Saara
We finally arrived at the 9 a.m conference and I'm LITERALLY in awe of how many there is MY age that showed up this morning. Amina, Jamila, and I took a seat in the middle that isn't too far from the speakers and we're trying to spot Meera and her new boo. They're already so cute walking together and such. I hope they have a striving friendship.
The lights in the room had dimmed down and everyone started becoming quiet.
The sheikhs started introducing themselves and talking about how our generation is the best/ needs some improvement.
After 2 hours and so of them lecturing us and discussions within us students and such, they announced the 20 minute break and then we go back and do some activities and such.
The girl's and I stepped out and walked not too far from the room, we just step outside of it.
" Wow, that was soo interesting and it's so cute that they're engaging conversation with us." I exclaimed awe. Like, that was really something.
" I know, I loved every-." Jamila started off with but a man interrupted her saying her name out loud and walked towards us.
Jamila turned her head behind and looked back at me and Amina all guilty.
" Um...I forgot to mention someone to you guys last night." She whispered and turned her head back. " Rayaan!"
He walked towards and gave her the warmest smile.
" I was hoping that I'd bumped into you this early, what'd you think about the conference?" He asked her.
" Oh I'm sorry, I'm Rayaan, and you two are?" He looked at me and Amina and we introduced ourselves.
Um, How did Jamila meet this guy already, it's only 11.am and she was sitting right next to us during the conference but I think she'll explain later.
" It was sooo interesting wallahi, I loved every second of it."
They started engaging in conversation and me and Amina looked at each other like "when did this happened."
We walked a little further from them to give them some space. "Are you confused Amina, because I'm confused." I laughed like whattt.
" Jamila been that, but she upped her game now." Amina said laughing. We keep looking at them and making faces at Jamila from a distance and I think her and Rayaan decided to part ways.
"Ummm... I can explain." Jamila started off with.
" Well???" We asked her. She explained that they met each other last night outside the pizza parlor and kind of clicked just like that.
" Anddd right now, He just asked me if we would like to have dinner with him and his friends later this evening." She said all excited.
" Wow, that sounds great. We in there like swimwear." I said returning the energy.
Soo Jamila and Meera got future boos in the works. My intentions aren't meeting a guy on this trip, just making some cool friends and I hope it'll go smoothly tonight.
Amina, Jamila, and I started going to conference rooms that talked about topics we like and then it hit 4:00. That's when all speakers and every attendee go for a break and eat lunch. Since the girls really didn't want to go out the convention to get food, we decided to head to the Mcdonalds that was in the building.
" Okay, yall. We have to make it to Mcdonalds quick, the line be getting so full, so let's get going." Jamila said. We started rushing down escalators and I got a text from Meera.
Meera: hey where are you guys, Sami said he'll walk me to you guys.
me: oouuu as he should, we're heading to mcds right now
Meera: okay
That girl better tell us everything that went down for the last 7 hours she had with him. If she didn't wanna hang out with him, she would of texted us or called us as an excuse and the fact she didn't do that says a lot.
We finally make it to Mcdonalds and thank God the line wasn't that long.
" Bro, last year the lines would literally be out of this world and everything single table will be full so thank God." Jamila sighed in relief
I was spotting a table and found a cute seating area in the corner with a chair of fours.
" Okay, so who's gonna sit at the table before anyone takes it?" I asked.
" I'll sit over there, I had to go call a special someone from home anywayssss." Amina smiled and we all knew what she was talking about. She told us what she wanted to eat and walked off dialing her phone.
" Bro, if those two don't get married..." Jamila drifted off.
I laughed. " I swear, if these lectures don't give her a change of hear, we failed her."
We started talking about the lectures and dinner we going to be having later as line progressed and we didn't even order that much food, just some milkshakes and fries and like 2 sandwiches.
We got our tray and went to Amina and started talking about everything. I was stealing Jamila's fries and cookies while she wasn't looking ahaha. It was about 7 minutes into our lunch and Meera finally came to us with a big smile on her face. She was literally glowing. She then plopped on the seat right in front of me.
Me, Amina, and Jamila are looking at her like "????."
" Bro, you girls didn't get that much food, whores." Meera said while grabbing her shake.
" MEERA!! TELL US WHAT HAPPENED". We insisted.
She laughed." Okay,okay, OKAY. Sooo, after the first lecture we walked around and just started talking about ourselves and it wasn't awkward at alll. And he has the best sense of humor. We walked and went into some lectures room here and there and then he took me to this spot I didn't know about and you can literally see Lake Michigan. It was soo crazy and pretty. We sat on long rocking chair. Mind you, it was soo cold but I didn't even care. He's honestly so chil and interesting bro, I LOVE IT I LOVE IT, I LOVE ITTT." She recalled. We all laughed at that TikTok reference at the end.
" Oh my God, I can't believe he took you to that spot, it's literallly sooo beautiful, we need to go there later. The last lecture is going to be at 8 and the night is still young." Jamila exclaimed
" Broo Meera, this is a whole relationship in the WORKSSS." I gassed her.
" Meera, that's so cute but what's the plan after 7 days when we part ways?" Amina the realist asked.
Meera sighed. " Honestly, I have no idea. He's actually from the U.K and he plans to go back and continue working for a while and he goes to NYU for school."
" NYU? That's close to Ohio and thank God since we're more grown, yall can literally make time for each other." I said happily for her.
Meera looked at me and gave me the biggest smile. " OH MY GOD, Saara you're so right what the hell. I work a good job. I can literally fly out to him in the mornings and stay with him for the wholee day and my mom wouldn't notice. I'll tell her that I'm at school or something. BRO, thank you for that amazing idea." She walked up to me and gave him the hugest hug ever.
I'm literallly so happy for her, I haven't seen her this excited and happy about something (besides the trip) in a whileee.
I looked at Jamila and see her dipping her fries in her shake. " Jamila? Tell her about Rayaan and the plan tonight". I said
" Omg, Meera. I forgot to tell you guys last night that I met a guy outside the pizza place and we kinda clicked. I'm not going to lie and say "THERE WAS A SPARK". I know yall wanted to hear that, but anywayss Saara and Amina met him this morning and he invited us for dinner at Sabatino's and he told us we gotta dress the part. It's a fancy Italian restaurant. Soo, there's gonna be an outfit change later ladiess." Jamila said
" Omg, that's so exciting. Meera, why don't you invite your boo?" I asked her
" I wish I could, but he's probably going to have dinner with his family tonight." Meera sighed
" Guys, the break is over. Let's head to one more lecture and go to our hotel to relax and get ready." Jamila said. We all threw away our trash and headed to one lecture about Believing in the Qadr of Allah and having faith in Him.
These lectures are really amazing, and it just hit different.
We all head to our hotel rooms and tried to make up some elegant outfits and before we knew it, it was time to go.
"Jamila, where is the restaurant located at and how are we getting there?"
Her phone beeped and she smiled at it. "Well...Rayaan just sent us an uber. He's so sweet." She gassed. We all awed and headed outside and starting geekin and went in the uber.
Chicago is literally so stunning at night, I was staring at the window looking at the pretty lights and the nightlife right now. Before we knew it, we headed inside the restaurant and seen the group of men Jamila was talking about dressed THE HECK up. Like MSA boys really know how to clean up and their group was so diverse. We see Rayaan and he walked towards us and a few of his friends followed up.
" Hey, you girls all looking so stunning." He compliment us. He held out his arm towards Jamila and she turned back at us and we nodded at her. She turned back at him and they linked arms together.
A guy was walking towards me, he looked somali to me and held out his arms and I linked it with him too. He looked at me and said " This is the most corniest thing ever, but just go along with it." He laughed.
Amina and Meera linked arms together and we all headed to the table and the guys pulled out chairs for us. What is this?? They are literally gentlemen and there's also a few other ladies here.
I sat down next to the guy who linked arms with me. He looked at me and introduced himself.
" I'm Zayd by the well, and sorry if that linking arms thing is weird, we all just wanted to be fancy for the one time." He laughed.
I smiled at him. " My name is Saara and don't worry. Honestly, I was here for it. This restaurant is a bit too much for my liking."
" Same, I wanted to go to some burger joint, I'm not a pasta type of person. If I wanted pasta, I would just ask my mom or my sister."
I laughed at him. "Are you serious, I love burgers but I'm opened to trying a different type of pasta instead of the same somali style I have every day."
" Wow, you're somali? I thought you would be Ethiopian or something." He looked at me astonished.
I took a sip of my lemonade. " Why would you think that?" I asked.
" Because you have these big googly eyes." He teased.
" Wowww, just let me bee. And yess, I'm a proud Somalian." I laughed.
" Don't worry, your eyes are beautiful." He complimented
" Thank you, and where are you from?" I asked him.
He leaned back on his chair and raised an eyebrow. " Hmm...Guess".
" Are you Somali?" I asked him.
"Nope."
"Ethiopian?"
" Nope."
" Okay okay, are you East African?"
" Nopee, and let me give you a guess." He sat straight up and typed something on his phone. He reached into his pockets and handed me an airpod.
"Now, Listen to this." He tapped on his phone and I heard...
"Alela Belala"
"Omg, that's that one tiktok sound, you're Sudanese." I looked up at him and handed his airpod back.
"Yes ma'am I am, Ana sudani mae qalil min nakat alathyubiat." He said.
" Okay, I don't speak arabic but I think you said you're Sundanese with some Ethiopian in you. Am I right?"
" Woww, you actually are. That's impressive." He gassed.
We started talking about our schools and how our states are and how they're lame but he thinks Ohio is fun and Dallas is lame whereas I think Ohio is lame and Dallas seem fun.
Let me describe Zayd's looks. He's about 6,2 and kinda thin but built, nearly all the guys in the MSA group are tall and skinny built, I don't know what type of Gatorade they're drinking over there anyways he's tan with very curly hair and it's even like he doesn't have taper or anything and he's currently wearing it in a sleek ponytail. Honestly ponytails aren't so attractive to me but he can literally pull it off and he doesn't have big forehead. He had a tiny dimple in his chin and the perfect eyebrows and a million dollar smile masha'Allah.
I looked over at Jamila and Rayaan, and wow. She is literally glowing and she's being herself now, like showing a lil bit of her exciting personality and how her eyes light up whenever she talks about something passionate.
I looked over at Zayd who's stuffing his face with pasta. "Where do you think Jamila and Rayaan are going to head to?" I asked him.
" Rayaan and Jamila? Honestly, I think it will go great because no corny shit, he told me he felt some sorta of instant attraction towards her. Not no lust type of thing, like he really admires her although he don't know her like that. I don't know, this is what you see in the movies." He laughed.
" Honestly, it's so far like a fairytale. This is our first day of MAS ICNA but it feels like our 4 or something, I don't know what's in the air but I love it." I told him.
" I agree wlhi, and MAS ICNA is only 3 days but we plan to stay for 7 and explore around Chicago, if you are staying longer too, we better go and do everything around the city." He said excitedly.
" No way, we're staying for 7 days too, and this is my first time out of home so I plan to live my best life out here."
He looked at me with wide eyes."Your first time in Chicago? We're going to do everything together and it'll be a memorable week for you." He exclaimed.
I smiled at him. " Are you serious? That's so nice and exciting."
" It's the least I can do for my new best friend." He winked at me.
" Matter fact, we're literally in Downtown Chicago. We can all go and explore the city after this dinner."
" Oh yup, that sounds like a move." I smiled at him.