BROKEN

Birthday Surprises

"Come sit with me." Fuad's mother said. I sat on the other side of the table and tried my best not to make eye contact with Naima.

"My name is Faduma." said Fuad's mother.

"It's nice to meet you Auntie."

"Fuad has told me a lot of things about you."

"I hope they're good."

"He's said nothing but wonderful things about you. MashAllah, he definitely didn't exaggerate your beauty."

"Hi Warsan." said Naima before I could thank her.

"You two know each other?" Fuad asked.

"We met once." said Naima, without taking her eyes off of me.

"Oh where?" asked Fuad.

"At the last slam." she replied.

"You never told me you went to that." said Fuad.

My mind wandered in an attempt to think of an excuse to tell Fuad.

"Kids be quiet, I want to talk to Warsan." His mother saved me.

"So you're graduating this year?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Do you know what you want to study?"

I really had no idea what I wanted to do as a career, so I went with the first answer that came to mind.

"I want to be a doctor."

"My daughter is almost a doctor. What kind do you want to be?"

"I want to be a pediatrician."

"So does Deka. You should spend some time with her and ask her questions and get advice."

"I would love to answer any questions you have about it." said Deka with a smile.

"She writes poetry too." said Naima, she was still staring at me.

"Yeah and she's amazing at it." said Fuad. "She's so talented."

"Really? Let me hear something." his mother said.

"I don't really have anything prepared." I said.

"Come on, Warsan. Show us what you got." said Naima. All of his sisters started crowding around me. I panicked, trying to think of something to recite.

"I don't think she wants to guys." said Istahil. "Don't put pressure on her." I appreciated Istahil, she knew how shy I was.

"I need the bathroom and I don't want to go alone." said Naima a few moments later.

"I'll come with you." said Istahil.

"No, I think that Warsan should come with me. I want to catch up with her anyway." Before I could politely decline, she grabbed my hand and started walking. We walked on the grass in silence and then we entered the bathroom. She turned around and looked at me with an angry face.

"Give me a reason why I shouldn't tell Fuad that you cheated on him." she said with her arms crossed.

"It was a mistake."

"Cheating isn't a mistake."

"I was in a bad position, okay? I thought Fuad was cheating on me too."

"With who? Fuad's not a cheater."

"I don't know. That night some girl answered his phone for him."

"The only girl that Fuad hangs out with is my older sister, Ladan." I took a good look at Naima, she looked exactly like Fuad's cousin in the pictures. "Don't try and drag my cousin down with you because you can't keep your hands to yourself."