Rayan started her next friday morning with a wake up call from her friend, Zaina. She asked her if she was interested in going to 360 with her and do a little shopping. Zaina knew very well that shopping is Rayan's weakness point,a and she had to use it against her. Rayan was going to meet Zaina at the movies at 3:00 o'clock sharp.
Rayan took a shower and curled her hair, she decided to wear a black maxi dress with a golden belt and her matte gold purse, the same one she wore to her dad's office. She left the house and asked the driver to take her to 360. The streets were crowded, typical Friday. She reached 360 in 35 minutes and started walking her way to The movies. Zaina called her and apologized and said that she may be a little late. Rayan decided to wait for her at Caribou since she needed hr daily doze of coffee.
While taking her drink and seating herself at one of the empty tables in the corner, she felt a pair of eyes eyeing her. Like someone is watching her every move, she took a sip of her coffee as looking around, she made eye contact with those eyes, the same eyes she looked into yesterday, Hamad's eyes. She smiled at him and he smiled back. Rayan always believed that men and women can be friends as long as both of them sticked to their borders.
She took out her phone from her purse and started wasting time, "Are you alone?" she heard someone say while standing next to her table. She recognized the voice and the beautiful fluent english. She smiled, trying not to make it obvious that she was actually happy to see him. "I'm waiting for someone, but you can keep me company." she said as she saw the expression on his face turn from shyness to a laugh. Hamad pulled up a chair as he sat across from her, staring straight into her eyes, and Rayan felt like he was staring at her soul. This time, Rayan was wearing makeup, perfectly winged eyeliner which complimented her beautiful eyes and bronzer. She still looked very pretty.
Rayan was playing with her rings, which gave Hamad the impression that she was a bit uncomfortable. "Shfeech? Etha tabeeney arou7 tra its fine, bas 7bait asalem." he said politely with a half smile, and Rayan frowned at the thought of him leaving. His presence made her feel undeniably happy, though he was just a stranger to her. "La bel3aks! Bas madrey I'm nervous.'' she said and she laughed at what she just said, she finally found the courage to look up and meet Hamad's eyes. She noticed that the smile on his face turned into laughter once he noticed how shy she was.
Rayan being her clumsy self, she accidentally spilled her hot coffee all over the table. With a loud gasp, she quickly pushed back her chair and stood up. She lifted her bag from the table, afraid the coffee might stain it. Hamad sat back and laughed at her reaction, "Shda3wa tra kelha jan6a." he said with a loud laugh which caused a small amount of people to star. Rayan's jaw almost fell, "Kelhaa jan6a! Its an Alexander bag! Ne6art'haa shahrain taqreeban!" she said and Hamad laughed, "Enzain tra wasakhteeha mn ta7at. Wait ayeeblich napkins." he said as he got up and went to get some napkins. She inspected her bag carefully, the coffee had stained it. Rayan almost cried, she waited on the waiting list for 6 weeks just to get her hands on this bag.
Hamad was back with napkins and he started cleaning Rayan's bag for her. Rayan smiled at how gentle and nice he was. Maybe he was different after all. Once Hamad was done, he looked up at Rayan who was still awkwardly standing. "Ma enkat 3laich shay? Did it burn you?" he asked, and it almost felt like he was concerned. Rayan took one last glance at her black dress, "La ma 7ashney." she said and she smiled to assure him that she was fine. He phone vibrated inside her bag and she quickly pulled it out, she saw Hamad trying to sneak a peak at the caller ID. She excused herself and said that her friend was here and she had to go. Hamad stood up as she said goodbye.
"Ashoufech on Sunday?" he asked, hoping she'd say yes. Rayan spun on her heels, "I have school.." she said with a smile. Hamad's smile soon turned into a frown but when he heard what she said after that, his frown turned back into a smile that stretched from ear to ear. "But who knows? I might drop bye after school." she said, and then continued walking in the other direction.
They were both undeniably happy. Rayan spent a pleasant day with Zaina, and Hamad spent a good day with his brother. Rayan's words kept spinning in Hamad's mind. He hoped to see her soon.
Rayan went back home that day with a smile on her face. She really enjoyed her time with Zaina. While changing her clothes, she received a text. She quickly grabbed her phone and opened the text. It was from Abdullah. She read it and it sent shivers down her spine. WE NEED TO TALK. CALL WHEN YOU'RE ALONE!, it said.
She closed the door and sat on her bed. With shaky hands, she dialed his number and waited for him to pick up. "Aloo." he said, and she knew he was mad. "Ahlain. Haw shfeek tra khara3tney. 9ayer shay?" she asked, worried that something bad might have happened. "MA TGOULILEY EL'YOUM 6AL3A M3A MENU?" he yelled into the phone. Rayan was surprised, Abdullah never yelled at her."M3a zaina, laish?" she said with a trembling voice. She started recalling the events of the day, then it hit her: Hamad.
Rayan being her clumsy self, she accidentally spilled her hot coffee all over the table. With a loud gasp, she quickly pushed back her chair and stood up. She lifted her bag from the table, afraid the coffee might stain it. Hamad sat back and laughed at her reaction, "Shda3wa tra kelha jan6a." he said with a loud laugh which caused a small amount of people to star. Rayan's jaw almost fell, "Kelhaa jan6a! Its an Alexander bag! Ne6art'haa shahrain taqreeban!" she said and Hamad laughed, "Enzain tra wasakhteeha mn ta7at. Wait ayeeblich napkins." he said as he got up and went to get some napkins. She inspected her bag carefully, the coffee had stained it. Rayan almost cried, she waited on the waiting list for 6 weeks just to get her hands on this bag.
Hamad was back with napkins and he started cleaning Rayan's bag for her. Rayan smiled at how gentle and nice he was. Maybe he was different after all. Once Hamad was done, he looked up at Rayan who was still awkwardly standing. "Ma enkat 3laich shay? Did it burn you?" he asked, and it almost felt like he was concerned. Rayan took one last glance at her black dress, "La ma 7ashney." she said and she smiled to assure him that she was fine. He phone vibrated inside her bag and she quickly pulled it out, she saw Hamad trying to sneak a peak at the caller ID. She excused herself and said that her friend was here and she had to go. Hamad stood up as she said goodbye.
"Ashoufech on Sunday?" he asked, hoping she'd say yes. Rayan spun on her heels, "I have school.." she said with a smile. Hamad's smile soon turned into a frown but when he heard what she said after that, his frown turned back into a smile that stretched from ear to ear. "But who knows? I might drop bye after school." she said, and then continued walking in the other direction.
They were both undeniably happy. Rayan spent a pleasant day with Zaina, and Hamad spent a good day with his brother. Rayan's words kept spinning in Hamad's mind. He hoped to see her soon.
Rayan went back home that day with a smile on her face. She really enjoyed her time with Zaina. While changing her clothes, she received a text. She quickly grabbed her phone and opened the text. It was from Abdullah. She read it and it sent shivers down her spine. WE NEED TO TALK. CALL WHEN YOU'RE ALONE!, it said.
She closed the door and sat on her bed. With shaky hands, she dialed his number and waited for him to pick up. "Aloo." he said, and she knew he was mad. "Ahlain. Haw shfeek tra khara3tney. 9ayer shay?" she asked, worried that something bad might have happened. "MA TGOULILEY EL'YOUM 6AL3A M3A MENU?" he yelled into the phone. Rayan was surprised, Abdullah never yelled at her."M3a zaina, laish?" she said with a trembling voice. She started recalling the events of the day, then it hit her: Hamad.
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