Chapter 10: He popped the question

I grab my phone and start dialing '3azl's number. I can't wait to tell her about Jara7's gift.
7ala: alloo
'3azl: alo, hi. Shfeech bismilla?!
7ala: omG '3azl! You won't believe what Jara7 got me!
'3azl: Shinw?
7ala: '3azl he got me a first edition of "Love in The Time of Cholera"! Laman Ya3goub 5atha sayarti, it was to help Jara7 out with the surprise.
'3azl: wait, wait. Slow down. Cholera minw ba3ad?
7ala: '3azl! Remember last year, I ordered a limited edition book min amazon. W I took it with me to the shalaih to read it ? w I lost it at the beach somewhere? This one!
'3azl: ee.. hehehe 7ala.. intay w suwalfch. Ye3ni it's just a book. W ba3dain intay mu chinch after you lost the book you bought another one? You have 2 copies of the same book now. Whats the point?! You're gona read the story twice?!
7ala: la it's not just a book. The one I bought 3ugub was just a normal paperback mn virgin. I only bought it so I can finish reading the story before the movie was out! It's the best romance ever written '3azl. A classic. And Jara7 got me the first edition. You know what that means? The first print, from the 80's 3azl! Waaaaaaaaaaaay I love the gift '3azl! I seriously don’t get how he got it though. 3ala golta he has his ways.
'3azl: inzain su2al? does this qualify as something "woow" li2anna b9ara7a you're weird.
7ala: ee 7adda it qualifies! '3azl, I think, madri, I think inna I'm falling for him.
'3azl: latgwlynly the "L" word?!
7ala: I thought about it, bes ba3dain I snapped out of it. It's too soon for LOVE. No way. It's infatuation.
'3azl: 7ala, is this a word you picked out from your book?!
7ala: hehehe 7ala I mean inna its just some foolish passion, maybe an exaggerated crush. Bes, I'm really starting to get a good feeling about this. About him.
'3azl: I'm really happy for you 7ala. bes deray balch. Don’t get too attached too soon.
7ala: ee inshalla.. love you.. yalla byee
'3azl: bye hun!
I lay in bed and flipped through the book. I loved the texture of the pages, and the roughness of the cover. I really do love it. Most of all, I really appreciate the thought he put into it. That’s exactly the kind of guy a want. Someone thoughtful. Romantic. And gets me so well.
I woke up the next morning with the book by my side. I had fallen asleep trying to translate some of the Spanish phrases into English last night. I got ready for jam3a and left the house. Bl koleya I ran upto Ya3goub.
7ala: ya3gooouuuuub! Thaaaanks!
Ya3goub: good morning! 3ala shinw?!
7ala: you know, for helping out Jara7 with my book. I know you told him about the one I lost. And you took my car ams to put it inside! Thanks!
Ya3goub: o that, that was nothing. It was all Jara7. You don’t have to thank me.
7ala: I know that. I WANT to!
Jara7 and I were messaging during my morning lectures. We couldn’t talk because he was in class too.
Jara7: I'm really glad you like the gift
7ala: I loved it. By the way, are you ever going to tell me how you got it?
Jara7: no never. That would kill the romance in it, cuz ilsalfa feha wayed paperwork and formalities
7ala: hehehe ahhaa.. well thanks either way
Jara7: you're more than welcome. W inshalla 3ala 6wl I make you happy.
A few weeks passed with a pattern. A routine. In the morning I would message Jara7 during classes. Il3a9r, I would chat with him on msn. Bilail, we would talk on the phone for hours. We talked about everything. I loved listening to his voice. Even when he talked about sports and his car racing. Things that I'm not that interested in. I just loved hearing him. One day, during a morning lecture, we were messaging as usual, then he sent me this message, which got my head turning:
Jara7: 7ala..mita agdr achoofch?
When can he see me? when, when? God I'm so stupid. I completely forgot that couples go on DATES while DATING. Wait, are we a couple now? Ee we are. Ye3ni we didn’t announce it to each other, bes we both know it. We are a WE now. Obviously he wants to go out with me. I want to see him too. I really do. I took a deep breath and replied.
7ala: how about tonight?
It took me a while to send him the above message. I think he noticed. So I think that he's thinking about it now: "laish 6awelat 3ala ma radat 3alay? Does she really want to meet me tonight? Willa bes matabi t'thayigni?" I bet all these thoughts were going through his mind li2anna ohwa ba3ad 6awal 3ala ma he replied.
Jara7: perfect ;) ok adg 3aliach il 3a9r to decide when and where.
As soon as our last lecture was over, I grabbed '3azl.
7ala: we are going home now
'3azl: shfeech?
7ala: you need to help me decide what to wear! I'm meeting him tonight!
'3azl: awww.. your first date. Yalla yalla bser3a imshay jidami
Om my way home, I couldn’t stop smiling. I was singing along with majeed singing "esh jabk mn bladk la blady..esh illi 5alak taskn fee fu2adi.. a7s il shay fe mohjty lik '3air 3ady..kl ma ashofk yzeed ya tha il7ob iljedeed"
'3azl was in the car behind me and I can see her smiling too through my rear view mirror. We both parked our cars, dashaina ilbait, salamna 3ala ommi and headed to my room
'3azl: ok so.. wain bitrw7wn?
7ala: madri
'3azl: shinw yen3i matadreen?! Ask!
7ala: ok ok I'm calling him now.. sssshhhhh!!

Jara7: hala walla
7ala: hi Jara7, shlonk?
Jara7: shloni? Well intay shraych, bachofch ilyom!!
7ala: I guess that means you're fine ( I teased)
Jara7: ee I'm fine (he teased back)
7ala: so wain bnrw7?
Jara7: I know inna the polite way is to ask inaty wain tabeen bitrw7wn. Bes ana il9ara7a I already have a dinner planned. So mara7 agwlch, it's a surprise.
7ala: jara7! You have to tell me! ye3ni shlon a8arir shinw albis to our first date?!
Jara7: just wear that lime green shirt you wore 3 days ago.. I liked that color on you.
7ala: nooo! I cant wear that to our firs… wait.. what?
Jara7: imbela wear it. You looked great!
7ala: shdarak what I was wearing 3 days ago?!
Jara7: whenever I can, ayi il koleya w I watch you getting out of the car and walking to the building. Aw il 3ex.
7ala: o
Jara7: shfeech? u didn’t honestly think inna I would WAIT for you to get comfortable to SEE MEE so that I can finally SEE YOU. Did you? (he teased) I see you whenever I want. Bes now, we will meet. Ye3ni achofch upclose.
7ala: stalker! (I was surprised at myself inna that didn’t make me mad. He changed me in ways I didn’t expect)
Jara7: call me illi tabeena. And by the way. The day that you dropped all your books and started running after your papers that were being blown by the wind.. I really did want to get out of the car and help you out. Bes 5ift t3a9been 3alay, cuz it was still early in our relationship.
7ala: omG you saw that!
Jara7: ee. It was very entertaining!
7ala: well…. Whatever, its ok.. Ya3goub happened to be leaving ilkoleya, and he helped me out.
Jara7: ee I know. I called him 3alshan yi6la3lch. I started to feel sorry for you (he teased)
7ala: that’s sweet bes in a really mean way! Anyways, min 9iji, I need to know what to wear jara7!
Jara7: 7ala kaifch. Libsay illi tabeena. I'm not telling you where we're going
7ala: fine! Ok so where should we meet?
Jara7: I'll pick you up min ilkoleya
7ala: na3am, na3am? Very funny! You're not picking me up from anywhere. Mara7 arkab ma3ak ilsayara jara7!
'3azl: what’s he saying?
7ala: jara7. Adg 3alaik in a while.
Jara7: hahaha..ok.. bye
'3azl: 7ala tara dating needs planning? Did you even think about what you're going to tell your parents?
7ala: amm nnoo
'3azl: ok,, don’t say anything. Bes if they happended to ask, you were studying bilkoleya like everynight.
7ala: I feel guilty already
'3azl: ee, that comes with dating in our society 7ala, bes none of us want to end up with someone in an arranged way. Bes as long as you don’t forget yourself, and you know your limits, you'll be fine.
7ala: ee inshalla
'3azl: 5ala9, 5alee iyeelch ilkoleya, and follow him from there. Aw itha tabeen, we'll go in my car, I'll follow him and then pick you up from wherever I drop you
7ala: ee chithi a7san
So, I messaged Jara7 to tell him what I had decided on, and waited for a reply. A couple of minutes later he replied.
Jara7: 6ala9 ok, by 5 kunaw blkoleya and follow me from there.
I was starting to get really nervous! Awal shay I wouldn’t even talk to him, now I'm going OUT with him. But I want to. How else will I really really get to know him?!
A while later, '3azl and I decided on an outfit: a beige Chloe silk shirt with pearl buttons and a ribbon that goes around the waste. '3azl tied it into a perfect bow. I wore skinny black trousers , and my moms dark golden Gucci heels. A cream shaila. Makeup: liquid eyeliner, mascara, some bronzer and my Mac Scant lipstick. Last but not least, a Burberry alligator skin oversized clutch.
I looked in the mirror.
'3azl: you look stunning!
7ala: thanks for the help!
'3azl: omG it's 4:30! Yalla we have to leave the house now!
In the car, I started to fidget.. I was getting soo restless and nervous!
7ala: abaaaih '3azl 7addi nervous!
'3azl: don’t be! Relax! Just have fun..
7ala: I can't breathe! This bow is too tight '3azl!
'3azl: its not tight!! Just relax 7ala.. its your first date ever.. enjoy it!
Dashaina ilparking lot mal ilkoleya and '3azl parked in an empty row. We sat and waited quietly. '3azl held my hand and squeezed it slightly. Faj2a my phone rang. It was a message from him: "ready for out big date?"
I was about to reply when a car parked right next to us. It was his Golden Cayenne…