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.