Enemy (Part 29)

Don't be too excited now, because I just hate cliches. 


Enjoy!
***


At that moment, I froze. Time did not exist. 
I kept repeating his reply in my head over and over again while the room was spinning around me, figuratively speaking. 


My heartbeats accelerated in dismay, and I found myself staring at the screen without even blinking. My trembling fingers hovered over the keyboard as I sewed sentences in my head. 


Excuse me? 


There, that seemed appropriate. 


A knock on my door startled me and I switched to my screensaver, even though that person was facing the back of my laptop. 


"Istatha May?" a new intern, Taiba said while poking her head through the door. 
"Uhh na3am, 6aiba?" I croaked. Oh dear me, could I be anymore obvious?
"La bas knt bashoof ith akntay mawjooda l2ana bakhth ilmalafat 3ugb rub3 sa3a." 
"Inshallah." I smiled at the girl who could really use a haircut. 


My laptop beeped and I took a deep breath while clicking on the tab. 


Didn't that shock you? I can see that small O forming on your lips right now. Or a capital O. 


And yes, I still do mean it. Let me elaborate:


I just find it fun whenever I'm with you, yes we did have our "afflictive" moments, but that's the only fun I actually have. So did I enjoy it when you were around? Yes. Mostly for the action and what I do to you that I really get a kick out of. 
Call me a sadist. I don't care. Am I trying to change? For the sake of human decency, yes. 


So. Here's how I want to change, and you May, are the key to it. 
Are you ready to read it?
PS. I know the suspense is killing you. ;)


Oh nice, a winking smiley, but he was right...the suspense was killing me. 


Yes, please let's get this over with. I have work to do, as do you. ;) 


I organized the files while waiting for his reply. Gosh he was taking long, and I predicted a very long message. 
And yet a familiar beep...


What's with the winking face? It looks so wrong.


Alright, let's get this started. 
I personally think it's you who made me this way. I fed on your weakness, and you made me crave it. Being your boss was the best thing that ever happened to me, because I had my daily dose every. Single. Day. 
I wanted you to leave because what I get from you is getting out of hand and affecting my own personal life; how I dealt with people, my old friends, and more importantly my parents. 
I hated you for it. 
You made me the disgusting person I am today. 
I did tell you I was a monster back in my last text to you as May, and that was the way I am. Then it dawned on me that it was you who was responsible for it all. 


What I need from you now?
 I need you to undo it all. 


So I was the cause for it all. He just loved being in control, and I let him get too far with my own weakness. 
Did I really cause all of that?


I shook my head in confusion and replied to him. 


Majid, 
I cannot understand all of this. How was I the cause when you didn't control yourself for being the unbearable megalomaniac you are? You chose to be this, and I just happened to be the catalyst of it all. Not my problem. 
Question, it might be a grammatical "error", but how do you blame me now for it all when you stated in your email that you "hated" -past tense- me for it?
"Elaborate", please. 


Oh I was playing it right. I curled my lips in pride and waited. 
Then it beeped. 


Very smart, May.
Where's this fierce, smart girl on the phone? Unleash her. 
I hated you for it because you're not doing anything to me now. So I don't hate you that much. 
Change me, please. 
I don't care that I'm a million miles away, just change me. 


Was he stupid? It meant he travelled for nothing! He initially travelled to change, when the solution was me all along. 


You do realize that means you travelled for nothing, don't you? 
You want the "cure" you come get the cure. I can't do anything. 


Taiba poked her head again and I waved her in, and she gathered the files in silence.
A beep from the computer made me secretly dance in my head. He was right, this was fun. 


Alright then, how do you feel about moving to Nottingham? 


Erm, what?


I don't even know what that place looks like. Surprise kidnap? 


I moistened my dry mouth with my now warm water bottle sitting on the window sill. It tasted of plastic and other cancerous chemicals. Ugh. 


I sighed and opened the newest email from Majid. 


No I was thinking more like surprise engagement, but heck, it's not a surprise anymore is it? 


I choked and spat out my water in bewilderment. 
Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness! 


WTH? 


I typed. My heartbeats were maniacally unstable, and I still could not digest his last email, let alone my own water.  I gathered my senses while waiting for his reply. 
Did I want to?
Was he serious?
What would everyone think? What would Reem think knowing about his past? 
Oh my goodness. 


I clicked on the mouse speedily, biting my nails anxiously as I read his email. 


I hope you weren't in public reading that... 
Let's set the facts straight here, May. 
I know you well enough to know you'd live in guilt with a different man because of me and what you've been through with me. I mean if he'd look at us now, he'd beat the crap out of the both of us. Whoever he is. 
And myself, well, I don't like to hurt other girls. They don't know me or understand me the way you do; you know exactly what I am. 
You can only change me through this, and I know it. 
So, the question here May is what's your answer?


Oh. My. Goodness.