The Other Half

First Sight

Hila's POV

My childhood was the best, I wish I could just go back and relive it. I never worried about anything, i was the center of attention i mean it was bound to happen first child is always spoiled. Anyways, coming from an Arab- European family my life was pretty great and exciting (not really) until my brother Amil was born. Half of the time I could swear the kid isn't even related to me at all he has his own seperate planet someonewhere in his head. It's kind of too late for an introduction of myself now by now, oh well. My name is Hila no not High-La it's He-eela thank my Arab-European parents for the spelling not me. My parents met at college and fell deeply in love it's very complicated how they ended up together actually since the cultural difference is pretty signifigant hahahaha. It's my second year going to Harvard University and now school's about to start but because of this excruciating hurricane they cancelled school so i'm with my parents in Connecticut praying the power will come back on. Meanwhile, I'm sitting next to the window staring at the daring winds that are ripping through the windows of my room and trying to figure out how to tell you about my love story without any of you falling asleep. Five years ago, I would have never expected my life to be where it is right now at all. It all started when i met Zafer Naser. He wasn't just my first love he was the other part to my life, many people say it was lust others say it was true love. Who knows? Everyone knows about what happened with Zafer and I, until this day everyone is still shocked about the whole thing. About five years ago i was a freshman in high school, obviously if you told anyone that you were in love in the 9th grade they would laugh at you and say that you don't know what love is. But if it wasn't love then what was it? Exactly, no one knows even I don't know. Even after long vigorous therapy sessions, talks with the Imam, Fasting, and praying to Allah nothing worked. He became something I needed in my life. Now you're all probably wondering what happned to Zafer? Well, that's something you'll have to wait to find out. But first, let me tell you the beginning of how I met Zafer Naser and why our "love" story is significant to everyone.

5 years ago

It was a hot June summer day, school was coming to an end in 2 weeks i couldn't beleive I was going to be a freshamn in high school next year it all happened so fast. Our family decided to go to the beach; summers in Connecticut can be hell and watching my brother and his friend Amar swimming in the water just made me tempted to go in the water also. But I forgot my Muslim swimwear at home, so I was stuck on the sand being fried by the sun. I eventually gave up and got up.

"MOM!! I'm going to the bathroom!! I'll be back soon!" I said, screaming at the top of my lungs because she was all the way in the back with my dad.

 While walking to the bathroom, I saw a boy that looked very fimiliar. With my poor eye vision I couldn't really make out who it was so I did something I wasn't supposed to, instead of lowering my gaze I walked closer to the boy to see who it was. I still couldn't remember who it was so I just left and went to the bathroom. While leaving the bathroom, someone bumped into me. It was him.  

"Oh my god I'm so sorry" he said when he bumped into me.

"It's fine" i said, trying to avoid him.

As I was leaving to go to back to the beach and get out of the picnic area where the bathrooms were but he stopped me. He grabbed my arm back and said, " Wait don't  leave you look fimiliar". 

I'm guessing he saw the uncomfortable look on my face because he was still grasping onto my arm so he quickly let go and suddenly he said, "I'm sorry I grabbed your arm like that, it was just a fast reaction." 

 I tried to laugh it off and ignored what just happened even though it was really awkward. Then I told him, "Wait a minute weren't you in my sunday school class in like the 5th grade?" 

Raising his eyebrow in an exciting manner he said," YES! that's where! We had sister Manal remember? and you were the quiet girl in the back that had trouble reading arabic" 

I hesitated a moment and then said, " And....your name is Zafer right? the kid that every girl used to have a crush on in our Sunday school class but you were to shy to even speak"

By this time we were both laughing pretty loudly but then I snapped back into reality and remembered where I was.

I then told him," Well, I need to get back to my family hahahaha nice seeing you after a long time!"

"Nice meeting you again too! You should consider signing up for Sunday School again you actually weren't that bad at arabic, I'm just kidding you really were but seriously sign back up everyone asks about you, you disappeared out of no where", he told me witout hesitation.  

 While starting to head back to the beach area and I began to think about the 5th grade. I remembered everything from that year. Every girl in our Sunday school had a crush on him I was probably the only one that didn't. In fact he was rude back then too, he made fun of every girl that was crushing on him. I kept walking trying to shrug off everything that just happened when a notification popped up on my iphone, it was a friend request from Zafer on Facebook and a message that said, "Hey" with a smiley face next to it. I never was a big fan of guys I usually just focused on my studies, was a straight A student and not one absence. Sometimes I regret answering that message because ever since that day at the beach my life has never returned the same and Shaytan finally took his first big step into my life.