Beneath Guarded Hearts - 34

Previously…

Nouf

I transferred the video onto my laptop and uploaded it on my blackberry. ‘Please let me be doing the right thing, and please don’t shoot me Asma. I’m sorry I didn’t show this to you sooner…’

           

Send file vid7790fft.3GP to contact Asamyyy?

I took in a deep breath. Well, here goes.

File sent!

________________

Asma

            I came back from the lake, my face glowing in glee. I wanted to savor this moment, to make it last forever. But of course, happiness isn’t a destination; it’s a mood. And my mood had changed drastically that night when I opened my blackberry.

>Hhhh Noufyy sho haa? :p

>Another video of your little brother pulling on your hair?

>What schemes has he been up to now? =))

            --Umm laa not my brother

            --Asma just open it

>Asma? Why did u call me asma is there something wrong?

            --Maybe…

>What :o What happened Noufyy tell me!

            --I’d rather you see the video. It explains enough

>Omg are you okay?

>Shostwaa?

>Are you hurt?

            --La laaa2 I’m fine asamy this isn’t about me!

>Shoo? 3yal who is it about :s

            --You

            I paused. Me? I really couldn’t see how on earth my life could get much worse than this. What could possibly add to my problems? I waited for her to explain, but it seemed that she wasn’t willing to offer anything. She wanted me to see the video. Hmmm… I clicked accept and the video started receiving.

>Noufyy what’s all this about?

            --Just watch

--When you’re.. uhh done with it.. ya3ni take your time 3adee bas know inh I’m right here 7bibty talk to me whenever you need to!

>What? Noufyy you’re sounding like someone died!

            --La la nobody died it’s just that… Uggghh just see it Allah ya5thch!

>Inzain it’s still receiving hady a39abech!

            --Sorry sorry I’m just really anxious about this

>Don’t worry I’ll look at it as soon as it receives

            --Okaay…

            --Bas watch it alone! Lat5aleen 7ad 3dalch especially not sul6an!

            Hhhhh she was so funny. Dayman eteeb 6ary Sul6an ya3ni ashkara she has a thing for him bas she’s too proud to admit that she likes a guy after all she’s been through mn the jerks who made her life miserable. It was so cute walla! Bas I couldn’t bring myself to ask Sul6an what he thought of her ya3ni maba atda5al ba3dain I ruin my chances of Noufyy being related to me. Imagine! Oooof I hope Sul6an sees everything that I see in her she's amazing walla and the perfect person to break through that male arrogance of his.

>DON’T worry Nouffy I’ll make SURE it’s not near Sul6an ;)

--Aaaaaih are you being sarcastic?! I can’t tell when you’re typing :’( Asoom it’s not funny walla!

>Hhhhh ok ok walla he won’t be near me I swear :p

            --You won’t be laughing after you watch this

            What does that mean?

***

File vid7790fft.3GP received!

            A7eena let’s see what all this fuss is about.

            I don’t know why my heart was drumming so hard against my chest, and I suddenly thought of 3bady. No, I’m probably overreacting. It’s probably… What could it be? I clicked play, my fingers shaking.

Me: “NADA?!”

            Nada used to be my best friend. My fake best friend. My history with her wasn’t a pleasant one. She made my life completely wretched. She used me to try to hook up with Sul6an, and she always made me buy her stuff that her parents refused to buy for her. Awal shay I didn’t see it; I thought she’d earnestly want something and I would feel bad and I would buy it for her; I like buying gifts for people. And then it went on. And on. And ON. It came up to a point where Sul6an told me, “Inty mb umha! She’s using you yal 3’abeya why can’t you see it?!” I had refused to believe him, told him not to talk about my best friend like that. But I was blind.

She started hooking up with all the guys I told her I liked. And sub7anallah, each and every one of them was ‘somehow’ related to her, and that made it ‘okay’ to ‘talk’ to them.

She gossiped so much about everyone that I often had second thoughts about whether she was doing the same thing behind my back. And guess what? She was.

When I found out about all the rumors she spread about me, I was filled with rage and shock. I remember thinking, ‘My BEST FRIEND? How could she?” But she did. She did much more. When I’d tried to confront her about everything, about her lies, she denied it all and said that I was trying to be someone I’m not w wayed ‘m9adga 3mry’.

And right after that, she turned the whole school against me. Right then, right there, was when I found out who my real friends were.

I eventually forgave her and moved on; so has she. But it’s not like I trust her or like her. Ya3ni 5ala9 whatever I didn’t wanna give her control over me and I don’t hold grudges for long. And life goes on.

Only now I see that it didn’t.

The one guy I had prayed who wouldn’t fall for her tricks, apparently did. She knew about him, about how I’ve longed for him all these years, watching him from under my eyes as he passed by, not noticing me. That was the biggest mistake I ever did, telling her. And now I could see why. But I wouldn’t blame her for this. It was his choice.

            Tears sprung up my eyes, and the grip of my hand tightened around my blackberry in pure wrath. My heart hurt like it had its own soul, and that soul was being stripped out of it in slow degrees. I was too taken aback to be able to register what I was seeing properly, to feel the pain that I knew was waiting to hit me. I just stood with my phone; my eyes blurred, my heart trembling, my angered grip threatening to crush my phone in my very hand.

            It was 3bdulla. With Nada. INSIDE her own house!

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. This must be photo-shopped! I knew 3bdulla had a history, but he would never do this! ‘Of course he would, you dumb shit.’ I heard a voice in my head speak. Then I heard another voice. Nada. Her painful words were being recapped in my head, making my heart skip several beats at a time as I recalled the last time we fought. It was such a long time ago, but her wounds stuck around. Until now, apparently.

‘Hhhhh, a9lan you will never find someone. Mno ybach? Inty?! Hal wayh?! 6a3y shaklch bas, I’m surprised 3yoony ma7tirgat until now. I am desired, all the guys surrender to my charms. You are nothing. Fa don’t try to tell me wain mkanty, yom mkantch 3nd el nas WALA SHAY. Nothing. Hahahaha, and you thought S3eed liked you? Or 5alid? Or la la, a7la wa7ed sima3teh yet, 3bdulla? Hunn, your cousin has seen so many beauties that you won’t even be spared two glances. Next time, go for guys at YOUR level. He doesn’t deserve you, GOD Allah y3een el a3ma ela baya5thch as a wife. It will probably be forced on him elain ma he accepts. Hahahahahaa…’

“Why…”

I heard myself whisper.

I watched the video as he smiled an unfamiliar smile, and then his eyes gleamed with lust. He moved over her as she lowered herself onto the cushions, and he kissed her neck. He slowly moved up to her lips, and I couldn’t mistake the French kiss she gave him as soon as the opportunity presented itself. Then he kissed her everywhere.

The phone slipped through the vibrating tips of my fingers. I heard a light thump on the ground.

I couldn’t watch any more.

My wavy sight blurred even more as tears dived down in a continuous flow.

My hands were quivering, my unsteady legs threatening to give me away to the hard surface of the floor.

I heard voices calling my name, but they seemed so distant, so far away from me. I felt cold as I fell on the floor and wept, my head tucked into my knees, my arms encircling myself, the only comfort I could ever hope to get. Because nobody would know what he had done to me. Not even him. Nobody would see how much he had just shattered me. Nobody would pity me. Not even me.

I heard several bangs on my door, and then a crashing noise. Then, I sensed something moving towards me. I ignored it as if I hadn’t felt it. A large form loomed over me, casting a slight shadow. It bent down, and I heard clicking noises, and the tormenting voices from the video were silenced. Large arms picked me up and hugged my small body, and I cried onto Sul6an’s familiar chest as he held me in hushed stillness.

            I vaguely heard him say, “7sabk 3ndy…” before I dozed off, the pain sending me into a quiet siesta.

To be continued…