MANAL

92: Manal

"Hi, Manal!" Hala waved a little at me.

I furrowed my brows in incomprehension. I still couldn't believe my eyes. Several times, I had tried to make peace with Hala, but each time, she kept giving me cold shoulders. I couldn't help but wonder why she visited.

"Aren't you going to at least reply?"

I averted my gaze from her to Jawaad.

He shrugged.

He probably was as surprised as I was.

"Hi," I finally responded in a subdued voice. I wanted to ask her how she knew where I lived, but I held back.

"Na'eem gave me your address." She answered my unasked question.

"Okay..." I trailed off, waiting for her to continue. I needed to know what she wanted from me. Left to me, I'd want us to keep acting like strangers.

Indeed, we don't know what we have until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.

In my case with Hala, I didn't know I had lost my peace of mind. We were always at loggerheads, but ever since we went our separate ways, I realized how serious I had become. I stopped taking my studies for granted. 

Friendship isn't supposed to be toxic! So, yes! Peace of mind is what I've been missing.

I didn't realize it until it arrived.

"Can we talk?" She asked.

"We are talking." I deadpanned.

"Alone..." Her voice trailed. "I want us to talk in private."

I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes at her words. Privacy? I'd definitely tell every single detail to Jawaad.

"Please?" She added.

"Whatever it is you want to tell me, you can tell it to me in front of ja—"

"It's fine, Manal." Jawaad cut me off. "I will just be in the car. When you're done talking to her, just give me a call."

"You don't have to leave—you know that right?"

"I don't have to stay either." He chuckled. "Be nice." He muttered to me before walking away.

I couldn't help but chuckle when I read his lips. Did he honestly think I'd go ballistic?

"Is he your boyfriend now?" Hala asked, pulling me out of my trance.

I fixated my eyes on her. "Yes, he is."

"Wow!" She exclaimed. "Congratulations to both of you. I never thought you two would end up together after everything."

I gave a small smile. I didn't know what she meant by her last sentence but it didn't sit right with me. I wondered what she meant by her last two words.

"Honestly, I'm happy for the both of you."

At this point, I couldn't control my expression anymore. I sneered. "What do you want?"

"Can we sit for a while? My legs are wobbly already."

"Of course," I replied, and motioned for us to sit at the veranda.

"I want to start by apologizing to you for the fallout between the both of us. The whole thing is actually uncalled for."

I remained silent, giving her the chance to clarify what she had just said.

"We shouldn't have ended our friendship just because of a man." She added.

"You ended the friendship." I corrected. And Jawaad isn't just any man.