Palestwinians.

Irked.

"I think women are foolish to pretend they are equal to men, they are far superior and always have been." - William Golding

Chapter 2 - Irked.

You know what the amazing thing about books is? Their ability to completely transport you into this 'other' world - a world that's sometimes only possible in your dreams. Now I'm a bookworm and don't get me wrong, reading is a hobby of mine - but sometimes I read because I need to escape my own thoughts and get away from reality, even if it's just for a few minutes. 

And that's exactly what I was doing in an attempt to distract myself from Zach and Noah, my idiot of an older brother. Sometimes, I think they make it their life mission to annoy me. They were sitting on the couch whispering and snickering to each other about something or other, and every few minutes one of them would burst out laughing. At one point Noah's laugh was so loud, he may have pierced both my eardrums. To say that I was getting frustrated quickly was an understatement, especially when the book in my hands was Pride and Prejudice, one of my ultimate favourites. 

I looked at them, both laughing like hyenas. Have you guys ever seen the national geographic video where the antelopes are just grazing and enjoying their time when suddenly, a lion leaps out from within the bushes and rips them to shreds? Yeah well, I was imagining myself doing that to both of them right now.

"Hey Yasmine."

"Hey."

"Hey Yaz."

Keep calm Yasmine. Keep Calm. 

"YASMINE!" 

I slammed my book shut and threw it on the table. It landed with a loud thud.

"Yes, dear brother?" I replied with a tight-lipped smile.

"We're hungry. Can you make us sandwiches? Please?" I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow at him. "If you don't, my stomach might concave and then who knows what horrible things could happen after that. My humiliation. Your humiliation." Was this guy actually twenty-one years old? A valid question to be asking, I think.

He was trying to give me his 'you're the best sister in the world/pity me' look. I peered over at Zach, who was sitting there slouched back, arms folded across his chest and a knowing smirk on his face. 

Traitor, he knew exactly how to piss me off. I glared at him and his smirk widened.

"What's wrong Yasmine? You look a little red."

"Oh shutup." I huffed and walked off into the kitchen to make their sandwiches - because I was an awesome sister and friend like that. Maybe if I overfeed them, they'd go into comprehension mode. You know that period after you've eaten so much, you just sit there like a beached whale and try to understand how and why you consumed all that food? 

At least it might shut them up. 

Ha, yeah right, I thought, smiling to myself.

After a minute or so Zach came strolling in. "What are you smiling about?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" 

"What's the bet you were imagining how to kill us," he stated knowingly.

"Oh no that was before. I was just devising how to shut you both up. But good try." He laughed out loud, a real, genuine laugh. 

I looked over at him and smiled, realising how little I hear that laugh anymore. I must have been staring at him for a while cause after a minute he said, "what?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. Have you seen Jacob today?" His smile immediately dimmed.

Zach has an older brother, Jacob who's twenty. They used to be really close but approximately eight months ago, Jacob became so reserved to the extent that he barely speaks to his own family anymore. Unfortunately on a trip to Ramallah with his friends, he witnessed his friend being shot dead by one of the Israeli soldiers, just because he didn't have his I.D. on him and wanted to pass a checkpoint. It was his best friend and you could say he's well...traumatised.