As I walked to the cinema with my drink in hand, I got a text which I thought read from one of my cousins as a last minute order.
I was surprised to see that Jana had texted.
Jana: hi Manoura! Shakhbariich? I know ur in London but let me know mta ur free so I can call you 😘
I knew I was not patient enough to postpone the call so I sent her a voicenote.
"أهلا! الحمدلله تمام، أنتي شلونج؟ ترى أنا الحين فاضية"
I said.
I was confused what it was about as we had barely had any interraction for a while other than our usual "Hi" when we ran into each other.
Was this about Fahad?
Did he tell her he'd seen me?
My phone vibrated and my heart began to beat fast.
"Hi!" I said, sugar coating the confusion in my voice.
"أهلا! شخبارج؟"
"I'm good I'm good, over bard ihni,"
I said with a chuckle.
"واااي ما اتخييل"
She said.
It got silent for a couple of seconds and I was not the one going to fill it in.
She called for a reason.
She cleared her throat.
Here we go...
"منور ترى داقة بقولج شي"
She said.
I gulped.
"أي؟"
I said.
"ترى أنا مخطوبة"
She said.
I froze in place, just before entering the cinema.
"منور؟"
She said.
"!!امبييه جنوه مبرووووك"
I managed to say.
It couldn't be Khalid...he got married last year to Lulu, one of Danah's ex-best friends. Unless he married her too?...
"الله يبارك فيج"
She said, with an awkward chuckle.
"منو سعيد الحظ؟"
I said, remembering that phrase from a conversation I had overheard my cousins have.
"...اسمه جراح الس"
She said. They shared the same family name.
Part of me was relieved it wasn't Khalid. A major part of me.
"He's my second cousin," she explained, as if reading my thoughts. Or maybe she wanted to make it clear it wasn't her first cousin.
"اوه والنعم...معانا بالجامعة؟"
I said; did I sound too invasive?
I stood in line for the popcorn, hoping this phone call would end before it read my turn. It was awkward as it was.
"لا، ضابط يشتغل مع اخوي"
She said, as if expecting me to decode her message.
I understood. He could cover her past.
"Oh okaaay," I said, like I was interested.
She chuckled awkwardly.
" حقي close بس قلت اقول لج قبل لا اعلنها باجر...ادري شوي ابتعدنا بس ليلحين أنتي"
She said and I felt a pang of guilt.
"Thank you," I said, not knowing what to say.
"بس منيرة؟"
She said, her voice more quiet now.
"بليز اللي صار بيني وبين خالد...اعتبريه ما صار"
She said.
I guessed that was the whole purpose of the call.
I still remembered that day in the car when she showed me her texts with him, that they were back together.
Her whole demeanor changed a few months later.
She looked tired and was introverted. She stopped trying to look good and was overall a mess. I tried to convince her to tell me what had happened but she wouldn't say. Just that they were no longer together.
It took her a while to become herself again and it was only when news of his engagement to Lulu when she really started to be outgoing.
I was so close to asking her what had happened but finals and graduation were in the way...then came summer where we ultimately split up as best friends.
So I never knew.
This was my only chance.
" أكيد..بس جنى شصار بينكم؟ ليش تفرقتو؟ حدج تغيرتي جم شهر عقبها"
I asked.
I heard her take a deep sigh, as if she was already expecting me to ask this question.
"Muneera tara I trust you,” she said.
“I trust you too,” I replied.
I began to miss being her best friend.
“ترى اول مرة اقول شصار حق أي احد...وبليز لا تحكمين كنت غبية وكنت وايد احبه...كان مو بس كان ابو وأخو وكل شخص تمنيته بحياتي"
She said.
I gulped.
"It's okay," I said.
She took a deep breath .
“فمرة كنت رايحة شاليهه"
She began to say.
It was my turn in line now but I couldn’t tell her to hold so I left the line and stood in a corner to listen. My heart began to beat louder and I closed one ear to hear her better amidst the background noise.
She began to tell me events of that night...of things I didn't think actually happened here. I listened carefully, not interrupting her even once.
"!تخيلي اخته شافتني...تدري شصار"
She said, tears were in her voice now.
"وكانت معاها لولو، اللي الحين مرته تخيلي! أكيد لولو تدري وراضية فيه ومادري ليش أصلا راضية فيه"
She said, letting it out of her chest. How long did she keep all of this in?
“..جنى جان قلتيلي"
I said, my voice was heavy.
"منيرة كنت خايفة واصلا مادري شنو كنتي بتفكرين عني!"
She said, her voice was higher now and hurt.
I didn't know what to reply.
"Are you okay now?" I finally said.
I heard her sniff.
"أي، شوي...على الأقل ادري مع جراح ما راح يتجرأ يقرب يمي"
She said.
"جراح يدري عن خالد؟"
I asked, naively.
"بس انه كان يكلمني..جراح هو شافني مرة معاه بسيارته"
She said.
If Jarrah knew of Jana's past then he was either okay with it, guilty of something himself, or too in love with her to care.
I just hoped he wasn't like Khalid at all.
"شكله جراح خوش واحد...مو قصدي شي بس شكله متفاهم"
I said.
"أيي الحمدلله. وايد مدللني من الحين"
She said with a chuckle and I smiled. I was relieved to hear her change of tone.
"Waay Janouy cuuuute!"
I said and she chuckled again.
"صج يا بخته فيج"
I said and she chuckled, if it wasn't a chuckle cry like she wanted to hear someone say it.
She was so broken that I wanted to hug her. But she was mending and to that I was relieved.
I tried to switch the conversation to a more uplifting one.
"امبييه تخيلي منو شفت قبل لا تكلميني؟"
I said enthusiastically.
"امبيه منو؟"
She said, matching her tone with mine.
"فهد!"
I said and she gasped.
I told her about what had happened at the hotel then Starbucks.
"بس حركته فيج كانت حقيرة"
She said.
"مادري ليش unblock ادري...بس توني سويتله"
I said.
"الله يستر"
She said with a chuckle.
I saw my cousins walk through the cinema doors.
"اقول لج إذا صار شي"
I said with a chuckle.
“Please!”
She said with a laugh.
I finished up the phone call with some take cares and hung up right when my cousins approached me.
"Okay, 7addiiii sorry bas I had a phone call wallah," I said and they groaned.
"Manouuur," some of them said as they stood in line.
I joined them in getting the snacks then went into the movie theater.
I tried to focus on the movie but but truly my mind still roamed towards Khaled and Jana. How did it all happen right under my nose? My stomach sank just thinking about it and nausea rose to my throat. Did Danah know?..
My phone buzzed as I got a new message.
Unexpected.
Danah: its gd
I was fuming, furious at her. I was no longer going to play the clueless sister part anymore.
I got up from my seat.
"Sorry," I said as I walked through the passageway and left the movie screen.
I furiously began typing a reply to her: are u still friends with Yasmine and Khalid? Why didn't u convince Lulu not to marry him? Tadreen shnu sawa b Jana?
Danah saw it and instantly replied.
You do know they've been married for a year right? Tawich tgouleen?
O who I'm friends with is none of your business and honestly what he did to Jana she probably asked for it
I'm really busy & I'm not in the mood
I couldn't let it in. I called her but she hung up.
I wanted to throw my phone against the wall and scream.
