I'm sorry about not posting regularly! I try as hard as I can ena I post as soon as possible whenever there's wi-fi. Since I'm out of the country, I really hope you guys like this chapter.
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"Shokran" He whispered with a smile tugging on his lips; his voice made my blood feel warm, but it didn't send shivers down my spine like Faisal's did. I put the tray on the table and sat beside my father like any good girl would do. After 5 full minutes of awkward silence my father stood up and said, "ana bagom w ba5likom ttkalmon bra7tkom bes Lita btjy tg3ed 3indkom." If it was possible my blush turned an even deeper shade of red.
"Maha, kaifek?" Faris asked very politely and shyly. "El7amdellah, ent shlonik?" my voice was very low and I was sitting in the couch across him at the very far end. "I won't bite you tara, you can come closer."
We spent half an hour talking about all kinds of things; he was really sweet. "Ummm, guilty pleasure?" I asked him with a smile after recovering from laughing so hard at something he said. "Jersey Shore. Adry wallah, bes kint fa9'y mara w shft'h w 3algt" he said with a blush. I was shocked but I laughed, "and what is yours?" He asked smiling. "Hmmm... I like to have Reese's with vanilla ice cream and peanut butter" I said licking my lips, his disgusted expression making me laugh.
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It's been 2 weeks since Faris came over, our engagement is now official. 3 weeks since I texted the number Anoud gave me, and I still didn't get any response. My winter break is over, and now I'm heading back to California. I was on the phone with Faris, things were going really well between us. I really liked him; he was the sweetest guy ever. His voice interrupted my thoughts "entbhy 3la nafsik, Maha." I could feel the blush creeping on my neck, "ee enshallah. Ent entbh 3la nafsik b3d" I said the last part in a whisper. "GALBOS ENTO WALLAH" Anoud shouted ruining the moment. Faris laughed loudly, and then said "yallah 7bebti estwd3tik allah, enshallah shahr w ana 3ndik." "Enshallaah" I said smiling.
"Yallaah 3ad 9arlkom sana sakten bltelephone!" Anoud said purposely to snap us out of our moment. "To9leen bilsalamah 7bebty" he said and I noticed that the background noise subsided. I didn't think I could get any redder, but I did once he said '7bebty'. I let out a nervous giggle, and whispered a 'bye'.
"Mi9lkm yaa5y! BUT YOU'RE SO CUTE!" Anoud was very loud, "eff minik enty! Ma t5alen a7d fe 7alh!" I said pretending to be annoyed. She gave me a knowing smile, "Mahouy e3tarfyy! You like him, don't you?" I blushed and nodded "a lot" I added as emphasis. "Bes 3anoud.." I trailed off and she sighed and said "Faisal?"
"Adry mal umy da3y bes I can't stop thinking about him" I whined sounding like a kid. "Rd 3la ur text?" She asked, and I shook my head and my eyes were filled with tears. "Enshallah byrd 3laik w b3den we'll have all the answers." Anoud said giving me a hopeful look.
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It's been 4 months since I left riyadh; and now I'm late for my visual technique class and Dr.Ambrose will kill me because this is the 3rd time in a row this month.
"Ms. Maha, you're late, again." Dr.Ambrose's very annoying voice said. "I'm sorry professor, my car broke down and traffic is horrible" I said looking very guilty. "Well, you can take your excuses and yourself out of my class. I'd like to go on with my lecture as soon as possible please." I grit my teeth and bit my tongue to stop myself from saying a string of very harsh words that would probably get me an F in this course, and I went out of the hall quietly.
"W ha4a ely 9ar t5aily! 6redtny! W ana m36iyt'ha 3e4r!" I yelled angrily to my Emirati friend Mahra . "Umm, Mahouy adry ench m39ba bes fe wa7d jals y6al3" Mahra said with her eyes wide "and he's h-o-t." I turned around and was shocked to find Faris standing behind me and smiling, I was shocked. "Faris! You're here!" I said happily, "ee mo ana gaylik sh'har w ana 3ndik adry a54t akthr min sh'har bes yalla , aren't you going to greet me properly?" He asked with a smirk as he came closer, I felt the usual blush creeping on my cheeks and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Mahra cleared her throat loudly and my blush deepened, "Faris ha4y 9a7bty Mahra min elEmarat, Mahra ha4a 56eeby Faris."
"Ahlain Mahra" Faris said giving her an easy smile, and I could see that his eyes brightened a bit when he saw her, and then he held out his hand for her to shake. Their handshake lasted a bit longer than a normal handshake should last but I wasn't jealous because somehow deep down I knew that me and Faris aren't meant to be.
"So tby n6l3 nakel wla shay?" I asked him, and smiled inwardly as I noticed he was far too gone staring at Mahra to answer my question. "Faris, aklmek. Tby nro7 m63m?" I asked again, "huh ee ok nro7 bes enty ma 3ndik classes?" He asked his attention back on me. "Twni m6roda min my class and I'm staaaarving, and my next class is in .. 4 hours! So yalla n6l3?" I said dragging him by the hand, "Mahra, aren't u coming?" I said expectantly. She blushed and gave me a look, "lah 6b3n I'll give you some privacy." "La t9eren s5eefa your next class is cancelled wla? Come with us!" I said with a smile. "Yalla ana bjeb elsayara ent9'rony hina, ok?" Faris said.
"What on earth are you doing? And why are you giving me those looks?" Mahra snapped angrily, "Relax! I know you like him." "I'm sorry! I shouldn't! He's your fiancée! God I'm a horrible friend. Terrible. Absolutely horrible!" She said close to tears. "7bebty enty, walla 3ady. He's a great guy but he's not the one for me. Kman I don't mind, because honestly? He doesn't look at me the way he looked at you and we've been engaged for 4 months now. Consider this lunch a way for you two to get to know each other, and I'll tell him tonight that we're calling off the engagement."
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"Yalla, ma3salama Mahra" Faris said with a kind of sad smile. "Bye 7bebty, ashofik bkrah. Oh w la tnsen elassignment 7g Dr.Vasque" I said giving her a knowing smile.
"7lelha 9de8tik ha4y" Faris said as he looked back at me, "ee ya 7belha she's such a sweet girl! I met ahlha yom jw min elemarat, such good conservative people."
After half an hour of walking around the street silently, "Faris?" I said scared of how to phrase my next words, "hala Maha." He replied, "umm Maha ana bgolik shay awl." He said looking scared as well.
"Madre shlon agol what I'm about to say bes please la tfhmeni 3'l6. You're an amazing girl, and I'd be lying if I said that I didn't love you. I do, but today I-i-i-" he started stuttering and I knew that this is where I'm supposed to cut in. "But today you met Mahra, and honestly Faris? I saw the way you looked at her and I'd be plain stupid to force you to go on with this marriage when I know that you have a chance of having a better marriage with someone else" I said giving him a smile, "really? So you don't mind that me calling off the engagement?" "Faris what we have is good really good, bes leh a9'lmik m3y on the expense of ur happiness? Go, call ur mom and tell her that we called off the whole thing and then go and get to know Mahra better w b3den tgdmlha ok? Don't you dare break her heart! She's a really sweet and amazing girl, and you're a pretty good guy too so you two deserve each-other. Bye Faris!"
As I lay in bed and replayed the events of the day this is not how I imagined the day would end, but it did end that way and for that I'm thankful. My phone starting blaring out my ringtone and I answered, "alo?"
"Ahlain Maha" my mom said shakily, "hala mama" I replied knowing what's coming next. "Mama enty ra9'ya bly galah Faris?" Mama said scared that I might be heartbroken or something. "Ee mama adry w ana mwaf8a" I said confidently, "6b leh ya mama?" My mom asked confused it was probably a shock to everyone since we were going so well, "3shan hwa ja yzrony elyoum w I realized ena he had a better chance of finding a better marriage with another girl w don't worry I was the one who told him that we should break it off and no mama I'm not heartbroken I'm fine really." I reassured her as much as I could. "Ok mama yalla ha4y 3anouda tby tklmik" my mom said and I felt my smile widening at the mention of my best-friend. "Halaa halaaa, esh jalsa tsawy fe baitna w ana mo mawjoda?" I asked pretending to be annoyed. "Jalsa azor om zoj e5tyyy" she said teasing me, "heya bes om zoj e5tik? Mo om 56eebik b3d?" I said with the same teasing tone. "Mahouy! Tidren eny I'll blush 7mara!" She said pretending to be annoyed. "Yalla meta btjen? El3irs b3d sh'har w nby nsawi l3'ada a bridal shower." "Esh eltare5 elyom? 6 May 97? Ana bjy 1 june." I said shwy uncertain. "Ok yalla bye love ya!"
I hung up with a smile, I missed my family so much! And I can't believe 2 of my brothers are going to get married bagy wa7d I have to find him a girl. Before sleeping I checked my twitter and I had one notification and it said 'FaisalAlx' followed you.
xo