Chapter 6

Then I remembered why Bader was shifting his gaze suspiciously to me when the whole family came over.

When we got home, Reem and Nouriya came over so we could "study".

"I can't," Reem said. "Ma agdar adris 5ala9."

I eyed her. "Laish balla?"

"Walla guys.. I think feeny shay nafsy." Reem told us.

"Shino shay nafsy?" Nouriya said.

"I just can't study. No matter what I do. Walla walla, shay nafsy. There must me some psychological diagnoses of this type of phobia or whatever I'm having." Reem said, doodling on the pages where her notes are written.

"7mdilla wlshkr." Nouriya murmured, distracted by whatever it was that was on her phone.

"Haa mino?" I teased her.

She smiled. "Chub."

"The crush." I referred to her cousin. "9a7 Reem? Ashkara. I bet you've only said three words to that guy and you're already planning your future together."

"That's fantastic." Reem said.

"Chub.. Mitta bnadris?" She asked.

"Rag3ay rag3ay." Reem laughed.

"Yezay ana al7een basoulif wiyakom? 6essay minak yalla 6essaay!" She was stifling in a laugh.

"Ee ta3alaw, bn6la3 on Thursday?" I asked them.

"Madry walla, shraykum itnamoon 3endina?" Reem asked.

"Ok ashoof.. The usual?" I asked her.

"The usual" was going out to buy junk food, getting back home and watching movies. But I didn't know what Reem had in mind.

"Ee ou ba3dain at 1 inroo7 360 inshoof film, it'll be empty anyways. Inrid, innam itha taboon ba3dain sa3a 4 inroo7 shalaihna. Shraykum?" She asked.

"Ee yabeela walla." I said.

Nouriya was typing something on her phone. "Ee! Inshalla umi tir'6a anam 3endikum 3ad."

"Nouriyaaa!" Reem scolded. "Hidday telephonich yr7am umich!"

Nouriya looked up from her phone. "Shtabeeen?"

"Khala9na min Dalal now you're addicted to your phone." She sighed.

"Ta3alay, shlon Bader?" Reem asked.

"3adi." I said. Because there was nothing else to say about him.

"7ilo?" Nouriya put her phone away now.

I shrugged, because I wasn't that interested.

"T7achaaay!" Reem said.

"Madry shagoolukum ya3ny maly shighl feee, makalamta wala shay." And I didn't want to either.

"6al3ay his twitter bashoof." Nouriya ordered me to do so and I picked up my phone to type in his name.

"Mashalla intay matishbi3een." I said as I gave her my phone to take a look at his profile.

Nouriya and Reem stared blankly at the screen. "3adi atzawija?"

"He's all yours." I said, closing up the textbook that was in my lap.

"And M7ammad?" Nouriya asked.

"You can have him too." I shrugged.

"I didn't mean that bas.. A7. Hadaitee?" She asked.

"La2, I don't know how to start the conversation ya3ny.." I'm was fed up of his mixed signals. I respect myself enough to get out of this mess. I deserve something better. I shouldn't have to keep guessing if we're going to be okay or not, I should know.

"Don't look at me, I've never gone through a break up." Reem said. "Ou ma an9i7ich you ask Nouriya."

"Hey sh8a9dch?" Nouriya glared at Reem and she shrugged.

I checked bbm to find a message from M7ammad.

M7ammad: Hey

Me: Hi

M7ammad: Badig, ok?

Me: I'm busy, shfeek?

M7ammad: Shaku another person? I'm sorry a9lan ana mga9er wiyach minzmaan mu mkalmich :(

It never occurred to me that I was being cheated on. Other than ignoring me and talking to me only when he was bored, that's just another thing to add to the list. But frankly I wasn't surprised.

Me: ...

M7ammad: Sorry madry shga3da tgooleen sorry :p mthayi3. Effects of hunger.

I ignored him, I decided I wasn't forgiving him for this. I've lost count of how many times I forgave him just because I didn't want to lose him. No matter what he does to piss me off, I forgive him. He's annoying, stupid, rude, and obnoxious. But at the same time he's all that makes me happy too. I don't know what it is about him, I'm just drawn to him.

We spent the whole afternoon talking, avoiding our homework and planning our Thursday. When Reem and Nouriya left, I talked to M7ammad on bbm. No one wants to hear this but sometimes the person you think you need the most is the one you're best without. Once the person you thought you knew changes into someone you never wanted them to be there's no other choice but to accept it and move on. Missing a person won't change them back into how they used to be. It was about time I'd done what I needed to do.