which led to endless phone conversations and sightings around my house. I’d been so caught up in the finals that I didn’t realize what was happening around me. Manal wasn’t a slutty girl who would throw herself at him but she’d broken so many hearts over the past year that I had an inevitable sense of doom about where this would go.
“Manal you know Ghaith isn’t like the guys you play around with”
“Deema 7aram 3alaich you make me sound like a freak”
“Mush qasdee shay but you know he’s like a brother to me”
“Don’t worry 7abeebty I’ll take good care of him” She laughed.
A month later
My phone pinged indicating a new message from Manal
Deemz wish u were with me right now in Paris
The guys are H O T
Miss u
XOXO
This was the twentieth message I got from her since she left a week ago, we had a huge fight about her breakup with Ghaith. Careless Manal left me to clean up her mess as I was stuck in AD for the summer. Reem was expecting her first baby and since her due date was near she was staying at her parents’ house. Reem told me all about Ghaith’s bad mood given that he confided in her I was there to hear her curse Manal a million times for hurting her big brother. I also knew he was dealing wih family pressure to get married since Mohammed and Reem were both married and starting their own families. I knew I had to do something about it because it was driving me insane with guilt.
I walked over to Ghaith’s house on the pretense of visiting Reem when I knew for sure she was out with her mum, they were invited to a dinner at a friend’s house and I knew these things lasted for hours. I was just about to knock on the door when I realized what I was doing and quickly turned to go back home, Deema you are such a coward!
“Deema is that you?”
Oh No
Reem is older than me by three years and since she got married last year, I haven’t been to their house since. She moved to Dubai with her husband and we keep in touch my messaging or calling but I barely get their news these days. Ghaith who was 24 had just graduated from a college in the UK and I knew he was back since my dad and mum were invited to a celebratory dinner at their house. The last time I saw him was a few weeks ago but I had no idea this romance was going on between him and Manal.
I was sitting by the front gate waiting for the tutor to arrive when a brand new black Range Rover pulled up in front of me.
“Deema is that you?” came a deep male voice from the car. I looked up to find a man staring at me.
“Ghaith Yes of course it’s me, who else would be sitting here, I have a tutor coming and she doesn’t recognize our house”
“I thought you were some poor old women or something sorry” He chuckled to himself.
My cheeks turned a bright shade of red, “Ha Ha ‘6a7aktny,” Men could be so childish sometime but I was trying to hide my hello kitty pjs under my abaya so he wouldn’t find something else to joke about. “So how’s life now that you’re back in AD?” I said trying to change the subject, I wasn’t used to joking around with Ghaith the last time we saw each other was before he left for the UK and I felt uncomfortable with the new him, His close shaven beard and the ghitra and 3egal made him look older than the mischievous boy I remembered. He was tall and attractive, with chocolaty eyes that any girl would melt into but to me he was still Ghaith who put chocolate in my hair as a kid.
“It’s great but I’m not planning on staying here for long, I’m planning in getting my masters next”
“you guys are so lucky, you have the option of studying wherever you want”
“Hmm I guess but it does come with strings attached, you know”
“Like what?” I asked curiously.
“Like ….” He looked at me hesitantly, as if he wasn’t sure he should be confiding in me.
I did my best innocent expression, which worked like a charm.
“Like my parents want me to get married first,”
“aaaah ok and you don’t have anyone in mind or your scared who your mum will choose for you?”
“No I have someone in mind I’m just not sure she’s ready for that yet”
Little did I know he meant Manal.
* * *
“Deema, are you listening to me?!”
“Yes, Yes I’m listening akeed” I said. From what I could wrap my head around Manal and Ghaith had met and started flirting which led to endless phone conversations and sightings around my house. I’d been so caught up in the finals that I didn’t realize what was happening around me. Manal wasn’t a slutty girl who would throw herself at him but she’d broken so many hearts over the past year that I had an inevitable sense of doom about where this would go.
“Manal you know Ghaith isn’t like the guys you play around with”
“Deema 7aram 3alaich you make me sound like a freak”
“Mush qasdee shay but you know he’s like a brother to me”
“Don’t worry 7abeebty I’ll take good care of him” She laughed.
A month later
My phone pinged indicating a new message from Manal
Deemz wish u were with me right now in Paris
The guys are H O T
Miss u
XOXO
This was the twentieth message I got from her since she left a week ago, we had a huge fight about her breakup with Ghaith. Careless Manal left me to clean up her mess as I was stuck in AD for the summer. Reem was expecting her first baby and since her due date was near she was staying at her parents’ house. Reem told me all about Ghaith’s bad mood given that he confided in her I was there to hear her curse Manal a million times for hurting her big brother. I also knew he was dealing wih family pressure to get married since Mohammed and Reem were both married and starting their own families. I knew I had to do something about it because it was driving me insane with guilt.
I walked over to Ghaith’s house on the pretense of visiting Reem when I knew for sure she was out with her mum, they were invited to a dinner at a friend’s house and I knew these things lasted for hours. I was just about to knock on the door when I realized what I was doing and quickly turned to go back home, Deema you are such a coward!
“Deema is that you?”
Oh No
Friday, May 22, 2009
Forever Yours 1
I never thought this day would come or that I would ever feel this way towards Him, my husband, and the man that should have been my prince charming but turned up as my fairy godmother instead. I was in love with him and that was a fact that I couldn’t ignore anymore.
"No! This can’t be happening to me! This isn’t what I planned”
The Beginning
I woke up to hear someone knocking hurriedly on my door.
“I’m asleep! Go away!”
“Is this anyway to greet your best friend who has some very important news to tell you?”
“Best friends know not to wake me up before noon on the first day of my summer holiday” I said as I reluctantly got up and opened the door to find Manal standing there in all her glory, silky abaya fluttering around her slim frame, in her fuchsia skinny jeans and baby blue tee. Her highlighted blond locks caught in a lazy puffed do, that I knew took ages to get right.
“Aren’t you a little overdressed for a casual visit?”
“7abeebty if you think this effort is for you intee ‘3al6ana, I’m all dressed up because were going out, but first I have something to tell you” she said, tossing her abaya and jumping on my bed.
“Ok so what is it?” I asked as I picked up her abaya and hung it up so it wouldn’t get creased.
“Deema at least try to act interested” She said irritably. I could see she was getting mad but didn’t really care; I loved torturing her this way.
“agoolech no one told you to wake me from sleep you know what a crappy mood I have in the morning”
“Please I suffered enough through our last year of high school, please make sure you don’t get any early morning classes in college sweetie” She said laughing softly.
“Don’t even mention college to me I’m still mad at my parents for not letting me go to the college of my dreams”
“ma7ad galech, your living in a dream world if you think your parents will let you travel abroad to study”
She was right of course since my parents were strict and didn’t let me get away with half the stuff her parents did.
I sat in front of the mirror and started brushing my black hair, I tried puffing it up like Manal’s hair but it stubbornly refused and slid silkily out of my grasp.
Manal came up behind me and twisted my hair up into a cute up do.
“I love your straight hair D”
“And I would kill for your bleached blonde locks”
We sat there smiling at each other through the mirror, me with my huge caramel eyes and pouty but small lips and little cute nose, my pale skin looked freakish when I compared it to Manal’s glowing complexion, her almond shaped eyes sexily rimmed with black kohl and large Angelina like lips glossed a bright shade of pink.
I hated comparing myself to her, I was pretty yes but she was gorgeous.
“So tell me, what’s the important news?”
She Grinned, “Deema… I’m in LOVE”
“Oh God” I groaned, Manal fell in and out of love on a monthly basis, she was like a beautiful butterfly flitting from one flower to the next. “So who’s the vict…I mean Lucky guy”
“It’s Ghaith” she said blushing.
I could see my reaction reflected in the mirror, my face fell but I quickly replaced it with a frozen smile. Ghaith, my neighbor it can’t be him.
“So how did it happen?”
“Well you know how we’ve been studying together these past few weeks at your house, well I met him outside your house and …”She continued to tell me the story but my mind was racing to figure out how I could save him from the inevitable heart break that would surely follow.
"No! This can’t be happening to me! This isn’t what I planned”
The Beginning
I woke up to hear someone knocking hurriedly on my door.
“I’m asleep! Go away!”
“Is this anyway to greet your best friend who has some very important news to tell you?”
“Best friends know not to wake me up before noon on the first day of my summer holiday” I said as I reluctantly got up and opened the door to find Manal standing there in all her glory, silky abaya fluttering around her slim frame, in her fuchsia skinny jeans and baby blue tee. Her highlighted blond locks caught in a lazy puffed do, that I knew took ages to get right.
“Aren’t you a little overdressed for a casual visit?”
“7abeebty if you think this effort is for you intee ‘3al6ana, I’m all dressed up because were going out, but first I have something to tell you” she said, tossing her abaya and jumping on my bed.
“Ok so what is it?” I asked as I picked up her abaya and hung it up so it wouldn’t get creased.
“Deema at least try to act interested” She said irritably. I could see she was getting mad but didn’t really care; I loved torturing her this way.
“agoolech no one told you to wake me from sleep you know what a crappy mood I have in the morning”
“Please I suffered enough through our last year of high school, please make sure you don’t get any early morning classes in college sweetie” She said laughing softly.
“Don’t even mention college to me I’m still mad at my parents for not letting me go to the college of my dreams”
“ma7ad galech, your living in a dream world if you think your parents will let you travel abroad to study”
She was right of course since my parents were strict and didn’t let me get away with half the stuff her parents did.
I sat in front of the mirror and started brushing my black hair, I tried puffing it up like Manal’s hair but it stubbornly refused and slid silkily out of my grasp.
Manal came up behind me and twisted my hair up into a cute up do.
“I love your straight hair D”
“And I would kill for your bleached blonde locks”
We sat there smiling at each other through the mirror, me with my huge caramel eyes and pouty but small lips and little cute nose, my pale skin looked freakish when I compared it to Manal’s glowing complexion, her almond shaped eyes sexily rimmed with black kohl and large Angelina like lips glossed a bright shade of pink.
I hated comparing myself to her, I was pretty yes but she was gorgeous.
“So tell me, what’s the important news?”
She Grinned, “Deema… I’m in LOVE”
“Oh God” I groaned, Manal fell in and out of love on a monthly basis, she was like a beautiful butterfly flitting from one flower to the next. “So who’s the vict…I mean Lucky guy”
“It’s Ghaith” she said blushing.
I could see my reaction reflected in the mirror, my face fell but I quickly replaced it with a frozen smile. Ghaith, my neighbor it can’t be him.
“So how did it happen?”
“Well you know how we’ve been studying together these past few weeks at your house, well I met him outside your house and …”She continued to tell me the story but my mind was racing to figure out how I could save him from the inevitable heart break that would surely follow.
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