Enemy (Part 20)

I'm sorry for this short post, but I found the length of it to be appropriate with the contents. I thought if I added some more it would kill the "essence" of it. 
LOL it's not a targee3a, promise! 
Enjoy!
***


I was very close to replying to his message when another message from him cut me off.


Anyway, I'm leaving for good. I'm going to live in Nottingham for a couple of months, there's a big chance I might even stay there for the rest of my life, I hate it here. Too much info, it's not like you need it anyway. Traveling tonight at eight, that's surely a relief for us both, isn't it? 
It was fun un-chasing each other with our messages. Cat and mouse in reverse, huh? 
Aloofly yours, 
Majid. 


I unintentionally felt crestfallen at the sight of his message, I had fun with this little game of ours. The hate between us had gotten humorous and amusing. The game was over and no one actually won. 


I typed back to him, even though I wasn't supposed to, according to our agreement. 


You mean you'll be gone forever? 
That's...nice. 


I saw his silhouette through the glass of the room above me, he was walking around in a circular manner, just as he had at the balcony. 


Yes, wasn't that part of our deal anyway? 


He was right, I hadn't absorbed the fact that it was going to happen. Eight months without seeing him in Kuwait was a miracle; we both knew we had to see each other after all. But this was too much, it was chasing him across the globe. 


It is, I guess I never took it so seriously. They say nothing is forever, but I guess we'll try to make it happen. 
Have a great, long stay in Nottingham, wherever that is. 




The moving silhouette came to a halt before moving back again in circles. 


Me neither, reality is deceiving. 
Thank you, I hope you have a long stay here. 
And let's not coincidentally bump into each other, hmm? 
I won't be returning to Kuwait for another two years or so, so I guess that's cleared out. 


What about his family? What about his next step, wasn't he going to get married? He was almost running out of time, he was in the spitting distance of being thirty, if he wasn't thirty already. I lost track of time. 


Another two years? What about your family? 


It was nosey of me, but I was never going to see him again, according to him. And this time, it was official and for good. 
I bit my nails and sat down on the beach chair, I hadn't noticed that Badriya left while we were texting. I squinted while reading the message, the sun was glaring against the screen, but I clearly read the message. 
And even though I had nothing to do with it, it stung like hell. 


What family? :-)


 The man became a mystery to me, everything I had thought I knew about him was incorrect. I was interested in knowing what he meant, what happened between him and his family, and even in his job. After I had left, he ran the company like a madman; he was always yelling, always serious and never humorous at all. An ex-coworker told me he seemed to act twice his age with the management. His work became his life. 


I couldn't reply, what would I reply? 


"May, yallah bnshoof filim!" Reem yelled out from inside the chalet. 
"Uhh kani yaya." I replied. 


Sorry, didn't mean to pry. I have to go.
I can't believe this is the last message you'll ever get from me. Too good to be true, huh?
Bye forever.
May.

Enemy (Part 19)

Sorry for the short post!

Enjoy!

***

"Shsalfita hatha?" Reem asked as plopped down on the couch, her wet hair darkened the sofa behind her. 

"Madri." I lied. I checked my phone for any messages from him. Was this the start of a new obsession?

I did not like the man at all, he cost me my job, he cost me my tears, he cost me everything I'd lost. There was no reason for me to like him let alone love him. 

My phone buzzed, and it was from him.

Who's that girl with the boy-short hair? 

I looked at Badriya and studied her features, she sometimes reminded me of a fairy with her clear white skin, wide eyes, small brown nose and medium lips, not to mention her pixie cut. Emphasis on pixie. 

Why? 

I studied Badriya again, she glanced at her white blackberry and starting punching the buttons. 

Nothing. 

I rolled my eyes, his "nothing" was interesting, but I didn't want to reply. What was the point of not seeing each other but texting? 

"Baroo7 atsabba7, oo tara Majid ra7." I said. 

Badriya replied, "Shdarrach?" 

Great, how was I supposed to tell them? 

"Um, gali taw msa3." I said, hoping to sound convincing. 

I couldn't help myself, half of my brain said not to reply but the other half told me to. 

Seriously why?

I pulled out a wrinkled dress from my closet and tugged at it in hopes of straightening it out. Of course, that didn't work. 

My phone flashed. 

Tell me her first name and I'll tell you why. Just the first name. See how generous I am?

I let go of my dress, which fell on the floor -wouldn't make a difference anyway- and replied. 

Lama, now tell me why?

I waved a hand through my hair, and waited. 

Really May? 

Why did he have to be so damn smart?

Iff, Dalal, now why?

I hoped that was convincing. 

No it's not. I think it stars with a B?

How did he know?

Since you know her name, yallah gool.

My body was getting sticky from the oil I had added. 

I don't really, I just know it starts with a B, and there's no other name that starts with a B other than Badriya, am I right?

I thought of other names that started with me, why did it have to be so hard?

Yes, now why do you want to know? 

His next reply left me quite quizzical. 

I'd seen her once before, I never thought I'd see her again. 

What?

Okay? You know we're sort of defeating our not-seeing-each-other policy if we're going to text each other. 

I threw the phone on my bed again and finally took a shower, the gunk on my skin vanished with aching scrubs. Majid had replied while I was in the bathroom. 

True. 

I massed my hair up in a bun and sprinted downstairs to my girl cousins, my boy cousins finally came back from their adventure somewhere and headed upstairs. 

"Umm Badriya ta3alay sa3deeni ana'6if il6awlat ili bara please." I told her as I pushed the sliding glass door with all my strength.

"Okay." she said, grabbing her phone with her.

We wiped the tables next to the pool clean, I had to tell her about Majid but I had a hard time putting it into words.

"Uhh t3arfeen Majid?" I asked her. 

Her eyebrows formed a knot, "Majid?" she asked innocently.

"Ee illi shalaiha ihnee." I said, pointing at his chalet.

"Umm la2, bas ina kan mudeerich, laish?" she asked.

"La wala shay, 7asballi t3arfeena." I replied. She shrugged and continued wiping the tables.

I shivered from the cool wind despite the scorching sun, I needed to dry my hair. 

"Badish anashif sha3ri, aroo7 oo arid." I informed her, she nodded and texted. 

I sprinted upstairs and plugged in my black blowdryer, hastily drying my hair. 

I peeked out of the window. Majid was on his phone in the balcony, at the same time my phone buzzed.

I'm at the balcony. 

He started talking on his phone, his light gray shirt fiddled in the wind. He walked around in circles while talking, something I often do, and stopped once he saw Badriya and headed back inside. 

I finished drying my hair, which was half wet anyway and rejoined Badriya in the cleaning.

We wiped almost all the chairs and tables next to the pool, and we were exhausted.

"Ugh ta3abt!" she yelled out.

"Ana ba3ad, chan nadainahum!" I replied, pointing at my cousins inside the chalet. 

"Ee i7na khadai." she said, her side bangs fell against her eyes and she flicked them away from her eyes. Her features were unique, I could sort of understand what Majid meant. 

Next time text me when you're outside the house, unless of course you want to see me or something. 

I actually laughed at his text, wayid shayif 3umra. 

Don't let it get to your head. ;)

Badriya put her hands on her hips and walked back inside the chalet. 

Never. ;)

Enemy (Part 18)

Sorry for the short post! 


Enjoy!
***


"Akrah ili bagoola al7een, bas zain inni shtfich."


I couldn't believe what he was saying so I stopped in my tracks.


"Tadreen laish?" he asked, his silhouette framed by the steel fence.


"La2." I replied, hugging onto my towel, the water dripped from my hair to my face, then on the floor. Not to mention the fact that I was shivering intensely. 


"Akhaleech tfakreen fee." he replied slyly. The man turned away and disappeared from the fence, I stood in my place unknowingly. 


What did he mean by that? 
I did not want it to have a large affect on me so I just let it go. 


I walked up the stairs, his sentence still rang in my head.
I saw Majid after eight month of not seeing him, which were pretty heavenly. I did not miss him, I did not care about his existence. Nothing. 


I opened the door to my and Reem's room and barged in, Reem was sound asleep. As I had expected she did not inform me that she was going to sleep. Typical Reem.


I glanced through the window which faced the facade of Majid's modern chalet. The lights of the room in front of ours were on, which I guessed was his room for the night. 
My fingers searched the switch for the bathroom lights amidst the dark, they finally turned on as I stepped inside for a nice, long shower.


After what seemed like fourty-five minutes of my showering, I finally stepped out of the bathroom, not bothering to blow-dry my hair. I turned off the lamp beside my bed, resulting complete darkness in the room except for the light coming from the window. Soon enough Majid turned off his light too. The only illumination was from the moon, our common source of light.


I sighed as I said du3a'a ilnom and slowly drifted off sleep, my mind was too tired to think of anything, especially my Majid encounter. Honestly, I was grateful I did not think about it, because I did not want to think about it at all.


*


"May goomay!" I heard my girl cousins yell in my ears.
I groaned and stuffed my face in the pillow as they yanked the blankets off my body.


"Uff bas!" I shouted.
"May! Ma ra7 t9adgeen minu shfna!" Reem started to yell while bouncing.
"Adri, Majid." I replied with a sleepy voice.


My cousins gasped.
"Ubai shdarach?" Badriya asked in shock.
"L2ani shfta ams." I replied, I regretted telling them that, now they wouldn't leave me alone.
"Chathaba!" all three girls yelled in unison.
"Wallah, inzain please khalooni anam! Agoolikum kilshay itha khalaitooni anam." I told them, covering myself with the blanket they had yanked.


"Uff inzain bas latnameen wayid! 7adi abi a3arif!" Reem said again. I ignored her and tried to go back to sleep, they all thankfully left the room. 


I twisted and turned, the blanket tied a knot around my legs. It was clearly meant for me not to sleep, but I was too lazy to get up and too lazy to tell them what had happened at midnight. 


I glanced at the clock, it was nearly 1:00 in the afternoon and my stomach was grumbling. I had to get out of bed sometime. I counted to ten before hopping out of bed, shivering as the cold wind from the AC hit me.


I changed into jeans and a shirt hurriedly, I glanced at myself briefly in the mirror. My overnight wavy hair fell on my shoulders, my tan was visible, and it looked good. 


My legs sprinted downstairs as I saw my cousins outside tanning by the pool. 
I grabbed an apple and met them outside, "Ga3adt!"I announced.


"Yallah!" Badriya said excitedly, her skin was shiny from the tanning lotion.
I sat at the foot of her beach chair, my two other cousins stared at me intently, their eyes focused on mine, as if they wanted to relive what I'd seen.


I explained to them how we awkwardly met, what happened after we had met, and what he told me. 
Shaikha's lips formed an O and later melting into a smile, sad to say my other cousins did the same thing.


"Chathaba!" Reem yelled.
"Ushh la ysmi3ich!"I told her, looking around, but his lights were still off and there wasn't any sound coming from his chalet. 


"Kaifa! Ubai May 7ada '3areeb! Ma suwat 3alaina shalaihna yamma uff!" Badriya complained, her pixie-short hair shone in the sun. 


"Agoolich," Shaikha concurred. "Tanning?" she offered.
"Okay khanabadil." I replied, because I sure as hell wasn't going to tan in my jeans and half-sleeved t-shirt. 


I ran back up to my room and picked out my swimsuit along with my swimming shorts and half-sleeved rash guards from my closet then changed into them in the fastest speed of my life. Ever. I ran down again and got outside, Badriya handed me the tanning oil as I slathered it on my body, there weren't any men around us thankfully so we used our privacy privileges. 

Shaikha turned on her iPod and placed it on the speaker, filling our ears with her retro music taste. I took off my half-sleeved rash guards and stayed in my sleeveless one piece bathing suit, and actually one piece this time. 


We got ourselves ice-cold drinks from the fridge and continued tanning, we surely were going to turn into ashes by the end of the day. 


"Ubai!" Reem yelled out, she started screaming. I nearly spat out my drink.
"Shfeech?" I asked, Reem hurriedly wrapped herself with a towel as I glanced above me, covering my eyes with my hand. Majid was out in the balcony, dressed in only his swimming shorts, and he was looking at us weirdly...I guessed if Reem had shut up he would be inside right now. 


"Majid please dish dakhil." I told him while tugging on my rash guards. 
"Kani dash bas khara3atni hathi, 7asbali feekum shay." he complained. 
"La maku shay, hathi khtar3at minnik." I explained, he tried to muffle his laughter but he failed, his expression nearly made me laugh in front of him so I turned my back at him and started laughing softly. 


"Asif, kamlaw iltan malkum." he shouted out to my cousins, each girl bundled up in her towel as if they were in Antarctica or something.


Reem huffed and took off her towel once Majid stepped inside, "Waiii 8aleel iladab!" 
"Reem intay ili nabahtee." I pointed out.
"Gidar ishoofna, still!" she defended herself. Right. 


I poured myself some iced tea and lounged back on the pool chair. My fingers placed my earphones in my ears, the calm music entered as it swiftly played with my emotions and my thoughts. A funny thing music was, who knew such a thing could create such great impact?


Reem yanked my "wires of tranquility".
"Na3am!" I yelled out, my privacy was interrupted. 
"Bndish." Reem stated.
"Okay bal7agkum 3ugub shwaya." I told her. She nodded and stepped inside the chalet, I almost placed my earphones in my ears when Majid's voice interrupted the action. 


"Mita btrideen ilshalaih?" he asked from his balcony. I gasped and huddled the towel over my body, his eyes weren't on me however, he was looking straight at the water in front of his balcony.


"Umm madri laish?" I yelled out. He turned to check if I was decent,
"Bas ba3arf, khan6awil akthar mn thiman tashhr." he suggested.
 I wished.
"Okay bas shlon in3arif minu biyi?" I asked.


He paused for a moment as he started to think, "3indich ra8mi wala misa7tee?" he asked.
My eyebrows tied into a knot, "Msa7ta laish?" 
"Ikhthee oo ra7 agoolich mita bayi, oo intay 6arsheeli mita ra7 tiyeen," he said, leaning on the balcony railings, "n6arrish messages a7san mn la inshoof ba3a'6, 3adil?" he asked.
"Okay, good. Cham ra8mik?" I asked, switching to my notes on my iPod.
He told me his number which I saved. 
"Oo ham yt6aba8 hni itha tabeen, oo kh9oo9an 7ag hatheech 3ashan matkhtir3 minni. Ra7 as2lich mita agdar a6la3." he said, he licked his lips before continuing, "Oo atwaqqa3 hathi akher mara bnshoof ba3a'6, madri laish 7as. Yallah, good luck b 7ayatich, oo May?" 
I was so caught up with his words that I paused for three second second, "Huh?" 
He smiled."La tinsain ilmessages."
The man waved for one final time before heading back inside his room. 


I was relieved but at the same time, I was sort of sad. I loved that hate I had for him while he was around, it was...fun. 
Well at least I had his number now. 

Enemy (Part 17)

Sorry for the late post, I've had a really busy day!
Anonymous commenters I'd really love it if you left your initials or something so I can distinguish you from others!
Thank you so much, and your comments encourage me a lot! 


Enjoy!
***


Eight months later.


I plopped down on my bed right next to Reem's. 
I got a job about a week ago, after months of waiting and waiting. It wasn't as prestigious and as paying as my last job, but as long as that person was not there I was all for the job. 


Speaking of him, I hadn't seen him ever since we'd ran into each other in Maki. That was it. I got my stuff from the office without seeing him, and I was thankful. I was in heaven.


Reem and I wanted to celebrate my employment by going to the chalet. So it was just myself, Reem and two other girl cousins with their brothers who had absolutely nothing to do with us. At all.


I glanced at the clock next to me, it was 12:30 AM. A wild idea popped in my head, 
"Reem lich khilg tsbi7een?" I asked, my two other cousins, Sara and Badriya were in the other room asleep after a long day of swimming in the pool and walking by the beach next to the chalet. 


Reem was busy texting with her phone, so I had to repeat myself to her. Reem shook her head, her eyes, and most probably her mind, were focused on her phone.


I sighed and got up from my bed and opened my neon pink suitcase-yes, I was embarrassed to own this type of suitcase- and forcefully pulled out my one-piece swim suit, half-sleeved rash guards, and swimming shorts. 


I hurriedly changed in the bathroom before it got too late to swim. I slipped on my flip-flops and grabbed a towel from the cabinet next to the door. 
"Nadeeni lai kntay btnameen okay?" I asked her. She nodded with her eyes on the screen, I hoped she wouldn't forget. Shakilha btinsa. 


I ran downstairs and outside the chalet, and placed my towel on the chair next to out pool. It was hard trying to ignore Majid's chalet in front of ours, it was separated by a modern steel wall that had some slots in it, sort of revealing the other side. 


The lights of the chalet were off, and I was thankful. I looked around for the 7aris or any person but it was safe. The walls covered me from anyone on the streets, but there weren't any walls covering me from anyone on the beach. And no one was there anyway. 


I decided to stay in my white one-piece bathing suit, there was not a single soul around. I placed my shorts and rash-guard on top of my towel and bundled my light brown hair in a fat bun. I dipped my toes in the pool, it was at a perfect temperature. 


This time, I sat at the edge of the pool and pushed myself inside, the water greeted my body. My skin shuddered at the coldness of the water from the openings in my bathing suit; a swirl showing off the left side of my stomach, and an opening at the back. 


I dipped my head inside, the water brushed against my face and my hair, teasing it playfully. My arms circled the water, creating small ripples against the surface, reflecting the brightness of the mysterious white moon above me. 


My breath was steady at the sound of my heartbeats thumping in my ears beneath the water. I popped my head out of the water and wiped the excess off my eyes, and took in a deep breaths of air as the night breeze brushed my hair and tingled my skin. 


I pushed myself out of the water and sat on the edge of the pool, taking a break. The sounds of disturbed water were still in my ears despite the current calmness of the pool.


Strange...


It certainly wasn't the sea as it was a bit far from us, but this sound was more audible, more clear, it sounded like it belonged to...the chalet next to us. 


I gasped and got up from the edge. I wasn't sure if there was anyone in the chalet in front of us, as the lights weren't on. But someone was using the pool, either Majid or one of his cousins who frequently came to the chalet. 


I walked up next to the fence separating us and peeked through the slots of the fence, I saw someone's head, but his facial features were blocked. 


The mysterious person cleared his throat. "Umm mayohich ibyain." the voice said out loud.
I gasped and quickly hid next to the fence without the slots, my face turned red. This was awkward.


"Asfa khtara3t, 7asbali maku a7ad." I said outloud, my back was pressed against the cold metal, I nearly shrieked when my semi-bared stomach touched the fence.
I heard that person scoff, I rolled my eyes, could that person get more obnoxious? 


The sounds of splashing water decreased at the water became still, I concluded that that person was not in the pool anymore. I was stuck, if I moved to cover myself he'd see me again through the slots. 


"Umm aroo7?" I yelled out, it was so awkward.
"Troo7een wain?" that voice called out.
"Baroo7 akhith foo6ti, akhaf tshoofni." I replied. Boy was I screwed.
"Khala9 3ugub shnu? Shftich oo khalla9t." 


I seriously wanted to slap him. 


"Min 9iji, latshoof." I replied back a bit more stern.
"Fee bint tisba7 broo7ha hal 7azza?" the voice spoke again.
"Shrayik tkhali rayik 7ag nafsik oo tkhaleeni a6oof?" I said, I was fed up. 
"Ashoofich 9aira jaree2a 3ugub ilmessajat." 


I knew it. I absolutely knew it.


I scoffed at him, "Tuwaqqa3t." I said. 
I heard his voice a bit away from the fence, as if he was pulling on a shirt, "Shkithir 6awalna? Sina?" 
"Thiman tashhur." I corrected, my back still pressed against the wall.
"3adat'hum ba3ad." 
"Accountant, shtabi ba3ad?" I retorted, I heard him roar with laughter. I rolled my eyes and walked, ma 3alay minna. Scratch walk, more like ran. I wrapped myself with a towel and pulled on my shorts.


"Lail7een agdar ashoofich." Majid commented.
"Majid. 9eer rayyal oo '3a6 3yoonik." I said, my loathe for this man was still there and going strong.
He roared with laughter again. 
"May garbay 3indi." he ordered, a tone of humor tingled his voice. 
I was pretty much decent so I walked up to him, I knew he wouldn't leave me alone.


I stood in front of the man I hadn't seen in months. The fence blocked out parts of his face, his eyes however was still as strong as ever, his thick eyelashes were wet from the water, his lips were moistened. His wet hair was pulled away neatly from his face.
I hated him. 


"Shinu?" I asked stubbornly, trying to break away from his mystifying gaze. He was good.
He broke into a devilish smile, his teeth flashed despite the darkness of the night. 
"Mahagaitich tsmi3een kalami." he said, his smile bigger and bigger.
I rolled my eyes, "7asbali 3indik salfa." 
He roared with laughter for the third time this night. 


"May?" he asked more seriously this time.
"Na3am Majid?" I said, obviously fed up.


"Akrah ili bagoola al7een, bas zain inni shtfich."