Twenty-one
[Leen]
I finish praying Al-Isha and turn on the laptop to watch an episode of Boys Over Flowers, when my phone beeps. I look at the screen and may have kept staring for a quite long time because I get another message from Mariam on our private conversation.
Mariam: Why aren’t you saying anything, you’re online!
Me: I don’t know, I was a little surprised
Mariam: Fine enough shooting hearts and say something there :P
Shooting hearts?! Okay, that was mean, Mariam. I laugh to myself.
Me: Shouldn’t he start talking?
Mariam: Okay, you’re right
Mariam: Let’s wait for him then
Me: Okay
Mariam: Hey Lee
Me: Yes?
Mariam: I’ve thought of letting you talk because he’s not feeling well
Me: What happened?
Mariam: He had a fight with Omar
Mariam: It’s a long story; I think it’s better if he tells you about it himself
Me: And how can I help?
Mariam: I know you will be of great help
Mariam: Just be there for him
Me: Of course!
Me: Okay.
There’s another message on the group conversation.
Adam: How are you doing Leen?
Me: Alhamdulillah, what about you?
Mariam: Call her Lee
Mariam: She loves that
Adam: Lee? *smirk*
Mariam: Yup!
Adam: Okay, I like it too
Mariam: Where did you go Lee?
Me: Here
Adam: Are we talking much of your time?
Me: No, no, I’m free
I shut the laptop down. This is the first time I give up my Korean dramas to talk to someone actually. But this is the first time ever I get butterflies because of a real person. Shouldn’t I give up a drama for my Korean reality?
Lots of Korean drama fans would keep saying that every girl deserves a Korean prince. And I guess I have already found mine.
Adam: Should the three of us have lunch together tomorrow?
My heart bounds so hard it almost jumps out of my rib cage.
Mariam: I absolutely say YES!
Me: I think I’m okay with it too
Me: I’ll just ask my parents
Mariam: GREAT!
Adam: I’ll be waiting for your answer in the morning
Me: Okay, inshallah :)
Adam: Hey, Lee
Me: Yes?
Adam: When would you like the wedding to be?
What??
My breath catches suddenly in my lungs and I’m unable to exhale properly. We just got engaged yesterday and he’s already asking about the wedding? I think I’ve found someone crazier than me.
Me: I haven’t actually thought about it yet
Adam: Let me know when you do
Me: Okay
Adam: Okay, Asslamu’alikom
Me: W’alikom Asslam :)
Mariam: W’alikom Asslam
I get in bed and throw my head on the pillow smiling brightly. I rub my face and laugh then roll on my side and sleep, waiting impatiently for tomorrow.
The next morning, I wake up earlier than I’ve ever done on a Saturday. I rush downstairs hoping dad would be home because he said he’d be going to his office today, although it’s an off day. However, I luckily find him.
“Baba!” I call him just before he opens the door.
“Yes, Lee?” he hugs me. “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” I hug him back. “Hey can I have lunch with Mariam and Adam today?”
“Okay, habibti,” he says. “Just keep in my that a fiancé is just like anyone, you still keep your limits.”
“Sure, baba,” I smile. “Adam’s a good guy anyway.”
“I’m happy to hear that from you,” he says. “I’m comfortable about giving you to him, he’s indeed a good guy.”
“I’m happier to hear that!” I laugh. When he leaves, I take out my phone and tell them that I can go.
In the afternoon I try on like five outfits until I decide on the one I’ll be wearing. It’s a dark blue skirt, an off-white plain blouse and a stripped baby blue and dark blue cardigan. I put on a dark blue hijab, beige flats and a bag.
My phone beeps.
Adam: Ready?
Mariam: Yes I am :P
Adam: I wasn’t asking you
Mariam: I thought you would be curious
I laugh at that.
Me: No one is curious about you Mariam :P
Mariam: Ouch, I’m hurt
Adam: Hahahaha
Me: I’m ready
Me: See you there
Mariam: See ya <3
I arrive at the restaurant, park my car and walk a little when I spot Adam’s car parked. Mariam comes out of the car and hurries toward me and gives me a hug.
“Long time no see,” she laughs.
“Yeah long Friday,” I laugh too.
Adam comes shortly after her and smiles at me shyly and I return back the smile. Being engaged seems really complicated. I mean we’re not strangers anymore, we’re officially together and about to marry, yet we’re not married. You don’t know if you should lower your gaze and stay quiet or look when necessary and talk to know more about each other. I think engagement period is really awkward.
We go inside and order the food. Mariam and I are sitting on one side of the table, Adam on the other. He seems to drift somewhere else for a while, and there’s a little frown on his face.
“Are you okay?” I ask. He looks startled for a moment then smiles warmly.
“I am,” he says. “Thank you.”
“So,” Mariam asks says looking at me. “Where would you want to live?”
“Uh,” I’m lost for words for a moment, “Nothing specific, just somewhere near my parents.”
“We should start looking for a house as soon as we can, we’ll need too much time preparing it,” Adam says.
“Do you want me to let dad ask if there’s anything in the compound where we live?” I ask.
“I can ask, we don’t have to bother him. It’s my role after all,” he says.
“I actually thought you would want to live in the same house with your family,” that’s honestly what I’ve thought.
“Why would I?” he asks.
“I don’t know, maybe because your brother lived there after marriage I thought you’d do the same.”
“Omar and Adam are a lot different,” Mariam says, and I get a hint that talking about this will remind him of yesterday’s fight so I just change the subject.
“So,” I clear my throat. “What countries did you visit?”
The question seems to brighten his mood a little, I didn’t know he loved his job that much. But how wouldn’t love being a pilot and travelling around the whole world anyway?
“I’ve been to Lebanon, France, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, England, Germany, Holland, USA, Brazil, Japan, South Africa, UAE, Belguim, Greece, Argentina, Iraq, China, Algeria, Tunisia, Spain, Italy and South Korea,” he answers. I’m awed I almost can’t reply for a moment but I’m awakened by the words ‘South Korea’.
“Mashallah, wow. And you’ve been to South Korea?” I say enthusiastically.
“I knew that one would catch your attention,” he laughs.
“What? How did you know?” I ask in surprise.
“Mariam told me.” I glance at her and she smiles sheepishly.
“You know what?” she laughs suddenly. “He even watched Coffee Prince with me.”
I laugh too, “Oh my God, I wouldn’t have expected that.”
“You liked it, didn’t you, Adam?” she asks.
“Who said I did,” he scowls at her. “That guy isn’t to die for you, girls fall for just anyone.”
I fake a gasp, “He’s not anyone!”
“What makes him special?” he looks at me, raising an eyebrow.
“Guys won’t just understand,” I say faking annoyance.
“Really?”
“Yes,” I insist.
“This is so interesting.” I look at Mariam who’s dying of laughter next to me.
The food comes, and we start devouring everything on the plates.
“What university did you go to, Leen?” he asks.
“Cairo University,” I answer. “What about you?”
“Same,” he says.
“Really? I didn’t know they had a pilot academy,” I say.
“I studied engineering actually,” he says and I look surprised.
“Really?”
“Yes, aviation engineering,” he takes a sip from his water then goes on. “I studied engineering for five years then took courses in piloting, and changed my career direction.”
“I never knew,” I say still surprised.
“Mom didn’t approve of my learning piloting at first, and I didn’t want anything but being near planes. So engineering was a solution to please both of us. Then when I graduated I kept trying to convince her to study those courses and I won at the end.”
“That’s a long way to go,” I say.
“Yes, but I think it helped me a lot, knowing literally everything about the plane you’re flying. It’s good to be specialized.”
“Yeah, that’s amazing,” I say. How admirable was that study journey of his?
When we’re done eating, we leave together. They wait for me until I get in my car and drive out of their sight.
I get home this afternoon, content with the new information I’ve learned about him, from him. It was all so new and exciting. I couldn’t wait to see him again.
On Sunday, I arrive at school on time. My first class is with fifth grade, I finish it and head to the staffroom. I slide my bag off my shoulder and put it on the desk. I notice something laying next to the bag as I put in down. It’s a keychain wearing the Korean traditional costume.
I lift it up and take a closer look. The label says: Made in Korea. Who put this here?
I find a small folded paper attached to it, I unfold it and there’s a sentence written in Arabic. The handwriting is as neat as nothing I’ve ever seen before.
It says:
Don’t text while walking again.
-A
I have a smile wider than diameter of the Earth drawn on my face.
~~~
And finalllyyy they talk :D
To people who've been waiting for the Adeen chat :D (I do love that shipping! thank you girls <3)
I have bad news :( I'm running out of ready chapters, and I'm really too busy these days to write new ones. That's why I update slower now, and might update even less the coming days, so please bear with me :(
I will do my best to write new chapters in weekends so that you wouldn't have to wait for long.
Don't forget to vote and comment! <3
Nouran.