MANAL

47: Manal

"Hala, wake up!" I yelled.

She groaned and replied in a groggy voice; her eyes still closed. "Go away! I haven't had enough sleep."

"Come on, Hala, it's Monday. We have lectures this morning." I reminded.

She opened her eyes and scrunched up her face. "Can you just leave me alone? Geez! You sound like my mother. I know today is Monday, but I don't want to attend lectures today. You're free to go without me."

I should have respected her decision and backed off, but it wasn't the first time she was playing truant. I was beginning to get worried for her. I didn't want her to carryover her courses. "Why do you want to skip today's classes?"

"Because I can." She rolled her eyes.

"This isn't right." I started. "We're here for a purpose. You're swerving. You can't keep bunking classes for no reasons."

"This—"

"Don't tell me it's none of my business, because it is." I was quick to cut her off. "You're my friend and I must tell you when I feel you're going astray."

"I don't want to laugh." Hala chuckled.

When did I tell a joke?

"Going astray, you say? So now I'm going astray because I choose not to attend lectures today because I don't feel like? What's your definition of astray?"

"This isn't about you bunking classes alone, but the other things you've been doing lately, but it's fine." I shrugged. "It's your life."

I was done trying to convince her. Asides, Imran, Hala was the most annoying person I had met my whole life. She had always done things wrongly, but not once had she admitted to it. She felt she was always right. At times, I wondered how I became friends with her, because our viewpoints and interests were completely different from each other's.

•

Dressed in a royal blue colored abaya, with a red scarf wrapped around my head, I walked into the already full classroom. I wasn't worried about not getting a seat in the front, because I knew Na'eem would reserve a seat for me as usual...and of course he didn't disappoint.

"Mana!" He raised a hand. "I'm here."

I walked over to where he was sitting on a seat in the third row. "Good morning." I greeted him and placed my red Michael Kors bag on the desk.

"Good morning, your highness." He greeted back and dusted imaginary dust from the seat beside him. "Please have a seat."

I chuckled at his dramatic gesture.

"Where's she?" Na'eem looked around.

Obviously, I knew who he was asking after, but being myself, I decided to play dumb. "Who is 'she'?"

"Your friend." He rolled his eyes.

"I have many friends. Who exactly are you referring to?"

"Many friends indeed." Sarcasm dripped off his voice. "Where's Hala? Skipping classes again?'

"You know." I sighed and took the seat he reserved for me.

"But why does she keep doing that?"

I shrugged. "Being herself as usual."

"Exams are fast approaching. She's missed a lot the past few days. You should seriously talk to her."

"And you think I haven't? Hala is stubborn. She won't listen to me. She does only the things she wants to do."