Towards Hope

Chapter 3

The summer vacation began, and from the very first day, I felt a strong yearning for Ahlam, as if I hadn't seen her for a long time. I went with my family to visit my grandparents, whom I missed very much. I messaged Ahlam and told her that I was visiting my relatives that I was having a wonderful time there, and that I missed her. We spent ten days there, and during that time, I didn't receive any response from Ahlam. Then we visited my uncles and aunts, and after fourteen days had passed, I finally received a message from Ahlam saying: "Good evening, Taym. I am so sorry that I couldn't reply to you; I was on a trip with my parents and didn't use Facebook during that time. I hope you can forgive me, and let me know how you are doing and how your relatives are. I missed you too; you have not left my thoughts."

I took a deep breath after reading Ahlam's message, then I started replying to her saying: "Good evening, Ahlam. No problem, I understand your busyness. My trip was wonderful; I had an enjoyable time with my grandparents, and we visited my uncles and aunts. How was your trip? I hope you enjoyed it."

A few minutes later, Ahlam replied: "My trip was lovely too. We visited new places and spent quality family time. I missed you a lot. How were the days with your friends and family?"

We started exchanging details about each other's trips. I told her about the adventures I had with my relatives. I said: "On one occasion, we decided to camp in the mountains. The weather was very cold at night, but the warmth from the fire we lit, and the conversations and laughter that filled the night, made everything feel like a beautiful dream. Then we heard stories from Grandpa and Grandma about their days in the same mountains when they were young. I remember when we were fishing in the nearby lake; we had a small competition to see who could catch the biggest fish. It was so much fun that I even won the cooking competition when I prepared grilled fish my way."

Ahlam told me about the tourist places she visited, saying: "We went to the city of Venice. The boat trip through the canals was an unforgettable experience. I loved every corner of the city, from the romantic bridges to the historic buildings. We tried authentic Italian food, toured the Doge's Palace, and enjoyed street musical performances. There was also a funny incident that happened to us; when we got lost in one of the narrow streets, my father started asking passersby for directions with hand gestures, while my mother laughed and told him that he should learn Italian before coming back again. But what I liked most was visiting the island of Murano, where we watched the traditional glass-making process. It was amazing to see the craftsmen shaping molten glass into wonderful forms using techniques that are hundreds of years old."

The conversation continued between us as we delved into happy memories, discovering with each new word a world of stories and adventures we had experienced in different ways. I continued, saying: "On another trip, we went to a dense forest. There was a small waterfall flowing over the rocks, and we climbed those rocks to reach the top of the waterfall. The view from above was mesmerizing, and the sense of accomplishment was indescribable. We also had some challenges, like building a small hut from wood and grass, and when we finished, it looked like a real hut. There was also that night when we sat around the fire, listening to scary stories about the forest; some were really frightening, but we laughed in the end because we were together."

Ahlam replied with a smiling emoji, then said: "And there's a trip to Paris in a few days. Actually, I want to visit the Louvre Museum and see the Mona Lisa and many other artworks. And I want to climb the Eiffel Tower, especially at night when the lights illuminate the entire city, where the view from the top is magical."

Ahlam and I started talking almost daily. I felt joy and comfort whenever I saw a new message from her. Our conversations began to extend beyond daily events to include our future dreams, life ambitions, and even personal topics that I had never shared with anyone else. These continued conversations made our relationship grow and flourish. I felt immense happiness because I found someone who shared my thoughts and dreams.

As the days passed, I started to feel that there was something special in my friendship with Ahlam. My feelings were evolving, and I began to see her as more than just a friend. Over time, I noticed a change in my lifestyle. I started spending long hours on the phone, texting Ahlam and eagerly waiting for her response. Gradually, I began to neglect my religious duties, such as praying, and kept postponing them until I missed several times. At first, I felt guilty, but I soon began to ignore this feeling.

My parents noticed this change as well. My mother said to me once, "Taym, why don't you go out of the house like you used to? We no longer see you playing with your friends or engaging in your usual activities." But I tried to avoid the discussion. At the same time, my relationships with my friends began to strain because they would invite me to go out and participate in joint activities, but I would consistently decline or apologize at the last minute. They would say to me, "That girl has taken everything from you; only your body is left." I would think to myself that they were jealous of me, that they envied me because they had not achieved what I had.

Even with my family, I began to feel a disconnect. I spent less time with them, often closing my bedroom door to be alone with my phone. This was something I had never done before. My father once came to try to talk to me about the issue, and as usual, I tried to avoid the discussion, answering with short words or changing the subject.

I started living in my own world, isolated from those around me, trapped between the phone screen and waiting for Ahlam's messages. Every day that passed increased my isolation from the real world, while deepening my immersion in the world of dreams. I lived in a vortex of anxiety and distraction, unable to return to my normal life or give up my desire to communicate with Ahlam. Each day that passed increased my sense of isolation and separation from reality. My love and attachment to Ahlam grew day by day. I was infatuated with her, not seeing any other girl but her, as if she were the only one in this universe. I thought about telling her several times, but I hesitated because of my fear of her reaction and that she might not have the same feelings for me.