Dalal’s face turned bright red. She didn’t know what to reply back to Faisal, and yet she didn’t want to show him that he completely got to her.
So she replied with,
“3an el3ayara Faisal :p”
Farah nudged Rawan and gave Dalal a cheeky look. “6aa3 wayhch Dalool! Ashkara Faisal ely dazelch message?”
“Olaa olaa Daloool, eshgaylech hatha ely chthy wayhch galab alwaan?” Rawan teased.
“Waay chabaw entaw!” Dalal had a shy expression, “Khalooni mestansa.”
Farah grabbed Dalal’s phone and read the message, “waaaayyy!!! He’s so sweet Dalool!!! Wentay shal rad malat 3alaich!! Brooud mu 6abee3i!!”
Rawan read the message and said, “aahaa Dalool ya3ne entay bet9ereen thegeela weyaa?”
“Yal maleqeen!!” Dalal frowned! “Kaifyy, malkum sh’3l what goes on between me and ….” And Dalal was left speechless.
Out of the blue, Bader shows up, and walks directly to their table.
Rawan and Farah both have their back to Bader and are facing Dalal.
Farah looks at Dalal’s expressionless face, and looks back and see’s Bader.
“Uhm, Rawan?” Dalal whispers.
Rawan hands Dalal back her phone and is too busy slicing her food, “hmm?”
And suddenly, Rawan felt a hand gripping her shoulder, “Rawaani shlounch?”
Rawan’s face turned a million shades, she knew that voice so well, and she didn’t even have to look back. Rawan shrugged off Bader’s hand and scolded, “Bader, go away.”
But Bader only pulled up the chair next to Dalal, and sat with them.
‘Oh god, ya rab Faisal mayshoofna.’ Dalal thought to herself.
Farah looked at Bader sternly, “Ya a5i efham, elbent matabeek! Lawsama7t goum, latsawe mashakel.”
Bader ignored Farah and looked at Rawan, “9arli esbou3 adiglech laish matrdeen?”
“Went a9lan eshdarak ana ehni?” Rawan gave Bader a dirty look.
“7abebty nesaytay ayam awal? You can’t hide from me, a6al3ech law wayen makentay.”
Rawan looked at Bader in a disgusting way.
Bader, was Rawan’s second boyfriend after Talal. Rawan and Bader dated for a whole year, then they just broke up for a while, when Rawan found out Bader was cheating on her with Farah’s cousin. Then Bader lied and begged for forgiveness and poor naïve Rawan forgave him and went back to him. Then he started demanding that she get physical with him, but she didn’t want to. She caught him cheating on her again, and that’s when she broke it off for good. They broke up in July, and that’s the last she heard of him, until a week ago when he started calling her and texting her.
“Al7een eshtabe?” Rawan said.
“Abeech.” Bader confessed.
“A7laam omeck ardleck mara thanya!” Rawan barked at Bader.
Bader chuckled, “Shofay Rawan, malech ghairy, fehmay, ma7ad yabeech.”
Rawan started choking with tears, but she didn’t allow herself to cry in front of Bader, let alone cry in public.
Dalal turned and looked at Bader, “Shouf Bader, I think Rawan made it clear enha matabeek. Law sama7t, goum and don’t make a scene.”
Dalal’s phone vibrated, it was Faisal calling.
She looked around and saw Faisal giving her a questioning look and pointing at Bader.
Dalal just shook her head and looked back at Bader, “Bader lawsama7t rou7.”
“Mani rayi7 ela wana ma5th Rawan weyay.” Bader said coldly.
Rawan looked at Bader for a few seconds, “I’d rather die, then be with you.”
Bader got up and leaned his face close to Rawan’s “Enshouf..” And he pecked her cheek and walked away.
Rawan stayed still. Her heart was beating so fast, and she felt drained. She felt humiliated and disgusting. ‘Don’t cry Rawan, Don’t cry, don’t cry.. Just breathe.’ she told herself.
Dalal and Farah both looked at Rawan in silence as she breathed out and composed herself again.
Farah reached out and squeezed Rawan’s hand “Are you okay?”
Rawan flinched and pushed Farah’s hand away, “eeh I’m fine, bas khalas sheba3t I want to go home.”
Dalal got the check and paid for the food, “Rawan tara bared weyach elbait.”
Rawan nodded, “wentay Faroo7?”
Farah shook her head, “La ana lazem ard baitna, mali khlig obouy esawle aflam 3ala bona already 6ala3t el9ib7.”
Rawan nodded, “Khalas 3ayal, I’ll go with Dalool.”
Farah went to her car and drove back home, while Rawan and Dalal got in the car.
“Rawan?” Dalal said.
“Hala?” Rawan looked at Dalal.
“Please 3ade you give me a few minutes? I just want to see Faisal.” Dalal confessed.
“Sure 7abebty go, I’ll wait in the car.” Rawan said as she went through her Ipod, looking for songs to play.
Dalal walked to Faisal’s car and checked to see if anyone was looking, to her luck the parking lot was empty. She quickly got in the passenger seat.
“Mino hatha ely kan ga3id weyakum?” Faisal asked immediately.
“Bader.” Dalal said. “Please 5anafahmik, please lat3a9ib.”
Faisal tried to hold his anger, and just looked at Dalal sternly.
“Faisal please walla mala da3i et3a9ib. Bader is Rawan’s ex, oo madre shloun he found out ena Rawan ehny w ya ekalmha.” Dalal said.
“Shako yeg3ad ma3akum??” Faisal’s voice was slowly getting loud.
“Madree Faisal please lat9arikh 3alay! Walla we told him to leave bas kan yet7arash eb Rawan, and now she’s a total mess, kahi ga3da ebsayarti!”
Faisal breathed out, “7achach? Galech shay hal7mar?”
Dalal shook her head, “he was just there to talk to Rawan.”
“Enzain oo hathy refeejtch mat3arif etgoola mayeg3ad weyakum?? Al7een law a7ad shayfech?? Law wa7id men e5wanich shafooch??” Faisal barked.
“Faisal walla she didn’t tell him to come! Faisal they broke up menzeman!! W tawa kan 7ada qaleel eladab w he wanted Rawan back cause she wasn’t answering his calls! Bas we asked him to leave, w after saying a few stuff, he left!”
“Laykoun ashoof hal shay yetkarar mara thanya fahma? 7ata mabe asma3 mench etgoleen ena walla flan wela 3elan ga3ad ma3akum!!” Faisal said.
Dalal nodded and whispered “enshalla,” she looked at her hands and was nervously playing with her jumper.
“Hmm khalas 3ayal, I guess lazem arou7.. Rawan is waiting for me oo I promised I wont take long.” Dalal said nervously.
Faisal reached for Dalal’s hand and held it, “Laa ne6ray, mabeech etro7een wentay murathya 3alay.”
Dalal looked at Faisal, “Faisal I’m fine.”
Faisal shook his head, “No you’re not, sorry 9ara5at 3alaich.. Bas walla magedart amsk a39abii, kent a9lan banzil men elsayara w athba7a youm shefta ga3ad yamech..”
Dalal stayed quiet, “Forgive me Daloola?” Faisal pleaded and kissed Dalal’s hand and fingers.
Dalal pulled her hand away and looked away shyly, “Khalas khalas Faisal, you’re forgiven.”
Faisal smiled; he reached out and tucked Dalal’s bangs behind her ear, “A7bich wayed, and I just want to see you happy.”
Dalal stayed quiet, she liked the feeling of Faisal’s hand brushing against her cheeks.
“Lazem amshi al7een,” Dalal whispered.
“Bas masheba3at mench,” Faisal frowned.
“When you marry me, betmel meny,” Dalal said as she opened the door to leave.
Faisal leaned in and pecked Dalal’s cheek, “Musta7eel..”
Dalal’s felt fireworks as soon as Faisal’s lips were pressed on her cheeks, she didn’t want to go home, she wanted to stay with Faisal, forever. But she had to leave, she had to wait, wait for the day that she would be officially his.
“Before you go, say you love me back?” Faisal begged.
But Dalal only smiled to him and left the car in a hurry.
Faisal smiled and said to himself, ‘Akkh 3alaich ya Dalal, emyanenatni walla.’ Then he waited for Dalal to pull back and drive off, and he followed her back to Rawan’s house, to make sure she got there safely, and of course to get a few more smiles from Dalal every time they stopped at a red light.
Life to Faisal was starting to be perfect again; he was finally getting Dalal, finally feeling happy again. He didn’t know that Dalal meant so much to him. He didn’t know that until he lost her for a whole year, and now that she’s back with him, he’s going to do everything in his power to never lose her again.
To be continued….
