Calm Before the Storm: Chapter 1.

My mom shouted my name asking me to get downstairs since we're leaving to my grandmother's house, where we are having our very big family gathering,

As soon as I got down, I had one of those lectures my mom gives me and my siblings whenever we are late,

Speaking of my siblings, we're 3,

Khalid, my brother. He is 26 years old, engaged and about to get married.

Faisal, my second brother. He is 21 years old and almost the closest to me.

Judy, me. I'm 18 years old and graduating this year inshallah.

My grandmother is having a big family gathering because my uncle Fahad and his family are finally back from the United States.

We left the house and hopped in the car, I took my phone out of my purse. I had a missed call from "N❤️" aka Nasser. My boyfriend.

I WhatsApped him,

Judy:

Sorry babe I wasn't around my phone

Nasser:

Busy?

Judy:

Nope bs I was getting ready 3ashan ray7een bait jadti

Nasser:

Oh

Judy:

For the millionth time, tara kl my cousins nafs a5wani, y3ni marra ma y7taj tsheel hm

Nasser:

Okay?

Judy:

What?

Nasser:

Wala shay, bs 9dg enti ma tdreen enti wsho bl nsba lhm

Judy:

Shd3wa Nasser, akeed nfs e5t'hum

Nasser:

Okay okay, 5la9 nsaker 3l salfa a7san 3shan ma t9eer housha

Judy:

W laish t9eer housha?

Nasser:

Bs agoul

Judy:

Okay

Nasser:

Bt6awleen?

Judy:

Probably yes, laish?

Nasser:

Aby a7akeek b3dain b mw9'ou3

Judy:

3n wsho?

Nasser:

5la9 b3dain

Judy:

Okay, bs akeed ra7 nrj3 b3d el 12, 3shan 5ali Fahad w 3yala elyoum jayen mn America

Nasser:

Eli wlda Musaab?

Judy:

Lol eeh

Nasser:

Enjoy ajal

Judy:

I will

Nasser:

Akeed mstansa ena rj3

Judy:

Tstahbl? Marra

Nasser:

😂

I didn't reply, and I knew what I said really got him on his nerves, but he deserves it. I've told him a million times that all my cousins are just like extra brothers to me, and I hate nothing in life more than a boyfriend who wouldn't control his jealousy. However, I still didn't reply because I didn't want whatever we were having to turn into a fight, so I just locked my phone and put it back in my purse.

As soon as we got there, I took my Abaya off and headed directly to my grandmother's chair, I kissed her forehead and sat next to her.

Me: "kaifk 7ayati jadda? Eshtagt lk tadreen?"

Mama Noura: "eeh hatha 5ra6ik kl marra, w kl marra yamshi 3alay"

I chuckled: "wsh da3wa mama Noura, wallah eni a7bk"

She hit me on my shoulder playfully and we continued to chit chat until uncle Fahad, his wife, and children finally came in. I ran to hug all of them, and especially Musaab,

Me: "ya zg I missed you!" I said as he hugged me back tightly,

Musaab: "w ana akthar ya gzma!"

Me: "mb gzma please kl tbn!"

Musaab: "eeh bs t3ali t3ali 3indi lk swaleef wsh kthrha!"

Grandma: "wein btro7oun?"

Me: "bn6l3 el7oush"

Grandma: "zein la t6wloun, shway w n76 el3sha"

Me: "okay"

We both went to the backyard. I sat on one of the benches and left my phone next to me, it rang.

"N❤️"

Musaab grabbed the phone,

Musaab: "9ota 3ali y9k elras, ma t3rfeen t76eena silent?" he said annoyed that the call interrupted our conversation.

He looked at the ID caller and burst out laughing,

Musaab: "3jeeb!" his annoyed face turned into a very sarcastic one.

Me: "Musaab ya zg 36ni! My friend Noura akeed tbi shay"

Musaab: "shh"

He picked it up and placed the phone in his ears,

Musaab: "alo"

Please don't say anything Nasser, please.

I pulled the phone from him,

Me: "ya bazr"

I placed the phone in my ears,

Me: "alo ahlan Noura"

Nasser: "meen hatha?"

Me: "ma 3leek hatha wld 5ali eltafh"

Nasser: "adri ena wld 5alk, meen?"

Me: "Musaab"

Nasser: "aha, 5la9 ajl ana adg b3dein shkli az3jtkum"

Me: "la wsh d3wa, l76'a agoum"

I got up and gave Musaab a death stare, I went to the other side of the house,

Me: "Nasser shfeek?"

Nasser: "shfeeni? Ma ashouf feeni shay"

Me: "la nstahbl"

Nasser: "hatha enti, kl ma r7ti 3nd jdtk t'hawshna"

Me: "ent eli t'hawsh mub ana"

Nasser: "mn af3alk Judy la tnrfzeeni"

Me: "wsh swait!"

Nasser: "t5leen wld 5alk yrd 3lay? Dgi marra w tred 3laik my cousin Dana mthln, 3adi 97?"

Me: "athb7k ent wyaha"

Nasser: "5la9 ajal"

Me: "bs wallah it's different!"

Nasser: "mafi shay esma different, Judy 5la9 7akeeni etha rj3ti"

Me: "bs..."

He hung up,

I went back to Musaab,

Me: "zg trak w el7rka eli tw la t3eedha!"

Musaab: "shfeeha z3lt Juju?"

Me: "mnb Juju w kl tbn"

We continued chatting until Kati came to tell us that the dinner is ready. I didn't want to go. I have so much fun with this boy. Our conversations are so deep which comforts me.

Me: "yallah we're coming, what's for dinner?"

Kati: "kabsa laham"

Musaab: "ya 7beebi!"

Me: "shklk mn zaman mu makl"

Musaab: "tstahbleen 9arli sana tgreebn w etha aklt ma tji rb3 7gt Mama Noura"

Me: "3ad 3ndi m6a3m fat7a greeb, lazm lazm nrou7 one day"

We both got up and got inside. I went to wash my hands and checked my phone. I found a WhatsApp message from Nasser.

Nasser:

Lol 9ar elw6'3 ena ymsk jwalk w yrd 3nk b3d

The message was about 40 minutes ago, right after we hung up.

I immediately replied,

Judy:

La 6b3n shd3wa, jwali kan m3ay bs y7arshni

He was online but did not reply, I waited for his reply but he didn't say anything. I waited for 20 more seconds and that's when he went offline.

Judy:

Tstahbl??

Shouf meen eli wa6'7 ybi ybda housha 😂

He went online.

Nasser:

Ma abi abdi shay, bs 6al3 m3 el3yal w elakl w9l ma entbht, a7akeek b3deen

I ignored him and went to the dining room where we are having our dinner.

I was seated between Musaab and Alia my other cousin,

Alia: "shfeeh elwjh galb?"

Me: "mafeeni shay"

Alia: "jd?"

Me: "Nasser" I whispered while fake smiling,

Alia: "oh"

Yes, she knows, and our fights don't surprise me anymore. Everytime I go to my grandmother's house, we fight. I'm so used to it.

Alia: "nfs kl mara?"

Me: "eeh w hl mara akthr b3d 3shan Musaab" I wishpered,

Alia: "oh, 5la9 ma 3leek mna w la t9'ygeen 9drk, estansi w etha rj3tu elbeet tfahmu" she whispered back,

Me: "mt3wda ma 3leek"

We both laughed and had our dinner. After dinner, all of us gathered and started playing different games until it was almost 1 AM, we excused ourselves.

Faisal: "yallah Judy nadi omy 5l nmshi t25rna"

Me: "okay, ent jayb syartk?"

Faisal: "eeh"

Just incase you forgot, Faisal is my brother. My other brother Khalid didn't come because he had some work to do.

I went to get my Abaya and my mom's, we went back home.

I unlocked my phone to text Nasser, but I already had a WhatsApp message from him.

Nasser:

Hey

The message was sent 2 hours ago,

Judy:

Hello

He replied in less than 1 minute.

Nasser:

Rj3ti?

Judy:

Eeh

Nasser:

3adi adg?

Judy:

Bs dgeega

I brushed my teeth, wore my pjs, turned the lights off, and laid on my bed.

Judy:

Call

He called,

Nasser: "ahlan"

Me: "ahleen"

Nasser: "ana asf"

Me: "wsh d3wa t3wdt"

Nasser: "asf, a5r marra inshallah"

Me: "kl marra nfs elklam"

Nasser: "wallah elyoum ma nrfzni ela Musaab yom rd, wla ana knt 6bee3i"

Me: "eeh sure"

Nasser: "wsho mn jdi"

Me: "elzbda Nasser tara 8smbellah krhtni bl rou7a hnak mn kthr ma tnrfz, mmkn 5la9? Trahum ahli bl nhaya"

Nasser: "ahlk 3la 3eeni w rasi bs 3yal 5alk mu m7arm 3leek"

Me: "rabya m3hum, t3rf wsh y3ni rabya m3hum? Y3ni nfs a5wani bl thab6, bt3'ar mn o5ouy?"

Nasser: "7f6't hl jmlteen mn kthr ma 3dteehum"

Me: "5la9 ajl la tjls tbthrni kl ma atjm3 m3hum"

Nasser: "6yb asf glna"

Me: "ew3dni"

Nasser: "wsho?"

Me: "a5r marra nt'hawsh lmn arou7 3nd jdti, ok?"

Nasser: "inshallah, w3d"

Me: "zeen, w b3d ma t39b etha 6l3t m3 Musaab"

Nasser: "8wya hathi"

Me: "la ta5th wjh 3ad"

Nasser: "kli tbn enti 3ad"

Me: "jd wallah"

Nasser: "inshallah"

Me: "a7bk"

Nasser: "amot feek"

I smiled as we continued talking until I fell asleep.

I woke up the next morning, went to the bathroom, did my business, and changed my clothes.

I checked my phone and found a WhatsApp message from Musaab.

Musaab:

Up?

His message was sent 2 hours ago,

Judy:

I just woke up, why?

Musaab:

Knt abi n6l3

Judy:

6l3t 6yb?

Musaab: 

La

Judy: 

Ween rb3k?

Musaab: 

Shklk ma tbeeni, okay efhmha w hy 6ayra ya Musaab

Judy: 

Ella bs wait twni 9a7ya, shway shway 3shan astw3b

Musaab: 

Yallah bmr Alia w ajeek bsr3a e5l9i

Judy: 

Ween bnrou7?

Musaab: 

Nt3'ada

Judy:

Allah okay I miss our hangouts

I locked my phone and went to my mom's room,

Me: "yuma, 3adi a6l3?

Mama: "klmi abook, m3 meen ray7a?"

Me: "Musaab bymrni ana w Alia nrou7 nt3'ada"

Mama: "w el3'ada eli bl beet?"

Me: "yuma please, Musaab twa raj3 7ram mn awl ybi y6l3 bs ana nayma"

Mama: "rou7i rou7i, bs klmi abook awl"

Me: "6yb weena?"

Mama: "6al3, call him"

I nodded and left her room. I sent my father a message and he sent me a "👍🏻", that's his way of saying okay.

I quickly applied light makeup and wore my Abaya, Musaab called,

Me: "mashallah amdak?"

Musaab: "yom a7akeek knt gdam beet Alia"

Me: "6yb bye"

I wore my shoes, grabbed my purse and went downstairs.

I left the house and hopped in Musaab's car. They both greeted me as Musaab drove off. Just to let you involved, Alia, Musaab, and I are so close. Everyone in the family knows how close we –the three of us– are.

Alia and I just don't talk about guys and relationships in front of Musaab seriously. He is so over-protective and would literally kill me if he knew that I'm in one.

Me: "wein bnrou7?"

Musaab: "wen tboon? Ana msht'hi Chinese"

Me: "la 5a6ri fburger, Alia enti esh wdk?"

Alia: "burger"

Musaab: "klo tbn brou7 3la kaifi"

Me: "kan r7t bl7alk ajl"

I took my phone out of my purse and found a WhatApp message from Nasser.

//

I hope you guys liked the first chapter of my story, please don't forget you feedback.