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