The car ride to our new home was silent because everyone was zoned out by watching the Arabian city. Yasrid was beautiful, even more beautiful than Bloom Woods. The sun was shining brightly today, spring season - that's what I wanted. Yasrid was divided into two, one half was the city with big malls, buildings, IT themed parks, shopping centres, five star Resturants and many more - when Bloom woods just had one mall. Nobody lived in the city but in the other half which was calm and quiet.
In the middle of the two one way roads, there were trees of dates. Everywhere we looked, Men wearing thobe ( a long dress that reaches till your ankle) women wearing Abaya or niqab (a piece of cloth that covered your face), little girls wearing scarfs could be seen. Everywhere we looked there was modesty. Dad had said Yasrid was built on a desert and when it was Summer it was too hot and humid, when it was winter too much cold but no snow - guess I'll miss snow in Bloom woods.
"We're here" the driver said breaking us from our thoughts.
We have arrived at our new home, two storied painted in white with a beautiful garden in the front. Climbing out of the car - Yousi and Dad took out the luggage from the car. And then we all entered the house.
"I'm taking that room !" Ahsan said running over to a room he liked and I rolled my eyes at him.
"Yousuf and Izza can have the upstairs room then" I nodded my head and started heading upstairs but then dad called and I turned around with raised eyebrows.
"You are attending school today, so freshen up"
I groaned and huffed in annoyance. I can't believe this ! , I just came back and now I have to go school. Once again I'll have to go through New school, new class, new teachers and new friends. This time I'm a senior which means projects, graduation, then university. Phew !
Once I reached my room I started unpacking my stuff. I hanged all the photographs and the Polaroids on the wall. I stood in front of Yussa's picture where she was wearing a white chiffon gown with lily flowers in her hands and was smiling at the camera. Her brown long hair had being braided and her eyes were twinkling like the stars. This was taken on her prom day and her dates were Yousi and Yahiya. Smiling at her picture I said,
"Wish me luck Yussa".
••••••••
Its been two weeks since I joined my new highschool. It was a girls only school and the uniform was Abaya. I didn't mind since I really don't need to dress up now and could even wear my pajamas under them. Teachers here were all ladies and they really taught us well. Thats when I understood, in Islam women do have priority. But there was no football in my school and instead girls played badminton or tennis and I hated that type of sports. Guess I'll have to live a life with no more football.
"May I come in Ma'am ?!"
I snapped out from my revierie when I heard her loud noise. She was panting on the doorway which means she was running the whole way to the class. She was always late, from the day I met her she had never come early on time. I am talking about my new 'friend', the girl with bright sky blue eyes that reminds me of Daniel's eyes.
It was a coincidence that her name also started with an 'M' and I knew she was with me for the long run. I missed Mehara, I missed everything about her and I regret not even telling her where I was and when will I come back. This 'M' named friend of mine was way different than My Meehu though. She was a mixture of Justin and Mehara.
"You are late" The teacher said narrowing her eyes.
"Why Maryam ? what is the reason that you are always late to the class ?" The teacher asked helplessly and Maryam even had the guts to grin at her widely.
When someone scolds you, you are suppose to lower your head and apologise but she just grinned at her more. It was irritating the teacher a lot cause this was always the morning scenerio. And once again she never tells her why she was late and everybody thinks she just over slept but Maryam was an 'early to bed, early you rise. Makes a man health, wealthy and wise' person.
"Maryam you are a senior. You are making a bad influence on your Juniors. Don't you think ?" Still with the grin she shook her head and said,
"Oh please Ma'am I'm not that famous that leads the juniors to check how I behave here. And if its that the case I would personaly tell them 'Don't study me, you won't graduate" and she laughed at her own joke and it made the teacher's blood boil.
"Maryam !"
"Yes Ma'am ?"
"Go sit somewhere".
"Pleasures all mine".
She sat on the seat next to me and then the teacher started taking the class. But Maryam was looking at her camera that hung over her neck. She always had that camera with her and everywhere she go she used to capture. She says they were memories and she never wanted to forget a minute where she enjoyed. She had a Polaroid camera too and there were lots and lots of pictures in her scrap book.
Everybody know who Maryam was, she was famous even though she doesn't know it. I have seen the way students smile automatically just when she passes by and she instead talks to everyone she sees and become friends with them. There was always a constant smile on her face and in these two weeks I haven't seen her smile falter.
Even when somebody scold her or insults her she just smiles. Unlike Mehara she never showed what she was feeling and everybody thinks her life was the best. And she was annoying, more annoying than Justin and Mehara. I snapped out from thoughts when I heard the shutter went off. I blinked at the sudden flash light and turned towards Maryam who had just taken my picture.
"You were so lost in thought" she said showing my picture where my eyes were staring at a distance. First few days I used to grab her and try to delete it from her but it was of no vain. So I ignored her this time and tried to be attentive at class. But I felt her elbowing me and I turned towards her narrowing my eyes.
"New hijab ?" She asked me and I nodded my head.
"You haven't taken your tag Izzy" she said plucking it from my hijab and suddenly a memory flashed in my mind where I was ignoring Mehara on my first day and she said to me that I hadn't taken my tag and from there developed a friendship. It was just a year with Mehara but I know Maryam will be with me for the rest of my life.
I smiled at her even when I have scowled at Mehara so that I don't need to be friends with her but I was so wrong. She smiled back at me with her blue eyes shining brightly.
At that moment two girls became best friends for life.
•••••••
Walking back to my home was the best part of the day. I have to walk pass through the busy streets were street holders, peddlers, and all the small scale business are located. I would watch the people bargain on the products and the owners finally giving in reluctantly. I have to walk pass the beautiful park where so many happy families come together to have picnic. This was the other half of Yasrid.
There was a desert safari park here where people can have ride on the camels, drive through the slippery sand on a buggy or a car. It was fun, relaxing and also you could get to enjoy to watch the beautiful sunset. I suddenly stopped walking as my eyes met a small girl about four years old on the stone bench and she was crying. Her hands covered her face and she was shaking too. I slowly walked towards her and crouched down so I could meet her in the eyes.
"Did you know that pretty girls aren't suppose to cry ?"
She stiffened at my voice then her hands left her face and looked at me with a pout on her adorable face. She was indeed a beautiful girl with hazel eyes and curly black hair. Her big doe like eyes stared at me in confusion for a few minutes but then her lips curved downwards and she was crying again. I quickly sat next to her and patted her back.
"I waant a c-wotton cwandy !" She whined and I laughed at the way she pronounced cotton candy.
"Okay I'll get you a cotton candy" she looked up, her eyes widening.
"Rweeaally ?"
"Yes really" I said chuckling and took her small hands in mine leading her to a stall for some cotton candy. I gave her a pink one while I ate the white one. I love cotton candies, I love the way when we just take a bite it melts and a sweet sugar is replaced on your tongue, that feeling was amazing.
"So where are your parents ?" I asked her and she just shrugged her shoulders saying,
"I rwan away" I blinked my eyes and asked her confused
"Ran away ? Why ?" She gave a long sigh and wiped her face dramatically as she was in so much torture lately. She was only four and was already acting like a teenager.
"I hate them" she showed her palm as if ending the conversation. I wanted to remind her that I was the one who got her a cotton candy in the first place and now she was acting so full of attitude.
"Sapphire !"
I froze on my spot and stiffened as the cotton candy slowly fell on the ground. I forgot to breath and didn't even realise that the little girl was tugging me to walk forwards.
"Finally, I found you".
I looked down and she was in front of me hiding behind my legs and occasionally peeking at the intruder, she looked scared. He was here, my Zee was here. I wanted to turn around but I couldn't as I felt my legs go numb.
"Come out saph !, Mom's gonna kill you after this".
Thats when I snapped out from my situation and slowly turned to meet the guy. He wasn't looking at me, he was looking at her - the girl hiding behind my legs.
"I don't wanna !" she shouted and he sighed then forcing a smile on his face he asked,
"What do you want ?"
"wotton wandy" I blinked my eyes and looked at her confused because I just bought her a one.
"You'll get cavities saph"
"I want a wotton wandy !" She stomped her foot and whined. He rubbed his stubble and sighed giving in.
"Okay. We'll get you only one. Just one. Then we are heading back home. Is that clear ?"
She nodded her head jumping and then ran into his arms. He laughed standing up with her and was going to walk around but then something or rather someone who had been standing there all this time caught his attention and he turned around.
"Oh hello there I hope my daughter didn't trouble you" Sapphire instead showed her puppy dog eyes at me and I smiled at him and shook my head saying,
"She was no trouble at all"
Then I turned around from the middle aged man and literally ran away. I released the breath I was holding and my heart was beating fast. I thought it was him, I thought he found me.
'Sapphire'
This time it was his voice.
I tried to listen again but there wasn't, his voice had fade away.
_____________________
Greeting ladies.
Do vote and comment.
The flash back is over guys, now before i update the next chapter i want you all to read the second chapter so that you'll recall what is actually happening in the present. So who might be that person who asked her when he saw her after a long time "Izza is that you".
Fingers crossed.
There are four options it can be 1) Daniel Cooper 2) Zeeshan Harris 3) Justin Anderson and 4) Seth Rogers. Any one among them will be the person.
I was thinking of Dan. What about you ?
Vote and comment.