From Turkey With Love|| SKAM

I miss you

(Week of Eid-party, Saturday, 24 june 2017)

The last week of Ramadan had been busy. Sana was tired after fasting, finishing some last school tasks and preparing for the Eid-party on saturday. In a way it was good that Yousef was more than 3000 km away in Istanbul and couldn’t distract her much. She had heard something from him almost every day since he left, already early the first morning, after their “date” she woke up to a meme with a photo of some vodka bottles at the airport tax-free shop and the comment “Aaah, everything reminds me of you <3” . She smiled and responded “Stay away from the vodka! That is dangerous shit!”.

Sana had decided to give Yousef a chance, even if he was not a muslim. She needed to find out why he was in her life, what was the purpose, was there a lesson to be learned perhaps. And she needed to find out what this was, love or just feeling and attraction? If she had known that he was not a muslim earlier this spring, she most like never would had added him on Facebook and encourage him in the first place. It is strange, she had known him for years but only considered him and Elias other friends as an extension of her brother, just a bunch of immature guys she sometimes played basketball with. She had been more interested in her other brother, Simos, friends, although they probably had thought of her as too young. Now, Yousef had entered her heart and mind and she was examining different islamic views and quran interpretations on interfaith marriage. The problem was that, even the more progressive and liberal views repeatedly discouraged, especially young muslim women, to initiate a relation with a non-muslim man if it was important for them to maintain their faith and raise their children in Islam.

Her girls had asked about “Yossi”. What was going on, were they a together now and what did that include? Vilde really tried to not get to invasive but just had to ask if they had kissed the last time they met. Sana noticed how Noora got a little tensed and uncomfortable by the question and Sana avoided the question and quickly changed the subject. It was none of their business anyway.

Yousef would be in Turkey until august 4, so about 7 weeks, 48 days to be precise. It was ok, manageable, he had wifi most of the time and the time difference was only 1 hour. He would mostly visit relatives but also work at a summer camp with kids for a few weeks. Sana was looking forward to a lazy summer, just working part time a few weeks in her uncle's shop and hanging out with the girls, maybe she would visit Simo and Jamilla in Copenhagen. Eva was going on an english course to Brighton and Noora talked about visiting friends in Madrid but had to earn some money first to afford it, she was working at a café now. Vilde had gotten summer jobs at a kindergarten and Chris were going to Stockholm to her sister and to Greece with the family.

The Eid-party had been a success. Probably one of the best ideas Sana ever have had, she thought. Her mum had been so happy to finally meet her friends. Sanas brothers had always had their friends over but Sana had made an effort on dividing her family-life and her friends-life.

The speech to Sanan, that Noora had written with a little help from Isak and William, and was delivered by Jonas, had left her stunned! Never had she thought of herself as somebody that would make such a big difference in anybodies life. She thought of herself more like an observer, looking in from the outside, not like a person that influenced or started chain reactions in other people's lives.

When cleaning up after the party her mother had told her that she was proud of her, that she was impressed by her ability to juggle two worlds and being a bridge-builder just by being herself, being true.

The only thing missing was Yousef. He would have liked it. He had heard from him during the day, he had asked how the party was going and liked the photo she had sent him. He had been to Hagia Sophia during the day and sent her a photo with the comment “One day I will take you there”. Sana answered him late in the night.

Sana: 4real? Are you already making plans for me?

Yousef: You have no idea!

Sana: Inshalla

Yousef: Did you see the playlist I sent you on Spotify?

Seni özledim

The playlist was called “Songs for Sana” and had a chill mix of summer hits, hip hop and love songs. “To make time pass, when you are peeling carrots or whatever”. She was invited to add songs as well.

Sana had to translate his last message in turkish, the meaning was “I miss you”, and she noticed a song on the playlist with the same name by Incubus. She had never heard it before.

You do something to me

that I can't explain

Would it be out of line, if I said

I miss you

                  ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

Notes:
* Simo Bakkoush - Sanas oldest brother, his name was never mentioned in SKAM
* Seni özledim - "I miss you" in turkish

Let me know what you'll think.
Much love
-Aj