New Year.. (2)

I sat in my car singing at the top of my voice,
'awal il7ub.. na'6ra.. o ibtesamat dalal, o aa5er il7ub.. dam3a.. o ibte3ad 6eweeeeel'
'My god stop being such a drama queen! I'm done listening to your songs' said Mariam flipping through the radio channels.
'I wanna have fun today, it's my only day off'
'Oh come on, you love your job, it's not so bad'
'Yeah, easy for you to say, you don't work'
'Hey! I study, I'm doing my Phd'
'So you say, I haven't seen you doing any work lately'
'That's true, I haven't been doing enough, it takes a lot of discipline'
'Whatever Alia'
We sat quietly in the car while I navigated the morning Doha traffic to reach our destination,
'I can't believe he got married'
'Mariam'
'No really, I mean, he got married'
'Yeah, it's a natural progression, you graduate, you find a job you get married and have kids'
'He has kids?'
'I don't know, I didn't ask but yeah why not?'
'When did he get married?'
'I don't know, I don't care'
'You're not curious?'
'Beyond him breaking my heart, I don't think there's anything else I need to know'
'I guess, it's just weird, why now?'
'The message?'
'Yeah I mean, we don't even know why he broke up with you and now he reappears after 4 years. He didn't say anything?'
'We didn't really talk Mariam, it was only a few messages'
I started getting irritated, I don't want to be questioned about something I don't understand, I don't know why now, I don't know why he broke up with me, I don't know now just like I didn't know then.
'Hey, my phone is ringing, do me a favour check who it is'
'Umm.. Alia..'
'Yeah'
'It's him'
'Crap'
'Do you want to answer?'
'No'
'Ok'
We both remained silent as we tried to ignore his number flashing on my screen. The number I know so well, the only number other than my own in fact that I have committed to memory.
'He sent a message' she mumbled, 'should I open it?'
'Yeah, why not'

Khaled: Sorry, just wanted to say hi, happy new year :)

'So? Do you want to reply?'
'And say what? Happy new year buddy?'
'I don't know, don't snap at me!'
'Sorry'
'It's ok' she said reaching out and putting her hand on mine,
'Damn this traffic, don't know when construction will end'
'Umm.. another message'
'What does it say?'

Khaled: I miss you

'Tell him to screw himself'

Alia: Screw you, stop texting me.
Khaled: I will if you pick up the phone

'Tell him I'm driving, can't speak'

Alia: Can't speak. I'm driving.
Khaled: But you're texting me, how's that safer?

'Tell him it's you'

Alia: It's Mariam, I'm typing what she's saying.
Khaled: Oh, hi M. I miss you too
Alia: Screw you.
Khaled: Is that Alia now?
Alia: No it's still me, this screw you is from me Mariam.
Khaled: Fine, I deserve it from you too
Alia: What do you want from her?
Khaled: Can we please have a proper conversation? Can I call?

'He wants to call'
'And he always gets what he wants right?' I said bitterly, 'fine let him call'
Alia: Fine, you can call.

Immediately the phone starts ringing, she looks at me and I nod for her to answer.

'Good morning'

That voice.

The sleepy, husky voice that I loved so much. I felt a shiver go down my spine, a thousand emotions overwhelming my body. I couldn't even respond to his good morning, why was I doing this to myself?

'What do you want?' replied Mariam, I really do appreciate my friend, she knew that I didn't have the energy to respond. I didn't even have the focus to drive anymore so I found the closest space I can park at and stopped my car, my hands now trembling. How does he do this? After all those years he still has the ability to disorient me like this.

'Mariam..'
'What Khaled? What do you want? Really? I mean, stop pretending like you didn't disappear from our lives 4 years ago over night and just tell us what do you want?'
'I miss you, you Mariam and Alia, I miss you both'
'Stop repeating that and just say what you want'
'Ok ok.. I'm moving to Doha.'
We both stared at each other. He was Saudi, he has no family here, why would he move to Doha?
'And why would we care?' She replied, I snorted, of course we cared. He knew we wouldn't want to bump into him at some mall or restaurant while he was with his wife, he didn't want me to breakdown in public; he was being a gentleman.
'I assume your wife is coming with you?' I asked,
'Hi Alia, yes my family is coming with me' he replied quietly,
'Your family?' I repeated,
'Yes, I have a 2 year old daughter'
'Wow. You didn't waste time huh?'
'Alia..'
'What? You broke up with me and got married a month later?'
'Two months actually..'
'Unbelievable' I laughed, he got married while I was still mourning his loss. He was probably on his honeymoon when I was holed up in my apartment, too depressed to move from my bed. I was mourning the love of my life while the love of my life was cavorting on some beach with some bimbo.
'So again Khaled, what do you want from me?'
'Nothing I told you, I missed you, I'm moving to Doha, to a country where I know no one, but you and Mariam, I would like to think that I have a friend'
'You've lost the privilege of being our friend Khaled' replied Mariam, 'you didn't just break up with her, you disappeared, completely. It was like you fell off the face of the earth. you didn't have the decency to tell any of us why or how and now you have the audacity to come and claim our friendship'
'I disappeared because it was the easier option! You think I didn't suffer? You think I wasn't heartbroken? You think I didn't fight for her? You don't know anything!' He was screaming now. I put my hands over my ears, I couldn't listen to this anymore, it was too much.
'Khaled, this was a mistake, I can't talk to you, I thought I could handle it but I really can't. Congratulations on your marriage and your kid. Good luck with your move, for whatever reason..'
'I got a job in Doha and..'
'I don't care why you're moving here. I don't care about you anymore, just leave us alone, you did a good job disappearing 4 years ago, no need to ruin it.'