CHOOSING ARWA

13

"Now, who said that?" I laughed at Hanna's stupidity as I helped her set her ringlight.

Hanna had a date with Ahmed and was getting ready. It was still a shock to me on how Mom and Dad took this like it was nothing but it was whatever since Hanna and Henna were quite old enough to do allat and all this. Ahmed and Hanna were definitely what you would call those annoying couples, they acted like some 12 year olds in love. Whinning and pouting like children - dont ask me how I know this.

After work just on my way home, Hanna called me and thus I was here. Henna was suppose to be the one helping her out but she had a project meeting and Hanna oh so couldn't and didnt know what to wear and allat so me, being the nice sister I am came to the resuce only to meet up with the couple whinning and being disgusting making me almost barf and have to stay down stairs till they were done.

I cant stand such barf-ness.

"But, seriously.  Dont go embarrass yourself there." I told her.

"Yeah yeah. I wont. I am not like you." She boasted squeezing her mouth.

"What do you mean?" I furrowed my brows, narrowing me eyes at her.

"Ahmed and I could sense it during the dinner, you know..." she gave me a knowing look.

With my face stuck and confused I thought back to the dinner and my stomach twisted so quick. Faisal.  Oh God, not again. Not this !

"W-what are you talking about?" I swallowed.

"You and Faisal. Come on!" She nagged with a serious face.

My stomach completely down. Faisal and I? What did she mean? I suddenly felt guilty for some reason. Like we did something wrong - or rather I did something wrong? Why was this talk never gonna end?

"It's obvious y'all hate each other." She shrugged nonchalantly opening the makeup box her and Henna shared.

God! I felt some relief. Like there was actually something that I was hiding - when there wasn't any. Faisal and I didn't really hate each other but you could say he got on my guts so...

"Yeah. Something like that." I muttered.

"Anyway. Ahmed suggested we should fix it, but I really don't get in people's business - you know. So... I said y'all will do it yourself, if you wish to." She picked out some brushes.

"Definitely." I picked on my nails.

"Especially since we going for brunch at their place soon."

"What!!!??" My eyes popped and I stepped closer to her, my heart beating closer to my chest than normal.

"Calm down." She laughed.
"Ahmed said Faisal might not even be there, so y'all don't have to meet and have a food fight." She flagged me.

"Oh good. Yeah, good." I giggled and then hiccuped.

I sat to calm down and suddenly asked myself why I was even acting like this. Like - why? I was acting like what Hanna was saying was actually true or worst... Like-- no no. It's just weird. So what if he would be there? Like it's not like he sucks my blood or is gonna kill me. But - After work today , it was only the truth that he got on my nerves and all that but I was calm after and now it was like I was back to square one. I didn't want that to haplen to. Cuz right now, I was acting up like this like something was up and I didn't even know what was up!

I took deep breaths and let myself go and erased those thoughts and went ahead to help Hanna pick an outfit.

I sent her off like some bride after she promised to get me something from the date, leaving me alone in her room. I gathered my belongings and walked down stairs to let Mom and Dad know I was leaving but I was met with the best person I could ask to see after a long time.

"Khala (aunt) Zainab!!," I exclaimed rushing downstairs and dragging her attention.

Aunt Zainab looked up with her usual glowing smile as she embraced me into one of her warmest hugs ever. I hadn't seen her in two months but it felt like a year. Aunt Zainab was my mother's younger sister, my mother gave her like almost ten years and so she was like my age and we vibed like a lot ! To the point where Mom got annoyed sometimes. Aunt Zainab was like the coolest aunt ever though, she lived in Palm Jumeriah and was basically living her best life. She was rich as hell, by investing in her exes' money - tottaly a bad bish model - had no children and was let to do whatever she wanted since she was the youngest in my Mom's house and the only relative I was actually proud to call one and loved so much - the others, lets just say are too nosy for their own good.

"Arwa!! It's been forever girl!" She whined.

"I know right." I whined back.

"Here they Go." We heard Mom mumble before Dad giggled.

Aunt Zainab and I flagged them and took a seat on the counter to start. By start I meant, to catch up and well...gossip.

"What you doing here? I was gone be heading to yours after here." Aunt Zainab beamed holding my hands on the counter table as she sat close to me.

"Was helping Hanna get ready for her date." I told her.

"Hanna got a boyfriend? Wait... Hanna as in the crazy one, right?" Aunt asked.

"Yep her." I laughed at how Aunt never got them right.

"No way! Since when?! Khadija you never told me." Aunt turned to Mom in the living room.

Surprising, with how Mom seemed happy about it tho.

"Well, you've found out." Mom chuckled.

"Wow. Hm, she grown. Who is the guy?" Aunt's gossip eyes popped.

"Hmm. You won't believe." I chuckled.
"You know the Futains-,"

"Shut up!!! Damn, Hanna gonna get a pep lecture from me when we meet. That girl! I knew she had it in her!" Aunt laughed out loud.

"Yep. We went for a family dinner infact. "

"Girl! Go on!"

And that's how I went A to Z with everything, whispering to her the Faisal thingy. Aunt Zainab was my girl, so I had to get her on. And even though I would've preferred we spoke about it at my place or at hers, we were here so I couldn't tell eveeythung there and then so she told me to meet her at her place the next day so we could continue our gist. She had a place to be anyway - by place I meant a tinder date.

Yep she is that cool.
Even I didn't do Tinder.

~~~