Chapter 7: The opposite gender.
HAFSAT'S POV
The week passed by in a flash and it was only two days to the ceremonial wedding of three beautiful cousins. Friday is the wedding Fatiha, the Nikkah day, aka the most important and meaningful day in a wedding. Instead of a month, I decided to take three weeks break from the hospital, so when i return i would have only four more weeks to finish the obstetrics and gynaecology shift.
My Arab friends were already in town. Since it's a free day I planned to hangout with them as it might be our last, especially with the boys.
Ten of us stormed into the mall laughing, teasing and shouting, gathering so much attention but we didn't care. We were all University graduates but we acted like high schoolers. Don't blame us though our friendship started since high school. Some of us went to the same high school while we meet some during inter-school competitions. Whenever we meet, we all get really loud. You all know how you can't shut up when you meet those friends that helped form your favorite memories right?
We went to the food court and ordered a dozen variety of fast foods then joined three table before we finally settled down and waited for our orders. There was a series of flashbacks and updates about our lives accompanied by laughter and endless teasing.
I didn't meet some friends since high school cause they moved to another country but thanks to social media we remained close friends. The fact that some showed up to my wedding is only a visible fact.
I graduated medical college with a few and with some we attended the same University but different faculties. We were filled with so much enthusiasm as a lot of Arabic and funny English accents flew from our table. People kept staring at us that I was beginning to feel weird and self conscious.
Changing from one topic to the other we ended up in an argument about handshake to the opposite gender. I refused to shake Farouk's hand and he finds it disturbing. I used to shake and hug guys before but I changed years ago and he knew that so I really don't know what his problem was.
His argument was that in Sudan girls shake guys too. But we are not in Sudan are we?
"I still think it's okay to give a simple handshake" Reem agreed with Farouk. Well my Lebanese friend here hasn't changed at all. Of course she will side with him, he was her primary school crush.
"You guys, you know fully well that islamically it's not allowed right. " Abdulrahman reasoned while trying to peel the the crispy skin of his chicken. Typical of my Egyptian friend.
Why order crispy chicken if you can't eat the crispy part?
Mohammed didn't seem to be interested in the conversation as he just ate the peeled part of Abdulrahman's chicken.
"That's so true Abdu " Abrar nodded in agreement.
" It's true but I mean a handshake is just a handshake. I don't see anything bad in it-" Aida argued after sipping her chocolate shake.
"I'm getting a headache from all this" I complained and they all laughed.
"Seriously though, religion aside. Our cultures are different. My mum is a hardcore Nigerian. She has no chill. My dad is Arab and she has lived in Egypt since she married him but she never forgot her culture. If she sees me or my sister shaking hands with an opposite gender then we are dead. Our doom has arrived. And as for my sis she would probably go and dig her own grave. Touching a guy in my mum's eyes is like the biggest crime ever. Right from birth mothers tell their daughters that guys are monsters. But kids nowadays don't even budge. " Adil stated with a serious tune but then chuckled.
" OMG! Struggle of being a Nigerian" I exclaimed laughing.
We kept chatting as we ate. Hala, Sharifa, Muhammad and Farouk mixed their drinks and called it rainbow juice. More like vomit if you ask me. Afterwards we went to shop inside the mall. I received a lot of wedding gifts and soon after they all left, leaving me with Farouk, Aida and Muhammad. My favorite Sudanese.
Muhammad and I were standing outside a shop waiting for the siblings to get something for their mother when Muhammad bugged me to give him a last handshake.
"Come on ya Aki(brother) the last one? He pouted.
"No Muhammad" I refused.
"Habibty come on" he whined
It was getting really annoying and I decided to just shake him and get it over with. I put my hand out for him to shake. He squealed in excitement and dragged me into a hug.
What the HELL?
I became tensed and shocked but the hug wasn't the only reason.
I saw Ammar over Muhammad's shoulder. He was walking hand in hand with a girl, smiling from ear to ear while she kept talking and touching his face.
WHAT THE DOUBLE HELL?
Suddenly he turned around and our eyes met. I was in another man's embrace while he was flirting with some girl almost the same age as him.... Or is she older?
A cougar?! 😨
That not important right now. You are still hugging Muhammad. A voice in my head pointed out.
What a perfect moment. Don't you think?
See the sarcasm in that?
***********
Hi..
Care to comment?
Please?
E
Xieykhalil
24th May 2016
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