” okay ,thanks” terki nodded while smiling to the doorman. My heart started pounding so hard at the sight of him. God what’s wrong with me! It must be his undeniable beauty,I thought to myself. he was about to make his way inside when farah spotted him. “terki!” she called out for him. God, Farah is so shameless! , he turned around immediately , i pretended to be playing with my phone. My face turned crimson.

“oh oh look whose here” he grinned ” shlonkom banat?” his teeth are pearly white against his skin.

” el7emdellaa enta shlonik??” farah said enthusiastically.

” wallah 6ayeb .., shlonich jana?” he said looking at me intensely with those big eyes.

” I ..im good el7emdella!” I muttered stupidly.

He smiled warmly at me and my heart beating slowed down. ” yayen bro7kom? Wela na6ren a7ad?” he asked .

” were waiting for our friends ,they are on their way!” farah said.

Just then, a red manicured hands covered terki’s eyes from behind , he smiled a knowing smile, wait a sec what’s going on?! He turned around and she wrapped her arms around him giggling “terkiii ” she said stretching his name. what the..?

” deema! The one and only” he grinned. THE ONE AND ONLY?!!! whose she?! she released him resting her arm against his shoulder , ” girls this is deema, one of my good friends, deema these are farah ;khaled’s wife’s sister, and jana her friend” He introduced us. We smiled greeting her politely.

Deema. She’s beautiful , her hair is very short , charlize theron in the astronaut’s wife short. Her nose is pointy and her lips are pouty red. She’s wearing a leather jacket with a mini black dress underneath and black leggings. She’s tall almost as tall as terki with those 6 inches louboutins. I stood uncomfortable between the three towers of terki,farah and deema, cursing myself for wearing flat boots.

” 7ayakum allah inside 3ala mayon your friends? It’s cold” terki offered.

” la mashkoor ,we are fine” I said before farah would say yes and ruin my day.

” okay 3ayal, enshofkom enshallah” he said, making his way inside with the one and only deema.

We sat on the table upstairs that overlooks the window ,and to my utter bemusement,terki’s table was next to us. My heart made an unexpected flip . why did they hug each other so intimately like that? God , im having stupid thoughts and why the hell am I so bugged by it! It’s their business, right..? I tried to ignore all these senseless thoughts and focus on the menu ” janooon did you finish your order?” dalal, one of the friends asked me. And then I realized that they finished ordering ages ago ,staring at me “yeah, one midnight and one texon” I said blushing.

During our meal I couldn’t stop glancing at terki every now and then, he was chatting happily with his guy friend and deema. Suddenly deema took a napkin and SO SHAMELESSLY wiped something off terki’s mouth. Terki caught my eyes slightly I looked away. I think I lost my appetite. ” ee t3aly janon hows fahad??” dalal said smiling .

” fahad? Ah yeah el7emdella fine” I said quickly, distracted.

” solfay 3an fahad I love sowalef about fahad I love fahad!” noor said. And they all laughed. did i mention that my girlfriends adore fahad? they think that he’s their reminder that there are still good men on kuwait. I smiled weakly, im not in the mood to talk about fahad. Im not in the mood for anything right now, I think I want to go home.

“girls I think im tired shway, im sorry bas I really wanna go home”

” honey shfech?? ” farah asked concerned.

” 3ady faro7 mafeny shy bas shway ba6ny e3awerny ” I lied.

” okay then I’ll go with you, you cant go alone!” farah said. ” no no!! fara7 stay! Wallah I’ll be fine I promise!” I said feeling guilty.

” you sure..??” she asked.

” aha! Absolutely” I nodded.

” okay 3ayal ,take care of yourself okay joonoo?” farah stood giving me a hug, the rest of the girls too.

” yalla bye 7abaybe o sorry”

I made my way outside quickly, passing terki’s table even quicker, I waited the parking valet guy to deliver my car, it’s freezing.

“jana..” a masculine voice spoke behind me.

I turned around , it’s terki ” hey” I said ,feeling uneasy.

“shfeech?” he asked.

“mafeny shy! Lesh? ” I said astonished by his question.

” la..,la nothing” he said frowning . weirdo.

” radda elbait?” he asked.

” yeah bas wllah mawedy ared” I said .

” good! Shrayech etyen weyay ” he beamed.

” wain??!”
” mukan no one saw it before o wedy a5eth someone’s opinion , someone may3arefny 3adel 3ashan layjamelny” he giggled.

” what’s that place???” I asked curiously.

” goly yes awal shay ..” he said grinning.

” yes!” I don’t know why I said yes I know I shouldn’t but i did anyway.

” yalla emshay 3ayal”

“la7tha! Im waiting my car”

“5ala9 3ayal, follow me ok?”

“okay”

I followed him, having no clue where hes going. he drove fast, and I found it a bit hard to follow up. we reached al shameya , he parked in front of a big white house. He opened his window and waved for me, I parked behind his car. I waited inside the car , he got out of his car and came up to me. ” yalla nezlay”

” that’s your house??,where are we?? I asked panicking.

He giggled ” enty nezlay o ra7 t3arfen”

I switched my car off and got out , he walked to the big wooden door of the house with me following him. He took out a chain full of keys from his pocket, he opened the door of the house. ” et’fathelay” he said politely.

He switched on the lights and I gasped ” wow!…….. you made all this??” the house is naked , no furniture , nothing but millions and millions of colorful dazzling paintings and pencil drawings all over the place .

He nodded smiling ” you like?”
” like??? They are amazing!!! Mashallah! Didn’t you think enik tsawy gallery??! “

” this is my gallery” he said smiling.

I looked around the place ” that’s the place that no one know about? They must be missing a lot!” I said.

” actually this is our old house, lel7en met3aleg feh, it reminds me of my childhood, kel yom I come here ,since the day we moved to our new house” he said eyes twinkling. God he’s so cute.

He showed me each and every painting ,describing them and what they represent to him , he was so passionate, so focused, I never saw anyone who adored what they do like he did.
” this is the last painting, resamt’ha about 1 week ago” he said noticing me stretching my legs, ” im sorry shaklech te3abty men elwagfa, have a seat” he pointed at the floor.
I giggled, he sat and motioned for me to sit next to him , I obeyed ,sitting next to him while leaving a small space between us.

After what seemed like an hour we talked about everything , he told me about his family, it turned out that he’s older than saud, which is strange, he looks so young! I thought he was the youngest between the three brothers. He told me about his job, he runs his own business, and paint when he’s free. he told me about deema! he said that they were friends since first grade, she left when they graduated from highschool to study abroad,now she’s back! I told him about few things , about my college, how I know farah and simple things like that. I glanced at my watch ,it’s 10:45 ” omg! I ma7aset belwagt, im so late!”

” it’s okay, ana amashech le baitkom” he said.

” la shd3wa mala da3y..”

” la I insist! Ma3endena banat eredon 3ogb el 10!” he teased me.

” okay baba!”

He laughed heartily ” yalla yuba emshay”

He followed me until I reached home. i entered my room, the smile is not leaving my face, i lied on bed, flipping my phone open ” I had a great time, thanxx. NiteJ” it’s from terki .

” no, thanx to u… nite;)” I replied him back.

That night I slept like a baby. Not waking up until my phone started ringing furiously ” mahma yegolon mahma 9ar mahma tam” m7ammad 3abdu sang his heart out disturbing my sugary sleep.

” aloo…” I answered ,my voice’s shaky.

” janooon? 7abebti you ok?” fahad’s voice filled the other end of the phone.

” yeah..shfek?”

” madry, I thought fech shay, nemty bedon saying goodnight”

” sorry fahad bas kent ta3bana o I fell asleep emedietly”

” yalla 3ayal ana a5alech tnamen 7abebti”

” okay, goodnight fahad.” I hung up.

I couldn’t get back to sleep, i felt guilty that i neglected fahad tonight, but there was this other feeling that was making me sick and it made me forget about fahad . i rolled over and over in bed, my heart is running fast finally realising that it had a very terrible HUGE crush on terki.

Ok, so ilsoog ib London loo3a. Killa sale o za7ma o mako shy yeswa. 7etta jan6a ma sharait. All that i’m excited about are these 5 pairs of shoes I bought, aaaaaaaand this wicked thing that I had custom-made for me especially :-)

It will take two weeks to finish, but that’s ok coz X is coming back to London mid-January for a business trip and he can pick it up for me then.

That night, X is out with a friend of his for a late ras of hubbly bubbly (shisha- YUCK!), but I don’t care.. I lay my head on the fluffy pillow and I smile to myself.. 7addy metshawga o mstansa 3la nafsy inny legait hal shy finally o made me a special order..

The following day, while we were dining @ this little italian restaurant, X’s mobile rings. He picks it up and it’s his friend from last night…

Athari X Allah e7afthah, told his friend ana wain re7t o shino eshtarait.. Goom ila7beeb- ib salamaat 3omrah, told his little wifey- (which I don’t like that much!), o il7ilwa traced my steps o ra7at ordered the very SAME THING I ORDERED !!

La o shino ba3ad, he is calling my X to tell him to pick it up along with mine when he’s in London next time!!

>;-(

Somehow, when I put my head on the pillow tonight, I doubt I will be as happy and smiling like i was yesterday ;-/

**ee tra don’t ask me shino it is, coz mn al7een agool lokom tra many gayla ;P

A few hours later, the group had wrapped up their studying. Jawhara checked her mobile for the time – it was almost 10 PM. “We better get going; t2a5arna.” As she got up, she looked around nervously, her eyes darting to the empty couches where A7med and his lame friends once sat.
Mbarak frowned and put his hand on her shoulder “Shitdawreen?” he asked, even though he knew the answer.
“Nothing,” Jawhara smiled and shook her head, relieved that A7med was nowhere to be seen.
They made their way out of Caribou Coffee and into the parking lot. Wahab followed closely behind Fajer, playfully propping his hands on her shoulder as if he was steering her. She walked in the direction of Jawhara’s SUV, but Wahab’s force pushed her in another direction. “Hey, wain? We have to go, Wahab!” she giggled, the icy air tickling her throat.
“Ana gilt batfaham wiyach ya3ni batfaham wiyach!” she heard the smile in his voice. They hopped over to where Wahab’s Lexus jeep was parked, and under the shady parking lot roofs, Fajer turned to face Wahab. “9ayra it’hableen ilyoom,” Wahab said in a low voice, his eyes twinkling as he caressed her cheek.
“Wahaaab,” Fajer groaned, unable to stop herself from beaming. “Inta shfeek 3alay?”
“Ma feeni shay, walla Fajoorti,” he snapped into serious mode, “This exam is one of the hardest oo abi anja7 3ashan a5ale9! Wana gayellich ahali ba3ad mo mga9reen with the 7anna oo 3awar ras.. Please.. La tiz3eleen minni..”
“Mo za3lana, Wahabi,” Fajer brought her hand to her cheek, enveloping his hand in hers. “I just don’t want this to be the way things are with us.”
Wahab pulled her free hand up to his lips and kissed her cold fingers. The warmth of his soft moist lips instantly came through to Fajer, sending prickles up her spine and into her chest cavity. “They won’t. I promise. It’s just temporary till this week is over, oo ba3dain ana killi lich.”
The moonlight streamed through the thin spacing between the parking roofs, casting it’s silvery light across Wahab’s face. His features were so well defined – his Kuwaiti nose that Fajer once thought was a little too big actually seemed sharp and not so pudgy. His lips glistened with moisture; he had a habit of running his tongue over his lips whenever he felt them getting too dry. Fajer remembered the time when she offered him her cherry Labello chapstick, which he greatly refused in fear of a pinkish red tint staining his lips. He’d lick his lips time and time again, and anyone that didn’t know Wahab would think that he was giving off sexual innuendos. And finally, Fajer’s favorite feature of all were his doe-like eyes – Wahab’s eyes were not too big and not too small, but his eyelashes were long, thick, and dark, which accentuated his dark pupils. His mother always told him that he’d inherited Bedouin features from his ancestors, a compliment that Wahab wore proudly on his chest.
For a brief moment, Fajer thought about how exhilarating it would be to kiss him in the darkness where no one could see them. She imagined pressing her longing lips against his and feeling the faint quiver of their attraction trembling back and forth. ‘Just a short sweet kiss,’ Fajer’s heart begged her, but her mind carried it’s stance over her rapid heartbeats, telling her no, even though the look in Wahab’s eyes said he was ready to kiss the life out of her.
Jawhara’s calling brought Fajer back to reality, and she threw herself into Wahab’s arms for a long hug. She drew in the scent of his cologne that seeped through his sweater, it’s strong fumes intoxicating her with every breath. Wahab gently pressed his lips against the crown of Fajer’s head. “Take care, Fajoorti,” he grinned, and Fajer nodded shyly, as if Wahab had read her deviant thoughts earlier.

As the girls drove back to Qur6uba, Jawhara sighed listlessly at the stress she was under. She desperately wanted to get the job at the bank, and because of A7med’s presence at Caribou Coffee, she was unable to concentrate as much as she’d hoped to. As soon as they pulled into the narrow backstreet that Jawhara’s house was situated on, the girls noticed a shiny smoky-grey Mercedes parked a few meters away from the driveway. Jawhara’s heart dropped to her stomach and her hands became cold and sweaty.
“Oh my God.. Fajer.. A7med hnee.. Fajer.. A7med hnee!” Jawhara cried, frantically shaking her daydreaming friend’s shoulder.
“Huh? Wain?” Fajer asked, jerking up in her seat.
“The Mercedes. Waaaay, Fajoor, what the hell does he want?!” Jawhara practically screamed, feeling the familiar tremble in her voice. It was the same tremble that came through whenever she and A7med used to fight and Jawhara would cry miserably to herself; the same tremble that echoed when she sobbed relentlessly after he’d slapped her.
“9ef6ay oo dishay; ma 3alaich minna!” Fajer told Jawhara, shocked at A7med’s audacity. He had the nerve to wait outside her home after everything he’d put her through?
Jawhara nodded, the fear painting her face. Her stomach was churning, as if she’d swallowed mouthfuls of chlorine water. Suppressing herself from gagging, Jawhara parked slowly, careful not to crash, and got out of the car as quickly as she could. To her surprise, her legs held her up, but they couldn’t walk fast enough. A7med was already standing outside of his car, a short distance away from Jawhara and Fajer.
“Sh’hal 9edfa il7ilwa,” he sneered, slamming the door of his car.
“Shtabi?” Jawhara asked loudly, ready to fight him off at any moment. Fajer whispered angrily for her not to talk back to him and just walk into the house, but Jawhara was nowhere within earshot, mentally and physically.
“T7achay 3adil la aheffich kaf,” A7med glowered as he inched closer to the girls. “6al3a wiya shabab, ha?”
“Mo shi’3lik!” Jawhara cried, feeling Fajer tugging at her arm. Jawhara pulled her arm away from Fajer, and though the tears were pooling in her eyes, she promised herself she wouldn’t let A7med have the last word.
“Mo shi’3li, ha? Mashi ya Jawhara; ana a3lamich,” A7med’s eyes reduced to angry slits that sat underneath his furrowed eyebrows. Before he turned around and gave the girls his back, he stepped closer to Jawhara and shook his head. “7asafa ubooch metwaffi, lana i9ara7a ummich ma 3refat itrabeech!”
“Roo7!” Fajer cried furiously, hating A7med even more than she ever has in her life. Jawhara’s body numbed at the mention of her father, and she contemplated picking up a nearby tomato crate and hurling it at A7med’s broad back, but her feet were planted firmly to the ground, and her back wouldn’t bend. The tears that once sat patiently in the rims of her eyelids had overflowed and spilled onto her cheeks, dribbling down to her chin and neck. “I don’t belong to you!” Jawhara screamed at his back, and he threw his hand up as if to dismiss her.
When Jawhara was positive that A7med’s car was out of sight, she stumbled back into her house, cradled in Fajer’s arms.

Without even saying hello to her mother, Jawhara flopped up the stairs, supported by Fajer’s shoulder. She was unable to stop the tears from flowing, not only because of the way A7med had spoken to her, but also because of the indescribable fear that A7med would never leave her alone. Fajer quietly closed and locked Jawhara’s bedroom door and went to sit near Jawhara, who had thrown herself onto her bed like a dead fish. Cries muffled by Jawhara’s thick satin duvet filled the room, and Fajer tried her best to calm Jawhara down. After a series of cursing A7med and consoling Jawhara, Fajer shushed her by asking “Jojo, you don’t want to let your mother hear you cry like this, do you?”
“Nhh..,” Jawhara grunted as she turned her head to the side to look at Fajer. Fajer’s downcast eyes looked at Jawhara, her eyes pink and puffy like marshmallows. Her tear-stained face was drained of color, and her breath shuddered every time she inhaled.
“Goomay ‘3aslay wayhich, 7ayati,” Fajer tried to ease Jawhara up, but gravity was not on her side.
“I want him to leave me alone,” Jawhara mumbled, and two tears slid onto her cheeks.
“He will, hal 7aywan. Walla, he will,” Fajer sighed, leading Jawhara to the bathroom. She held Jawhara’s thick honey hair back as splashed cold water onto her face. Jawhara reached out and patted her face gently with a terrycloth face towel. She looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes still stinging from all the crying. “I hate him,” she said to the person in the mirror, as if her reflection was another evil person that had brought A7med into her life. But the truth burdened Jawhara; it was partly her fault – she should’ve seen the red lights flashing, but she chose to ignore them for the sake of being in a relationship.
Fajer’s phone rang; it was her mother. “Fajer, wainich?” her mother’s voice was always so loud. Fajer cringed and moved the phone away from her ear in fear of having an eardrum burst.
“3ind Jawhara, Mama,” Fajer replied, her voice echoing against the tiles of the bathroom.
“Yalla riday, mama, t2a5ar ilwagt,” her mother spoke, and Fajer complied. Once Fajer hung up, Jawhara nodded understandingly before Fajer even explained that she had to go.
“Are you gonna be ok?” Fajer asked as she locked Jawhara into a tight hug.
“I’ll be fine. Thanks babe,” Jawhara forced a tiny smile and was about to walk Fajer out to her car, but Fajer held her hand up in protest.
“5aleech; erta7ay. I’ll call you as soon as I get home,” Fajer smiled and bounced down the stairs and out the door to her car.

As if on cue, Mbarak called Jawhara as soon as Fajer left. The phone rang for a few seconds before Jawhara picked up, giving herself time to regain her composure. But her voice betrayed her, and with the croaky “Aloo” he wasn’t used to hearing, Mbarak knew something was wrong.
“Jawhara, 7abeebti shfeech?” Mbarak asked, turning the loud TV down.
“Ma feeni shay,” Jawhara sniveled, trying hard not to cry. More than anything, she wanted Mbarak next to her, holding her and protecting her from everything. She closed her eyes and reminded herself of how safe she felt in his embrace, trying to remember the scent of his cologne and how comfy it made her feel inside.
“Jawhara,” Mbarak pressed softly, though he was getting irritated by the way she kept things from him, “Bitgooleeli shfeech wala la2?”
His soft loving voice made her crack; she started off with a tiny sob that turned into a small wail and finally a grand cry. “Laaaa! La tabcheen, Jawharti! 7ayati?” he spoke through her cries, trying to calm her down. He took a deep breath and tried to remain calm, but he couldn’t stand to hear his beloved Jawhara cry. “Shino imbacheeh?? Gooleeli, yalla 3aaad!”
The tightness in Jawhara’s chest formed a pain, which slowly stopped her from crying. When her weeping died down, Mbarak’s heart softened. “7abeebti?”
“Mmm,” Jawhara pouted, dabbing her eyes with a handful of tissues. She shamelessly blew her nose, not caring that Mbarak may get grossed out by the sound of her nose trumpeting. After her nose had finished it’s symphony, a stark silence filled her ear. “Aloo?” she mumbled, hoping that Mbarak hadn’t given up on her.
“3umri,” his voice, well above a whisper, eased her ailing spirit. “Shfeech Jawharti? Min imza3lich?”
Jawhara took a deep breath and gathered her courage, and began recounting the events that had happened less than an hour ago. She sadly told Mbarak about the nasty things A7med had said and the way he threatened to slap her again. Mbarak listened silently at every word Jawhara said, feeling an angry flame ignite in his body. His eyes widened and he gritted his teeth, ready to go out and find A7med and beat him to a pulp. When Jawhara stopped talking, he spoke in the most livid tone of voice Jawhara had ever hear. “Bitgooleeli isma wala la2?”
“Barook, tikfa, mabi meshakel,” Jawhara pleaded, pulling her duvet up to her chest and tucking it under her arms.
“Maaaalich shi’3il intay. Bitgooleeli isma al7een,” Mbarak raised his voice, seething.
After a moment of Jawhara contemplating whether or not she should tell Mbarak A7med’s name, she gave to his persistence.
“A7med,” Jawhara revealed, bunching the wad of tissues in the palm of her sweaty hands.
“A7med shino?” Mbarak almost shouted. The veins throbbed in his temples, and he had to restrain his bunched fists from breaking something.
“A7med Il-Flani,” Jawhara said quietly, silently praying that they didn’t know each other.
“Bye,” Mbarak barked after a short silence, and the phone line disconnected before Jawhara could say another word. Confused, she called back several times, and Mbarak rejected her calls until she called one last time to find “Call Waiting” flashing on her screen. “Yurja ilentithaar..” the voice of the Zain automated reply annoyed Jawhara, and she hung up the phone, knowing that Mbarak wouldn’t be answering her calls anytime soon.

“Haya…tra….”

“Haya…yala…”

“Haya…we’re here already”

“Mabyyy…bs banam”

Silence.

“Haya, we’re here”

“Mabyyyy bs banam” I said, as I made my head comfortable in its position. I sunk into my pillow a bit more.
…

I wanna be famousI wanna be a starI wanna be in moviesSo 9abaya..If you had to become one celebrity for a day, who would it be?I was confused between these hotties!!Camilla belleLindsay lohan Megan foxBut then i decided TYRA BANKS !! Do you really wann…

Today was an emotional roller-coaster for me. From the morning up until now. Oddly, it was just “official” an hour ago, I don’t even want to start. I’m sick of discussing it and thinking about it. Seriously, this has just gone on for too long -_-Tha…

I have a cold. It’s all because of Bu Tootee who insists on taking a shower and going out in the cold. Now he is well but he threw his virus on me.
Oooh by the way… my tooth filling fell! Turns out the dentist has cracked my tooth and now it looks horrible!!! and when [...]

When u send a text message to your friends or whatever just double check ina its the right contact number lana its so uncool…-When ur going out with friend o ur msging ur boyfriend “How much did u miss him” And then 6oo6oo6 ur friend received it inst…

This post is dedicated to 6alal … happy birthday ;p ——————-
It had been two weeks since the funeral and Zeina had spent a cumulative of two hours outside her bedroom. On the day of her final exam, having not picked up a book or attend…

” I can’t take this anymore..”"I’m gonna burst!”"Hpht! Yalla! Ma 9arat..”"Come on, COME ON !!” ”SHDA3WA 3ALAIKOM! YALAAA”  I thought to myself. Just then I started to panic. I couldn’t take it anymore ! I could feel my features slowly growing more an…

I can officially say it’s over. I can’t say that I feel good but at the same time I don’t exactly feel bad about it. I don’t regret it as much as I thought I did, which is good. I guess…It was awful though, I mean I wasn’t expecting a perfect break-u…

The tides crawled shyly and tickled Dalals bare foot; she smiled but didn’t move an inch. She covered her eyes with her hands as she enjoyed the stinging warmth of the sun and the tag game the lazy sea was playing with her. she was in no rush. A hand…

The tides crawled shyly and tickled Dalals bare foot; she smiled but didn’t move an inch. She covered her eyes with her hands as she enjoyed the stinging warmth of the sun and the tag game the lazy sea was playing with her. she was in no rush. A hand…

12.30 am“JoJo.. ““hmm” Jory was half asleep, she was consumed after the disturbing dinner at Reems house..“ta3bana..?” “shway.. day5a.. min el9ib7 ga3da”“tabeen a5aleech..?” Fahad was waiting all night for her to come, he doesn’t …

Waay they look so good …The movie:Well…I thought it was ookay… I expected much more il9ara7a It was an extremely low budget film! Ya3ni mu ga6een ga6 like Harry poter o chithi.Of course the book is much much better because there is so much more d…

So i wonder… Whats next ?
She fucking hates my guts! i hate confrontations but i can handle them, i like to avoid them where i can.  I kissed him. I loved him. He made me his fucking collateral. WHO DOES THAT?
‘ when all else fails… you’ll still be there for me baby! ‘
Well FUCK YOU [...]

Today was the last day for our local woolworths
It was saaaaaaaaaaaaaaad !!!! nothing is left… the cashier woman was shivering while handling my money… it was really bad
It really is an end of an Era… like Pheobe said, or someone in Friends did anyways!!
Anyways i took pictures of the whole thing. [...]

I know you guys asked for a long part, bs I’ve got an exam tomorrow oo I barely got this one finished. Please sam7oony if its not as good as it should be – I wrote it as fast as i could =(So I promise I’ll post another one sooner than i usually do! I’l…

“You’re phone’s ringing, Fajoor,” Jawhara stated the obvious, “Pick up.”
“It’s Wahab,” Fajer sighed, rolling over on the carpet.
“Ee, pick up! Weren’t you trying to call him gabel shway?” Jawhara frowned. She didn’t understand the whole playing hard-to-get game that most girls thought was necessary.
Fajer grumbled and propped herself up on one elbow, stretching her other arm out to grab the ringing phone. “Aloo..” she spoke softly.
“Fajoor, intay wainich?” Wahab asked, concerned. He sat on the ledge of his bed and ran his fingers through his hair.
“Waini? I should be asking you the same thing,” Fajer replied, her voice stiffening. “Do you know how many times I’ve called you and sent you messages? Shfeek ma trid?”
Flustered, Wahab sighed deeply. “Fajoor, ana giltlich I was studying. I told you I have a huge exam bacher oo 9arli 2 days adris.”
“Still, Wahab. That doesn’t mean you don’t pick up the phone. You didn’t think I was worried about you?”
“Fajoorti,” Wahab began, his heart sinking, “Walla I’m sorry. It’s not an easy exam.”
“Well I wasn’t calling to waste your time. Anyways, if you wanna study, ana oo Jawhara oo Mbarak are going to Caribou Coffee tonight to study. It’s quiet there – you coming?” Fajer offered, not expecting a positive reply. She always told herself that if she didn’t expect anything, she’d never be disappointed. To her surprise, Wahab agreed in attempt to make up for his neglecting her.

Jawhara got dressed in comfier sweats, tucking the leg of her pants into chestnut colored mid-calf high Uggs. They were her favorite pair of boots, even though she had a vast collection of very stylish shoes and boots – they were so comfortable and the way the sheep-wool insides warmed her toes made her feel like life was perfect. Fajer sat on the ledge of Jawhara’s bed, pulling on her mukluks. “Can’t I go home and change real quick?”
“Ma yamdi, Fajoor. Itha you need anything, borrow min 3indi. Bes they’re gonna be there in 20 minutes oo you know me, ma7ib at2a5ar,” Jawhara explained. “Besides, you look fine.”
“Madri,” Fajer began, “A7is these mukluks are too much.”
“Bil3aks! 7adhum cute,” Jawhara assured her, and grabbed her keys and the training booklets that the bank had given to her before heading out of her room. “I hope I get the job,” she sighed as she opened the door to step outside. A cold gust attacked her, and she hugged her booklets to her chest and bowed her head against the merciless wind.
Fajer buzzed her lips and bunched her fists into the side pockets of her camel-colored oversized sweater and braved the weather, walking quickly to her car. “You’ll get it; I know you will,” she gasped, her teeth chattering. Fajer grabbed her books and notebook out of the back seat of her car and ran to Jawhara’s SUV. Jawhara was already in the driver’s seat, warming up the car’s engine and rubbing her icy hands together.
Within minutes, Jawhara pulled out of her driveway onto the slippery roads, and they drove to Caribou Coffee in the Free Trade Zone. The drive, as all of their winter drives were, was quiet except for Jawhara’s bulky iPod playing M7amed 3abdu jalsat. Fajer stared longingly out the window, drawing patterns on the fogged up glass with her finger. First, she drew a happy face, and then proceeded to wipe it away and replace it with outlines of hearts and flowers.

When the girls pulled into the small dark parking area of Caribou Coffee, their eyes searched for Wahab and Mbarak’s cars. Fajer instantly spotted Wahab’s Lexus jeep and had to stop herself from rolling her eyes all the way back into her head.
“Shfeech? Yalla 3ad,” Jawhara begged, “Don’t be like this.”
“I’m not being like anything,” Fajer replied coldly, “I just don’t like being ignored.”
“None of us do, babe. Just 3adlay mazajich please oo let’s try to get some studying done,” Jawhara tried to calm her best friend down. Fajer sighed and nodded, grabbing her books and letting herself out of the car. Jawhara locked the car as they both walked away from the shadowy parking lot and into the brightly lit café.
A wave of nostalgia washed over Fajer; every time she walked into Caribou Coffee, the big brown leather furniture and the hardwood floors brought thoughts of a happier life. She thought of cowboys and mountaineers and how cozy and comfortable they were in their country-style homes, sitting by a blazing fireplace with their loved ones as the sunset painted the sky hues of indigo and orange outside. Nothing completed her imagination better than a steaming cup of coffee, and to add to her pleasure was the Christmas-themed paper cups that dragged her thoughts farther and farther away. Fajer instantly thought of Bnaider – the sole reason why she fell in love with Bnaider was because it was, in a unique way, her country-style life away from reality.
Fajer and Jawhara acknowledged Mbarak and Wahab’s presence, nodding and smiling to them, and motioning that they were going to get their drinks before having a seat with them. Mbarak and Wahab were seated in a homely corner of the café, with two empty leather armchairs facing the ones they were already sitting on.
“Two turtle mocha’s please; skimmed milk, no whipped cream,” Jawhara rattled off their order as Fajer looked around. Caribou Coffee was particularly empty today, except for three girls sitting at a wooden table typing away at their laptops, and a group of five or so guys who were shamelessly staring at Jawhara and Fajer from the moment they walked in. Fajer’s eyes stopped skimming through the crowd when she locked gazes with a face so familiar, she wanted to throw up.
“Jooj,” she nudged Jawhara with her elbow, still staring at the guy. “Jawhara, whatever you do, don’t look at the group of guys that are sitting.”
“Laish?” Jawhara asked quietly, turning her upper body slightly to look at Fajer.
“If I’m not mistaken, A7med’s here,” Fajer whispered audibly.
The rosy color that had settled in Jawhara’s cheeks immediately drained away, along with the moisture that was in her throat. She felt her heart thump wildly like African drums, threatening to burst out of her chest. All that was left was for Jawhara’s knees to buckle and leave her to drop to the floor, but Jawhara stood still, the fear seeping out of every pore in her body.
“You’re serious?” Jawhara whispered incredulously. A gut-wrenching ache consumed her stomach when she saw Fajer nod. “7igreeh, don’t look,” she said sternly to Fajer, but in truth, she was actually commanding herself.
Fajer made a face and turned away, grabbing her drink from the counter and walking behind Jawhara to where the guys were sitting. For a moment, Fajer felt relieved to see Wahab and knowing he was there to protect her in case anything happened, but then she realized that he’d been ignoring her all day. She raised her eyebrows uncertainly, as if to question him.

After they all greeted each other, the girls sat down and opened up their books. Jawhara stared at the pages of her training booklet, unable to make out the muddle of words that were printed on the crisp white pages. She tried reading a few words but they didn’t make sense to her, and with pleading eyes, she looked up at Mbarak.
“7abeebti, shfeech?” Mbarak asked quietly, leaning over the oak coffee table between them. He noticed the glaze in Jawhara’s eyes as he looked into them. “9ayer shay?”
She shook her head slowly like a lost child who was too scared to speak. What was she supposed to tell him? That her ex-boyfriend that practically abused her was sitting only three meters away from them, burning holes in her body with his tyrannical glare?
“Akeed?” Mbarak asked tenderly, closing his textbook and leaning in closer. “Tara itha tabeen, we can go outside for a minute and you can tell me what’s bothering you.”
Jawhara shook her head again and thanked him, quietly wishing that Mbarak wouldn’t make it seem obvious that she was bothered by A7med’s being there.
Mbarak shrugged helplessly and opened his textbook back to the page he was studying, looking up at Jawhara every once in a while to make sure she was alright.

Fajer flipped through the pages of her notebook to find the last set of notes she had scribbled down in her management class, and when she looked at Wahab, he was frowning at his book with his head propped on his hand, his finger digging into his cheek.
“I’m sorry, is the noise bothering you?” Fajer asked, referring to the rustling sound of the pages of her book.
Wahab shook his head without looking up from the page he was reading, trying his best to concentrate. After he’d finished reading the sentence, he looked up at Fajer, who had a firm harsh look on her face. “Shfeech, ba3ad?” Wahab asked playfully.
“Madri 3annik! Busy, busy. You can at least look up from your book to answer me. Shda3wa, Wahab!” Fajer grumbled rapidly and shook her head, angrily flipping through the pages of her notebook until a page ripped in half from her mishandling. Fajer closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Zain chithee? My notes ripped.”
Wahab couldn’t help but laugh at Fajer’s temper tantrum. “Fajoora, mamati, calm down. Shirbay, shirbay your coffee. Ana atfaham wiyach ba3dain.”
Fajer looked at him, stifling a giggle; he was just too cute to be mad at. Wahab smiled and continued to read his papers while Fajer stared him down. His hair was neatly combed, held away from his face by his infamous elastic headband. His messy eyebrows almost met at the middle when he frowned, his deep brown eyes piercing the words printed in his notebook. And lastly, Fajer’s favorite, was the adorable navy blue Polo hoodie he was sporting with dark grey fleece training pants. Smiling, Fajer picked up her mobile phone and sent him a text message, even though he was sitting right across from her.
Wahab’s phone beeped loudly when the message was sent, and he dug his hand into the pockets of his pants to pull it out. The message read: “way etshaweg ma7ibik ;(“
He looked up at her with a sly smile, stuffing the phone back into his pocket. “Fajoor. 7ayati intay. Ubooy intay. Please dirsay oo 5aleeni adris; tara walla bagoom agre9ich al7een!”
“Fiiine,” Fajer gave in with a giggle, flipping through her notes again until she found the last things she’d written.

Jawhara took a long sip of her steaming Turtle Mocha. The hot drink almost burnt the tip of her tongue, but she didn’t care. The strong coffee flavor came through the thick gush of sweet caramel and chocolate along with traces of crunchy bits of nuts, enveloping the insides of her mouth and calming her down. She closed her eyes, trying to sort through and rearrange her thoughts; she needed to pass this training exam if she wanted the job.
A7med stared at Jawhara from a distance, delighted at the way she was seemingly unsettled and uncomfortable. He thought about how nice it would be to hear her angelic voice again, or how thrilling it would be to hold her in his arms and feel her melt into his body the way she used to. A7med loved having Jawhara wrapped around his little finger, and he exercised that benefit to it’s full potential. Even after he’d slapped her for wearing shorts that were a little too short for his liking, she’d cried herself right back into his arms. A7med smirked as he stirred the brown sugar into his coffee, looking over at Jawhara every once in a while.
Jawhara’s phone beeped with a message, interrupting her thoughts. A text message from a number that she recognized as A7med’s read: “medach neseteeni 6al3a weya 7abebech ashkara haa!”
Her heart began to race and lumps formed in the back of her throat as she quickly deleted the message without replying.
“Mino?” Mbarak asked, looking up from his textbook.
“Nothing; da3aya,” Jawhara lied, not wanting to start any drama.
Mbarak nodded and went back to reading, but the sound of Jawhara’s phone beeping with numerous text messages distracted him. Mean messages from A7med flooded her inbox one after the other, and when Jawhara looked over to him, she saw his thumbs tapping away at the keypad of his Nokia E71. Jawhara smiled sweetly as diverted her phone calls to Fajer’s phone and turned her own phone off.
“3asa ma shar?” Mbarak was now frustrated; ever since she’d walked in, Jawhara was acting strange.
“Mako shay, Barook; shfeek?” Jawhara assured him, nervously curling the edges of her booklet.
“Mo 3ala ba3thich killish; madri,” Mbarak shrugged and asked her again if she’d like to go outside to talk. Jawhara thought about his offer for a minute and figured it would be best to go outside and smell some fresh air, and more importantly, get away from A7med.
Mbarak led Jawhara outside, his hand on the small of her back. A7med, seething and enraged, watched them walk outside. For a split-second he thought about following them outside and making a scene, but he decided to stay put.

The cold night air was a refreshing difference from the dizzying warmth of the café. Mbarak held Jawhara’s hand, interlocking his fingers with hers, and they walked to where Mbarak’s Silverado was parked. The shiny black body of his car reflected the faint moonbeam, and Jawhara was reminded of the inky nighttime sea where she and Mbarak swam.
“Al7een gooleeli shfeech?” Mbarak inquired, leaning against the passenger door of his car. Jawhara faced him, their hands still interlocked, and an obvious look of discomfort tensing her face.
She sighed, watching a small puff of steam curl into the air. “He’s inside,” she blurted out.
“Who’s inside?” Mbarak frowned, getting impatient. He didn’t like mind games or beating around the bush. “Tell me, latlifeen witdooreen!”
“Ma ga3da alif wadoor!” Jawhara cried, feeling wound up. “My ex! He’s inside! Remember I told you about him? He’s inside and he keeps looking and it’s making me uncomfortable!”
“Wain ga3ed?” Mbarak glowered, his cheeks flushing with angry heat.
“The group of guys illi ga3deen yam ilcounter. He’s one of them,” Jawhara said quietly, burying her head in Mbarak’s chest. The distressed appliqué of his Lacoste sweater rubbed against her cold cheeks, warming them up. Through the thick fleece of his sweater, Jawhara could feel Mbarak’s heart beating. “Shfeek?” she asked, worried that maybe Mbarak recognized A7med as one of his friends.
“Ma 3alaich minna; 5al yiwalli!” Mbarak said angrily, rubbing his hand up and down Jawhara’s back.
”Do you know any of them?” Jawhara wondered, hoping his answer would be negative.
“No,” Mbarak replied, and Jawhara breathed a sigh of relief, “And I don’t want to either. Was he the one sending you text messages?”
Jawhara, with her head still against Mbarak’s chest, nodded.
“Shiygool?” Mbarak’s voice became louder.
“Nothing; just him being an ass,” Jawhara replied, biting her lip.
“Mara thanya when I ask you something, be honest. Oo if he sends you another message, tell me; ana atfaham ma3ah.”
Jawhara nodded again and apologized, and Mbarak kissed the crown of her head before they made their way back inside.
Once inside, Mbarak turned his and Jawhara’s chairs away from everyone else, so that they faced Fajer and Wahab and the glass window that overlooked the parking lot. Jawhara turned her phone back on and deleted all of A7med’s messages, until her phone beeped with one more message. Mbarak didn’t look up from his papers but smiled, and Jawhara worried that A7med would send her yet another message that would result in a showdown between him and Mbarak. But to her delight, it was a message from Mbarak. “a7sed 3yooni 3ala shofek wa’3ar men elli yeshoofoonek.. yaretaha tesma7 ‘6roofek men gurb aw bu3d bashofek.. ya zen men kether ma a7ebek samoni el3asheg el’3ayyar ;*”

Jawhara kissed the screen of her mobile phone, and Mbarak’s closeness to her made her feel protected. For the first time that evening, she didn’t care that A7med was sitting only a few meters away from her, watching her every move. All that mattered to her was that Mbarak was sitting less than a meter away from her, by her side with every move she made. Fajer, Jawhara, Wahab and Mbarak studied in peace, soaking in as much knowledge as their brain could take for those few hours.

+++++ 3abood 5owaja – Il-3ashig Il-’3ayyar +++++

Farah’s sister’s wedding was today. Farah is my best friend, my mom and her’s were good friends and old neighbors. We met in cradles and since then we became inseparable. Im a petite small person and she’s very tall and model-like, but I always” secretly” thought we are twins.

It was 5:12 pm, i was looking at my reflection in the big glossy mirror in the suite at al Sheraton hotel ,with farah sitting on the chair before me getting her hair done. and Fay the bride was talking on the phone with khalti muneera ,their mother. ” enzain mama pleaseee don’t forget your diamond set !” fay begged on the phone, remembering the incident back at her “melcha” day when her mother forgot her jewelry and was wearing black, it was a total dismay for perfectionist Fay who cared for every little detail and she was so upset with her mother who looked like she was going to a funeral.

” joono shlon my hair?” Farah asked me .

” it’s not done yet. Bas shakla eshaweg!, im a big fan of Grecian goddess hair styles!!” I beamed at her.

” ya wailech etha 6ala3 mu 7elo! It’s your idea after all” she said making a face to me. I smiled . nothing can go wrong on this creature, jeans and shirt looks awesome on her,let alone a beautiful Grecian style chignon.

1 hour later i was standing in front of the mirror ,doing a last minute once over check, my eyes was perfectly smoky, my cheeks were glowing and my lips were sparkling in a beautiful natural way. My hair was in perfect brown shiny waves, Farah didn’t allow me to do anything with it , she always warned ” don’t you ever updo your hair! It’s meant to be maflol!, got it?” .I kept it loosely swept in one side, since my dress was one shouldered.

” yalla jana, guests are coming!” farah yelled waiting near the door outside the suite.

” yalla yalla kani coming” I assured her, getting outside.

So far the wedding was a complete success, everything was perfectly arranged, the dj’s songs were great, needless to say that “al gassar” badda3 and everyone was dancing and having fun, fay was dazzling and satisfied and khalti muneera didn’t forget her diamond shabka and was wearing orange, a happy color luckily for Fay.

11:20 am. it was time for the groom and the men to inter. Women were covering themselves with shawls and scarves. The sound of the “yebbab” was filling “al maseya” ballroom. And there he was intering the ballroom with his father in one side, his brothers and her father, followed by his friends and relatives. I always loved the part when the groom inters. He kissed her head and stood next to her holding her hand , his father and her’s kissed them and then a tall handsome looking guy hugged the groom and nose-kissed him, laughing at something the groom’s saying. He turned around and stood next to the groom for pictures with the entire family. His eyes were so pierced under the big shiny chandeliers,mashallah! and God he was so familiar, I thought to myself. I saw him somewhere, I know! But I cant recall when and where. He’s khaled’s “the groom” brother obviously, but im sure I never met his brother.

After what seemed like thirty minutes , the men were beginning to leave, the familiar handsome guy was making his way out of the ballroom with his father and a few more men, he was limping! Poor thing I thought to myself. HE WAS LIMPING! then it hit me. He was the guy from the hospital ! those eyes! he looked good!, so clean and recovered and..sexy!! I gulped.

Farah’s sister’s wedding is today. Farah is my best friend, my mom and her’s are good friends and old neighbors. We met in cradles and since then we became inseparable. Im a petite small person and she’s very tall and model-like, but I always” secretly” thought we are twins.

It is 5:12 pm, im looking at my reflection in the big glossy mirror in the suite at al Sheraton hotel ,with farah sitting on the chair before me getting her hair done. and Fay the bride is talking on the phone with khalti muneera ,their mother. ” enzain mama pleaseee don’t forget your diamond set !” fay begged on the phone, remembering the incident back at her “melcha” day when her mother forgot her jewelry and was wearing black, it was a total dismay for perfectionist Fay who cared for every little detail and she was so upset with her mother who looked like she was going to a funeral.

**Clarification**

Pls check end of post

***

Sitting with a couple of friends, whom I met today @ Selfridges, the conversation suddenly took a turn to discuss blogs *rolls her eyes*.
That’s when they revealed the identity of two bloggers I follow regularly, and I was GOBSMACKED!!!

I didn’t ask, I didn’t want to know… But the information was like thrown at my lap!!

The first blogger is a girl I simply adore. She’s funny, and never fails to make me smile with each post, each comment.. :-)
She is very real and true to herself, and what you read in her blog is exactly what you can see in real life.
She is in her blog who she really is in real life.. No pretence, no false impressions..
She is one-of-a-kind and I love her :-*

It wasn’t until they blew the cover of the second blogger that my jaw dropped to the floor!!
Ma3Qo0la??
This blogger is Flana*??!!
Waaaiii masaddig…
She is NOT at all what she portrays in her blog..
She is far, way far, if not opposite, from the image she cleverly painted for herself..
.
.

Now is that ok?
to escape your real life and create a world of your imagination where you can be whatever you want to be?

I first frowned at the idea..
But as i’m typing this now, i’m starting to think: “Kaifha!” *shrugs*
Let her write what makes her happy..
.
.

As the conversation was nearing its end, my friend carelessly said while signaling the waiter to bring over the cheque :
“Now ma boga illa in3aref GLITTER mino!! “

Needless to say I almost chocked on my last bite of cake!

++Still away, bytheway!

*Flana = wa7da mn el naaas*

When you’re too in love to let it go..For some apparent reason, this is so much more complicated than I ever thought it could be. I had it all planned out and I even had a deadline for myself (12:00 AM – Thursday, 19th of December). Yet it didn’t go ac…