Don't Forget Me (10)

"Shfeekum?" I asked them.

"Wala shay, bas chinich 6awaltay?" Lulu asked.

"Ee timashait b the hotel," I told them as I covered my Love bracelet with my sleeve.

"Aha," Sarah said.

"Shinu ya3ni?" I asked her.

"La wala shay, yallah tara galaw bnit3asha imbacher ilyom l2ana warana ga3da 7ag the old village bacher il9b7," Sarah said.

What was her deal?

I prayed while Lulu got ready to leave for dinner.

"Yallah nroo7?" I asked her. She deliberately ignored me and left me alone in the room.

I stormed out of the room.

"Lulu," I almost yelled, careful not to let the door close.

"Shfeech?" she said coldly.

"Shfeekum 3alay?" I asked her.

"Si2lay nafsich," she said. We didn't get to walk next to Zaid together today since Zaid never came with us to the trip.

"Shinu ya3ni?" I asked.

"Bas khala9 Niyah khal nrou7," she said and I realized some people were behind me.

We got into the elevator silently with the other students and got to the ground floor to join Sarah and Asmaa at the Lobby. I looked around nonchalantly for Zaid, but he wasn't to be seen.

There was another head count before we left for the restaurant nearby. I didn't feel like eating at all, so I tried to engage in conversations and laugh, but I knew no one was really laughing. My friends didn't trust me right now. I made sure to hide my bracelet deep in my sleeves, at least for the time being.

Dinner was honestly a blur, I didn't even remember what I'd eaten. Did my friends know what was going on? How would they even know?

I walked inside the hotel with the girls and got to the lobby, but the receptionist stopped us to look for "Ms. Omniyah" as he had a message from "laundry". I never sent for any laundry.

I told the girls I'd catch up with them later, they thankfully didn't look suspicious, as I went to the receptionist who handed me a note, and my stomach was twisted in knots.

"Pass by my suite (Room 748) anytime to get your dress,
Zaid."

I stuffed his note in my coat pocket and went up to my room, where Lulu was standing in front of the mirror.

"Shgalaw?" Lulu said as she began to take off her makeup.

"Bas aku hole 9'3eer b my blouse," I told her. I felt bad about lying, but she was already suspicious.

She took her pajamas and went into the bathroom to get changed and I quickly sprinted to the hotel phone as I dialed Zaid's room number.

"Alu?" he picked up.

"Zaid?" I whispered.

"Hala, shfeech?" he asked me, his voice was different.

"Umm akhaf Lulu tisma3ni, bas shakli bakhtha bacher," I told him.

"Okay bas please mu 3ugub ilthintain. Itkafi jan6itich?" he asked. Why not after 2 PM?

"Ee 6ala3 fee mukan," I replied; I had hardly bought anything except for my mom's souvenirs, plus I had some old winter clothes with me that I wanted to give away.

"Zaid?" I said.

"Na3am?" he replied.

"Feek shay? 9otik mt'3ayer," I said.

"La wala shay, bas '3ayart 6ayarti 7ag bacher il3a9ir," he said. He didn't sound so good; almost worried.

"Laish?" I asked before I could stop myself. "Sorry, um, mu qa9d-"

He interrupted me, "Omniyah tigidreen tyeen ilsuite?"

***

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