Previously…
Asma
I was panting frantically, gasping for air. Rashid held me in front of him just enough to look into my eyes.
Rashid: “Ysa3dich? He’s the one who left you all alone with me. So now he’s going to suffer the consequences.”
Me: “Wha-”
My words broke into a gasp, which formulated into a scream as Rashid literally picked up my whole body and tossed me over his shoulder. And then he ran. No one had to tell me what was going on. I knew, and the fear shivered its way all over my body…
I was being kidnapped.
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Asma
I was quiet the whole time, fear and shock having stolen my voice completely. I was trying to figure out how to escape his grasp, escape him, but suddenly my thoughts were cut off as he lifted me off his shoulders and pushed me into the back seat of his car and followed me in.
Rashid: “Yalla seer!”
He shouted at someone in the driver’s seat, and before I knew it he was tying my hands behind my back with his 3’i6ra.
Me: “Chaaih sho! Ana mb 7aywana!”
Rashid: “Laa2, inte aseera… Aseerty ANA.”
He grinned at me evilly, as if he enjoyed saying it and couldn’t wait to do the things that were running through his mind. I forced myself not to shrink back.
Me: “Laa2 !! Laaa2 you can’t do this to me Sul6an bay7a9ilk! 3bdulla a9lan warana w-”
He suddenly laughed into my face.
Me: “This is NOT funny.”
I said it with a chilling calmness that made him stop for a second. His expression suddenly changed.
Rashid: “You said you would try.”
I blinked in surprise.
Me: “Haah?”
Rashid: “You won’t let me hold you like you would have let him. Admit it, Asma.”
I only stared at him, baffled and confused, not knowing what to say because his words were in fact very true.
Rashid: “Did he ever touch you?”
I silently nodded. He at least deserved to know the truth.
Rashid: “Ho mb ma7ramch. ANA ely 5a6binnch, you’re MY right, not his.”
I only stared at him. What was his point? What did this mean? Could it be that he… I suddenly widened my eyes.
Me: “Bas inteh matihtam feya!”
Rashid: “Mno gal ma ahtam feech?! Lo bas 5athty dgeega w7da, DGEEGA ya Asma, w et6ala3teeni 3adel, bat3arfeen inty ahtam feech w n9! Bas inty matfakreen fe ay 7ad 3’air 3mrch. Inty w 3bdulla. You can’t have him Asma! Because you’re mine!”
I was completely astonished beyond words. Was he jealous?
Rashid: “Mta dagach?”
Me: “Bas mara… yom Sul6an 6’raba w ba3dain e6’arab weya 3wash… 8i9a 6weela ya3ni bas he held my shoulder to keep me in the car, 3shan 5af inh Sul6an mb fe 7alah w ymkin ystiweby shay…”
I studied his face for any reaction, but found none. His expression was blank.
Rashid: “Kamly.”
Me: “Bas hal mara, w 6’rabt edaih ma5alaita ydgny 3ala kaifa ya3ni…”
Rashid: “You’re lying. There was another time. Gooly el 9dg Asma, a3rf mn el na6’ra ele fe 3yoonch.”
Me: “Uffff shoyhemk inzain! Kan fel ma6’y kilh kan fel ma6’y, you have your past and I have mine!
He didn’t seem to be affected by my tone of voice.
Rashid: “Mta ya Asma?”
Me: “MAYHEM, ufff 5ala9 walla mayhem! Maba armis 3anh I may seem like I love him but it’s over, I would never take him back, no matter how much he makes my heart beat faster. Mayhem…”
It seemed like I was trying to tell that to myself rather than explain it to him. And he knew.
Rashid: “Since when?”
Me: “Mayhem…”
I whispered, afraid of breaking into tears again.
Rashid: “Yhmny ana. Tell me. You need to let it out.”
I groaned. How could he read me so well? It annoyed me.
Me: “Fine! But first you’re untying me, I’m not gonna sit here like a prisoner being interrogated!”
Rashid: “Ow3deeny mabtshrdeen.”
I looked at him then. I never broke a promise, but he didn’t know that. Or maybe he did, but he certainly didn’t show it.
I sighed.
Me: “Aw3dk, bas as long as you keep your hands off…”
He suddenly flushed, seeming embarrassed at the reminder of the scene that had happened in the parking lot. This was new.
Me: “You got carried away…”
I stated it more than asked.
Rashid: “Sorry. Don’t tempt me again unless you really want it.”
I suddenly grinned at that.
Me: “So that night…”
Rashid: “I got carried away. I shouldn’t have touched you; you were just a little girl at the time, probably scared already that you were alone with me. I’m sorry.”
Me: “Yaa, I was just a kid at the time…”
I saw the guilt on his face, and suddenly something lifted in my heart, like a huge burden had been taken off.
Me: “It’s okay, really.”
Rashid: “9idg?”
I nodded in answer.
Rashid: “Am I forgiven?”
I smiled at his hopeful eyes.
Me: “Forgiven.”
We sat in silence for what seemed a long time, until suddenly he grinned.
Rashid: “Inty 9dg et7araity iny basawy shay feech?”
I chuckled.
Me: “Hhhhh, haaih! You scared the shit out of me! Don’t-”
I gave him a light punch on his shoulder.
Me: “EVER do that again!”
Rashid: “It was too tempting.”
He did his puppy face again and I burst in laughter.
Rashid: “You laugh like a dying cow you know that?”
Me: “Aaaaih may6’a7ek!”
I gave him another punch as I continued laughing, and then suddenly I remembered that we were in his car for a long time.
Me: “So where are we going?”
Rashid: “I don’t know.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, half amused.
Me: “What do you mean, you don’t know? We’ve been driving aimlessly for all this time?”
Rashid: “Maybe.”
Me: “Loool what the hell! Tell your driver to take me home… Oh my God…”
He was abruptly concerned as my face paled.
Rashid: “Sho what happened?”
Me: “3bdulla… He doesn’t know you weren’t actually kidnapping me or something!”
How could I have forgotten about him? Or that I had screamed in help right before I was hauled off my feet and dumped into the car? He must be going mad with rage!
Rashid: “Inzaain… W ba3dain?”
Me: “HE doesn’t take lightly to your mischievous actions, or have you not noticed that since he almost beat you to death last time?!”
Rashid: “He wasn’t beating me to death…”
Me: “Damn right he was! Ufff mb wagteh 7ag ur male pride w hal 5rabee6 this is serious! What if he tells Sul6an? Or baba! Oh my GOD I’m dead, I’m so dead… I don’t even have my phone, it fell off when you kidnapped me…”
When I looked at him, he was smiling at me. Why wasn’t he taking this seriously?!
Rashid: “You’re doing that babbling thing again.”
I gave him a stern look, but I didn’t say anything, afraid I would blurt out regretful phrases that I didn’t really mean.
Rashid: “He wouldn’t have beaten me like that if I didn’t want him to.”
Me: “What?”
He shrugged, as if it didn’t matter. But it did.
Rashid: “I knew I deserved it. I saw your face.”
I turned away in astonishment. Wow.
Me: “You’re such an idiot. You should have let go and let ME hit you, not 3bdulla.”
He suppressed a smile.
Rashid: “I didn’t want to give you the satisfaction.”
Me: “Haaih haaih whatever…”
He saw the frown that was creeping into my face as I remembered 3bdulla again. What am I going to do? How am I going to explain this?
Rashid: “Hady Asamy, ana mtfahim weya sul6oon.”
I looked up at him, confused.
Me: “What?”
He didn’t answer, and he looked like he regretted saying it, but still couldn’t help but offer me some sort of comfort.
Me: “SUL6AN KNEW THAT YOU WERE GOING TO KIDNAP ME?! AND HE LET YOU?”
Rashid: “Aaaaih aaaih, hady a39abich, and why do you keep saying kidnap? Inty 56eebty maroom a6ali3ch ya3ni?”
Me: “But you said we’re not going anywhere in particular!”
He grinned at that, not taking my anger seriously.
Rashid: “Well, maybe we’re going somewhere…”
Me: “Sho? 5air inshalla where are you taking me?”
Rashid: “Ufff mabi3’ait a5abirch bas you panic too much! It’s a surprise… Hadeyat t5arijch”
I only stared at him in surprise. All this time, all I had done was reject him, and he was still trying to make an effort. I was filled with awe, and I realized at that moment that I had completely misjudged him. I didn’t give him a chance, I only assumed and…
Me: “Oh my God Rashid, I’m so sorry…”
Rashid: “3ala sho?”
Me: “For everything… Ma swaitlk salfa wala 7awalt at3araf 3alaik, I just assumed that… but you’re not!”
He just smiled in return, not knowing what to say, appearing a little sheepish.
Rashid: “It’s nothing walla. Tistahilain akthar eb wayed, but I might as well try to be what you deserve.”
I blushed, my cheeks turning bright red. I tried to change the subject.
Me: “So what did you tell Sul6an? He’s not easy to convince you know, especially if he doesn’t like you.”
Rashid: “I told him the truth. I decided that I would play no more games. And he appreciated my honesty, and ma3tiraf 6ab3an bas he sort of agreed with what I said.”
Me: “And what did you tell him?”
Rashid: “Something like I’m better for you than 3bdulla will ever be.”
I was silent for a couple of moments as I stared at my hands. I sighed.
Rashid: “I know it’s hard to forget him, but at least let me try to help you in the process. My charms are irresistible, you know.”
He smirked at me, and I just shook my head in amusement. ‘So arrogant’ I thought.
Me: “It’s hard imagining myself letting him go. My heart is so used to him.”
Rashid: “But you don’t have to-”
Me: “Shush. Let me finish. 7abaita mn 9’i3’ry Rashid. He was my best friend; he teased me, laughed with me, and held my hands as he ran with me. And then suddenly, I didn’t see him much. We started growing up, and I never really thought anything of it, until I saw him again after so many years. He was all grown up, his voice had changed, his hair, his eyes… From that moment on, he was always on my mind. At first I was ashamed, not really old enough to understand why my heart beat in excitement at the sight of him. I had crushes every now and then, but I wanted no one but him. My heart had accepted it, accepted him and settled for nothing else. So how can I make it let him go now, after all these years?”
He was silent for a long moment before he said something.
Rashid: “Old habits die hard…”
Me: “Yeah…”
Rashid: “I understand Asma. Ma atwa8a3ch tinsain 3anh, but I only ask you to try to let go as time passes. And maybe make just a little room for me. Because, Asma, you’re going to be my wife. And I want your heart to respond only to me. I can’t have your desire belong to someone else. I’ll wait Asma, I’ll be patient, but I can’t wait forever.”
I sighed.
Me: “I know…”
I cuddled into his arms and let his warmth surround me as I sat in silence. One never knew what to expect with Rashid, so I wasn’t surprised that I felt a little anxious about what was in being held in store for me. I pushed my doubts away, and I gave him my complete trust. He deserved at least that after everything I put him through. Now all I had to do was wait…
To be continued…
