I took a deep breath as I waited in the lobby.
Thank god Lulu went to sleep at 3:20, I told her I was going to the lobby for the wifi (even though 3indi 4G 3ala my French line), but she was too sleepy that she just yelled "okay rou7ay banam," while slipping into her bed.
It was 3:28 and I waited at the couches in front of the reception for Zaid. I tried to find people from my school who might possibly see me and Zaid going out but there wasn't anyone I recognized, fortunately. I took a deep breath again.
I checked my reflection in the mirror behind me and fixed my curled hair. My lipstick was very light and my eyeliner was perfectly applied; I was progressing in that department thanks to my makeup-obsessed best friend/roommate.
"Yallah?" I saw Zaid smiling behind me, as he looked at me through the mirror. He looked really good in a pair of black pants a dark sweater, and a coat in his hand.
I turned around hastily and smiled as I nodded; he really caught me off guard. I followed him outside the lobby to the drop off area and a limousine pulled over; I looked around for a taxi but Zaid walked towards...
The limo?
Zaid opened the door of the limousine for me and I stepped in hastily; partially because I was stunned that I was getting into a limousine and partially because I didn't want to be seen in case some students showed up in the lobby.
The limousine was huge, I'd never been in one before. There were bottles of water, juices, and glasses, plus some Godiva chocolate in what looked like pocket mini-bars that was the best way to describe it. It looked so luxurious that I tried to act normal but I was pretty sure I failed.
Who was Zaid?
"Hello, Kevin," he told the driver as he got in and shook the driver's hand from the backseat. I guessed Kevin was his usual family driver whenever they visited Paris. Or maybe Zaid's personal driver.
"Bas bamur ilshi8a digeega ubouy mwa9eeni 3ala shay, tabeen tshoufeenha wala tan6ireen blsayara?" Zaid asked me as he placed his cane next to him and opened a bottle of water.
"Ay shay," I said. My nerves were off the roof now, I really didn't know who I was with.
"Imshay shoufeeha 3ayal," he said with a smile. He offered me something to drink so I took a bottle of water not to be rude.
I kept glancing at my phone just to make sure my friends wouldn't call or report me missing. I was so nervous I'd be caught.
Zaid sensed my tension.
"Omniyah? Mara7 in6awil," he promised with a soft smile.
I smiled nervously and nodded.
"Shisamounich rifeejatich?" he asked me, his eyes were inquisitive, like he was trying to figure me out; funny thing was I was doing the same to him.
"Uh, Niyah," I told him. He tested the name on his tongue, and it sounded really nice coming from him.
"Shnu t7ibeen? Niyah wala Omniyah?" he asked. I shrugged. I hated Omniyah, but I didn't want to tell him.
"Yallah?" he asked as he opened the door. I followed him outside the limo in front of a white apartment building. It looked fancy from outside and I couldn't wait to see it from inside. Bala'3at shaf wallah.
"Bonjour," Zaid greeted the doormen as he shook their hands and went to the elevator; which was all marble inside.
I unbuttoned my coat as it was getting warm inside the elevator; or I was still nervous. Zaid stood silently in the elevator holding his cane; his posture was calm and patient.
The elevator came to a stop and I followed him to the apartment door. I took off my coat as he took out his keys and unlocked the door of the apartment. He held the door open for me and I couldn't help but gasp when I entered.
It looked like an apartment out of Vogue or something. The floor was marble and the walls were white, and there was a circular staircase like the ones you'd see in movies. There were a lot of flowers, and expensive looking furniture and artwork all around. I still couldn't believe my eyes.
"Mashallah iyanin," I could only say. Zaid smiled.
"Bas thanya bayeeb shay oo ni6la3 araweech ilamakin ilthanya," he said. I nodded absent mindedly as I looked outside the balcony. The Eiffel tower was right in front of me, and I actually rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn't dreaming.
"Shrayich bl view?" I heard him say as he stuffed an envelope in his coat pocket.
"Mashallah iyanin," I said again. I think that was going to be my answer for everything from now on.
"Tabeen ng3ad shway wala n6la3?" he asked as he took a seat on the couch in the living room.
"Um madri," I said. I honestly was in complete awe that I was at a loss for words.
"Shrayich ng3ad eshwaya?" he said as he looked at his watch.
"Ee yallah," I said as I pulled myself away from the balcony to sit in the living room. I looked around, there was a lot of art and antique items, plus a lot of flowers.
"So shkithir 9arlik ityi hni?" I asked him as I adjusted myself on the couch, still looking around.
"Mn 3umri sintain," he said, his eyes looking at mine directly. I tried my best not to blush but he was just so easy on the eyes.
"Ma etmil?" I asked him. I quickly realized how stupid my question sounded. He sensed my regret and laughed.
"Sa3at n'3ayer, nrou7 nftar b Europe," he said. I nodded.
"Oo intay wain trou7een?" he asked me. I shrugged.
"Masafir wayid, umi t7ib tg3ad bl Kuwait 3nd ahalha," I said.
"Aha, oo ubouch, y7ib yg3ad blkwait ba3ad?" he asked. I looked at the floor and he sat up straight, realizing the meaning of my silence.
"Oh wallah asif mu qa9di," he began to apologize. I smiled.
"La maykhalif, bas ubouy mashoufa wayid," I said; I couldn't believe I was telling him this; and I don't know why but I didn't feel embarrassed to state the fact about my father. He furrowed his brow and I took a deep breath. I trusted him enough to tell him, so I told him the truth about my parents, and about my brother.
"Fa ili shfta b Starbucks oo 7awalt akalma kan ukhouy ili mayadri ana minu," I explained, hoping he'd understand the Starbucks incident. He shook his head in disapproval of my brother.
"Messed up ha?" I asked him, adding a chuckle at the end just to lighten up the tensed air around us.
He only smiled, almost apologetically, as he placed a hand on his cane. I didn't want him to feel sorry for me; we were out to enjoy the city and I just ruined it.
"Oo inta cham ukhu oo ukhit 3ndik?" I asked, to kind of change the subject.
"Thalath ikhwan, kilhum akbar mini, oo ikhit akbar mini ba3ad. Athnain mn ikhwani oo ikhti mtzawjeen," he explained and I simply nodded.
"Omniyah?" he asked. I stopped fidgeting in my seat.
"Na3am?" I asked.
"Um mashkoura wayid inich tan6ireeni ou tmaasheeni, adri it's a small act bas matakhayilain shkithir ya3neeli," he said. I almost interrupted him but he continued.
"Rab3i awal kanaw ysa3douni bas ma3a ilwagt 9ert wayid a3a6lhum oo 7asait chini baggage," he added a chuckle to relieve the tension, but even so he broke my heart when he called himself "baggage", how could they be so cruel to him?
"Fa...thank you," he said with a smile, and I felt a wave of heat crash over me.
"I-il3afu," I said; I wanted to ask him about his leg but it wasn't appropriate. I heard it was some nervous defect in his leg.
I guessed we both felt sorry for each other, so that made us equal; and we now knew each other on a different level; a raw, sympathetic level that only we could understand.
He smiled as he stood up.
"Yallah?" he asked me.
"Yallah," I said as I stood up and smiled back.
***
twitter: @cashmerepoison
Thank god Lulu went to sleep at 3:20, I told her I was going to the lobby for the wifi (even though 3indi 4G 3ala my French line), but she was too sleepy that she just yelled "okay rou7ay banam," while slipping into her bed.
It was 3:28 and I waited at the couches in front of the reception for Zaid. I tried to find people from my school who might possibly see me and Zaid going out but there wasn't anyone I recognized, fortunately. I took a deep breath again.
I checked my reflection in the mirror behind me and fixed my curled hair. My lipstick was very light and my eyeliner was perfectly applied; I was progressing in that department thanks to my makeup-obsessed best friend/roommate.
"Yallah?" I saw Zaid smiling behind me, as he looked at me through the mirror. He looked really good in a pair of black pants a dark sweater, and a coat in his hand.
I turned around hastily and smiled as I nodded; he really caught me off guard. I followed him outside the lobby to the drop off area and a limousine pulled over; I looked around for a taxi but Zaid walked towards...
The limo?
Zaid opened the door of the limousine for me and I stepped in hastily; partially because I was stunned that I was getting into a limousine and partially because I didn't want to be seen in case some students showed up in the lobby.
The limousine was huge, I'd never been in one before. There were bottles of water, juices, and glasses, plus some Godiva chocolate in what looked like pocket mini-bars that was the best way to describe it. It looked so luxurious that I tried to act normal but I was pretty sure I failed.
Who was Zaid?
"Hello, Kevin," he told the driver as he got in and shook the driver's hand from the backseat. I guessed Kevin was his usual family driver whenever they visited Paris. Or maybe Zaid's personal driver.
"Bas bamur ilshi8a digeega ubouy mwa9eeni 3ala shay, tabeen tshoufeenha wala tan6ireen blsayara?" Zaid asked me as he placed his cane next to him and opened a bottle of water.
"Ay shay," I said. My nerves were off the roof now, I really didn't know who I was with.
"Imshay shoufeeha 3ayal," he said with a smile. He offered me something to drink so I took a bottle of water not to be rude.
I kept glancing at my phone just to make sure my friends wouldn't call or report me missing. I was so nervous I'd be caught.
Zaid sensed my tension.
"Omniyah? Mara7 in6awil," he promised with a soft smile.
I smiled nervously and nodded.
"Shisamounich rifeejatich?" he asked me, his eyes were inquisitive, like he was trying to figure me out; funny thing was I was doing the same to him.
"Uh, Niyah," I told him. He tested the name on his tongue, and it sounded really nice coming from him.
"Shnu t7ibeen? Niyah wala Omniyah?" he asked. I shrugged. I hated Omniyah, but I didn't want to tell him.
"Yallah?" he asked as he opened the door. I followed him outside the limo in front of a white apartment building. It looked fancy from outside and I couldn't wait to see it from inside. Bala'3at shaf wallah.
"Bonjour," Zaid greeted the doormen as he shook their hands and went to the elevator; which was all marble inside.
I unbuttoned my coat as it was getting warm inside the elevator; or I was still nervous. Zaid stood silently in the elevator holding his cane; his posture was calm and patient.
The elevator came to a stop and I followed him to the apartment door. I took off my coat as he took out his keys and unlocked the door of the apartment. He held the door open for me and I couldn't help but gasp when I entered.
It looked like an apartment out of Vogue or something. The floor was marble and the walls were white, and there was a circular staircase like the ones you'd see in movies. There were a lot of flowers, and expensive looking furniture and artwork all around. I still couldn't believe my eyes.
"Mashallah iyanin," I could only say. Zaid smiled.
"Bas thanya bayeeb shay oo ni6la3 araweech ilamakin ilthanya," he said. I nodded absent mindedly as I looked outside the balcony. The Eiffel tower was right in front of me, and I actually rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn't dreaming.
"Shrayich bl view?" I heard him say as he stuffed an envelope in his coat pocket.
"Mashallah iyanin," I said again. I think that was going to be my answer for everything from now on.
"Tabeen ng3ad shway wala n6la3?" he asked as he took a seat on the couch in the living room.
"Um madri," I said. I honestly was in complete awe that I was at a loss for words.
"Shrayich ng3ad eshwaya?" he said as he looked at his watch.
"Ee yallah," I said as I pulled myself away from the balcony to sit in the living room. I looked around, there was a lot of art and antique items, plus a lot of flowers.
"So shkithir 9arlik ityi hni?" I asked him as I adjusted myself on the couch, still looking around.
"Mn 3umri sintain," he said, his eyes looking at mine directly. I tried my best not to blush but he was just so easy on the eyes.
"Ma etmil?" I asked him. I quickly realized how stupid my question sounded. He sensed my regret and laughed.
"Sa3at n'3ayer, nrou7 nftar b Europe," he said. I nodded.
"Oo intay wain trou7een?" he asked me. I shrugged.
"Masafir wayid, umi t7ib tg3ad bl Kuwait 3nd ahalha," I said.
"Aha, oo ubouch, y7ib yg3ad blkwait ba3ad?" he asked. I looked at the floor and he sat up straight, realizing the meaning of my silence.
"Oh wallah asif mu qa9di," he began to apologize. I smiled.
"La maykhalif, bas ubouy mashoufa wayid," I said; I couldn't believe I was telling him this; and I don't know why but I didn't feel embarrassed to state the fact about my father. He furrowed his brow and I took a deep breath. I trusted him enough to tell him, so I told him the truth about my parents, and about my brother.
"Fa ili shfta b Starbucks oo 7awalt akalma kan ukhouy ili mayadri ana minu," I explained, hoping he'd understand the Starbucks incident. He shook his head in disapproval of my brother.
"Messed up ha?" I asked him, adding a chuckle at the end just to lighten up the tensed air around us.
He only smiled, almost apologetically, as he placed a hand on his cane. I didn't want him to feel sorry for me; we were out to enjoy the city and I just ruined it.
"Oo inta cham ukhu oo ukhit 3ndik?" I asked, to kind of change the subject.
"Thalath ikhwan, kilhum akbar mini, oo ikhit akbar mini ba3ad. Athnain mn ikhwani oo ikhti mtzawjeen," he explained and I simply nodded.
"Omniyah?" he asked. I stopped fidgeting in my seat.
"Na3am?" I asked.
"Um mashkoura wayid inich tan6ireeni ou tmaasheeni, adri it's a small act bas matakhayilain shkithir ya3neeli," he said. I almost interrupted him but he continued.
"Rab3i awal kanaw ysa3douni bas ma3a ilwagt 9ert wayid a3a6lhum oo 7asait chini baggage," he added a chuckle to relieve the tension, but even so he broke my heart when he called himself "baggage", how could they be so cruel to him?
"Fa...thank you," he said with a smile, and I felt a wave of heat crash over me.
"I-il3afu," I said; I wanted to ask him about his leg but it wasn't appropriate. I heard it was some nervous defect in his leg.
I guessed we both felt sorry for each other, so that made us equal; and we now knew each other on a different level; a raw, sympathetic level that only we could understand.
He smiled as he stood up.
"Yallah?" he asked me.
"Yallah," I said as I stood up and smiled back.
***
twitter: @cashmerepoison
It's so amazing this chapter cute zaid😿❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Keep on going love u ❤️❤️
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! :*
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