Serendipity / صدفه

25

Despite the short hours of sleep, the girls were up and ready for another day of an eventful vacation. The lack of sleep did not seem to have an affect on Nouf but acted as a perfect cover for what was the real matter that made her look that way. The conversations from the night before had her brain overheated. There was so little content to think about, over and over again. It kept her zoned away.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Butti said startling her. "Those swords are from the....You okay?"

"huh.. yeah. okay." she smiles faintly before zoning out again.

"Come" he orders casually, grabbing her from the wrist and walking back a couple of rooms.

"uugh Butti, whaat aare youu, uugh" She whispers as she tries to release her wrist from his grab subtly. "Your walking is running to me. At least slow down so it doesn't look like you're dragging me!!"

He stops suddenly, "We're walking through the museum again, every time you zone out we'll walk back and repeat again. okay?"

"Butti I'm seriously not in the mood" she said. A hint of sadness was masking over her voice. She did not know what was saddening her. There's nothing, she told herself. No break up, no love, no nothing.

Nothing, she repeated stressing on the word again in her head. Yes, nothing. And that nothingness was what was saddening her.

"Oii" Butti waved his hands in front of her eyes as his eyes were filling with frustration and concern. "Are you really okay? You could talk to me you know..."

"it's nothing, just that i miss my parents"

"Ok then" he smiled. "We'll walk back again, you'll see everything so that you have something to talk to them about"

Nouf smiled back politely. She can't let herself be sad for no reason while she has a dozen to be happy. Focus on the now she reminded herself. You have a great friend, she assured herself as she followed Butti into the museum once more, this time with 80% of her attention rather than the 1% she had before.

He talked to her about every corner that they saw, the Harem's rooms, the sultan's bedroom, the dinning room, the chandelier and the jewellery displayed. He would make up funny stories of how things might have been in the palace before it was turned into a museum, about what would they do if they were Sultans, and all of that managed to keep a smile on Nouf's face.

"I can't believe i didn't notice any of this the first time we walked in..."
"I'm happy you're smiling now" he said genuinely.
"Where are the others?" She suddenly felt too shy and anxious.
"Don't change the subject, why are you nervous?" He adds with a knowing look.
She rolls her eyes at him and walks faster. "juuust .. I'm not, okay."
"Really? then why are you running away?"
Nouf turns and flashes a huge smile at Butti, the kind where all your teeth shows, and you eyes turn into small slits. "I'm still smiling"
"You're still a kid" he says as he taps her head laughing at her reaction. "A beautiful smile by the way."

They reach out to the end of the museum. Nouf leaves Butti to head to the ladies room.

"Hey" comes a voice from behind. "Its the love birds, isn't it"
Nouf turns to find Nathan behind her. She recognises his face and remembers how much Butti hates him.
"Hey, umm Butti is just outside and Fares is with the family by the cafe just outside the museum" announces nouf in one long sentence as a way out of a conversation. She did not feel comfortable at all. Nathan laughed.

"I actually wanted to talk to you. I'm supposed to meet Fares so i knew you would be here with them."
"Me?"
"Yeah, I have a couple of pictures to show you... regarding your knight in shining armour"
"What?" oh i'm supposedly engaged to Butti, she remembers and mentally hits her forehead.
"They won't be your favorite pictures"

Nouf stared at the pictures in disbelief. She stood there with an alienated feeling, something similar to what everyone described as a heartbreak.