Chapter 8

Two months has passed... 


It was a Monday, me and Sarah decided to do some shopping. I wore 3abaya even though Sarah insisted that I don't. 


3 hours has passed while we were shopping, t3bna so 8ararna nrou7 na5ith lna akil for takeaway... 


Sarah: Maryoom enty rou7y 6lby el order 3la ma ana arou7 el 7mam o arja3 lach. 


So I went to jasmis and ordered. 
While I was waiting for my order, I felt someone staring at me. So I turned around..




I know this look.. I know this person...
















It's the guy from Ritz! It's Fahad!!!!




He was staring at me eb nafs na'9rat el Ritz while smiling.
Magdrt a76 3aini eb 3aina.. I don't know why bs na'9rtah a5jltny.. So I turned the other way hoping Sarah would show up soon! 


2 minutes later, Sarah came.


Sarah: Maryoom whyy do u look nervous?


I didn't want to say anything about what just happened


Maryam: mafeeny shay yalla 5lna namshii, our order jihaz. 









I went back home..


Kan m3ai movie Breakfast at Tiffany's... I love this movie so I decided to watch it.


Halfway through the movie, I get a text.. 


It was from the same unknown number that texted me two months ago on my birthday! 




*text message* unknown number: lay8a 3alaich el 3abaya ;)


WHAT!!!!!!!!


Everything in me told me ena it's Fahad texting me! He's the only one eli chftah el youm! 


I didn't know what to do.. so I replied 


*text message* Me: who's this??


I waited for 10 minutes, I didn't get any replies.










Instead I got a phone call !!! 






*UNKNOWN NUMBER CALLING*




It kept on ringing I didn't know whether to pick up or not.. 


where are your friends when you need them??????????????


It kept on ringing, and ringing, and ringing.. until I decided to pick up!




*phone call*


Me: aloo


unknown number: (no reply)


Me: aloo??


unknown number: Maryam?


(sikat...)


unknown number: aloo Maryamm??


(I was so nervous)
(bs al7een 3rft m3na el rjooleh.. min 9ooteh!)


Me: ee Maryam.. min m3ay?


unknown number: (I heard a smile) a3rf enich Maryam, o a3rf enach mat3rfeny.. bs ana el yoom dag 3alaich 3ashan agoolich kelshay.. 


Me: ok.. min int?


unknown number: esmi Fahad...


(I KNEW IT WAS HIM!!!)


Me: ay Fahad?


unknown number: Fahad Al-******..


Me: wl ni3im.. 5air i5ooy Fahad shely agdr as3dik feeh??


Fahad: allah yin3am eb 7alich.. ana allaah yislmich 3indy maw'9oo3 aby aklimich feeh..


Me: tf'9al.. 


Fahad: zad fa'9lich.. bs bdoon z3al? 


Me: ok.. 


Fahad: eb 9ar7a... el 3abaya 3alaich wayed a7la min eli lbsteeh fe spinnys last time.. I had to tell u.. 3ad enty gelty bdoon z3aal haa!


(I couldn't help it! I laughed! seriously a guy just called me and told me that?? It was so weird and funny)


Fahad: ya zeen hal '97kah!!


Me: (I felt shy fa sikat) teslm, bs hay mw'9oo3ik?


Fahad: mmm ee..


Me: inzain ana 3ndy mw'9oo3 m3ak now?


Fahad: amray...


Me: maymer 3laik 3dw.. bs 3ad tjawib eb 9ar7ah?


Fahad: mmm.. ba7wil


(I laughed)


Fahad: ya zeeeeeeeeeeeeeen hal '97kah!!


Me: awal shay.. how did u know my name and number?


Fahad: etha feeeha awal shay o thany shay, m3laih el so2al eli 3gbah?


Me: ok.. u said u NEEDED to wish me a happy birthday, why??


Fahad: ee.. eb 9ar7ah, eb hathy ana kint '3al6an.... el mfroo'9 abrik 7g el birthday enach enty bt7tflain feeeh..


Me: (I laughed) la.. abee el 9r7ah.. 


Fahad: eb 9ar7ah.. wishing someone a happy birthday makes them happy. I just wanted to make u happy..


Me: mmmm.. thanks.


Fahad: 7a'6reen lil 7elween.


Me: Fahad..


Fahad: (g63ny) shgeltyy???


Me: shino? maglt shy!


Fahad: lalaaa SHGELTY????


Me: Fahad shfeek magelt shay!!


Fahad: gooleha b3d marrah!!


Me: shagool??


Fahad: goolay esmy b3d marrah!!


(ist7ait again and sikat)


Fahad: Maryam 6elbtach.. goolay.. shesmy??


Me: Fahad..


(he didn't say anything..)


Me: aloooo??


(he didn't reply)


Me: Fahad????


Fahad: 3YOOOOOOOOON FAHAAAAD!!!

Chapter 7

It’s Jan 10^th and it’s my birthday.

I spent the past 2 days holding my phone hoping I would get a text from Khalid wishing me a happy birthday.

It’s been almost a month since we spoke, or since he kicked me out.

I decided to start over and move on. I did, on the outside. But on the inside I felt I was dying more and more every day. I felt numb. But I held myself together because maknt aby el banat e7soon ena feeni ay shay.

I spent my birthday going out with my 3 besties and 5 of my other friends. We watched a movie than had dinner. I had SO MUCH FUN el 7amdillah!!

I went back home it was 11:15. Saw my mom, salmt 3laiha, and went to my room 3shan I change.

I was washing my face when I heard my phone.. I got a text

I dried my face and ran to get my phone. My heart was beating fast. I was hoping it’s a text from Khalid. It was 11:27, I checked my phone..

*text message* unknown number: Happy birthday! Better days are yet to come..

Omg! Who’s this? Is it Khalid? fe amal he changed his number? Bs why did he change it? Akeed 3shan I don’t call him.. or maybe it’s just one of the girls wishing me a happy birthday..

I replied.. *text message* Me: Thanks! Sorry bs mn m3ai?

I waited … 4 mins later

*text message* unknown number: U don’t know me..

Akeed wa7da mn el banat g3da etswy feeni daga!!!

 *text message* Me: Noof! Bla sa5afa :p

*text message* unknown number: I’m not Noof. I promise u I’m not any one of ur friends. U don’t know me, bs I know u. I know shwy weird, but I needed to wish u a happy birthday. Anyways enjoy it!

I had a weird feeling! Why is Khalid doing this? Laish mayby eygoli ena it’s him? Of course I don’t know him, he kicked me out of his place. This isn’t the Khalid I know. And I know we broke up, bs it’s just a “happy birthday”. I’ll text him saying ena it’s okay to say happy birthday even if we did breakup.. bs wait, etha it’s not Khalid….

*text message* Me: Thanks..

I didn’t get a lot of sleep for the past 2 days because of holding my phone and waiting for a text from Khalid. And now I was too tired to do it again.

I left my phone and went to sleep….

I woke up the next day around 10 am.

I called Noora to ask her etha taby t6l3 for breakfast.

She picked me up around 11, the rest of the girls were still sleeping.

While we were having breakfast…

Noora: Maryoom..

Me: yeah?

Noora: I know u probably don’t want to talk about it bs aby agoolach ena I’m so proud of u, u moved on and I can tell that ur happy..

Happy??? I felt like she doesn’t even know me anymore? How can I be happy after what I went through???

Me: thanks Nooro, ee el 7amdillah

Noora: I just wanna ask u .. did he text u wishing u a happy birthday?

Me (I looked away): no..

She changed the subject o tmaina ensolif about different things…

I went back home around 1:00

Dshait el bait and I saw my mom sitting alone. I looked at her and I realized; I missed her. After Khalid I was heartbroken. And when I was home, all I wanted to do is lock myself in my room. Magmt ag3d weya my family. Even they noticed that, kalmoni chmn marah bs I used the “I have a lot of assignments for uni” excuse..

I went to her, kissed her head and sat next to her. Gemt asolif wyaha o g3dna n’97aak. Aaaaaaahhhh I’ve missed this. Faj2a 7sait eb ra7a 3gb ma g3dt way my mom..

20 mins later I get a text from the same unknown number..

*text message* unknown number: So, how was breakfast?

How was breakfast????? How does this person know I was out for breakfast? Mathkar eni chft a7d a3rfa fel m63am.

I called Noora

Noora: Hellloooo

Me: NOORO !!

Noora: SHFEEECH ET9R5EEN? SH9AYER??

Me: try to remember who was in the restaurant when we were having breakfast

Noora: ummm mathkar , bs I saw 6awla 3laihm couples o another 2 guys..

Me: any1 we know?

Noora: umm I don’t think so..

Me: BYE!

*text message* Me: Who’s this??

*text message* unknown number: I told u, u don’t know me..

*text message* Me: well If I don’t know u, stop texting me..

*text message* unknown number: I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t stop..

My heart skipped a beat.. I don’t know why.. but I decided not to reply until the person tells me a name

Chapter 6

"A mistake…"

Those two words kept on repeating in my mind over and over again..

I stood up without saying a word. What am I supposed to say? I was speechless.

I went into the next room wanting to call my driver so he could pick me up. Bs 3rft enah by6wl, o I couldn't wait anymore! I wanted to leave ASAP!
So I decided to call Samar, since she lived 5 mins away.

When I was still with Khalid, I would come over to Samar’s house, stay for an hour , and then spend the rest of the day with Khalid. Samar was such a sweetheart; she never said anything to me. She knew how much I loved Khalid.

Calling Samoora……

Samar: aloo (I woke her up)

Me: Samar I need u to pick me up now..

Samar: Mimii I’m asleep!

Me: Samar AL7EEN! Come pick me up from Khalid’s house.

Samar: WHAT?! Bait Khalid!! al7eeen byeech!

I felt like crying. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what to say. Should I go and talk to him. Should I scream and fight with him. Or should I fall into his arms begging him to take me back and be his girl once again.

Even though I was falling apart, I decided to stay strong and not cry.

8 mins later I got a text from Samar saying: “I’m out, 6l3ay NOW!”

I got all of my stuff andd 6l3t mn el ‘3rfah. I was hoping he would be sitting there so I can say goodbye. But he had already left. His car wasn’t there too.

I got into Samar’s car, without allowing her to say anything I said

Me: emshayyy bsr3aaaa!

Samar knew ena feeni shy o chaft 3yooni etdm3, so she stayed quiet and drove away..

Me: drive, don’t take me baitkm wla baitna. Bs drive..

5 mins later I bursted out crying! I couldn’t hold it in anymore. Samar stopped the car and turned to me. She started hugging me ,asking me to stop crying, while she was crying too. She could see how muching I was hurting, and Samar 6b3ha etkoon wayed 7sasa o she cries about everything.

After ma hda2t shwy I explained everything that happened to her. From the text, till the moment he kicked me out. Then we both started crying again.

After an hour of poring my heart out to Samar.. She finally asked me THE question. The question that non of the girls were brave enough to ask. They knew that if I wanted to tell them, I would have..

Samar: Maryam..

Me (wna ams7 my tears): n3m?

Samar: u never told us this, bs why did he breakup with u?

I got nervous, my heart was beating faster, I didn’t know what to say, I didn’t know what to do…

I looked away and said

Me: it was complicated, it didn’t work out..

Samar: bs Maryam, etha hathy eli 9ar, laish 7altich chthy? Look at yourself! U lost so much weight! Mat6l3een, matkleen, mat’97keen!!! Etha it just didn’t work out..  laish g3d ey9eer feech chthyy?

twtrt akthar, 9rt 7arana, ma3rft shagool. I did lose weight, I don’t go out or laugh anymore. What am I suppose to tell her?

Me: I just love him Samora. That’s it. I loved him so much. I just don’t know how to move on..

7sait enha ma9dgtni, 3rft ena I said that 3shan askt’ha, bs it worked.. la2nha sktat..

tmaina ndoor fl sayara until 6 p.m. Samar asked me to sleep over l2na she knew law rij3t el bait brou7i ill never stop crying.. 

5thna dinner from mac, and we went back to Samar's house.. 

Samar: Mimii.. agoolich shay bs matz3leen?

Me: sure...

Samar: Adrii mo wagtii.. bs mo zain eli tsweena fe rou7ich. ur still young wl 6reej jidmich!! 

Me: No...

Samar: No??

I didnt know what to say... agool lha magdr aw9el min '3ayer Khalid?

Me: Samar... I dont think min 3gb Khalid bgdr a7ib a7ad.. 

Samar: bs noora told me about Fahad....

Me: Fahad???

Samar: yeah, the guy with the black shirt! 

Me: yeah? what about him?

Samar: Mimii.. etha enty t7seen ena sh3oorich fee mineh amal yt7rk 7g '3ayer Khalid laish rj3teelah?

Me: Samoorr shfeech mo g3da tfhmeeni?? ma baini o bain Fahad shay! ehwa wa7id chifnah fl m63am wl silam! t'3arneena eb Khalid?!? 

Samar: afhmich 7bibty.. bs enty o Khalid hathak el yoom kinto nahyeen el mw'9oo3, shino eli rj3kum lah?

Me: he needed me.. 

Samar: why?

Me: TO TELL ME IT'S OVER!  I DON'T KNOW SAMAR DONT ASK ME.. I DONT KNOW WHAT AM I DOING, I DON'T KNOW WHATS HAPPENING. PLEASE JUST PLEASEE STOP ASKING ME QUESTIONS! 

Ma kent abee a6li3 7rty 3ala Samar I love her so much bs magdrt aywed rou7i.. 

Samar: I'm so sorryyy 7bibtyy Maryooom.. walla makan 89dii u I know I love you o bs abee m9l7tich.. bs abeech tihdain o tnsain Khalid o tfkreen eb kalami.. abeech tfkreen feeh eb 3al8ich mo eb glbich.. ok?

Me: okayy..

We stayed up late.. Samar kanat tsolif 3an ayam el madrisa o t7wil tnseeni eli ana feeh.. bs shloon ansa?

Around 2 a.m. gelna binam.. Samar did bs I didn't.. 

fkrt eb kalam Samar, this time fakrt eb 3a8ly nafis ma galat.. 

bs law kil shay 9ij ent'hah m3a Khalid shloon balagii '3airah?? shloon bansa eli 9ar?  

7awlt I answer the questions bs mgdrt.. shway ela asm3 athan el fajir.. tw'92t o 9alait o d3ait eni at'3yer lil27sn o a79el el a7sn o ansa Khalid 3ashan a9eer... a7sn!

I'm starting over.....

Chapter 5

“Stay next to me.. I love u..”

Those words took me to another world. A world that only me

and Khalid exist in.

I remembered the feelings I felt when I first met Khalid. The

feeling u get when u first meet a person. When all u do is talk

all night and get to know one another. When u shut the whole

world out, and just talk and talk and talk...

But this time, we didn’t talk. This time I closed my eyes, and

 did what he asked me too.. I stayed next to him.

I woke up around 10 am. Khalid was still asleep. Since I’ve

missed him so much, and I know he misses me too (obviously

from his texts and what he said), I decided to do something

sweet, to show him how much I love him and how well I take

care of him. I decided to make him some breakfast.

But first, I wanted to take a shower. I went into the bathroom

and took a hot shower. Since some of my stuff was still at his

house, I wore my long black skirt that I once forget at his

place, with a white shirt that I stole from his closet.

I went into the kitchen and prepared his breakfast.

I went to his room, sat next to him on the bed and leaned

over and slowly kissed his lips then whispered in his ears

Me: 7beeby goom

Khalid: mmmmmmm

Me: 7ayaty, goom (while kissing his neck)

Khalid: mmmm (then he opened his eyes looked at me and

smiled)

He put his hand around my waist. Then he tried pulling me

into bed to lie down next to him. I laughed and pulled away.

Me: 7beeby yalla goom, ana n6rtik fel 9ala.

I left the room 3shan eygoom w eybdl.

10 mins later he came out topless just wearing his jeans. He

always loved showing off his abs.

Me: 7beeby I made u breakfast. Come eat.

He smiled and sat down. Without saying a word, he ate

his breakfast. Not even a thank u.

We finished breakfast which was very awkward.

I decided to ask him why he texted me and why did he need

me (even though I know it's because he still loves me)

Me: 7ayati, Khaloodi, why did u text me saying u needed me,

3sa bs mb 9ayer shy?

He sat there silent..

Me: Khalid??

He didn’t answer or look at me..

Me: Khalid please, say something, red 3alay shfeek?

Moments later..

Khalid: this was a mistake..

Me: what was a mistake?

He sat there saying nothing again..

Me: Khalidd! Tklm (I know he’s gonna say us breaking up

was a mistake, but I just needed to hear him say it)

Khalid: everything..

Me: yeah….. kamil....

Khalid: everything that happened last night. Me calling u. U

coming over. Sleeping next to each other. Telling u I love u.

Maryam this was a mistake..

I sat speechless wanting to cry.

Khalid: I’m sorry Maryam, but I think u should leave...