LOVE OR FRIENDSHIP?

Barbeque Party

"Salman.. Wake up sleepy head!" I heard mom scream in my ears. I turned to the other side groaning and hiding my head inside the pillow so that my sleep won't be disturbed.

Five minutes after I fell asleep, again I could feel mom pulling away the pillow from my head and shaking me hard to wake me up. Ugh! She would never let me sleep peacefully.

"Ok mom. I'll wake up". I said sleeping straight on my back, rubbing my eyes to get off from my sleep. She had already pulled up the curtains and opened the windows. The morning sun directly came into my room... on to my bed, and I've not realized how bright it was due the deep sleep I've fallen into.

I glanced to my neighboring bed where Ruzaik sleeps. He was not to be seen. Usually Ruzaik and Nooha wakes up quite earlier than me and would be playing around or watching some kiddies' movie on the television.

I am not interested on movies or T.V programmes, rather I would hang out with friends or I would use my phone to chat with my friends or scroll my gallery looking into our good old pictures which brings back a lot of memories.

I turned to the bedside table to look at the time in my alarm clock. Gosh! It was almost twelve in the afternoon. Why have I slept a lot today? No wonder mom kept on waking me up.

I sat up on my bed and realized I missed out something. It was Saturday and it was the day we usually meet up. Thinking that everyone else must be already at Omar's place, I hurried to the washroom. Did all what I had to do, had a quick shower, wrapped the towel around my waist and hopped out of the washroom. 

After locking my room's door, expecting for number of missed calls and messages I picked up my phone. Shoot! There was only one message and that was from Dialog.

I let out a long sigh.

Where is everybody?

Haven't they missed me?

Don't they care why I was late?

I thought of phoning Omar but since we are going to his house, he would be probably busy and he wouldn't know where his phone would be.

I typed Juliet's name and clicked the 'call' icon but I quickly declined before it rang. Something stopped me from calling her. I've never spoken to her through the phone and I'm sure she wouldn't answer even if I call.

I phoned Aliza and she picked up the phone after a couple of rings.

"Hellooo Salman! Good morning! Sup buddy?" She said cheerfully as always.

"Hey Idiot! How can you be so cheerful without me? How can you enjoy without me? You guys don't even care about me. You guys don't phone me and check out on me if I was late. You people are so selfish. You want to enjoy all alone. You don't even miss me..." I spoke holding my breath without letting her answer.

"Hey Hey, Salman! Are you insane? What are you talking about?" She asked laughing.

"I over slept. Just now I woke up and realized we were supposed to meet up at Omar's today. I am late and did you guys even bother to call and ask me where I was? I am hurt Allie" I faked the last part in an innocent tone.

"LOL Salman, Did you forget that the GTG is at night today? Which world are you in?" I hear her laughing from the other side of the phone.

"Oh My God! I probably had a deep sleep and forgot everything" I laughed thinking about how I made a fool of myself. Thank God I didn't get embarrassed in front of Juliet. My good, this was Aliza and not Juliet.

"I am sorry for barking at you as soon as you answered the phone" I apologized.

"Haha, No worries buddy. I knew you were in your dream world like you used to be, always" she teased.

"Nooo I wasn't". I tried defending myself but I failed.

           

.........

I was ready by 5:30 in the evening and made my way to Omar's, which was not too far from my place. As usual few of them were present already.

Omar had only an older sister who got married recently. She lives with her husband in the first floor whereas Omar, his mom and his dad lived in the ground floor. The entire second floor was the rooftop. The house which has three rooms with a cute little garden and a car park in front, isn't very huge but it's more than enough for their family.

We had tea and headed upstairs to the rooftop to make arrangements for the party. Carrying chairs, plates and whatever is necessary through the stairs all the way to the second floor was a bit tiring.

If we had to barbeque the chicken and cook dinner for us up there we would spend the whole time in that and we wouldn't be chilling and enjoying much. Knowing this Omar's parents had hired a guy to barbeque the chicken for us and a lady to prepare hoppers, chapatti and French fries. They had also got us soft drinks. Sweet of them.

We wanted to begin the party a little later so that it would be kind of a sleepover. So the guy and the lady came at around 9:30 as we informed. The chairs were arranged and the music was on and we could feel the beats jerking through our body.

When I say 'parties' people would imagine it as music, intoxicants, couples, dance and so on. But this isn't one such. Our clique is decent I could say. We have good Muslims in it as well. We don't go to that extent. Our non-Muslim friends understand that its haram in our religion and they are not interested in those kind of things either.

I don't say we are perfect and we don't sin, but we have our limits.

So they started cooking in two corners while we took our seats in a littleng each other's. Omar sat towards my left and Aliza to my right. Juliet was next to Aliza. I wished that was the other way around. Not that I don't like Allie. She's the best out of the girls, but it's just that I love Juliet being by my side. It gives me a different feeling.

Luckily, until now Aliza didn't bring up anything about the embarrassing phone call in the morning. I hope she forgets about it.

XoXo,
Emraiys.