Dhai: obouy ou mama 6aiba beyoun
Watha7: 7ayahum allah entay mu 9arlech sena t7eneen 3alaihum eyoun?
Dhai: bs elwagt 7aaail ghala6 7ail!!!!
Watha7: wain elghala6!!
Dhai: ommy!! Omy sakna ma3ana shloun ya3ni akeed beyoun sheqety!! Maly khelg suwalef ana!!
Watha7: goulellah! ou akeed betefahham akeed ehya matabe tshoufhum ba3ad!
Dhai: shagollaha agoulaha 6el3ay?
Watha7: la bs 3ady golelaha enhum beyoun ou elbajy 3alaiha
Dhai: ou sha3ry!! Be3a9boun!!
Watha7: thai 7abebty kella sha3ar!! Be3a9bounn 5 degayeg ou yerthon! Bs entay laish ga9aiteh? 3ajbech wela fe shay thany?
Dhai: mmm akeed 3ajebny ya3ni
Watha7: hal athnain akthar nas e7bounech ou byefhemoun etha gelteelehum ena 3ajbetech elga9a
Dhai: lait kel elnas nafsek ou nafs tafkeerek watha7!
Watha7 smiled and sent her a flying kiss..
Dhai: al7een ent goully shemkadrek?
Watha7: ely eshouf wayhech may3aref elkedar shloun 9ayer
Dhai smiled: ge9 3ala ay a7ad bs mu ana
Watha7 took a deep breath: wath7a bteyye hny tadres
Dhai (wondering): enzain?
Watha7: shinu enzain thaaai!!! Shaku tadres hny!! A9lan shaku tadres barraaa!!!
Dhai nervously: many fahma wain elmushkelaa!!!! Kak ent yay tadres barra!!
Watha7: ELMUSHKELA ENHA BENT OU 9GHEERA TAWHA OU ABAD MALA DA3Y ENHA TEYE HNY!!!
Dhai: ent wain mushkeltek belthab6? Enha bent? Wela 9gheera? Wela 3ady ay mukan bs mu leeds????
Watha7 lit another cigarette: eklay thai eklay
Dhai: luw kan sebabek wa7ed min hal asbab fa 3aib 3alaik!!
Watha7: thai fehmeeeny wath7a 9gheera baree’a ana khayef 3alaihaa men elghurbaa!!!
Dhai: went shfaydetek weyaaha!!
Watha7: entay luw shinu mara7 tefhemeeny! Ana rayyaal ou fahem ou 3aref elshabab hny ou tafkeerhum 7eta elbanat! Ekhar3oun!
Dhai: ummm eee!
She rolled her eyes away and started shaking her legs..
Watha7: khaleena men wath7a al7een ou eklay!!
Dhai: ensaddat nafsy et9adeg!
Watha7 lit another cigarette..
Dhai yelled: BAS!!! EN MA 6AFAIT’HA AL7EEEN BAGOUM!!! ESTA7 3ALA WAYHEK MJABELNY OU TSA7EK!!! RETHAINA WA7DA GELNA T’HADDY A39AABEK BS MU TKHALE9 ELBAKAIT 3ALA 7SABY!!!!
Watha7 froze in his place..
Dhai: HATHA ELY KHAYEF 3ALA EKHTEK MENNAH 9A7??? ETKALLEM SHABAB MA YE7TARMONHA OU YWA3DOUNHA JEDAM ELY YESWA WELLY MAYESWA OU YDAKHNOUN WEYAHA WALA YKHAFOUN LA 3ALA RE’A WALA 3ALA SUM3A!!!
She continued: BAS 3ALZEFT ELMENTHABRA JEDDAMEK 3ADY TERTHA!! 3ALA BANAT ELNAS KELSHAY YHOUUUN 9AA7?
Watha7 was really shocked from Dhai’s reaction..
Dhai whispered: ***** kwaiteyeen ga3deen ykhezoun!
Watha7: thai! 7abebty!! 3umriii 7ayaaateee hady a39abech!!!
Her eyes started to tear..
Dhai whispered: 3ala shinu tehda a39aby?? Had a39abek ent awal ely bakait kamel ma haddaha! Ou 3ala shinuuu!! 3ala tafahaaat tafkeeerek!!!
She pulled her chair and stood up: BEL3AFYA!
She wiped her tears and turned around to leave..
He followed her: thaaai!!!
Dhai: la tel7agny! Khaf 3ala sum3ety rube3 elkhof ely tkhafa 3ala ekhtek!
He froze in his place and she left..
Her eyes couldn’t stop tearing until she reached her flat..
She tried her best to stop her tears from falling, wiped them and got inside..
Her mom was busy punching on her phone..
Dhai: elsalamu 3alaikum
Hessa throw her phone: Ahlaaaaain! Ha chenech ma 6awaltay
Dhai: ee malait
Dhai continued to her room..
Hessa: ta3alay wain ray7aa
Dhai took a deep breath: ghurfety
Hessa: haw shetsaween bghurfetech ge3dy ma3ay 6agat chabdy men elwe7da
Dhai: wain mnera?
Hessa: entay benty mu mneera
Dhai went to her mom and sat down..
Hessa (wondering): thai?
Dhai: hmm
Hessa: enty ma3a minu 6al3a?
“That’s why I preferred going to my room!”
Dhai froze in her place..
Dhai took a deep breath: getlech! Refeejaty!
Hessa went closer to dhai..
Hessa: ay refeejat? Shasameehum?
Dhai: 6aiba ou dalal
Hessa: kwaiteyeen?
Dhai: matwaqa3 fe 6aiba mu kwaiteyya
Hessa: 6al3eeny!
Dhai: haw shinu!
Hessa: luw tshemeen nafsech bs? ZEGAYER THAAAI!!!
Dhai’s heart’s beats accelerated..
Dhai: Aked 9baghat feny min elnas khal agoum abadel
Hessa: mate9bagh hl9abgha ela luw enty ely mdakhna aw mjabla a7ad ydakhen eb wayhech!
Dhai: ana adakhen?? Ma aloumech tawech et3arfeny
Hessa: thai! Ma3a minu kentay! Shoufy 3younech!!! Minu hathaaa ely kenty ma3ah! Minu hatha ely nazzal dmou3ech!!
Dhai’s eyes started to tear..
She wiped them immediately..
Dhai: getlech 6aiba ou dalal! Bagoum abadel!
Hessa held Dhai’s hand..
Hessa: thai! Ana omech!! Fet7eely galbech!!! Ok mu omech! E3tabreeny refeejtech! Ely akbar minech ou 3ndaha khebra bel7ayat!! Aw tadreen? E3tabreeny shakh9 majhoul may3aref 3anech shay ou matkhafeen luw 6ala3tela kel ely bgalbech
“Too late hessa!”
Dhai’s tears started falling again..
Hessa pulled Dhai to her chest and hugged her: benty 7abeeeebty tawech 9gheera 3alhaaam!!! Minu thayegech ba3ad galbe entay!!
Dhai tried her best to stop her tears from falling but she ended up crying her heart out..
Hessa: 7abebty shet7eseen fee?
Dhai: karha nafsy!! Karhaa galbe karha e7sasy karha ta9arufaty!!!
Hessa: ella nafsech lat’atheenha! Laykhalounech tafqedeenha thai!!!
Dhai pulled herself from her mom..
She wiped her tears: barou7 abadel
Hessa: thai! Meta matabeen tfathfetheen ra7 asme3ech!
She faked a smile and went to her room..
“Galbe mata3awad yfathfeth ela 7g shakh9 wa7ed! Shakh9 dayman mawjoudd 3alaqal! Ma akhaf at3awad 3alaih lanny wathqa mara7 yhedny!”
She turned around and went to muneera’s room..
Muneera: maaaly sheghel et3eedounhaa!!! Mat9eroun weneeseen ella lamma asafer et7eroun!!
Muneera noticed Dhai..
She pointed: shfeech?
Dhai whispered: khal9ay awal
Muneera: yallah ban6er ou ashouf!! Ok yuma 7abebty akalmech 3ugub khalty 7e9a tnadeeny! Bye bye
She closed the line..
Muneera: SHFEEECH!
Dhai went closer to muneera and hugged her really tight..
Muneera: shemsaweelech ely mayeste7y 3ala wayhaaa!!!! Ree7at af3alaaa ga3da ashemha feech qaleeel el adaaabbbb!!
Dhai: anaa qaleelat el adab ou ana el cheap!! Mneeeraaa me7tarraa me7tarraaaa
She couldn’t stop her tears from falling..
Muneera: bs fayyo khalaaa9!! Kellena naghle6!! Ou mafeeha shay!! Bs goly el7emdellah enech 7asaitay bghala6ech!
Dhai: LAISH KHALLONY ADRES BARRA!!! SHLOUN OBOUY HAYYATNY CHETHYYY!!! Mneeera laish ahalna ma khafaw 3alainaaaa!!!!
Muneera: shinuuu??? FAAAAI!!! LATKHALEEN SHAKH9 METKHALEF NAFS HATHA YKHAREB TAFKEERECH!!! AHALNA RETHOLLENA LA’ANHUM RABONNA!! LA’ANHUM 3ARFEEN TARBEYAT’HUM OU WATHQEEN BE3YALHUM!! SHAFAW ENA 7ELMNA EB LEEDS WADDONNA LEEDS!!!!
She continued: DASAW 3ALA GALBHUM ELY 9A3B 3ALAIH FRAGNA 3ASHANNA 3ASHAN A7LAAAMNAA!!! FAI AHALNA MAFE METHELHUM!! AHALNA KHA6 A7MAR MA TESME7EEN 7G A7AD EYEEB 6AREEHUM LAA WATHA7 WALA GHAIRAH OK!!!
Dhai: mneera ana mu gad theqat’hum!
Muneera: YAMDEECH T9EREEN GAD’HA!
Dhai: Shloun nsheel shakh9 men galbna? Shloun NESHLA3 7UBBA MEN GALBNAA!! MNEEERA ANA TA3ABT WALLAH TA3AABT!!! AKRAH KELSHAY FEH BS A7EBBAAA!!!! REEELY TBA3EDNY 3ANNA OU GALBE YREDNY LAH AJMAL RAD!!!! WALLA TA3ABT
She bursted into her tears..
Muneera: bs ya3umry entay!! Haddy a39aabech ou namay ou latfakreen feh!
Dhai’s mobile started to ring..
Muneera: 3ammy! Redday!!
Dhai closed her eyes and took a deep breath..
Muneera: meshy dmou3ech ou reday! 9adgeeny nafseetech betaghayyar!!
Dhai: 9outy!!!
Muneera: zain mafe shay golella tawech gayma men elnoum!! La y7aty ba3dain
Dhai picked it up: alo
Ahmad: hala hala 7abebty wainech!!
Dhai: mawjouda bs nayma kent
Ahmad: shnomta cham elsa3a 3ndekum!
“Obouy kel mukalama lazem halsu’al!”
Dhai: 6! Nayma el3a9er
Ahamd: eee ok! Ana dazlech ticket mashefteehaaa?
Dhai: la wallah wain
Ahmad: bel whatsapp!! Ana ou omech 6aiba ou khwanech yayyeenech bacher enshallah!
Dhai faked a smile: 9ej?? Betnawer leeds
Ahmad: thai shfeech 9otech mu 3ajebny!
Dhai: la mafeeny shay bs mestansaa!!
Ahmad: gelt akhaleeha mufaja’aaa addzlech el ticket bel whatsapp bs mathbe6at mashefteeh
Dhai: ya3ni I can’t wait!!
Ahmad: 7abebty wallah! Tabeen enyeeblech shay men lekwait?
Dhai: yalaaaaaaaait
Ahmad giggled: ella hal shay
Dhai: besmellah khal at7acha
Ahmad: adry betgolelly my baby ma3ndena yahhal ysafeoun reday ou sougeeha
Dhai giggled: waaaay
Ahmad: matabeen shay? Kdd be6a6 safeena kakaw bo njoum
Dhai: abe machbous la7am mama 6aiba y9eer?
Ahmad: thyayya baba shhal 6alabat
Dhai: wallah ent bs goul 7g mama 6aiba ou ehya ete9arraf 7g el tezerreg 3nd wayhek
Ahmad: la yubaaa shinu nyeeb machboos la7am yannaitay!! La we9alna 6elbe menha tsaweelechyah ba3ad 3ndech ma6bakh ou kelshay mawjoud!
Dhai: yallah ok shasawy ba3ad!
Ahmad: ghaira!!
Dhai: bs shukraaan ana agoul 7g ranado bajy el6alabat
Ahmad: shoufay manoura etha tabe nyeeblaha shay weyanaa
Dhai: ok ashofha wagolekum
Ahmad: al7een la sadaiteeh meny shoufeha maku wagt ok?
Dhai: ok!
Ahmad: yallah baba ana basakra tabeen shay!!
Dhai: la mabe mashkour!
Ahmad: yallah 3ayal byebye deero balkum 3ala nafskum
Dhai: enshallah! Bye!
Muneera: beyyouuun???
Dhai: eee tekhayelay!
Muneera: shloun maku mukan!!
Dhai: haw! Mara7 yaskenon hny!! Obouy ou 3ethman ballah shloun! Bs mu hny elsalfa elsalfa enna akeeeed bezorouny hny!!!!
Muneera: qasdech 3ashan omech?
Dhai: eeeh!! Ana maly khelg 9admat!! Ou a7es akthar wa7da bet3a9eb ou tez3al menny mama 6aibaa
Muneera: shaaaku abaih tara mu shereechat’ha shfeeech!! 7ad’ha btefra7!
Dhai: la a3aref el drama ely etsaweeha laaish ya thai 3ainy ana shga9art ma3ach feh 3ashan tgouleen 7g 7e9a tyeech
Muneera: la la la shaaku 3umerha mara7 tgool haljumlaa hatha wallah tafkeerech
Dhai: elmuhem ana algaha men wain wela men waaaain!! 7eta entay 9ayra de3la
Muneera: enty enfe9am tara!
Dhai: et9adgeen ya7elu el amrath elnafseya? Mayadroun wain allah ga6hum ou ysawoun kelshay yabouna bmazajhum ou elmujtama3 dayman 3atherhum!! Yalait eyeeny enfe9am 9ej
Muneera: ABAAAIH BS OSH OSH BMARAT MALEK AL7EEEN EYEECH YALKALBAAA!!!
Dhai: staghferallah bs wallah a7es ena wanasa mu qasdy shay!
Muneera: yannenech weld ellatheena
Dhai: wai3 mabe atthakkar shkether efff basket
Muneera: abrak wallah!
Hessa: ya baaanaaat!! Thayyaaa manouraaa
Dhai: waaaaih nesait enha hny
Muneera: maskeena mallat brou7ha
Dhai: rou7y ge3day ma3aha please maly khelg ag3ad ou testelemny estejwab
Muneera: laish?
Dhai: kelshay 9ar b3ainha! Shafat dmou3y ou shamat ree7ty!
Muneera: bafham shemsaweelech ely mayeste7y 3ala wayha!! Ou sh9ayer laykoun lammeta??
Dhai: a7es gemty matestab3edain menny shay! Kelshay etewaqe3ain menny asaweh! Bs abeech eta’akedain eny 3umry mara7 asaweha! Ena etha jas eedy azeffa!
Muneera: 3ayal sh9ayer!
Dhai: mu 9ayer bs tahawashna! 7arny shway ou enfejart eb wayhaa!!
Hessa: thaaaai mneeera
Dhai: tukfain rou7ay!! Goulelaha eny nayma
Muneera: enzain wain betnameen?
Dhai: bdaary 3ashan luw shinu ma akalmaa!
Muneera: ee kafu! Enzain goulay 7g omech enna beyouuun
Dhai: ba3dain ba3dain tukfain maly khelg
Muneera: enzain mu tnsain
Dhai went to her room, changed into her pj and laid down her bed..
She checked her phone to see a message from watha7..
Watha7:
“Mefatee7 el3afu 3ndek 3asa bah min ne9eeby shway!”
She ignored..
...
The next day..
Hessa: ana msafra 3ashan atrayyag toast ou jeben?
Dhai: getlech eklay cornflakes ou 7aleeb marethaitay!
Hessa: saweely toasta thanya lail7een yo3ana
Muneera: luw mwadeenha ma63am abrak ha thayyo
Dhai: ee wallah!
Muneera: ana asaweelech toasta san3a al7een bs degega bayeeb mobily feh el recipe
Dhai: 3eshtaw!
Dhai went to the kitchenette..
Dhai: basawelt cornflakes ou 7aleeb ha maghayarty rayech
Hessa: la ban6er toastat el chef manoura
Suddenly the bell rang..
Hessa: msaweely mufaja’a? 6albeen reyoug?
Dhai: hahha ohwa fe lech mufaja’a bs mu al7een! Khal ashouf akhaf elporter
She opened the door to find a box..
“Urgent for Dhai, from University of Leeds”
Dhai: haw
Hessa: minu?
Dhai: eljam3a dazeelly shay! Katbeen ena urgent
Hessa: we shemsawyaaa
Dhai: madry mzafta bcham emte7an
Hessa went closer to Dhai..
Hessa: fecheee feche khanshouf!
Dhai opened the box to see a flower hand bouquet and a paper with the word sorry on it..
Dhai’s eyes popped out..