Hind opened her eyes slowly and squinted against the light coming through her windows, she picked up her phone which was lying next to her on the bed and looked at the screen:
1 missed call Bandar.
She dialled the number and waited for his voice to come through the other side.
"Aloo"
"Hello Hello" she sang to him,
"Haha ashofek rayga ilyoum?"
"Eeee I had a loooong sleep... sha5barek?"
"I'm ok.. so no dreams?" He tried to make the question sound normal but he was afraid that she could hear the stress in his voice.
"Ela! I had a great dream" she said laughing,
"5air inshallah?" he was now even more worried,
"I dreamt that I was in London o ga3da fe baitkum eating humming bird cupcakes with you, o ba3dain wadaitny sumosan o kalna black cod o 7alaina thak ilweird green cake ily a7eba!"
"Hahah o inty dayem hamek 3ala ba6nek?".. "Il7imdilla.." he thought to himself.
"Ufff.. ilsharha 3alay ily I shared my dream with you!"
"6ayeb 6ayeb.. I need to talk to you about something.." He paused for a second.. "I'm coming to Doha today, can I see you?" he held his breath waiting for her answer.
"Hmm.. my parents msafreen.. o 7ata Khaled u5ooy wela chan bagoolek ee.. bs.."
"I don't want to see your parents wala Khaled..a9lan adry ina Khaled msafer..I need to see you" he said quietly.
"Hmm I guess ya3ny madry.."
"Hind.. I have to see you.. I'll book a suite in Sharg hotel, you won't have to walk through the lobby, just come from outside past the pool and spa.."
"Bas Bandar madry mb 7ilwa I come to your room.. lazem ya3ny? tell me on the phone.. shfeek?"
"Hind, I already booked the flight, I'm on my way to the airport, betjeen e wela la?" he was losing his temper, he knew it sounded weird to her but there was no way he could explain on the phone, he had to see her.
"5ala9 ok.. bagool 7ag Saro o benyeek"
"Hind..." he let out a long breath, " Hind.. ana gelt lek ab'3y ashoofek INTY.. wesh da5al Sara?"
"Oh.. I'm getting worried Bandar shfeek?"
"Hind e wela la?"
"ee ee 5ala9 ok.." she laughed nervously, "Shfeek ingelab moodek mara wa7da?"
"La wala shay" he said softly, "5ala9 I'll call you when I reach the hotel."
"Ok, see you"
Hind hung up the phone and dialled Sara's number immediately.
"Haaaaaaaaaa... sh-mushkeltech inty? since when did I appoint you my personal wake up call?"
"Ya kalba.. goomy Saro.. Bandar madry shfeeh"
Sara opened her eyes suddenly, "shfeeh?"
"Madry, he called o kan 3adi ysolef all of a sudden he went all weird o gal ly I'm coming to Doha o I have to see you madry wesho.."
"Weeeeeeeeyh fakart 3endich salfa.. 3adi beyey ildo7a o he'll see you, mub awal mara.."
"eee bs dayman ykoon Khaled hne o he comes to the house yet3asha or whatever.. halmara kalamny o gal lazem he sees me alone o ma5eth suite fe sharg o madry wesho.. lo wa7ed '3air Bandar chan rega3t iltelephone fe wayha!"
"Hahahha e tsaweenha.." Sara frowned as she thought, "ya3ny lazem he acts all romantic and freak her out chethy all of a sudden.."
"Inzain.. shbetlebseen?" asked Sara,
"Shbalbas ya3ny.. ela Bandar.. 3adi"
"ee bs ya3ny mn zeman ma chafach"
"eee.. hahah tethkereen how I had a crush on him awal ma I met him.. o kent kela at3adal gabel ma aroo7 bait'hum in London?"
"Hmm yeah.." replied Sara absent-mindedly.
"Anyway.. yallah let me go to the gym 3ashan yemdeeny arja3 and go meet Bandar"
"Yallah bye 7abeebty.. let me know what happens."
"Ok.. talk to you later"
"Aloo"
"Hello Hello" she sang to him,
"Haha ashofek rayga ilyoum?"
"Eeee I had a loooong sleep... sha5barek?"
"I'm ok.. so no dreams?" He tried to make the question sound normal but he was afraid that she could hear the stress in his voice.
"Ela! I had a great dream" she said laughing,
"5air inshallah?" he was now even more worried,
"I dreamt that I was in London o ga3da fe baitkum eating humming bird cupcakes with you, o ba3dain wadaitny sumosan o kalna black cod o 7alaina thak ilweird green cake ily a7eba!"
"Hahah o inty dayem hamek 3ala ba6nek?".. "Il7imdilla.." he thought to himself.
"Ufff.. ilsharha 3alay ily I shared my dream with you!"
"6ayeb 6ayeb.. I need to talk to you about something.." He paused for a second.. "I'm coming to Doha today, can I see you?" he held his breath waiting for her answer.
"Hmm.. my parents msafreen.. o 7ata Khaled u5ooy wela chan bagoolek ee.. bs.."
"I don't want to see your parents wala Khaled..a9lan adry ina Khaled msafer..I need to see you" he said quietly.
"Hmm I guess ya3ny madry.."
"Hind.. I have to see you.. I'll book a suite in Sharg hotel, you won't have to walk through the lobby, just come from outside past the pool and spa.."
"Bas Bandar madry mb 7ilwa I come to your room.. lazem ya3ny? tell me on the phone.. shfeek?"
"Hind, I already booked the flight, I'm on my way to the airport, betjeen e wela la?" he was losing his temper, he knew it sounded weird to her but there was no way he could explain on the phone, he had to see her.
"5ala9 ok.. bagool 7ag Saro o benyeek"
"Hind..." he let out a long breath, " Hind.. ana gelt lek ab'3y ashoofek INTY.. wesh da5al Sara?"
"Oh.. I'm getting worried Bandar shfeek?"
"Hind e wela la?"
"ee ee 5ala9 ok.." she laughed nervously, "Shfeek ingelab moodek mara wa7da?"
"La wala shay" he said softly, "5ala9 I'll call you when I reach the hotel."
"Ok, see you"
Hind hung up the phone and dialled Sara's number immediately.
"Haaaaaaaaaa... sh-mushkeltech inty? since when did I appoint you my personal wake up call?"
"Ya kalba.. goomy Saro.. Bandar madry shfeeh"
Sara opened her eyes suddenly, "shfeeh?"
"Madry, he called o kan 3adi ysolef all of a sudden he went all weird o gal ly I'm coming to Doha o I have to see you madry wesho.."
"Weeeeeeeeyh fakart 3endich salfa.. 3adi beyey ildo7a o he'll see you, mub awal mara.."
"eee bs dayman ykoon Khaled hne o he comes to the house yet3asha or whatever.. halmara kalamny o gal lazem he sees me alone o ma5eth suite fe sharg o madry wesho.. lo wa7ed '3air Bandar chan rega3t iltelephone fe wayha!"
"Hahahha e tsaweenha.." Sara frowned as she thought, "ya3ny lazem he acts all romantic and freak her out chethy all of a sudden.."
"Inzain.. shbetlebseen?" asked Sara,
"Shbalbas ya3ny.. ela Bandar.. 3adi"
"ee bs ya3ny mn zeman ma chafach"
"eee.. hahah tethkereen how I had a crush on him awal ma I met him.. o kent kela at3adal gabel ma aroo7 bait'hum in London?"
"Hmm yeah.." replied Sara absent-mindedly.
"Anyway.. yallah let me go to the gym 3ashan yemdeeny arja3 and go meet Bandar"
"Yallah bye 7abeebty.. let me know what happens."
"Ok.. talk to you later"
..................................
Bandar buckled his seat belt as the seat belt sign went on in the airplane's First class cabin, he heard the flight attendent's voice announcing the descent to Doha International Airport and recommending the Four Seasons hotel in Doha. He put his hand in his pocket and fidled around with the maroon box inside, thinking of how he will talk to his Hind.
.................................
Hind was sitting in her car swaying to the music as she navigated her way through the construction on the streets leading to Sharg hotel. Bandar had called her 15 minutes ago telling her that he'd just arrived at the hotel and urging her to hurry up. She smiled as she remembered that she's going to be seeing her friend soon, she hasn't seen him a very long time, so as per Sara's instructions she took care of what she was wearing. She wore a belted black and grey Issa dress with opaque stockings and extra high heels that made her legs look endless, she kept her make up minimum as Bandar never liked too much make up. She frowned as she thought to herself, "since when do I care what Bandar likes?" she laughed this off as she parked her car next to the six senses spa and walked through gardens of Sharg, looking for Bandar's villa number.
.................................
Bandar was pacing his room nervously and looking through his window every few seconds until he saw her, she was walking as quickly as her high heels would let her while holding her abaya half way up her legs, he laughed knowing that she never got used to it and always complained that it made her trip and fall over. He walked down the stairs and opened the villa door watching her as she noticed him, squinting until recognition registered on her face and she smiled her beautiful smile.
"Ahlan ahlan, ya 7ay Allah mn jany"
"Allah y7ayeek..hehe" for the first time in a long time she felt nervous around Bandar, "this is really weird" she thought.."why does it feel like a date?" she followed him up the stairs, her heart beating fast.
"Tefa'6ely.. I already ordered your Diet Coke" he said smiling as she sat on the sofa, he noticed that her hands were shaking so he tried to think of a way to make her relax, even though he was nervous himself.
"Thanks.." he watched her taking off her abaya and brushing her long brown hair with her fingers.
"So.." he said as he led her to the living room, "wesh a5barek..?"
"I'm ok, how are you?" she said watching him, "why am I feeling so weird? yemkin 3ashan mn zeman ma chefta? bs I talk to him every day.. akthar mn ma akalem Maha.. bas I forgot how hot he is!" she thought as she watched the muscles in his forearm rippling when he poured her diet coke in the glass.
"Hmm.. Hind, I told you I need to talk to you about something.." he started,
"ee 5air?" she looked at him, she was really worried about him and she forgot how nervous she felt.
"Hmm.. maneeb 3aref kaif abtedy.. you know that I've been single for a very long time.. have you ever wondered why?"
"ee I did, I always thought ina 3endik 7ad bs ma taby tgool.."
"3endi o ma 3endi.."
"Shlon ya3ny?"
"Ya3ny I've been in love with someone for a very long time bs she doesn't know"
"Mn halhabla ily ma t3arf what she's missing?" she said teasingly.
"You." he watched her face as her smile faded and shock registered on her beautiful face.
"Meen?" she whispered,
"You," he said quietly "From day one.. 8 years ago.. before you even met Sultan.." he saw her wincing when she mentioned Sultan's name, a tear slowly slipping through her long lashes.
"Please say something Hind.." he said as he came up to her and sat on his knees opposite her holding her hands tightly in his own.
"Madry.. Bandar ga3ed te9demny.. 8 years?" she looked at him with so many questions in her eyes, "8 years Bandar?" she repeated, "laish ma gelt shay?"
"You were so young when I met you, you were only 17 and I was 23, akbar menek bktheer.. and you were always so shy around me.. ma kenty tkalmeeny at all.. until you met that person, it's ironic that that was the only time you started relaxing around me.. and then you know what happened.. I guess I didn't want to be the rebound person, so I waited.. until I waited too long and I became your friend.. but you can never be my friend Hind, I love you, I love you, I love you.. and I can no longer not have you in my life.. 5ala9.. it's been long enough.. please say something" he put her cold hands close to his lips and kissed them, "please say something.. please.." he breathed into her hands..
She tried to stand up so he stood before her and pulled her into his arm, breathing in her perfume,
"Hind.. 7abeebty..?"
Suddenly he felt her shaking in his arms.. sobbing..
"I can't Bandar, I can't.." she felt his body go stiff against her, "I can't lose your friendship.. what if this doesn't work out? We won't be friends anymore.. and Maha? what about Maha? Does she know..?"
"Everyone knows.. I love you Hind, laish ma tefhemeen? EVERYONE KNOWS!! ela inty!! You put yourself in your own world and you stopped seeing anything.. you don't see the love I have for you!" he said as he pushed her away, "You're afraid of losing my friendship? guess what? you never had my friendship! You had my love, you always had my love, my heart and my life.. but it seems like that doesn't interest you, so please leave!" he yelled at her, for the first time in her life Bandar yelled at her and she was shocked, she started shaking as she picked up her abaya and hand bag from the sofa. She looked at Bandar as he turned his back to her.
"I always took care of you when you got your heartbroken, but you never knew that you broke my heart everyday" he whispered.
"Band.."
"Please leave, I can't see you now."
"I'm sorry" she whispered between sobs, "I'm so sorry.." she said walking away from him, when she reached the door she looked back on Bandar and saw him sitting on the same sofa she was sitting on earlier with his head between his hands and his whole body shaking..
"Ahlan ahlan, ya 7ay Allah mn jany"
"Allah y7ayeek..hehe" for the first time in a long time she felt nervous around Bandar, "this is really weird" she thought.."why does it feel like a date?" she followed him up the stairs, her heart beating fast.
"Tefa'6ely.. I already ordered your Diet Coke" he said smiling as she sat on the sofa, he noticed that her hands were shaking so he tried to think of a way to make her relax, even though he was nervous himself.
"Thanks.." he watched her taking off her abaya and brushing her long brown hair with her fingers.
"So.." he said as he led her to the living room, "wesh a5barek..?"
"I'm ok, how are you?" she said watching him, "why am I feeling so weird? yemkin 3ashan mn zeman ma chefta? bs I talk to him every day.. akthar mn ma akalem Maha.. bas I forgot how hot he is!" she thought as she watched the muscles in his forearm rippling when he poured her diet coke in the glass.
"Hmm.. Hind, I told you I need to talk to you about something.." he started,
"ee 5air?" she looked at him, she was really worried about him and she forgot how nervous she felt.
"Hmm.. maneeb 3aref kaif abtedy.. you know that I've been single for a very long time.. have you ever wondered why?"
"ee I did, I always thought ina 3endik 7ad bs ma taby tgool.."
"3endi o ma 3endi.."
"Shlon ya3ny?"
"Ya3ny I've been in love with someone for a very long time bs she doesn't know"
"Mn halhabla ily ma t3arf what she's missing?" she said teasingly.
"You." he watched her face as her smile faded and shock registered on her beautiful face.
"Meen?" she whispered,
"You," he said quietly "From day one.. 8 years ago.. before you even met Sultan.." he saw her wincing when she mentioned Sultan's name, a tear slowly slipping through her long lashes.
"Please say something Hind.." he said as he came up to her and sat on his knees opposite her holding her hands tightly in his own.
"Madry.. Bandar ga3ed te9demny.. 8 years?" she looked at him with so many questions in her eyes, "8 years Bandar?" she repeated, "laish ma gelt shay?"
"You were so young when I met you, you were only 17 and I was 23, akbar menek bktheer.. and you were always so shy around me.. ma kenty tkalmeeny at all.. until you met that person, it's ironic that that was the only time you started relaxing around me.. and then you know what happened.. I guess I didn't want to be the rebound person, so I waited.. until I waited too long and I became your friend.. but you can never be my friend Hind, I love you, I love you, I love you.. and I can no longer not have you in my life.. 5ala9.. it's been long enough.. please say something" he put her cold hands close to his lips and kissed them, "please say something.. please.." he breathed into her hands..
She tried to stand up so he stood before her and pulled her into his arm, breathing in her perfume,
"Hind.. 7abeebty..?"
Suddenly he felt her shaking in his arms.. sobbing..
"I can't Bandar, I can't.." she felt his body go stiff against her, "I can't lose your friendship.. what if this doesn't work out? We won't be friends anymore.. and Maha? what about Maha? Does she know..?"
"Everyone knows.. I love you Hind, laish ma tefhemeen? EVERYONE KNOWS!! ela inty!! You put yourself in your own world and you stopped seeing anything.. you don't see the love I have for you!" he said as he pushed her away, "You're afraid of losing my friendship? guess what? you never had my friendship! You had my love, you always had my love, my heart and my life.. but it seems like that doesn't interest you, so please leave!" he yelled at her, for the first time in her life Bandar yelled at her and she was shocked, she started shaking as she picked up her abaya and hand bag from the sofa. She looked at Bandar as he turned his back to her.
"I always took care of you when you got your heartbroken, but you never knew that you broke my heart everyday" he whispered.
"Band.."
"Please leave, I can't see you now."
"I'm sorry" she whispered between sobs, "I'm so sorry.." she said walking away from him, when she reached the door she looked back on Bandar and saw him sitting on the same sofa she was sitting on earlier with his head between his hands and his whole body shaking..
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