Emeralds

Ten.

Ten

[Adam]

It’s work time again. I’ve been staying home for more than a week, and now I have a trip to Dubai that will last for five days.

Mom and Malek are quite disappointed and upset, and Malek doesn’t even want to say goodbye. I keep standing outside his door, with the bag hanging from my shoulder, asking him to come out or even unlock the door, but all my attempts are useless.

After what seems like a long hopeless while, I get downstairs and get ready to listen to mom’s every time’s talk about being a pilot. “I don’t understand why of all jobs in the world you had to be a pilot,” she starts. “I keep worrying everyday when you’re not here and I die every time I call you and you don’t pick up,” she cries.

“Mom,” I hug her and she’s a lot shorter than me, it almost feels like I’m hugging my daughter not mother. “They’re just five days, and I promise I’ll call you five times a day.”

“With every prayer?” she asks wiping her tears.

“With every prayer,” I confirm.

“Never miss Al-Fajr, Adam. Okay?” she says.

“I won’t, Inshallah.”

“May Allah save and protect you,” she says hugging me again.

Aya, Mariam, Omar and Hend are standing around us watching. And needless to say, the girls are all sniffling and blowing their noses. When mom lets go of me Mariam comes and hugs me too tight then she whispers in my ears, “I will not let you worry about her.” At first I thought she’s talking about mom, then the look on her face confuses me so I have to ask in a low voice, “Who?” She doesn’t reply and just smiles to herself. And I’m not that stupid not to understand who she means now. I turn to Aya before my face turns red or confused. I hate when it happens, I feel ashamed.

Aya holds onto me a little longer, then sniffles a cry. She’s the youngest among us, and Omar and I are all the protection she knows after Allah. Dad died when we was really young and we were more like fathers to her, especially Omar, who she used to take her pocket money from. I’m more of a combination of a brother and a father. She’s too shy to tell me anything. But her embrace speaks enough.

Omar is the one who never ever shows any emotions. He gives me a quick hug and pats on my back. Hend just tells me to take care of myself, with so much care in her eyes. She’s like a big sister to me, she’s just a couple of years older.

I give Aisha the biggest kiss ever and inhale the smell of her, and it takes so much effort to let go of her and give her to Mariam.

Ahmed rings the doorbell at exactly 6:00, he comes with me to the airport every time, and it’s crazy. Imagine driving your best friend to his work everyday. “Take care, bro,” he says as I get out of the car, and gives me an energizing hug. “I’ll miss your annoyance those five days,” I say as I walk away.

“It’s to be missed!” he calls out when I’m far enough.

I check my uniform is tidy for the millionth time before I get on the plane, I recite Al-Fatiha, and a few other short Surahs from Quran and take off.

We land in Dubai three hours and a half later. “This has been an easy trip, Alhamdulillah!” Abdul-Rahman, the Captain sitting next to me, says as we land.

“Yeah,” I reply. “I almost didn’t feel the time passing by.”

“Planning anything new this time?” he asks.

“I don’t know,” this is the fourth time I come to Dubai, and I’ve never done anything but shop for my family and me. I even had lunch and dinner in the hotel, I didn’t go to restaurants.

“We’ll have to have fun this time,” he says.

“You know what?” I smile. “I need that, and I’ll consider your suggestion.” He laughs.

I do as I promise and call mom five times a day, and at night I call Mariam and she hands to phone to Aya and Malek. I call Omar everyday too, and make sure he and his small family are doing well. But Ahmed is different. We talk on Skype every night after we’re done with everything, and keep laughing and talking about random things. Sometimes he complains about Reham, and it really makes me hate her even more for what she does to my only friend. The last thing I know is that her parents have asked him over for dinner, and he went to find Emad and her other guy friends gathered there. It was a friends’ gathering as she said, and will you stop being so narrow-minded, Ahmed?

I can’t wait until they break up, that’s the only solution. Sometimes I'd feel bad for thiking that, but I know it's for his own benefit; she isn't the one. He will have to realise that sooner or later.

Mariam calls me everyday and tells me she meets with Leen at school, and the last time they even hanged out together. She said they went to the bookshop and Leen has bought a pile of books, because she’s a reading freak, and she even bought Korean books for beginners because she’s starting to learn the language.

They went to a coffee shop as well and kept talking for hours. Mariam said Leen is the craziest person she’s met, but she’s special in every way. I like and respect Leen every time Mariam talked about her, and although she seems really quite and stiff (or maybe that’s because she’s awkward around me) but what Mariam says about her draws a picture of a funny, well-educated, respectful, kind, cute, reading-freak girl. Who loves Korean and Pakistani dramas and who has a very long list of things to learn before she dies. Most important of all she’s a good Muslimah who's trying to get better, who memorizes the Qur’an, and doesn’t talk to guys.

I can’t call it love. But can you just like someone that much because of what you’ve heard? And even the few times I’ve seen her, I was uncontrollably attracted to her. She’s remarkable; she stands out, and for me, she’s so perfect.

 I’m not really sure of anything, but the undeniable fact is: I’m not letting this girl go.

~~~

Dear readers, 

I love you! :D

Thanks to those who've been reading, voting, and commenting from the beginning and until now, I really appreciate that. And I mostly update and write because of you! <3

 Show me your precious comments! They make my days.

Sorry for the short chapter, though. :)

Nouran.