Chapter 25

Garait ayat el kirse for the 10th time now, but nobody showed up. 


3aziz and his other friend were waiting for Yousef to come back with Fatma. Whatever happens tonight, I hope they don't find her. It's me 3aziz wants, Fatma didn't do anything. 


"3aziz." I said in between cries, he moved his hands away from my lips giving me a chance to speak. 


3aziz: "Itha 9arakhtay mara thanya basaweelich shay 3umrich mashifteeh eb 7ayatich." 


I ignored what he said, knowing exactly what he meant. 


Me: "Laish chithe tsawe?" my voice cracked, my cheek still hurts, it throbbed while I spoke. 


3aziz: "3shan t3arfeen shloun you reject me, w 3shan matnshreen 9uwari mara thanya." he said in a harsh tone. 


3aziz: "7sbalich bes libnaya sim3at'ha muhema? La 7tan el9bay!"


Me: "3aziz." I yelled. 


"3aziz, please latsawe chithy" he couldn't hear me clearly, my voice was interrupted by cries.


3aziz: "Bes 3ad! Tabeen kaf thani y3adil isloobich?!" he shouted. 


3aziz got his phone and dialed a number, "Aloo Yousef."


"Ee wainik?"


"Maligait'ha?"


"Enzain aku wayed nas wla la2?"


"Khala9 okay, ta3al al7een bsr3a." 


I realized this was my chance to scream out, he didn't have his hand on my mouth. 


Me: "SA3DOUNYYY!" I yelled as loud as I can. 


3aziz: "La wallah?" he slapped me again. 


"T3arif shloun, dakhelha elsayara ana a3alemha." 3aziz said. 


"La2, please 3aziz asawe eli tabeeh bes khalne arou7!" I told him.


He laughed, "Adre btsaween eli abeeh." 


I started crying again, its been 10 minutes now and the expo was almost empty and ready to close. 


Where are you Fatma. 


They directed me towards the car, but suddenly three tall figures came rushing in, Fatma was behind them. 


Wahab held 3aziz by his shirt and slammed him on the car door, Wahab's other two friends took care of the other two guys.


Fatma came running towards me, "Sara sawaw feech shay?! Are you okay?!" 


Me: "Mafeeni shay, emshay khan ni6la3!" We both ran outside the alley, I could hear Wahab's screaming 'Ent shloun titjara2 tsawe chithe?!'


We were out of the expo and headed back home. 


"Fatma wallah I'm sorry." I said bursting out crying.


She hugged me tight, "Masawaitay shay Sara." she looked at my face and flinched, "E3awr?" 


I lightly touched my cheek, pain shot through my whole face, "A77!!" 


"Shloun trideen elbait chithe?" she asked.


She's right, what am I going to tell my father? And M7amad?


Fatma: "Kumar rou7 el jam3eya." she ordered the driver.


"Laish jam3eya?" I asked. 


"We need ice." she replied. 


We stayed quiet after that, I wasn't sure what to say. What happened to us, it wasn't something you could forget about and move on. 


Me: "Fatma?"


She turned around facing me, "Shfeech?"


Me: "I'm sorry." 


Fatma: "Stop saying that, masawaitay shay. Yalla w9alna, nzlay."


We got out of the car and headed into the jam3iya. People were giving me weird looks. 


We got what we wanted and payed the cashier, even he was weirded out because of my face. Wlmishkila I haven't seen it. 


Passing a vending machine, I looked at my reflection. Both of my cheeks were sore, red and swollen. 


I decided I would tell my father that I ran into a pole or something, it sounded convincing. 


I thanked Fatma and got out of the car. Entering my house, both my brother and father were there, perfect. 


I tried to avoid them and go upstairs, but M7amad stopped me. 


M7amad: "Ha Sara shloun el ex- SHFEEH WAYHICH?!" He came closer to me concerned. 


Me: "Way M7amad! Relax! I ran into a pole."


He held my face, examining it. 


Me: "Mafeeni shay, dikht, goodnight." 


I headed upstairs, washed my face with cold water, prayed and got into my bed. 


I opened up Twitter and dm-ed Wahab. 


Sara: Thank you Wahab. 


Wahab: No need. Hows your cheek?


Sara: Still a bit swollen.


Wahab: Salamat, matshoufeen shar.


Sara: Elshar mayeek.


Before he said anything else, I was fast asleep safe and sound.