Under the Olive Tree

2. Itnan

Amani rolled the money against her wrist, fiddling excitedly with the bills while making her way down the street. After last night's partial embarrassment had worn off, she'd awakened with the brightest and most calculated idea she'd ever had. It was an idea that involved her and Bread Boy.

Yes, perfect, she'd call him Bread Boy. There was no real reason to learn his name. It didn't matter quite enough.

He was in front of the bakery, pouring the liquid dough onto the flat heated metal and sliding the bowl beneath the table. Amani saw the other boy who stood beside him and recognized him quickly enough as the boy she'd quietly rejected last night with her Aunt.

But Farouq wasn't important, Bread Boy was. He was smiling at something they spoke about, looking between his friend and the bread he expertly flipped with his hands and organized on the table.

"Three please," she smiled, placing the money on the clean section in front of him.

Farouq turned to her, his smile faltering a moment before he pulled it back onto his lips. She noticed it in the corner of her vision but Amani didn't look at him. Every bit of her attention was on the boy in front of her who placed the money into his drawer, not looking at her once when he spoke. "Taboon?" He asked.

"Yes sir," she smiled.

Farouq narrowed his eyes at her.

Bread Boy nodded, lifting three of the breads he'd organized earlier and dropping them in the plastic bag. Amani held her hands out, watching him refuse to acknowledge her presence as he tied it closed. Then, just as she reached for it, he placed it down on the table and turned his attention back onto the rising taboon bread.

Amani chewed her lip and took the bread. She met Farouq's gaze once, in a polite nod, then turned around. Farouq looked at her like a normal human being but Bread Boy could hardly even speak to her.

He spoke to her yesterday.

Amani brought the bag to her forehead in excited frustration at how handsome he was quickly becoming to her. The way he was treating her wasn't helping either. He was a challenge and she loved a challenge.

"Are you crazy?" Reema gaped when she told her.

"I'm bored," Amani defended herself.

"You should never make yourself like someone just because you're bored, Amani. What if you actually start liking him?"

She shook her head. "Not going to happen."

"Or what if he starts liking you?"

"That also won't happen. He won't even look at me."

"He's lowering his gaze like a respectable person."

"Exactly, and would a respectable person ever like me? Not that I'm not respectable but we just don't attract each other. You know me, Reema, I like the bad boys," she grinned when her cousin rolled her eyes. "Bread Boy is going to end up with someone like him and I already have my person back home."

Reema frowned. "I don't think this is a good idea, Amani. As your oldest cousin, I'm just trying to protect you... and him."

But she waved her off. "It's a fine idea. I need something to occupy myself with during my stay here and he's unbothered. At least I didn't choose someone like Farouq, who actually likes me."

"Just because he's unbothered doesn't mean he has no feelings."

Amani narrowed her eyes at her cousin. "Are you into him, Reema?"

"Astaghfirullah, I'm getting married next month!" She pushed Amani with her shoulder, keeping her hands on the damp grape leaves that she carefully separated. "I just don't want him to get hurt. I'm not worried about you because you're heartless, but he's a good person."