Calm Before the Storm: Chapter 10.

Previously:

He smiled as I followed him. Only God knows how much I've missed this smile. I wanted to hug him and tell him how much I missed him. I wanted to tell him how hard my life has become once he left. I wanted to tell him about my life updates. I wanted to stay with him for hours, but we don't always get what we want.

Me: "hatha mu elparking?"

Nasser: "sayarti"

Me: "tstahbl?" I sarcastically laughed, "ttwg3 eni brkb m3k sayartk?"

Nasser: "6yb... 5la9 wgfi hna"

We both stopped as we looked at each other. I waited for him to talk,

Nasser: "esm3i" he took a breath, "wallah ma adri keef agoulha w ana mali wjh, bs lw sm7ti 36eeni fur9a thanya"

Me: "la2" I immediately replied,

Nasser: "wallah el36'eem eni t3'yrt wallah, 3shan 5a6r el3shra elli benna"

Me: "ent eli 5nt el3shra mn elbdaya, ana ma swait shay 3'l6 Nasser la tstfzni!"

Nasser: "6yb abeek"

I felt so disgusted for a second, I know I miss him and we had a lot of great time together, but I don't want him back anymore.

Me: "ma agdr"

Nasser: "leesh?"

Me: "relationships are shit, tra knt bzr yom 5aweetk, w abdn ma afkr a3eed hl tjruba mara thanya, la m3k wla m3 3'eerk, ma ankr eni 3sht m3ak awgat 7lwa bs entaha wgt'ha"

Nasser: "ana 9adg b kl klma agoulha 6yb, w abi a56bk"

Me: "wdi a9dgk bs your words mean nothing to me wallah, your actions spoke the truth already"

My voice cracked and my eyes watered while I was telling him those words,

Nasser: "ma astahl dmou3k Judy, la t9e7een"

Me: "mani jalsa abki 3shank, you're not worth it 6b3n, I'm crying because my delusion of who you were was shattered by the truth of who you turned out to be"

He was about to say something but I interrupted him,

Me: "Nasser, jytk hathi w 6lbk mni eni asm3k kant fkra sy2a, lw sm7t la3d tklmni w etha tlagena la t7awl tgrb mni Allah ys3dk ana b6reeg w ent b6reeg, ana msam7tk w m7lltk bs 5la9 lw sm7t ensani w ensa eni arj3 lk"

I turned around to walk away but he called my name again,

Nasser: "Judy"

I turned around: "ha?"

Nasser: "you're still wearing the ring"

Me: " w etha?"

Nasser: "please, a second chance"

Tears gathered in my eyes again,

Me: "97 I promised not to ever take it off, bs tdri shloun" I took it off, "I just did" I tried handing it to him,

Nasser: "mar7 a54a Judy, hatha 7gk"

Me: "bs kan mnk!"

Nasser: "5leeh 3ndk 3shan t4kreeni, lw sm7ti"

Me: "ma abi a4krk wsh abi feek?!"

Nasser: "hatha a5r 6lb, w ana 3nd klmti bs 5leeh 3ndk"

Me: "you broke your promises Nasser, that's why I'm breaking mine too"

Nasser: "mu lazm tlbseena bs 5leeh 3ndk, please?"

I slid the ring in my bag and walked away while crying, I requested an Uber to take me back to the hotel. I know I didn't take off the ring once we broke up, and I truly wished that he doesn't notice it, but I just couldn't take it off. My phone rang while I was on my way, Alia.

Alia: "tstahbleen Judy weenk elfilm bybd2!"

Me: "esm3i ana a54t Uber w brj3 ok? Enti ma 3leek mni estansi w ws3i 9drk"

I tried my best to hide my shaky and cracky voice,

Alia: "haw leesh?"

Me: "t3bt shway"

Alia: "akeed ma feek shay?"

Me: "wallah mafeeni, bs jatni eldwra w 7st" I lied,

Alia: "ok, ana bt3asha w brj3 la tnameen 3shan tft7eenli"

Me: "ok"

Alia: "bye"

She hung up and I locked my phone. I had a flashback of what just happened and cried even more,

Uber Driver: "are you okay?"

Me: "yes I am, thank you"

Uber Driver: "do you want some water?"

Me: "no thanks, just give me some tissue please"

Uber Driver: "here you go" he handed me a box of tissue.

I wiped my tears but they were nonstop-able. I sobbed as we finally reached the hotel. I paid and closed the car's door shut. I quickly got in before someone sees my ruined makeup and mascara. I even had a tissue on my nose,

"Judy!" I heard someone shout my name,

I turned around and it was Musaab. He was sitting on one of the couches in front of the reception desk,

Me: "n3m"

Musaab: "wsh feek?"

Me: "wla shay Musaab mst3jla"

He got up and held my hands,

Musaab: "ejlsi"

Me: "mabi Musaab please la t3'9bni please!"

Musaab: "mu jals a3'9bk bs ejlsi"

I sat on the couch that was placed in front of him,

Musaab: "wsh feek? Enti mu elmfrou6' ray7a m3 9deegatk?"

And that was our first time ever to talk after our fight, and also our first time to sit together alone.

Me: "eeh"

Musaab: "wsh feek t'hawshtu wla wsho? Ween Alia 3nk?"

Me: "Alia tna6'r movie m3 9deegat'ha, ana t3bt w rj3t" I said as I wiped the tear that fell from my eyes. I bet I looked so damn scary. My mascara was all over my face and my makeup probably got ruined,

Musaab: "n9aba"

Me: "Musaab wsh tbi bl6'b6?"

Musaab: "abi a3rf leesh jalsa t9e7een"

Me: "wla shay, mumkin agoum el7een?"

Musaab: "wallah ma tgomeen leen tgoleen"

Me: "mar7 y3jbk elmw6'ou3 9dgni, 5l agoum a7san"

He remained silent for a minute and then finally replied,

Musaab: "ana adri ena elw6'3 9ayr benna awkward a5r ftra w dari leeh ma tbeen tgoleen, bs lw sm7ti gouli wallah 5r3teeni"

I looked at him as I thought if I should tell him or not. I somehow wanted him to see the pain I'm struggling with, but on the other side I didn't want to show him my weak side.

Me: "shfta bl9dfa"

Musaab raised an eyebrow: "meen?" he looked at me, "la ykoun eltbn?"

Me: "eeh" a tear fell from my eye again,

Musaab: "swalk shay?" he looked at my eyes, "ya weelk tk4been Judy wallah ma y9eer lk 6yb la enti wla eyah!"

Me: "ma swali shay"

Musaab: "wsh swalk 6yb!?" he didn't seem happy,

Me: "bs 7kaina" I wiped my tears and looked away,

He was too serious that I was actually afraid he might do something risky or stupid,

Me: "you wanted to know, la t39b" 

Musaab: "meen mrj3k?"

Me: "Uber"

Musaab: "enti t7beena?"

Me: "la2!" I immediately replied,

Musaab: "w laish jalsa t9e7een abi afhm!"

Me: "l2ni akraha mn kl galbi"

He knotted his eyebrows not getting me,

Me: "mst7eel tfhmni Musaab, w ana ma abi ashr7 lk, l2n we're over w 3mri mar7 arj3la wla ra7 aklm ay wld b7yati 3gba, ho 3'l6 mr b7yati w ana a54t drs mna, mmkn el7een lw sm7t ttrkni agoum w ma trj3 tft7li hl salfa mara thanya w we act like we never had this conversation?"

I got up without hearing his response and walked to the elevators. I pressed the button and then looked at Musaab one more last time. He was clasping his hands behind his head, and his head was placed between his thighs. He looked anxious and worried. My heartbeats raced again once I saw him like this. I just hate it when he's in such a bad mood. I miss him. I miss the old Musaab.

Nothing so important happened after that day, we spent our trip normally just like every year. Musaab and I would exchange stares sometimes, but I am so used to it.

We were back in Saudi 20 days later, Musaab stayed and didn't come with us since he studies there. Esraa and I got accepted in the same university while Alia applied for a different university because she is planning to study medicine, I tried to convince her to apply for the same university with me since it has the major medicine as well, but she insisted that her university was stronger and most of her friends are studying there, and things were back to normal.

The first two months of my foundation year in uni weren't that bad. The vibes were just a little different and it was hard for me to get used to it. I was so grateful that Esraa was with me though. I know I had many girls I knew from school with me but Esraa was just different. She gets me and we've been soul sisters for almost 10 years now.

After I was done with my midterm, I didn't have any classes left so I called Raju and he took me back home,

Mama: "jabk Allah, esm3i ana al7een ray7a beet jdtk l2n Musaab byw9l el Riyadh b3d shway"

Me: "hatha ma k2na yji ktheer?"

Mama: "ween elktheer 7ram 3leek, klha marra wa7da w hathi elthanya w 5la yji bra7ta wsh 3leek enti?"

Me: "ma yzhg 16 sa3a mashallah 3leeh!"

Mama: "a3outh bellah mn 3eenk, e6l3i jeebi 3bati bs w el7geeni bl maghrib klna bntjm3 hnak"

Me: "inshallah"

I went upstairs to get her the Abaya and she left. I WhatsApped Esraa,

Judy:

He is back again

Esraa:

Musaab?

Judy:

Yes

Esraa:

Hooray 🎉

Judy:

Tt6nzeen?

Esraa:

La

Judy:

I'm nervous

Esraa:

Get used to it

Judy:

Someone's not in the mood

Esraa:

Elzg Mukhtar lssa ma ja

Ana bljam3a lssa Allah ya54 el3du

Judy:

Careem duh

Uber

Esraa:

5la9 ho bl6reeg

Judy:

Allah y3eenk

Esraa:

Eff wallah 9dg I'm not in the mood abd

Judy:

Leesh ma glteeli aw9lk

Esraa:

Madri shdrani ena by6wl ketha

Judy:

Poor you

Esraa:

Please kli tbn

I ignored her and locked my phone. I took a nap and Kelly woke me up few hours later,

Kelly: "madam called me, she said wake Judy up"

Me: "what time is it?"

Kelly: "7 sharp"

Me: "are you serious?"

I got up,

Me: "why didn't you wake me up earlier? My sleeping pattern will probably get ruined" I fake cried, "I just fixed it last week!"

Kelly: "sorry Judy no one told me"

Me: "it's ok, where is Faisal?"

Kelly: "he went to jadda's house"

Me: "when?"

Kelly: "5 PM maybe"

Me: "ok thank you"

She left and I went to the bathroom to take a shower, I wore very simple clothes and applied some makeup. I called Raju and he took me to my grandma's house,

I got in and they were all sitting in the living room,

Me: "elslam 3lykum"

All of them: "w 3lykum elslam"

Me: "7mdellah 3la slamtk Musaab"

He was sitting on the far left next to my grandma, he looked at me,

Musaab: "Allah yslmk"

I was about to go take my Abaya off and hang it but I heard Aunt Yasmine talk,

Aunt Yasmine: "eeh w entu mu nawyeen tgoulon lna esh elsbb eli b3dkum 3n b39' ketha fj2a? Allah yr7m ayam knti tnagzeen yom tshofeen Musaab w t5meena!"

Ugh, I just hate it when they ask this question. Do I have to tell the same answer every single time?

Uncle Essam: "eeh wallah"

Musaab: "ma 9ar shay 3mti bs klmn lha bdrasta, wla 7na lssa friends, 97 Judy?"

I love him.

Me: "eeh haw, we don't have to hug everytime we see each other tara"

Aunt Yasmine: "elwld 9arlh 3 months mu jay els3oudiya w hatha tr7eebk lh y3ni?"

//

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