A Girl From Alexandria

4.

The apartment was small; it had two rooms, one bathroom, and a living room. Qamar took a seat, she was exhausted and hungry.

"I am sure that you are all hungry" the voice came out of the kitchen, it was her uncle's wife "The dinner will be ready in minutes" the smell was already in Qamar's nose.

The family settled down, Hassan took a carpet from the couch next to Qamar; the carpet was used for praying. He placed it on the ground, it was sunset; the time for Maghreb's praying, Hassan invited his father, uncle, and his older brother.

While they were getting ready, he looked at Qamar.

"Aren't you going to pray?" he asked coldly.

Qamar got up, and walked to the bathroom without saying a word. She closed the door, and looked to the mirror hanged on the wall. "You are here" she said "It's time for you to shine." She opened the tap, sank her face in the cold water, and then she took the towel and dried herself up. When she got out, they were all gathered at the table, and food was already served, she took a chair and started to eat. She ate white rice with molokhya (Arabian meal) and a small piece of chicken wing. Others were talking, laughing and passing different pieces of food to each other.

"Thank you for the dinner Madam" she thanked her uncle's wife with a smile and got off her seat. She washed her hands and prayed, and then she sat on the couch and took her notebook out. She held the pen in her teeth "so, I should write a story" she thought "umm... Should it be a sad story? Should it be a happy one? I guess it might be a happy one" she grinned "it depends on how my story will go" she closed the notebook "I am too tired to write anyway" she hesitated "but I should write" she thought "yeah, I should" she opened the notebook again "umm...maybe I should wait until I am alone" she bitten her lips, smiled and jumped off the couch. "Where is that dump cousin I have?" she wondered silently and checked all the rooms "I guess he didn't come yet."

After the dinner, Madam Tasneem showed them where they were going to sleep. Ladies were going to take one room she and Qamar's mother will sleep on the bed, Qamar and Zahraa on a mattress. She also placed a couple of mattresses in the living room for Qamar's brothers to sleep, and her son Ali will take the couch.

While they were putting their stuff in the rooms, Qamar heard the sound of keys entering the door's lock, she ran outside the room. Her brother was sitting on the couch reading the Qur'an.

"Get inside and wear your hijab" he yelled "it might be your cousin at the door"

Qamar stood there refusing to enter the room and take a scarf, Mohamed placed the Qur'an on the couch, rushed up furiously and pushed her inside the room then he closed the door after her "you will not get out until you wear your hijab" he parked.

"What's going on? Your voice moved the walls" a young man took the keys out of the door lock and closed it when he was inside.

Qamar rushed to the room door but didn't open it, instead she placed her ears near the handle.

"Ali" Mohamed said "nothing" he hesitated "don't put in mind." Mohamed got closer to his cousin and hugged him "how are you doing Ali?" he asked gently.

"It's all fine don't worry" Ali answered "what about you is everything going well?" he asked.

"it's okay" Mohamed answered.

"Good for you" Ali smiled "where is the rest of the family?"

"Well, your father and his brother are out, your mother is sleeping, and my mom is cleaning the dishes" Mohamed answered.

"And where is Qamar?" he asked.

Qamar's body tensioned behind the door. She smiled and placed her thumb between her teeth.

"I don't know, she might be sleeping" Mohamed answered and his eyes were in flames.

Qamar hurried to her bag and took a scarf out; she placed it over her head without adjusting it properly. She opened the door. Her brother and her cousin were sitting on the couch.

Ali noticed her presence "Qamar" he said, and Qamar noticed a blush on his face, he was older, he looked much different from what Qamar had remembered. He was simple, in the way he dressed, in the way he talked, and in the way his eyes smiled, he was not the angry cousin that she had known.

"it's a pleasure to see you again" he stood up "after all these years" he got closer to her and gave her his hand.

Qamar was surprised, according to the traditions that she hated, and according to what she was always told. A man shouldn't shake hands with a woman, her brother told her that it was a religious thing. But she shook hands with him anyway.

"It's a pleaser to see you too" she smiled gently and received an angry look from her brother, but turned her face away from him.

"So, tell me about you, as I remember we are at the same age, am I right?" he grinned.

"yes, that's right" Qamar smiled.

"So you will go to high school here" he said exited "it's our last year at high school."

"I know" Qamar answered "I hope" she said and regretted her words.

"Why are you saying that?" he asked worryingly, looked to her brother Mohamed and then back to her "You will go to high school" he said confidently "And you know what! You will go to college also" he smiled.

Qamar looked at him and smiled, but didn't say a word. She turned away and hit her brother Hassan who was going out of the toilette.

"Sorry" she said blushingly as she entered the room and closed the door behind her. She put her ears on the door again.

"What is the matter with her?" Hassan laughed "Ali!" he cheered and ran to hug his cousin "look at you"

"The one and only" Ali grinned as they were hugging.

"So now till me" Hassan said and his eyes widen up "I heard that Alexandria got the best chicks in Egypt" he grinned.

"You are sick man" Ali laughed.

"We are all sick brother" Hassan landed his hand on Ali's shoulder.

"You should speak about yourself" Mohamed shouted in anger and walked away.

"Forget about him" Hassan said "Now focus, I want you to introduce me to every chick you know okay."

"Have some respect for women Hassan" Ali's tone got serious "They are not chicks, they are women. Okay!"

"Okay" Hassan said "calm down, I am just kidding bro."

"Okay" Ali's tone tendered "I am going to sleep, I had a tiring day going to all these courses, you too should have some sleep."

"Okay bro goodnight"

"Goodnight."