MANAL

53: Manal

It doesn't hurt to vote or comment, you know 🥺

•

Na'eem burst out, laughing. "Don't kill me, please. I was only joking."

I let out a breath I didn't even realize I was holding.

"Wait...don't tell me you actually believed that." He sneered.

Truthfully, I did believe him. Hearing him say that to me, gave me mixed feelings. I didn't expect him to say it, so it came to me as a shock. I was a tad disappointed in him as well, due to ambiguous reasons...

"You believed that?" He asked, bringing my attention back to him.

"Of course I did." I narrowed my eyes at him. "Why would you even say those words to me?"

"It was a joke." He rolled his eyes.

"Those type of jokes don't sit well with me." I voiced and let out another breath.

"Okay...I'm sorry." He apologized; remorse dripped off his voice.

Even though he tried to act and speak like he didn't just make an insensitive joke earlier, I knew he was feeling some type of way about it. I guess my reaction stimulated his.

I opened my mouth to give him a response, but I gathered it would be only right I do it after our exams.

•

In the exam hall, as usual, Na'eem was amongst the first persons to round up.

I averted my gaze from him to my paper. I had answered all questions, but one. I was finding it difficult to answer that particular question—not because I didn't study enough, but because I had forgotten what I read. I could vividly remember how Na'eem and I covered that particular topic.

I sighed.

Minutes and minutes of trying to recall what I read and to no avail, I stood and went to submit my paper. I was tired of sitting there, doing absolutely nothing.

I walked out and sighted Na'eem across the hall, seated on a bench, beneath a tree.

I walked up to him. 

"Took you long enough." He remarked, patting the space next to him.

I sat there, making sure there was an empty space between us.

"How was it for you?" He raised a brow.

I lowered my gaze.

"Why the long face?" He hummed. "Didn't go well?"

"Yes." I mumbled.

"Really?" His voice held uncertainty. "But we studied the scopes."

"I know." I heaved a sigh of exasperation. "I forgot the answer to number 2's question, at the last minute."

"How many questions did you miss?"

"Just that."

"That's not so bad then. If you get the other five questions correctly, I'm sure you'd get an A."

I hummed again. "You think so."

"Of course, I know so. Plus, you did extremely well in the test. Quit worrying and beating yourself over missing the question. You will do well. Finger crossed."

At his words, I smiled. Without even trying so much, he had succeeded in lifting my spirit. A moment ago, I was feeling so bad about the question I missed, in spite of studying the area. "In Sha Allah."