The Size of our hearts

24

I grabbed everything that belonged to me from my room, which wasn't much. I put the flash drive in my pocket and walked downstairs. Hamid, Jafaar and I had decided that the safest way for us to get the information on the flashdrive out would be for me to go back Nigeria and send it to every top newspaper printing company, local and international.

Jafaar and Hamid had taken permission to 'take me around the local village today'. 

I met them at the front door. "Hey" I said as they both turned around and gave me nervous smiles. 

"Got it" I said as I brought out the flash drive and waved it.

Hamid took a deep breath and nodded. Jafaar walked over to the car.

"I need you to be careful Neveah, I would never forgive myself if something happened to you" He said in to the ground. 

"Aren't you coming to see me off?" I asked, confused. 

"No, My Father has scheduled a meeting that I must attend, I'm sorry" He said firmly.

"It's okay" I said as I lace my pinkie with his as we couldn't display too much public affection. 

He squeezed my pinkie then rubbed my knuckle "Bye" He said quietly.

"Bye" I said as I let go of his finger. I already missed his touch. 

"Hurry up" Jafaar yelled impatiently.

Hamid walked to the front door and gave me a final glance before closing it behind him. 

I jogged over to the car and took my seat at the back, beside Jafaar. 

Slowly, we drove outside the royal compound, I never noticed how beautiful it was, well that's probably because the last time I drove in, I was terrified.

"Are you  in-love with him Neveah?" Jafaar said quietly, distracting me from the view. I looked over at him as my heart broke for him because I knew my answer. 

"Yes.. I think so, yes." I said nervously.

"It's funny how this love thing works" He chuckled sadly.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Oh" He laughed quietly. "I think you know exactly what I mean" He added sarcastically.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I retorted defensively.

"You're in love with Jafaar but he is not in love with you." He stated simply.

"You wouldn't know" I said quietly.

"What did you just say?" Jafaar said angrily

"You wouldn't know love even if it punched you in the face" I said just as angry.

"Why because I fell in love with a girl that is in love with the boy that took the only person I ever loved away from me, huh?, yeah I know I'm an idiot" He said into his fist as he shut his eyes.

"Jafaar I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that" He let out a sigh and slowly opened his fist and rubbed his forehead with his palm.

"'awqaf alsayara" Jafaar said to the driver as the car came to an abrupt stop.

He pushed the door open and stepped out.

"You're not gonna come with me to the airport?" I asked quietly.

"Safe flight" He said as he slammed the car door and walked off into a village square. 

"To the airport please" I said silently to the driver as I stared at Jafaar before he vanished behind an orange booth.

After a long drive, I arrived at the airport. I touched my back pocket to make sure the flash-drive was still there before getting out of the car. I stepped into the airport and pulled out a card Hamid gave me to show 'The flight attendants wearing wine red uniforms'. I walked into the airport and spotted them immediately. I walked over to them and gave them the card and the oldest woman took my hand and asked me to follow her. 

We stopped in front of a desolate door, She took my card and swiped it on the card reader attached to the door. She handed the card back to me as we stepped in to reveal and empty airplane hanger except for one Private Jet in the middle. 

There was a man standing in his uniform near the plane which I assumed was the pilot. I looked back at the flight attendant and she gave me a warm smile in which I returned with a forced smile. 

I stepped into the plane and realized that it was the same plane Hamid and I were in. I sat down on the same chair that I was on the last time I was there. I stared at the chair in front of me as I thought of Hamid. If he was here he'd probably be staring out the window with a thousand things on his mind which he'd never say. 

"Are you ready Ms. Aasir" came a familiar voice.

I nodded at the pilot before he disappeared through the flight deck door. The two exit doors closed and the plane began to move. 

I settled into my chair and felt my back pocket for the flashdrive and it was still there. I let out a sigh and thought of my mom, Jafaar and Hamid all at once and then it got a bit harder to breathe.