Calm Before the Storm: Chapter 7.

Previously:

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 having my breakfast.

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

Faisal: "la 3ad? Ma b3'w ygblouna wallah"

Mama: "eeh twa mklmni 5alk, bysafr 3la elosbou3 eljay inshallah"

Baba: "w leeh ma ykml hna dam twhum raj3een?"

Mama: "ho mn zman wda ydrs hnak, w twhm yrdoun 3leeh, bykml Masters hnak"

Baba: "Allah ywgfa"

Faisal: "eeh wallah bshtagla elklb, ma 9dgt rj3"

I remained silent,

Faisal laughed: "ams ygooli ybi y56b, shkla nawi ya5th zojta w yhj"

Mama: "w ma galk mn bnta eli ybi ya54ha?"

Faisal: "la wallah madri 3na, ymz7 ymkn"

Mama: "la ma a6'n ymz7, l2n 5alk Fahad kan ylm7li"

Faisal: "wsh galk?"

Me: "ana el7mdellah shba3t"

I got up, washed my hands and went upstairs. I don't know why but I felt something weird ache inside me. I wasn't sure if I was just missing him way too much, or it's because he is almost getting married and I'm not there for him. We used to be together in everything, through thick and thin. Here's a fact about me: I hate it when someone is mad at me, or even annoyed because of me. I always love fixing things up as soon as they're ruined. But seems like Musaab and I are never getting fixed. He'll probably get married, travel to the US with his wife and never talk to me again. I admit it, I hated it.

I felt like texting him. I wanted to pour my heart out and tell him everything. I don't know what I wanted to tell him. I just wanted to talk to him. I WhatsApped Esraa.

Judy:

I miss him

Should I talk to him?

Esraa:

:)

Of course not

Judy:

I feel so lonely wallah

Esraa:

You have me ;)

Judy:

No thanks

Esraa:

Klba

Judy:

Yallah goleeli

Should I talk to him?

Esraa:

Mn jdk enti?

6b3n la

Judy:

Eff

Y5ti jalseen ygoloun tw ena ybi y56b

Esraa:

Meen gal?

Judy:

Mama w Faisal

Esraa:

Mama w Faisal y7koun 3n Nasser?

Judy:

La

Enti 3la balk Nasser?

Esraa:

Ajl meen?

Judy:

Musaab

Esraa:

Allah ya5thk 3la bali Nasser

L76'a enti

La ykoun t7been Musaab?

Judy:

Ma a7ba Allah ya5thk kl shay 3ndk 7ub enti?

A7ba as a brother bs

I miss him :)

Esraa:

La a7s la t7akeena

A5af ykrhk zyada

5l ho y7akeek a7sn

B3deen wsh eli ybi y56b?

Judy:

Ma adri 3na

Esraa:

Ajl yakl tbn la t7akeena

Judy:

Eff

:(

Esraa:

3ndk shay elyoum?

Judy:

La

Esraa:

5lena n6l3 6yb bagi 2 weeks 3l finals

Ma tbeen n7llha gbl ma nn7bs bl beet?

Judy:

Amana

2 weeks?

B3deen summer vacation?

Esraa:

Yes!

B3deen ndawm b universities!

Judy:

A7sni z3lana l2ni btrk elmdrsa

Esraa:

Z3lana?

Amana enti 9ayra emotional bzyada?

Wla ana eli ma3ndi a7asees?

Judy:

Elethnen wallah

Esraa:

Elzbda f6'eeli nfsk elyoum

B3di 3leek w nrou7 nt3asha ok? 

The day passed normally, Esraa picked me up and we went to a delicious restaurant. Nothing so important happened.

A week later, it was 10 PM, we went to our grandmother's house since Musaab is leaving to the US and we all gathered to eat dinner and have some time with him. I know he isn't leaving forever. It's just one of our family's traditions.

We had dinner and Musaab and I were exchanging looks and stares all the time. It's like everytime we meet, he looks like he wants to say something but he remains silent instead.

It was already 12 AM and Musaab's flight was at 3 AM,

Uncle Fahad: "yallah Musaab goum lazm tmshi el7een, weena 5wyk?"

Musaab: "eeh yuba la tsheel hm, bl6reeg"

Uncle Fahad: "eeh zeen"

Faisal: "Abdulrahman eli jay?"

Musaab: "eeh galk?"

Faisal: "eeh, jay m3kum ana"

Their friend arrived about 10 minutes later and they all got up to hug him and farewell him, except for me. I knew he won't even look at my face so I just remained seated and didn't get up,

Alia: "mar7 tgoumen?"

Me: "afshl nfsi w arj3 ajls? Ma byslm 3lay"

Alia: "goumi m3ay 6yb"

Me: "mabi Alia w elli y3afeek, 5leeni bmkani a7sn"

She pulled me by the hand and we both got up. Musaab was about to leave and aunt Yasmine was about to close the door, but Alia shouted.

Alia: "mar7 tslm 3lay y3ni?"

He looked back and opened the door to its fullest extent,

Musaab laughed: "ma shftk"

He left his carry-on bag by the door and came in to hug Alia and farewell her while I stood there staring at them showing no facial expressions. Musaab let go and then looked at me. He awkwardly smiled and then opened his arms for a hug. I awkwardly smiled back and we both hugged. His hug was truly warmer than anyone else's hug and I didn't want to let go, ever. My eyes watered but I blinked my tears in because I didn't want to tear, at least not now.

Me: "tou9l blslama"

Musaab smiled and let go our hug: "Allah yslmk"

I watched him leave while uncle Fahad closed the door behind him. I directly went to the bathroom and finally let my tears go down. I heard knocks on the bathroom's door.

Me: "6al3a l76'a bs"

Alia: "Judy?"

Me: "hala"

Alia: "wsh feek?"

Me: "Alia, e6l3i el9ala eli foug ana shway w bjeek"

Alia: "feek shay?"

Me: "la" I wiped my tears, "bs abi a7akeek"

Alia: "okay"

I washed my face and went directly upstairs,

Alia: "5r3teeni trak"

I sat down next to her,

Me: "esm3i, bs2lk su2al"

Alia: "es2li"

Me: "Musaab 56b?"

Alia chuckled: "enti jalsa t9e7een 3shan ma tdreen ho 56b wla la?"

Me: "la, ma adri leesh jalsa a9ee7, bs ho 56b wla la?"

Alia laughed: "tstahbleen? 6b3n ma 56b wsh y56bla 4a?"

Me: "ma adri, awl sm3t Faisal w mama y7koun"

Alia: "wsh galo?"

Me: "ena ybi y56b"

Alia: "la, ma atwg3 56b, ymkn m566 etha rj3 mn America, keef y56b w ho msafr?"

Me: "ma adri 3na"

Alia: "6yb enti lesh knti t9e7een al7een 3lmeni?"

Me: "ma adri, mt6'ayga"

Alia: "tbeen n3'yr jw n6l3?"

Me: "la mali 5lg, 5shmi a7mr?"

Alia: "shway"

Me: "6yb l76'a la nnzl al7een, 5leeh yrj3 6bee3i"

Alia: "6yb"

We remained silent for a moment,

Alia: "Judy"

Me: "smi"

Alia: "Nasser m6'aygk?"

Me: "Nasser?" I paused, "la mu m6'aygni w mn zman ma sm3t 3na a9ln"

Alia smiled: "kwys, y3ni nseteeh?"

Me: "almost, bs daymn ashtagla"

Alia: "mafi shay yje b'suhoula, bs 5la9 ma bga shay" she smiled,

Me: "inshallah"

It's been 3 weeks since Musaab left, and I finished the first week of my finals but I still have 2 more finals to go, then I'll finally farewell school forever. I was doing good. I left my phone in the drawer for the whole finals week and didn't use it all the time, I only used it when I needed something. I wanted a great GPA.

I was studying for my Biology final when my mother shouted my name asking me to come downstairs,

Me: "hala yuma"

Mama: "t3aleeli shway"

I went downstairs,

Me: "smi"

Mama: "t3ali 3lmeeni keef ashouf elstory 7g elnas, 5alk Fahad swali hl account b Snapchat bs mani 3arfa atfrj 3la elstories"

She was on the chats page,

I laughed: "mu hna yuma, shoufi lfi elysar a5r shay, by6l3 lk your friends eli 7a6een story"

Mama: "6yb abi ashouf 7g Musaab shlon?"

Me: "btlageen esma w just press it"

Mama: "enti shfti elstory 7ga?"

Me: "la wsh 7a6?"

Mama: "elyoum 3ndhum tjmu3 els3odyeen w abi ashoufa, ma3ndk eyah Snapchat y3ni?

Me: "la, ma3ndi"

Mama: "wsh salftk enti m3ah?"

I should've lied and told her yes. I should've saw this coming,

Me: "wsh salfti?"

Mama: "enti 3balk 7na ma ndri?"

Me: "ma tdroon esh?"

My heart skipped a beat,

Mama: "y3ni 3la balk ma a7s enkm mt3'yreen? Kntu grab w mthl ela5wan wsh 7latkum, 3lmeeni wsh 9ar?"

Me: "wla shay haw, bs ma 9rna njls m3 b36' ktheer'"

Mama raised an eyebrow: "la wallah?" she looked at me, "gouleli wsh 9ar, mst7eel ketha fj2a"

Me: "haw yuma la tdggeen, wallah mafi shay" I smiled, "lw feeh shay m6'aygni bagoulk, ok?"

Mama: "6yb, m3 eni mani m9dga walani mrta7a bs ok"

Me: "Allah la y7rmni mnk" I kissed the top of her forehead "yallah ana barou7 akml drasa, wray ktab Biology kbr wjhi"

Mama laughed: "rou7i Allah ywfgk"

I took the first step to go upstairs,

Mama: "l76'a t3ali"

I turned around,

Mama: "kl shway t6l3li 9ourti fj2a bl jwal a5af a76 story bl 3'l6"

Me: "la yuma, mar7 yn76 ella etha enti 6'3'6ti hl zr" I showed her, and then went back upstairs.

Whew, that was close. My answer was too lame and it was obvious that I was lying. I just hope she doesn't ask too much again.

//

This chapter is dedicated to @Noon_Blogger, thank you for your continuous support and kindness!