Chapter 11: Just like my dream..

I put down the window and so did he.
Jara7: hala 7ala! '3azl, shlonch?
'3azl: tamam, il7emdilla. Int shlonk?
Jara7: never been better. (even while talking to '3azl he didn’t keep his eyes off of me. My face started to feel warm. In other words I was blushing. Jara7 let out a chuckle. I guess that means he saw the change in color in my face)
7ala: ok, sooo, we'll follow you.
Jara7: ee ok.. yalla. Mara7 adoos 3alashan lat'thay3wn
So '3azl started driving after him. I was getting even more nervous.
7ala: where are we going?
'3azl: I think bewadeech the beach in shweikh
7ala: the beach….?
A while later we had arrived. '3azl was exactly right. He parked his car, walked towards us, and opened the car door for me.
Jara7: mashkoora '3azl. Inshalla when we're done, she'll call you.
'3azl: have fun.
I slowly got out of the car. He closed the door after me and waved to '3azl as she drove away.
Jara7: a5eeran
7ala: hhmmm.. yaa (omG ma3arf atkalllam!)
Jara7: 6al3eeni.. 5aleene achoofch.
I put my head up and looked at him. He was smiling. Sincerely smiling. I could even see it in his eyes. Then he suddenly started to scan me, min fog lai ta7at. As though he was checking me out. Bkil thi8a, just checking me out! I felt awkward.
Jara7: I knew it. (what did he mean?!) ta3alay.
I followed him to his car. He unlocked it, opened the backseat door, and got something out. Faj2a, he came to me and bent down to my feet. I quickly took a step back! What was he doing!?
Jara7: shfeech 5tara3tay (he was laughing hysterically)
7ala: la walla?! Ye3ni if someone faj2a bent down to your feet mati5tir3?
I couldn’t resist laughing along when I understood what he was actually doing. He was trying to take off my shoes, and replace those high heels with his huge yellow crocs!
Jara7: you can't walk with those on the beach. Chithi arya7lch.
7ala: thanks (it took me ages to look this good. now I'm just an overdressed girl whose wearing XXXXXL bright yellow crocs)
We walked together down to the beach. I could see some candle light at a distance. As we got closer I figured out what it was. He had prepared a picnic on the beach. It was a red sheet, filled with candles and food. Japanese, to be more specific, and he had placed chopsticks at opppsite ends of the cloth. I guess that meant he wasn’t going to sit too close to me. Ashwa, no awkwardness.
7ala: this is beautiful Jara7.
Jara7: I'm glad you like it. I know you love Japanese, but I also know you won't let me take you out to a restaurant in public just yet.
7ala: you're absolutely right, about both points.
We sat down, he turned on a small stereo that was placed in the corner, it was the sweet voice of majeed singing in the background. And then we started eating. I was trying to eat in a polite way. You know, the way you eat when you know someone is watching? That way! He wouldn’t keep his eyes off me! We ate in silence for a while. It started to get weird. So I decided to break the ice and show him that I'm relaxed. I really was. And I was enjoying his company.
7ala: say something
Jara7: something
7ala: very funny Jara7
Jara7: it's not my fault I have such a great sense of humor. Ilmohim golely. What are you thinking right this moment?
7ala: madri.. nothing.
Jara7: shlon ye3ni nothing. You must be thinking of something
7ala: I'm thinking… innaa…the food is great..? (that’s is soooo not what I'm thinking about!)
He smiled to me and I smiled back. Our eyes locked with each other for a while. A long while. He had such dreamy eyes. So mysterious. He started singing along with majeed , with his eyes still locked with mine "7obn jded we7kayat 3shg majnwna.. allah y7ayeek ya 7obn lefaa tawa.. 7ob lah kelah o 7ob bes le3yona,, 7ob b a89a 5afogy bes lah howaa"
Now I wanted to know what HE was thinking.
7ala: what about you. What are you thinking?
Jara7: I'm thinking.. aaammm…the food is great too (I'm sure that's not what he's thinking about either)
7ala: hehhee ahaa .. well.. the food really is great
After a while we were done eating. I wasn’t full yet, but I didn’t want him to think I was a cow. I'll just have a proper diner bilbait.
Jara7: let's go for a walk
7ala: I'd love to.
He helped me up and we started walking. There was quite a distance between us. Maybe a meter. I know he was just trying to keep me comfortable. And it was working.
Jara7: soo..
7ala: soooo..
Jara7: you're very talkative over the phone. Shfeech?!
7ala: heheh mafini shay..
Jara7: 7ala, latisti7een mini.. its me .. the same guy you shout out over the phone..
7ala: I don’t shout at you! (then I realized my voice went up a notch). Sorry.. hehhehe
Jara7: don’t be..abeech chithi.. abeech tirta7ainli..
7ala: jara7, I'm very comfortable with you. Really, I am.. you have no idea how happy I'm feeling right now. It's all so romantic.. just like my dream, except that we were barefoot, and I wasn’t wearing crocs!
Jara7: ahaa.. ye3ni you dream about me..
7ala: (oops that slid out) not of YOU specifically.. I dream of dates in general..
Jara7: ahaaaa.. hahah.. you dreams of dates..in general?
7ala: hehehe ee..
I hadn’t noticed earlier. But he was closer now. Ye3ni if he wasn’t so much taller than me, our shoulders would be touching. That close. And I wasn’t feeling uncomfortable at all. It felt so right. This was one of the greatest nights of my life.
Jara7: you know what today is? Other than our first date ye3ni
7ala: and other than the best night ever?
Jara7: ee other than that too
7ala: la2, shinw?
Jara7: it’s my birthday
7ala: hehehe no its not… your birthday is on the…aaa… (omG it was then that I noticed that I had never actually asked him when his birthday was! I'm going to kill ya3goub! Why didn’t he tell me?!)
Jara7: today 7ala
7ala: omG I'm so sorry! I didn’t know! God I feel so bad now! I didn’t even wish you a happy birthday!
Jara7: ok.. go ahead now then (we stopped walking. We just stood there, in the middle of the beach with our eyes locked)
7ala: I wish you the best birthday ever. W il3omr killa inshalla
Jara7: this is the best birthday ever.. I couldn’t ask for a more perfect gift. Our first date, on my birthday? Nothing beats that..
Faj2a the tide got so much stronger. My trousers got soaked.
7ala: nooo.. uuggggh! (jara7 was laughing) what are you laughing about?! You're wearing shorts! Why didn’t you tell me so I would have chosen a more appropriate outfit (he was still laughing)
Jara7: yalla let's head back. It's getting late. Digay 3ala '3azl, unless you want me to drop you off (he teased)
7ala: as tempting as that sounds, but I'll call '3azl (I teased back)
I was feeling so much more confident. So confident that I just couldn’t wait for our next date. We continued walking back to his car. Laman wi9alna, he gave me my shoes back.
Jara7: keep the crocs (he winked at me)
7ala: thanks again, for this great night.. and for the crocs!
Jara7: you're more than welcome
We were quite for a few minutes, while we waited for '3azl to arrive.
Jara7: 7ala?
7ala: yes?
Jara7: can I ask you out on our second date?
7ala: finally..I thought you'd never ask! Ofcorse…I would more than love to go on a second date with you
Jara7: and 3rd and 4th and 5thand 6th and..
7ala: ok ok.. I get the point! and the 7th and 8th!
Jara7: 7ala.. I'm so lucky I met you..fee shay widdi agwlch iya bes I don’t want you to freak out on me.. and you don’t have to say it back.. (say IT back.. omG.. omG.. he's going to say IT! do I say IT BACK? Is it too soon? Do I really L him?!)..7ala..
7ala: yeeess?
Jara7: 7ala.. I think I'm in lo..
Faj2a I heard a loud honk. '3azl arrived. Noooo…!! So, I just said goodbye quickly as an attempt to avoid anymore awkwardness, and wished him a happy birthday again.
7ala: expect a great birthday gift bacher! an actual gift!
Jara7: inshalla.. yalla drive safely '3azl. Bye 7ala.. this was a great night.
On our way back, he messaged me..: "103.7"
I switched the radio station to 103.7. It was the sound of majeed singing 8arart amot fi 7obk.
I think I have made the same decision. He's the one I want to fall in love with. He's the one I will allow myself to fall in love with.