I'm taking a short break, so sam7oony etha I dont post very often (if I do post at all) in these few coming weeks.
I'm very very sorry, bs I'm going through a really tough time, so bear with me.
For more details, click here.
Will miss you alot =(
We were just about to grab a bite when M7ammad’s phone rang. He put it on speaker when he saw it was Layla.
“Alooo”
“Hallah wallah eb Lilly! We9altay?”
“Ee I just got into a taxi and am heading to the hotel now”
“7amdella 3asalama. 6ab3an ma yebty A7madooo weyach?”
“Madree galolek we’re here on a holiday for M7ammad & his bestie?”
“Afaaa!! Kint agoola la t5aleeha tsafer broo7ha...geltla adree murtek bs ana maly she’3l feeha…ent ta3al deer balek 3aleha”
“9ij? Ya3ny moo ta3al eg3ad weyay 5al ngezz eb London?”
“Meno? Ana? Gazz?”
“Ee ee mskeen ent wallah mathloom. Loo ent sha59eyan ma tyee oo tgooly 3n swalfek kan momken a9adeg” she said teasingly.
He gave her a nervous laugh and blushed just a little.
“Balash fadaye7 odam elnas!” he said in the funniest Egyptian accent I’ve ever heard.
“Nas meen? Haya?”
“7amdella 3asalama Lilly”
“Allah ysalmch 7beebty. I tried calling your phone bas madree shfee! You forced me eny anazel mn mostaway oo adeg 3la hal ahbal” she teased.
“Zain 7eshayy mn waray mo che ashkara eb wayhy!! Bagool 7ag a7madooo!”
“5al ashofk bs al7en oo nshoof shino bngool 7ag a7madooo!” she said in an evil voice, “entaw wainkom?”
“Tawwna m5al9een oo we were gonna go for lunch. Bs damich hnee, we’ll meet you in the hotel oo we go eat together”
“5alas ashoofkom hnak 3ayal”
We made our way back to the hotel to meet up with Layla. It was around 5pm now. We both changed into jeans and sweaters, and sat infront of the muted TV, making conversation.
“Tadreen this sofa ma ra7 tkafeena lma Layla tyee”
“Ee wallah 9ij. Lazem a7ad yeg3ad on the floor.” I teased.
“Orrrr…” he said as he picked up the phone, “…we could just call the reception and ask them to bring another one in”
Why didn’t I think of that earlier?!
Better yet, why didn’t he think of that earlier?
My thoughts were interrupted by the knock on our door.
“That was fast” he said as he opened the door. Layla stood in the doorway with her luggage. “Nawwar l suite!! Hala eb Layla eli yaya bdoon A7madooo”
“Ennas tgool 7amdella 3asalama” she said as she elbowed him, pushing him aside. The concierge followed her with the luggage. “Haya! Ambaih eldawam bedoonich mo shay!” she came over to me and gave me a big, warm teddy bear hug.
I hugged her back tightly. Even though Layla and I weren’t very close off-hours, she was my favorite colleague during work. When I first started in our company, she was the single most helpful person in the company. She made sure I knew exactly how things were and that I was comfortable all the time. As time progressed, our relationship got stronger and we managed to become closer. We would go out to eat, or go shopping if we had nothing to do at work.
But somehow, we rarely made it past working hours. Partly because I was too wrapped up in 3abboud after-hours, and partly because she was too wrapped up with her husband, too. She did invite us a couple of times for get-togethers at her place, but I always managed to make up an excuse since I couldn’t stand the thought of seeing M7ammad, her husband’s childhood friend, when I didn't absolutely have to.
She finally let go of me.
“I’d kiss you bs I know you’re not a big fan of that”
“You know me too well, Lilly” I winked.
“So how’s everything been? How have you guys been?”
“Wallah all good el7amdella. How are things back in Kuwait?”
“Not so good wallah. Nasser is really struggling with everything. I hope things turn out well” she paused for a moment. ”Enough with that, 5anroo7 nakel! I slept throughout my flight oo mo metrayga!”
“Wain tabeen?” M7ammad asked her, not looking at me.
“Wherever, I just really need to eat right now”
M7ammad rushed towards the door, and we followed behind him. He held the door open for Layla as he spoke to her.
“So shlon A7madooo?” he said, stepping infront of me as soon as she stepped out of the door, unannounced. I stopped in the middle of my step to allow him through. It didn’t help that he didn’t hold the door for me after he walked through.
What the hell was that?
As we walked towards the Chinese place at the end of the street, I noticed that M7ammad didn't do so much as look at me, or direct any of his conversation towards me. It looked as if he was completely sucked into her world, paying attention to every little thing she said. I’ve never seen him act this way around her before. If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought he had a thing for her, but I knew that was just about as logical as flying pigs.
When we got to the restaurant, M7ammad quickly sat next to Layla, leaving only the seat opposite hers for me to sit in. He sat there discussing what they would have with her, completely ignoring my presence. When Layla would talk to me, he would just lodge his face in the menu. Eventually, when the waiter came, he asked Layla what she wanted to have, then told him their orders.
“That will be all, thank you” he said, signaling for the waiter to leave.
My jaw dropped open as I stared at him.
“M7ammad shfeek? Haya didn’t order”
“Ee 9a7, chenny nesait’ha. Tabeen anadeeh, wla t3arfeen tnadeenah bro7ich?” he said, with his head still in the menu.
Layla looked at him, clearly more surprised than I was. I was too frozen to even react, never mind speak. Layla tried to fix things.
Hatha mn 9ijja?
“Shino tnadeeh ehya? Ma7soub 3alena rayyal enta? Nadeeh yala bser3a!”
“You know, Layla, I’m not feeling well. I think I’ll just head back to the hotel and get some sleep”
“Haya! Shfeech entay elthanya?! Ge3day weyay tawny wa9la oo b3dain redday namy weyay 7ata ana ta3bana oo bared anam. Say something M7ammad”
“Kaifha. Etha ta3bana, 5atroo7 tnam,” he said, looking at Layla and waving his hands in my direction, as if to tell me that I’m leaving, “she knows the way”
I felt my tears forming. I had to get out before he saw them.
“I’m so sorry Layla wallah. I promise to make it up to you soon. Bs baroo7 arta7 shway oo b3dain e9eer 5air” I said as I stood up and grabbed my bag.
“Ne6ray bas – “
I didn’t. I made my way to the door as fast as I could. As I moved, I saw Layla smacking M7ammad on his head and saying something, as he moved to sit infront of her, where I was sitting only moments earlier.
Once I was out the door, I took a deep breath and inhaled all the air that my lungs could hold. Why was he acting so rude? What was all that about in the morning? What the hell happened between now and the morning? Why did Layla’s arrival make so much of a difference to his attitude?
That was the M7ammad I knew. That was the M7ammad I've been working with. That the M7ammad I hated and despised.
I felt my tears running down my face, but I quickly wiped them off as they fell, worried that either of them might be coming behind me at any moment.
No one ever did.
I woke up the next day feeling refreshed and overwhelmingly happy. I sprang out of bed quickly and walked towards the window. The weather was as beautiful as it was on the day we got here. I took all the air in and skipped towards M7ammad’s room.
I knocked on the door.
“9ba7 el5air M7ammad” I said, and I could feel positivity radiating from my voice.
Suddenly, the door opened and M7ammad appeared. With his messy hair, he was standing infront of me and rubbing his eyes just like a little baby.
He looked so adorable that I just wanted to pinch his cheeks. But that wasn’t why I was blushing – or stuttering for that matter.
He was wearing no shirt on top of his dark tracksuit pants. Standing there infront of me were six packs so well-toned, they put body builders to shame. Every line between his muscles made a perfect indentation in his slightly tanned body that lightly reeked of M7, allowing the surrounding muscles to bulge through. With his hands still rubbing his eyes, I could identify the margins of each muscle in his arm as well. The sight infront of me was enough to sweep any woman (and possibly any man) off her feet.
“9ba7 elnoor Haya…shlonich elyoum?” he spoke while still rubbing his eyes.
“umm…el7amdella…umm…much better….yala bser3a get dressed 3shan la net2a5ar”
“Yamdy I take a shower wla la2?” he moved his hand away from his face and looked into my eyes.
I heard what he said, but my brain was blocked so badly that, not only did I not reply, but I continued gazing into his eyes.
"8a9dy ya3ny cham elsa3a al7en?" he spoke after a few moments of silence.
"Huh?"
"Aby a5eth shower...madree yamdy?" he repeated, not taking his eyes off of mine.
“ee ee embala yamdy 7ata ana al7en I’m gonna go shower”
I walked towards my room trying to shake his sanity-compromising image out of my head. I wasn’t planning on taking a shower, but I knew I needed some hot water to put my brain back to where it belonged, and maybe help me evaporate and wash away all those mental pictures going through my head.
A few moments after I got into the shower, I heard a knock on my room’s door.
“Haya?” said his very faint and muffled voice.
I stepped out of the shower and opened the bathroom’s door, peeking my head into the cold room.
“Hala?” I said from behind my room’s closed door.
“Aby a6lb mnch 6alab bs kind of mn7erej” he said
“Shda3wa M7ammad…t7acha”
“My fist mn ams…mo gader a7arka. Fa mo gader I iron my shirt. Oo I called the laundry people, oo galaw they can only return it in minimum 2 hours. Fa may5alef you iron it for me?”
I contemplated the thought for a few moments, then concluded that he sounded sincere enough for me to believe him.
“Ee ma 3endy mane3, bs mako iron bl room eli ana feeha”
“Ako eb mine. I tried using it gabl ma ayeech, bs I burnt a shirt in the process”
“5alas, ana a5ale9 oo ayeek”
“I’m so sorry about this Haya…wallah madree shagoolich”
“Shda3wa M7ammad mako shay. Its fine don’t worry”
After thanking me, he left to his room. I finished my shower and put on my clothes. I wore flat ballerinas today, since my feet were killing me after last night’s walking. I reached for my phone.
2 New Messages
From: Layla
I’m boarding in a little while. Will be there at around 3 or 4pm. See you there =)
From: Dad
Tried calling your phone, bs el56oo6 mo shay. Give us a call! Welahna 3laich!
Nothing from 3abboud…
As I called my dad up, I felt my heart sinking again at the thought that 3abboud didn’t even bother calling me up. It was very unlike him to act this way. It was the first time we’d ever gotten cross at each other, but I never imagined that he could act so immaturely. It was a new side of him that I’d never seen before.
My spirits were immediately lifted when I heard my dad’s voice, though. He seemed to have missed me so much. He even woke mom up from her sleep just to talk to me. I was surprised by their attitude; it wasn’t the first time that I was away for business. It was only after I hung up that I realized that it was the first time I was away since 3abboud. I think it hit them that their little baby girl is finally getting a life of her own and will soon be out of theirs.
The realization broke my heart too. Thinking of how much I’d miss my parents if I’d ever get married, I walked out of my room and headed towards M7ammad’s. I knocked on the door and waited for him. After I heard some shuffles and squeaks and things falling on things, he opened the door.
And I wish he hadn’t…
If I was stuttering a few minutes ago, I was completely speechless now. He was standing there, with his wet hair glistening against the light in the corridor. He was standing there with the water beads lightly trickling down his skin. He was standing there with a towel wrapped around his waist.
I, on the other hand, was standing there trying my best to control my senses. Breathing was never a more difficult task than in those few moments.
“Come in please. Thanks so much for this Haya” he said, closing the door behind me.
I was quiet. I was silent. I was tongue-tied.
And I was looking at the ground and making sure I never looked up.
“This is it” he said, handing me an apple green shirt.
He sat on the sofa at the opposite end of the room, while I was ironing the shirt. I placed the ironing table in such a way that my back was towards him the whole time, because I didn’t know what I would do if I lay my eyes on him once again.
“Balbesa m3 this suit oo this tie” he said pointing towards the olive green suit hung on the side of the cupboard door and the lime green tie hung on its side.
I continued ironing in silence.
“Haya, are you okay? Shfeech sakta?”
I wanted to tell him that I had absolutely nothing to say, but even that much wouldn’t come out.
I tried to think of anything. Anything.
“Layla is arriving this afternoon” I said after a long pause of silence.
“Elbajeen hamm ma 7a9elaw 7ajz?”
“No”
“Tra we have to do something about Rana when we get back. What she did is unacceptable”
I nodded.
He was quiet for a few moments, then spoke again. This time, his voice lighter and more...playful.
“Awwal marra ashoofich labsa flats elyom oo mo heels”
I still couldn’t speak, but I realized that I was clenching the iron harder.
“You’re probably not going to believe me when I say this, but you look much better chithee. So petite. So…” he paused for a second,"…cute.”
Breathing was becoming more difficult again. I was trying to interpret his voice.
Was he flirting with me?
No No NO!
That’s not possible. I’m not his type. He knows I hate him. He couldn’t possibly be flirting with me. His facial expression would explain to me what his intentions were, but I didn’t have enough courage to look at his face. I wasn’t sure if my knees would support me if I did.
When I was done ironing the shirt, I turned towards him. He was now lying on the sofa with his head tilted towards the ceiling. He was staring at it for a long time until he realized that I was done ironing. I still couldn’t speak.
“That was fast”, he said
He got up and walked towards me, and then stood infront of me, face to face. Our bodies were only a few inches apart. I knew he was burying holes in my forehead, so I kept looking at the shirt and pretended to fidget with it to avoid his gaze. Standing so close to me, his now not-so-faint M7 managed to churn my stomach, just like it always did. I wasn’t even sure if he was wearing any cologne, or if my brain had made the association on its own.
I knew that if I had looked into his eyes, it would have been very difficult to keep my hands off him, despite that fact that the person infront of me was M7ammad; the same person whom only hours earlier I couldn’t stand.
I finally managed to speak, after more than a whole minute of silence. I know this because I had been looking at my watch in attempts to avoid his piercing blue eyes.
“I..It…Its not as…as good as I would want it to be…bs…umm…the iron...is…erm…its not very good. Erm…that’s the best I could do”. Who knew forming sentences could be so hard?
He held the shirt with one hand, but still not quite pulling it out of mine. His voice went down to a mere whisper. It was as sexy as any male voice could get.
“It’s perfect" his whisper made every hair on my body stand up. "It doesn’t get anymore perfect than this…" he paused, "...Haya”
His voice transformed me to another planet, where Brad Pitt and George Clooney were average men. I was so fluttered, I couldn’t even react. A couple more minutes passed by with us standing there, only inches apart, as I stared at my watch. I could feel his hand moving somewhere around my head, but I didn’t know what he was doing or what he was trying to reach out for. For a moment, it stopped next to my face, and it felt like he was going to reach for it.
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