Enemy (Part 24)

Enjoy!
***


My head was filled to the brim with an infinite number of questions ranging from how to who to where, and it nearly made my head hurt. I decided a simple question would be appropriate for our current status. 


Okay let's start with how many brothers and sisters you have.


I knew the answer, zero. Majid was an only child. 
His proposal reminded me of when he had told me to send him emails of what was bothering me. We wouldn't want to head over to the bad times now, would we?


Only child, and yourself?


I was highly engaged in my emails with Majid that I nearly jumped when I heard the door open, we'd arrived at Reem's house in Surra while I still thought we were on the highway. The things technology did to me...


"Bye Reem!" I shouted as she pulled her suitcase out of the trunk of the car.
"Bye! Inshallah 3ugub sboo3ain ha?" she yelled back.
"Ee lazim!" Shaikha concurred, while Badriya was on her phone, as usual. 


Seeing her reminded me of the email which I hurried back to.


Two older brothers and an older sister.
Next question, when is your birthday?


It was true, she had 3azeez and 3umar, somewhere in their early thirties or something and Khawla who was in her late twenties. 


He replied back almost immediately. Didn't he have some packing to do? One thing I hated about men was that they had almost nothing to pack, clothes and shoes and they were ready to go. Oh, and the toothbrush.


July twenty-ninth. Let me guess, you seem like an Aquarius, mermaid-y and all. 


Mermaid? That nearly made me laugh. 
For a minute there I actually forgot Badriya's birthday, which was embarrassing since she was my first cousin. November third. I actually had to google her star-sign, I was so bad at those. 


Ah, Scorpio. My favorite star-sign, lucky girl. 


Nope, I'm a stingy Scorpio. :) November third.  
What was your final GPA in high-school?


That I had to know. I bet it was a perfect 4.0 or 4.something-man-has-never-achieved-till-Magnificent-Majid-arrived. I refreshed my email and of course, he replied as speedily as usual. He surely was bored. 


I would call you nosey but I gave you permission to be so. 
I don't remember specifically but it was awfully good. A 3.98 I think? 
I'm going to be nice here so I wouldn't ask you about yours. ;)


Rude much? 


Ouch.
Alright since you want to play it rudely I'll give you more personal questions. 
Are you friendless? Because you don't seem like the guy who likes to have friends a lot.


I felt the corners of my mouth lift up in a smile; I was enjoying this.


Ahaha, you remind me of May here. Damn genetics.


I heard my heartbeats in my own ears once I read that. I gulped.
Lail7een ma inchakait... I thought before continuing to read.


I suppose you are somewhat right, but it's not them it's me. I hate having "companions" around, they are a constant reminder of how much of a jerk I can be. Can you imagine having a wife around? Hah. 
That wasn't a question anyway, please do not answer. :)


Wow, he really must hate himself. 
I bet behind that arrogant crude was a weak, fragile person in the realm of his own self-desctructive thoughts. I had to bring him out, I just had to. 


I won't, don't worry. ;)
Speaking of which, how are you planning on changing yourself?


That was the how that had circled my mind. He said he wanted to change himself, however he also said that he liked what he had become. It was a twisted tale of his, but all I had to know was if he wanted to change himself, and how he'd do it. 
But would that huge self-alteration plan mean changing into a completely different person? 
If yes, the Majid I grew to know would be gone forever. And if the answer was no, would difference did he make. 


I don't know really, I just thought that a change of atmosphere and surroundings would do. It did me well in the States when I was studying to obtain my master's degree, but this was for a completely different purpose. 
And I have to cut contact with you too for two years. I do not need any reminder of my to-be past self. 


Was he serious? And I thought we were just getting started...
But would that mean cutting off his relationship with his parents too? 
He did mention that he wasn't on good terms with them, but wasn't he going to at least reconcile and beg them for acceptance?
My subconscious was doing all the typing for me while I became preoccupied with my numerous questions circling my mind.


What about your parents, are you going to cut them off too?


That had to be the shortest email in a while.
"Umm May?" Shaikha interrupted with a poke on my ribs. I gasped in fright and nearly threw my phone.
"Wai khara3teeni! Uff!" I exclaimed with a hand over my chest.
"Ula shda3wa! Inzain mita nawya tanzileen?" she asked, pointing at my house.
I was seriously confused.


"Umm al7een..." I said. I flung the door open and made sure to slip my phone into my back pocket. The driver helped me out with the suitcase. My two guy cousins were still following the driver everywhere, the gave me a wave to speed things up a bit. Again, I was as confused as hell. 
I waved at my cousins and pulled the luggage along with me inside the house. A new maid, Jane, helped me out as she pulled it to my room. 


"My parents are here?" I asked her.
"No they just go." she replied in her Filipino accent. 


I was too exhausted to open up my suitcase so I flung myself onto my made bed and refreshed my email. One new email, as expected. 


Of course not, I'll try my best to reconnect with them. They are my parents, after all.
I have to leave the house in an hour, so you just have an hour to ask. Then it'll be another two years. It's official. 


I had to look for the golden questions that would trigger him, but I didn't know what to ask and I was running out of time. 


Less than an hour? Hmm... 
What do you wish to improve in yourself?


The thing was, he had to reply briskly as well, and he did. A reply a couple of seconds later, thank you Majid.


Wow, I suddenly feel like a celebrity. Are you really that interested in me, B?
P.S. It feels really good typing in a different name.
P.P.S. I wish to improve almost everything, but mostly, I'd like to improve that attitude of mine. I feel like a teenager, and I hate teenagers ;). 
What do you think I should improve, Queen B?


Didn't Queen B stand for Queen B*tch or something? I rolled my eyes and typed speedily, relying on autocorrect to make sense of words I had typed.


Oh, no not really. Well yes actually, your message to my cousin sort of triggered my interest in you. I suddenly felt like I had a stalker... 
Seriously though, there is so much things in you I'd like to know. You're a very...interesting person. 
Hmm...I think you should improve everything as well. Especially that attitude, trying being a more empathetic and understanding, hmm?
Question, do you think a person can be able to change you?


I awaited his reply which seemed like ages. Time was running, and we had forty-five minutes to talk. It seemed like a lot, but the time we took texting made up at least ninety-per-cent of our time. 


Thank you for your honest opinion, Lady B. I'll try to have a heart. :)


As for your question, maybe and maybe not, depends on the person. It has to be someone I still don't know yet.
If you meant yourself, then I don't really know. You're good at making me "explore" my inner self I guess. You have forty-five minutes to try changing me, kid. Think you can do it?


Not exactly. 


I don't think I can, and we're running out of time. I can try but my fingers are already sore from typing the questions. Oh don't flatter yourself, M, just don't.
Question, will you miss anything from your old life?


I switched to my laptop, at least the letters on the keyboard were as big as the edge of my finger, and the screen was much wider. 


By the time the whole internet loaded he had already sent the email. 


Hmm, I'll definitely miss the chalet. Just me and the sea. I'll definitely miss my two year old cousin's kid Joud who has cheeks as huge and fluffy as marshmallows. 
I'll miss some dishes the cook makes at home, coming to think of it I might drag him with me to Nottingham...
Are you expecting to be on the list? ;)


What a jerk. 


No. I've known you for half a day, I'd be freaked out if I was. 
Do you wish you knew me earlier?


That was a complete risk, but what was I gonna lose?