Masqué Chapter 5

"Yalla Bibi, emshay." I tore my eyes away from Nawaf's, wrapping my fingers around Bibi's elbow to try to turn her around. Bibi was still staring, dumbfounded.

"Bibi." I repeated. She finally looked away from Nawaf and then back at me.

I gave Saif a slight nod, showing that I was about to walk off but Saif blocked my way by standing in front of me. He had a cocky grin on and his eyes were full of mischief.

Saif grabbed my iPhone from my hand, which took me off guard. His hands were too strong and fast, I couldn't stop him from grabbing it.

"H-hey." I tried to take back my iPhone but Saif was taller and bigger. He was doing something on my phone that I didn't understand, I had a protection security screen on (this is a sticker you add on your iPhone so the person next to you can't see what you're doing or texting on your phone, all they see is a blank black screen).

"Ne6ray." Saif held back a laugh, Bibi watched with wide eyes. I was growing impatient.

What the hell is he doing with my iPhone? People are staring..

Finally, after a whole minute, Saif handed me my iPhone back, turned around and walked back to his group of friends.

I was surprised. 

I looked down to my iPhone and found my Whatsapp app was open. It was scrolled down to the S letters on my contact list and Saif's name was on my Whatsapp list.

Da ding!

Saif Al-X: HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. :p

Well that was fast.

I stared at his message and then looked up, finding Saif's eyes on me and a grin taking most of the space of his face.

"Shsawa?!" Bibi tried to look at my iPhone.

"Wala shay." I bit the inside of my cheek, exiting Whatsapp and not replying to Saif's message.

Saif was still watching me, waiting for me to reply. All I did was give him my back and pull Bibi along with me as I walked to the opposite direction, towards another store that was both away from Nawaf and Saif.

I was too confused with everything, I couldn't take action yet. I needed to have a clear head.

"Amal, this would be so cute on you." Bibi grabbed a pair of bright fluorescent pair of PJ shorts with a matching shirt. I ended up in a girls PJ store, it was the only store I knew that Nawaf or Saif wouldn't drop dead in.

But I was wrong. Oh, so very wrong.

When I turned my head towards where the entrance was, I noticed that Saif was standing outside with one of his friends, looking clueless. He caught me looking and gave me a huge grin that said "Ah! I found you."

"Oh my god, he's following us." Bibi's mouth was hanging open when she noticed who I was staring at.

"Isn't that a bit rude for a cousin to do?" I bit my lip, it was a bad habit but I always bit something when I was either nervous or making up a lie.

I checked Whatsapp and I found a new message from Saif.

Saif Al-X: Y3ne playing hard to get:p?

Amal Al-X: What do you want;s?

Saif Al-X: A chance:p.

Amal Al-X: With what?:s

Saif Al-X: Entay yaya men Switzerland w tis2leeni hal su2al?

I remembered Saif's words on the first day I came back to Kuwait, he had assumed that I had "siwalif" just because I lived in a free country.

Amal Al-X: Sorry, not interested.

I was about to delete Saif and block his number but his next message caught my eye.

Saif Al-X: You'll get Nawaf jealous if you get with me.

"Amal, what's wrong?" Bibi tried to peak at my Whatsapp but failed.

"Nothing." I looked up and found Saif staring at me. He wasn't wearing a grin on his face anymore, he looked dead serious.

Amal Al-X: What would you get out of it?:s

Saif Al-X: See that girl with Nawaf?

Amal Al-X: Shfeeha?

Saif Al-X: Shes my ex:) plus I have a crush on you. :p

Amal Al-X: Sorry bas ma ra7 asaweeha;s etha tabe el bent 3yal say it to her, don't get me into it.

Saif Al-X: 6aaf, ma abeeha.. abeech entay bas et7been Nawaf, wayed embayin tara.

Amal Al-X: Ma a7eba.

My fingers were shaking as I typed those words, my teeth grinding up against my bottom lip against.

Saif Al-X: 3yal laish z3ltay lema shifteeh m3a Dalia?

Amal Al-X: Ma z3alt, I just didn't think he'd be that type of guy.

Saif Al-X: Amal, you're the worst liar ever, do you know that?

I ignored Saif's message and went to the underwear section, causing Saif's face to turn red. Saif decided to hurry off to his friends, leaving Bibi and I alone after we entered the 'ladies' section.

Success!

-

I came back to my Grandmother's house with throbbing feet. I used to transport to university or stores all by foot and I'd never get any foot pain. I wasn't used to the closed buildings and the crowded malls.

The housekeepers helped us with our plastic bags as we walked into the living room, totally worn out.

"Thanks." I gave one of the housekeepers a smile once she took the plastic bags off of my hands, letting me relax.

"Ahhh!" Bibi sat back onto the couch, tearing her heels off of her throbbing feet and laying down over a fluffy looking pillow. I did the same and sat onto the couch next to her.

"That was.." I couldn't find a word to describe our day.

"TIRING." Bibi laughed, continuing my sentence.

"Mind reader." I laughed along, my laugh nearly choked out of my throat once I heard another voice interrupt Bibi and I.

"Ohh hey girls." I heard Asmaa's voice, I turned my head around and found Asmaa wearing a short dress with someone who looked very familiar, her friend had a short dress on too and looked even shorter when she was closer.

It was the girl who I caught sitting with Nawaf in Avenues. It was Dalia.

Why did Kuwait have to be so freakin' small?

"Dalia, this is my long lost cousin Amal ely yet men Sweissra w et3rfeen Bibi." Asmaa pointed to each of us.

Bibi knew Dalia?

"Uhm, ma a3rfha 3adil." Bibi murmured, trying to cover up for earlier today. She looked a bit nervous, like she was just caught lying.

"Bonjour." Dalia purred, giving us a little wave. Her French sounded ridiculous, she pronounced it like "Bunjurrr". (It means good morning/ or it can be used when to say hi to someone who you're not close with, someone formal.)

"Salut, ca va?" I replied, letting the easy French roll off my tongue. (It means: Hi, how are you?) Dalia looked taken aback with my French words.

"Uhm, my tongue hurts when I speak too much French. But thank you for the compliment, I got my hair cut today." Dalia tried to say the words with confidence, totally misunderstanding what I just said.

"Your welcome." I laughed, Bibi laughed with me. Looks like Bibi understood what I asked.

Dalia made her way to the kitchen, grabbing Asmaa with her. I could have sworn that Dalia gave me a dirty look before walking away, I ignored it.

"That was priceless." Bibi snickered. "I never liked her, she's so stuck up."

I gave Bibi a glare, crossing my arms over my chest. My posture sent the message "You have some explaining to do."

"I didn't think you'd care Amoul, she's one of Asmaa's sl*tty friends." Bibi rolled her eyes. "Forgive me?"

"I can't stay mad at you." I gave her a dimpled smile. "Shrayich we get take out for dinner?"

"MAKI!" Bibi nearly yelled out, getting our her blackberry to dial their number before she could ask me if I even ate Japanese food. I laughed again.

"Okay, I'll go change into those bright shorts we bought together." I gave her a little wink.

The house seemed empty to me and since Asmaa had a friend over with a short dress on, that must have meant that non of the guy cousins or uncles were home.

I was clutching the plastic bag in my hand and my eyes averted away from my room as I was turning the knob of my bedroom door to the side, pushing it open.

Once I was in my room, I changed my clothes and wore the bright shorts with the matching cute shirt. I was guessing that Bibi was changing into her new PJs too, it felt like the old days again. Ghalia and I would have funny slumber parties over her apartment when there wasn't anyone home.

I combed back my curls, forcing them to become straighter before leaving my room. I was midway texting Ghalia on Whatsapp, telling her about my day, my eyes too busy staring into my iPhone screen.

I didn't notice Nawaf standing right in front of me. He startled me, giving me a mini heart attack. My face flushed, I was wearing something not respectable.

I did the first thing that I could think of.

"CLOSE YOUR EYES!" I stood on my tip toes because Nawaf was too tall, I put a hand over his eyes forcing him to close his eyes.

"Offh, shel salfa?!" Nawaf was caught off guard.

"Don't open your eyes." I commanded.

"Okay okay." Nawaf grinned, taking it as a game.

I was trying to back away, so I could open my bedroom door and find something else to wear but Nawaf wouldn't move with me.

"Nawaf, move to the front shway." I had to keep my hand over his eyes. I felt stupid for doing this, I bet he'd seen girls in bikinis. Still, I wouldn't have felt comfortable if he'd seen me in these too tight PJs.

Nawaf obeyed and took a step forward. He took a large step forward and I could feel his breath and his perfume. He smelled like a masculine perfume, was it Tommy Hilfiger? I couldn't get enough of the smell.

However, his breath made its way into my nostrils and I smelled the caffeine. It reminded me of Starbucks and Dalia, which made me feel angrier.

"Turn around with your eyes closed." My voice wasn't playful anymore.

"O-okay, uhm, why are we doing this?" Nawaf asked, laughing nervously. He kept his eyes closed and gave me his back. I was finally able to take my hand off of his eyes and use my hand to turn the knob of my bedroom door.

I felt Nawaf turn back around once I had my back to him.

"NAWAF, DON'T LOOK!" I yelled, running into my room once my bedroom door was open and closing the door in his face.

"Nice pjs." I heard him call out outside my room. He was laughing.

Uughhh. I grabbed my pillow and threw it up against my bedroom door, frustrated.

"Hey, I heard that." Nawaf called out.

He was still outside my room?

"Go away." I yelled out as I was trying to find a pair of long leggings that wasn't skin baring and a long sleeved shirt.

"Amal, shfeech?" Nawaf's voice wasn't playful anymore, his laughs dissolved. He sounded serious.

Ana shfeeni? ENTA shfeek? YOU ignored me all day and then you're out with that Dalia? And I thought you cared..

Those words were swimming around my head. I clenched my fingers into a fist, holding in my anger and frustrations.

"Wla shay." I called out, my tone was sweet and full of lies. I heard a little click behind me, I turned around and found Nawaf. He opened the door and he had his eyes closed.

"Amal?" Nawaf stretched out his arms, his finger ending up touching my bare arm. "Legeitich."

"Nawaf, what are you doing?!" I took a step away from him, I had my leggings on but I was still wearing the too tight shirt.

"I need to know if you're lying or not." Nawaf's eyes were still closed. "Are you naked?"

"What the hell, you pervert." I grabbed another pillow, throwing it at him. "Get out!"

"Does that mean that you're naked?" Nawaf smirked but I noticed his cheeks flush in embarrassment. He was probably regretting the action he took by walking into my bedroom without permission.

"No you dummy, I'm not naked. Ffh." I said out of frustration, trying not to smile at his idiocy. I grabbed a loose sweater, pulling it over my tight shirt.

"I hear noises. Did you get dressed?" Nawaf had his arms stretched out again, trying to look for me. "Amal, yalla 3ad weinich?"

"You're going to have to find me." I walked back to the corner of my room, away from Nawaf.

"I can smell you, y'know." Nawaf said as he took a few steps to where I was standing. I tried to take another step backwards but there was a wall behind me, blocking my way. I was trapped.

"I took a shower." I replied in a harsh tone.

"No not that." Nawaf laughed, his deep laugh making my room livelier. "You smell like bits of vanilla and flowers, your scent never changed. I remember you used to smell like chocolate chip ice cream and flowers."

Chocolate chip was my favourite ice cream. What is he saying?

I was too distracted with my thoughts to notice that Nawaf was inches away from me right now. His familiar perfume smell making its way back into my nose. Nawaf extended a hand, his finger ending up touching a strand of my caramel hair.

"Found you." Nawaf whispered. "Can I open my eyes now?"

I couldn't stare at his dark eyes, I couldn't. My anger would melt away, it had that big of an effect on me. I needed my anger, I needed a reason to keep my distance with him. Even though he might be the one who was holding all the answers to my endless questions.

Nawaf didn't wait for an answer, he opened his eyes and bore them into mine.

"I didn't say yes." I mumbled, my heart racing furiously inside my chest.

"You didn't have to." Nawaf replied, his eyes still staring into mine. He was too close. The atmosphere was too intense, even more intense than his dark smoldering eyes.

"Amal." I heard a familiar voice that wasn't Nawaf's. It broke the intense atmosphere, changing it to a fearful one.