Prisoners Of Paradise (CTBB Spin Off)

-3-

I had forgotten how tedious going to an airport and waiting in the departure lounge was, but I was too excited to notice the boring bits. Unfortunately, I wasn't excited enough not to notice how embarrassing my parents were.

"Habibti, please don't forget to put on sunscreen, and wear sunglasses, and make sure you eat enough, but not too much. I don't want you getting fat," Mum pinched my cheek, and I groaned. Thank God she was speaking in Arabic so no one could understand her. Except my brother, of course.

"Too late," he taunted, and I shot him a glare.

"Haydar, be nice to your sister, you won't be seeing her in a week," Mum scolded.

"And that makes me so happy!" Haydar whooped, pumping his fist.

"Aw, come on, you're gonna miss me," I teased.

Haydar tapped his chin in thought. "I might miss annoying you all the time. But I definitely won't miss you."

"Aw, habibi, come here," I pulled him into a hug, savouring the fact that I was pissing him off as he squirmed in my arms. Eventually he relaxed, and I patted his head. "Good boy."

"I'm not a dog!" he cried.

"Yeah, you're right. A dog is so much better than you," I retorted, earning a raspberry from his side.

"Huda, our flight's boarding! Our flight's boarding!" Talia squealed, her mahogany hair bouncing and brown eyes twinkling.

"OMG, OMG!" her excitement was contagious, mainly because I was already diagnosed with it. I hugged my parents one last time and kissed my brother on the cheek, laughing when he made a big show of wiping it off. Goodbyes were in the air as we all grabbed our stuff and prepared ourselves for the trip of a lifetime.

"Thanks again for inviting me on this trip, Elif. You have no idea how awesome you are," I squeezed Elif into another hug, and she laughed in my hijab.

"I might have a little bit of an idea how awesome I am. But you know I love you, babe, so of course I'd invite you!"

"Aw, love you too!" it was weird how airports made you feel all mushy, but I just went with it.

"Ugh, stop with the declarations of love, will ya? It's making me sick," Amir pulled a face, and I shot him a look. Did he forget out deal about pretending not to know each other? Elif, however, just planted a hand on her hip and gave him her sassiest look.

"Your face is making me sick," she countered, high-fiving me.

"Ouch, that stung. But I'll live," Amir laughed. Of course Amir could never take an insult seriously.

"Guys, we gotta go!" Sofia, my only hijabi friend, snapped us back to reality, and suddenly I got a burst of adrenaline.

"Whoo! Fiji here we come!" I hollered, and it seemed like my cry made everyone else around me just as excited as I was. I guess I had that effect on people.

"That girl is so f***ing loud," I heard someone say, and I whirled around to face whoever it was, but all I saw was Ilyas, followed by Amir and their two other friends, Daniel and Jason. As soon as I made eye contact with Ilyas I had a feeling it was him who had said it.

"Yeah, I'm loud, so what? I'm just excited," I snapped.

"Wow, I didn't think you would hear me over all that noise," Ilyas smirked, and I was about to say something back when I felt a hand on my arm.

"Don't bother," Elif rolled her eyes.

"I won't," I replied. I didn't need to waste my energy on a rich, moody snob.