Calm Before the Storm: Chapter 6.

Previously:

We told her what we wanted as she called the waiter and we told him our orders.

My phone buzzed, a WhatsApp notification from Haifa.

Haifa:

Wsh feeh Musaab yna6'r ketha?

Judy:

Keef?

I sent the message as I raised my head up to look at him, he was staring at me, giving me death stares. He looked like he had something to say, but he remained silent instead. I know he wanted to reproach me so bad. But he just looked away as soon as I looked back.

Haifa:

9ar shay bainkom?

Judy:

La wsh by9eer

Haifa:

Yom y9eer esmi Komar ymkn a9dg

Marra t3'yarto tstahbleen

Knkum ma t3rfoun b36'

Judy:

T'hawshna bs 😂

3adi klha km yom w nt9al7

Haifa:

Shd3wa wsh thal hosha eli 9arlha madri km osbou3

Tra 7ta omk mla76'a w s2ltni etha a3rf lw 9ar shay bainkom

Judy:

Wsh galtlk?

Haifa:

Wla shay bs ena shfeeha Judy ma 9art tjls m3 Musaab yom eljum3a

Judy:

Oh

Haifa:

Etha tbeeni aklma klmta

Judy:

Meen?

Musaab?

Haifa:

Eeh?

Judy:

La 6b3n mala da3i

7na n7l elmushkila bnfsna

Haifa:

Ok elli yray7k

I took a screenshot of the chat and sent it to Musaab,

Judy:

It's too obvious

His phone buzzed and I saw him pick it up,

Musaab:

So?

Judy:

Klhm by7soun

Musaab:

?

Ll7een ma fhmt elm3'za mn rsaltk

Judy:

G9di ena klhm byshkoun ma y9l7 ketha

3la elagl nbynlhom ena mafeena shay?

Musaab:

W bng3d nmthl 6oul 3mrna y3ni

Mala da3i

We just aren't as close as we were anymore

Judy:

Ok

I unlocked my phone as my blood boiled. He is becoming so distasteful day by day.

The food came and we ate. Musaab was staring at me all the time and I wasn't feeling comfortable at all. I wanted to rip his eyes out of their place so that he stops staring.

I unlocked my phone and texted Raju,

Judy:

Good afternoon Raju

Can you pick me up?

I'm at Nino

He replied 3 minutes later,

Raju:

Ok madam

Yes, I was this pissed. I couldn't stand his stares anymore. They made me feel like everything's going to burst into flames.

He called me 15 minutes later, so I knew he was outside.

Me: "ana bmshi el7een Raju ja, mara shukran Haifa 3shan a54teeni m3ak" I smiled,

Haifa: "haw ween ray7a? Ana w Musaab nw9lk 3n eldl3, shway w ngoum m3 b36'"

Me: "wallah mst3jla l2n Esraa klmtni tgoul jatni elbeet tw" I lied,

Haifa: "oh 5la9 ajal, nshoufik greeb inshallah" she smiled,

Me: "inshallah"

I said as I walked away, I went to the waiter and asked for our table's bill and paid. It would be super rude if I just left like that.

Raju took me back home. I was more than pissed. It's just funny how —Musaab— the person who can make me feel better is the reason why I'm close to tears right now.

I directly went to my room and laid on my bed. I took my phone out of my bag and WhatsApped Alia,

Judy:

I miss you :(

Alia:

Enti elakthr wallah

Ma 9rti tnshafeen

Judy:

Eeh Musaab eli 3adtn yjm3na

Alia:

Enti bl beet?

Judy:

Eeh

Alia:

Bjeek 6yb

Judy:

Yallah ant6'rk 

Her home was only 10 minutes away, so she didn't take too long.

Alia: "9ar shay?"

Me: "la wsh by9eer?"

Alia: "madri 7sait ketha 3ndk salfa"

Me: "la, bs gbl shway kna 6al3een m3 Musaab"

Alia: "meen entom?"

Me: "ana w Haifa r7na llwedding planner b3dein 3la asas nt3'ada w ja Musaab"

Alia: "oh, eeh?"

Me: "jls y36eeni n6'rat zy elzft mn yom ma jls"

Alia: "w3 wsh thal mbzra"

Me: "mara! 7ata Haifa shkt 7aktni WhatsApp gltlha mt'hawsheen"

Alia: "klb 9ayra akrha wallah mt3'yr"

Me: "galtli wsh thal housha eli osbou3en, 9wrt elchat w rslta l Musaab 3la asas nbyn en mafeena shay, gal bnjls nmthl 6oul 3mrna?"

Alia remained silent,

Me: "hatha akbr dleel ena elashya2 mar7 trj3 zy ma kant, nawi njls ketha"

Alia: "bs ma tdreen wsh by9eer"

Me: "3la tbn ma abeeh"

Alia: "aham shay enk mb z3lana"

Me: "ag9 3laik lw agoul lk mnb z3lana, bs wsh aswi ma jat 3leeh"

Alia: "6yb 5la9 la tfkreen feh, wdk we swim?"

Me: "3adi leesh la"

We changed into our swimsuits and got in te pool, we played music, watched a movie, and ordered pizza. I know it ain't that fun, but at least I enjoyed.

It was Haifa's big day almost 2 months later, we were all ready to leave, my mom and I wore our Abayas as my father and Faisal wore their thobes and 3'utras. We all got into my father's car and he took us to the hotel where the wedding was.

We got there 13 minutes later and I met the rest of my family members, my grandmother, aunts, and cousins.

The night was more than perfect, and the wedding was beautifully organized. I WhatsApped my brother Khalid.

Judy:

Are you here yet?

I miss you I want to see you

Khalid:

Yep

Arrived an hour ago

I miss you too

Nadi omi m3k w t3alu bl 9ala eli feeha drj fa6'ya

Judy:

Ok

I called my mom and we both went to the room he told us to go to,

Mama: "ya hala b7beebi eli kubr, tzwj w s7b 3leena"

Khalid: "ya hala btaj rasi" he kissed the top of her forehead, "ma 3ash eli ys7b 3leek"

Me: "w ana mali rb?"

Khalid: "enti eshtgt lm7arshk"

He side hugged me and kissed the top of my forehead as well,

Me: "keef 7al Fahda?"

Khalid smiled: "el7amdellah, ma shfteeha da5l?"

Me: "la wallah ma shft a7d lssa"

Mama: "ana shft'ha, mu nawyeen tzoroona?"

Khalid: "nje el5mees inshallah"

Mama: "tnwroun ya 7baybi, mukank 5ali wallah"

Khalid: "7beebti enti" he smiled, "ana lazm arj3 ad5l, ashoufkm b3dein"

He was about to leave and opened the door to get into the men's hall and Musaab came out at the same time, I looked at Khalid but he was already gone and Musaab walked away.

Mama: "wld ma tslm!"

Musaab turned around and saw my mom,

Musaab smiled: "hala 3mti, wallah ma shftk 3la bali bnt ma a3rfha 3shan ketha ma lafait"

Mama: "kaifk 7beebi?"

He greeted her and kissed her forehead.

Musaab: "el7mdellah Allah yslmk, 6al3a gumr wallah"

Mama laughed: "Allah yjbr b5a6rk"

Musaab: "wallah ma astahbl" he faced me, "kaifk Judy?"

Me: "el7mdellah"

He stared at me for a while and then looked away,

Musaab: "ana ast24n"

He was about to walk away but my mother called him again,

Mama: "shd3wa ma tbouni a9wrkum nfs 9uwr zwaj Saad?"

I looked at Musaab awkwardly as he smiled at me and then looked at my mom again. Musaab and I have a very cute picture of us in Saad; Musaab's elder brother's wedding 3 years ago, my mom took the picture, framed it, and hanged it on her bedroom's wall. Yes, she loves the picture this much.

Musaab: "okay"

He stuck closer to me and I smiled, my mom took the picture and I posted it in my Snapchat's story.

I got a chat notification from Esraa.

Esraa:

Shfti yom agoul lk bttsam7oun ;)

Judy:

Lol la ya zeenk m3'9ouben 3l 9oura

Esraa:

Ahm shay elneyya

Judy:

Rg3i rg3i

Esraa:

5la9 m3 nfsa m95ha

Judy:

Mub akbr hmi

Bs abshrk 9ar ytbosm w yslm

Esraa:

Shwy shwy w byfk

Judy:

Inshallah

I left my phone and enjoyed the night, it was time for zaffa. Haifa came in with her husband Ahmed, they looked so cute. Few minutes later Haifa's father and brothers came in. Their appearance was attractive. They were all wearing a mshl7 and I was staring like an idiot. I just love it when Saudis wear formal clothes.

The night was already over and I had so much fun. We went back home and I tucked myself under my bedsheets. I opened Snapchat and started watching my friends' stories. Faisal's story was a picture of him and Musaab, with the caption: "عقبالك💙"

I felt a warm glow inside my heart and I suddenly imagined Musaab getting married. I couldn't picture him with any girl. He never talked to me about girls and I never caught a girl's name in his phone.

I got a Snapchat message from Alia, she left a comment on Musaab and I's picture.

Alia:

Allah mta hathi el9oura?

Ma shftkm

Tsam7tu?

Judy:

Lol la2

T9wrna njaml umi

He galt b9wrkm nfs 9ourt zwaj Saad h4eek

Alia:

He looks happy

Judy:

So do I

But we're faking it

Deep inside, he hates me 😂

Alia:

He doesn't

Judy:

Yeah sure

Alia:

Nami nami bs

So negative

Judy:

Negativity is my thing

Alia:

Nfsya

Judy:

Nmz7 nmz7

Send me today's pictures

Alia:

Ok bukra

El7een bnam wallah t3bana

Goodnight babe

Judy:

Fine

Nighty

I turned my phone off and stared at my room's ceiling. It's just funny how Nasser and I suddenly know nothing about each other. If we were still together, we would be chatting or maybe on a phone call right now. But you know what? Fuck it.

I tried to sleep and woke up the next morning at about 11 AM. We usually have family breakfast on Saturdays so I went downstairs to check if they started eating yet.

Me: "a7 ma t3zmoun?"

Faisal: "t3ali twna jalseen"

Me: "eeh twkum jalseen w 97nk mnsouf nsf"

Baba laughed: "ejlsi bs bla m7arsh"

Mama: "eeh wallah, jebi elshahi m3k twni ms5nta"

I went to the kitchen and brought the teapot, I sat next to Faisal and started eating my breakfast.

Mama: "galk ya Faisal mashallah Musaab ena a5eern engbl b UCLA?"

//

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