Bittersweet 7

A day at 79a's house was great! It was just what I needed. 79a's house is huge and
usually filled with her brothers. She's the only daughter her parents have, and the youngest 
child, so she pretty much got whatever she wanted. We watched movies on her gigantic

TV screen, gossiped, did our nails, the usual girl stuff.

We were eating chocolate cake in the kitchen when her mother asked her to come help 
her with something. I finished my cake while I waited.

"No you sent the wrong papers! …. I have them right here!" A manly voice echoed from the 
hallways. I could here it getting louder.

"They didn’t tell me anything! … Fine e-mail them to me as soon as they arrive!" Mayed 
annoyingly clicked his phone off and opened the fridge.

I just sat there without saying a word.

Mayed is 79a's older brother. He's going to attend his second year of university at Yale. 
He's also the most handsome amongst his brothers.

I sat there in silence as he took out a jug of orange juice, walked over to the cabinet to 
get a glass, and poured the juice into it.

He finally noticed me sitting there when he was halfway through his glass.

"Noora!" He blurted, and spilled orange juice all over the counter. I quickly got up.

"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry!" I apologized and grabbed a small towel to wipe the mess.

"Wallah I didn’t see you there…I.."

"Laa laa 3adi wallah." And continued wiping.

"Let me help you at least." He grabbed a couple of napkins and wiped the rest of the juice.

I watched his arm extend to the farthest point on the counter where the juice had been 
spilled. His arm muscles flexed under his tight white faneela.

"Hey sorry t2a5art…MAYED?" 79a shrieked surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Uhh.." He opened his mouth but no words came out.

"Matst7ee enta? Can't you see I have company?" She referred to me. "Yallah bara3!" 
And she pushed him out of the kitchen.

"I'm sooo sorry Nooro I thought he wouldn’t be home.." She apologized.

"Laa its okay wallah!"

"Ba5abr baba 3laih bychoof!"

I laughed at her. Wallah she always gets her way.

7laila Mayed. He's grown up so much. I haven’t seen him in probably 3 years. He's 
become very manly. Looks like I should come over to 79a's more often!

Bittersweet 6

A week has gone by and I haven’t seen Rashid since that incident at Napolito. 
Whatever a9lan mayhmny.

It was finally Thursday, the first day of the weekend. I waited outside the school gates 
for 79a so she could pick me up and we can go back to her place. She has like a 
million brothers (mashallah) bss she says they're all not home. Why do I have a feeling 
she's lying to me hal soosa?

Wallah t'6a7k.

Okay now I really wanted to leave because I see a silver Panomera pulling into our 
school's driveway. Okay he's the last person I want to see right now! Shu yba?

He stepped out of the car, and instead of waiting like last time, he marched towards the
bawaba. 5aiba wain sayr hatha? He just kept walking until he stopped. 
Right in front of me!

"Hey!" He greeted. Awana 3ad a7een! I just lifted my eyebrows at him, like, is
he serious?!

"Shu feech? I said hey!" He repeated, smiling his KILLER smile! Yaa rabi Noora
don’t lose focus!

"Hi." I finally replied coldly.

"Sh7alch?" His smile widened. Uff shu yba ha f'6ee7a everyone is staring!

"What do you want?!" I snapped. His expression changed. He looked kind of 
disappointed.

"5aiba 5aiba! What was that for? I didn’t say anything wrong!" He's so defensive!

I rolled my eyes at him. He smiled. Okay why is he still standing here?!

"So you're Man9oor's sister." He tried opening a conversation. I nodded and 
pretended I'm texting on my phone.

"I should have known, I mean you have the same eyes." He continued. I looked at 
him from the corner of my eyes, and lifted an eyebrow at him.

"Ya waily 3al na'6rat!" He giggled. Is he flirting?! Why is he flirting?! 8aleel adab he 
has a girlfriend! Speak of the devil…

"Rashid?" a voice interrupted our very interesting conversation. We turned around to 
discover that it was Salama who quickly ran towards

us and hugged Rashid.

"Rashid 7abeeby you didn’t say ena you were going to come today." She said in the 
fakest girlish voice ever.

I rolled my eyes at them, and slowly walked away.

"Wait!" I heard Rashid's voice say.

I stopped but I didn’t turn around.

"You know her?!" Salama asked in disgust.

"Yeah she's a friend of mine." He replied. What the hell chathab! I turned around and 
he winked. OMG shu mshklta hatha?

"No, Salama I don’t know this guy." I glared at him.

"Bss knti tkalmeena." She snapped at me.

"MA3ARFA!!" I barked and walked away.

Thank God 79a was already there waiting for me in the parking lot. I ran to her and told 
her the whole story. As usual, she overacted and got excited. But then she told me to 
forget about it. He was a player mayst7ee 3a wayha! I agreed and we were off to 
her house.

Bittersweet 5

I wasn’t really paying attention to 79a's evil plot, but somehow we arrived at Napolito. 
(A Mexican Restaurant)

As 79a was parking her car, she spotted Salama and Rashid sitting on a table together, 
looking like they're about to order.

"They're on a date!" 79o stated the obvious. I followed her towards the restaurant when I 
realized what we're doing.

"79a stop!" I grabbed her arm.

"Shoo! Let go! Yallah mshee!" She ordered.

"La2! 79oo n7na may59na feehm! 3aib!" I walked back towards the car.

After arguing with 79a in the parking lot, I finally convinced her to leave them alone. I 
mean seriously, who are we to stalk my brother's friend and his girlfriend? It's really none 
of our business.

We got back into the car and drove past them as we left.

I glanced one last look at them, when I noticed he looked up, and stared straight ahead. 
Straight at me!

"Shit 79oo chafna!" I shrieked, sliding down in my seat, but it was too late. He saw us 
and stood up. I quickly rolled up the window as 79a drove away, and watched his 
expression change as he sat back down.

SHIT what just happened! He saw us spying on them. How embarrassing! This is the 
second time I get embarrassed jdama! What's he going to do? Will he tell Man9oor?
Will he tell Salama? Am I in trouble?

79a just drove us back to my house, and we ran straight to my room.

"So what's the plan." 79a said, as she took off her 3abaya.

"There is no plan 79oo! 5ala9 I want nothing to do with him! I don’t want to see him 
ever again! Fgata!" I yelled, and kicked the pillows on the floor. 


I don’t know why I was so angry! I just was. And not just at Rashid, but at Salama as well! 
That slut never gets enough!

"She thinks she's so perfect with her skinniness and her big brown eyes, and 
extensions! Everything about her is fake! Fake fake fake everything!"

I continued yelling when I noticed that I was thinking out loud. I turned to face 79a who 
looked like she couldn’t decide weather to laugh

or be scared.

Finally she spoke; "5alaa9 forget about him that jerk! Wallah fi a7la ow a7san 3ana!
You can do way better than Salama!"

"I don’t want him a9lan! I never did." I lied, and 79a could tell. She just nodded and 
pretended to agree with me before I threw another tantrum.

Bess she was right. I can do better than that slut. I looked at myself in my full length mirror.

My height was fine. I wasn’t too tall or too short. I wasn’t overweight. I don’t wear too 
much makeup. Yes. I can do way better than Salama. Whocares about that jerk 
Rashid. Anyone who dates Salama doesn't know what he's missing out on.

Bittersweet 4

I spent the whole day staring at my watch, waiting for the bell to ring so I can GET OUT
OF HERE. 


The girls haven’t changed at all. They haven’t grown up. The whole senior class was a 
disgrace. Especially Salama and el shlaa. Allah yhdeedhm wallah they're so fake.

Salama is the most stuck up, bitchy, ma3roofa girl in all of Dubai. There's nothing she 
hasn't done, and there's much more she's willing to do. Hee ow her friends are all the 
same, and I want nothing to do with them.

School was finally over and I was the first person to race outside the school doors and 
wait for 79a to come rescue me from this hell.

The end of the day at our school is always Salama and her friends' favorite part of 
the day because usually the girls' brothers come pick them up from school, and gom
Salama totally getting attention from them. Sa5eefat wallah.

I looked around the school parking lot for 79a's car, but I couldn’t find it anywhere.

That's when a silver Panomera pulled into our school's driveway. I watched all the girls 
giggle and stare, knowing it was a guy who was driving. The door opened and out 
stepped a tall broad-shouldered guy, wearing aviators.

All the girls went ballistic. What a jerk, who comes to an all girls' school pretending 
like he has a sister to pick up?

The guy leaned against the door of his car, as if he's waiting for someone.

That’s when he took off his sunglasses, and I couldn’t believe my eyes! It was Rashid! 
My Rashid! Aaa3 shu my Rashid ba3ad! I mean Rashid Man9oor's friend! What is 
he doing here!

He smiled at the crowd of girls standing at the doorway. I have to admit he has a 
KILLER smile that could make your heart stop beating. All the girls giggled and 
sighed, when out of the blue, Salama appeared. He held his arms out and she ran 
into them, hugging him. All the girls just stared with eyes and mouths wide open. 


Including me!

Salama gave the girls a devilish wink and they drove off.

Okay .. WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!

BEEP BEEP!

My angry thoughts were disturbed by 79a honking. Wait, why was I angry?

I ran towards the car and quickly got in. Before I had a chance to say anything,

"OH MY GOSH DID YOU SEE THAT?!" She shrieked.

"Yeah I did." I said coldly.

79a looked at me confused.

"What?" I asked

"Shoo what?! Chftee? Did you notice ena that was Rashid! Your Rashid?" 
She yelled.

"He's not my Rashid." I snapped, and turned on the radio. She quickly turned
it off.

"Aaayy!" I complained.

"Nawari enty 9a7ya?" She asked sarcastically.

"Shoo mshkltch?! Yeah he's Salama's boyfriend, so what?" I turned the radio
back on.

79a didn’t say anything but she gave me a what-is-your-problem look. I immediately 
understood and said; "Inzain a9lan there was never something between us! Why 
should I be pissed?" I told her.

"Okaay fine fine! Kaifch! If you're not going to deal with the bitch, I will!" And she 
raced behind Rashid's car.

"79A WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" I said, struggling to put on my seatbelt.

"Investigating." She said smiling.

"79a you're STALKING! Ow this isn’t funny!" I scolded her, but she didn’t care. There 
was no use, so I just sat back and witnessed her craziness take over.

Bittersweet 3

3la 6ool I texted 79oo!

Nawari: PING!!!

            WAINCH??

            YALLAH BSR3A!

Hessa: Haa Haa I'm almost there!

            Shu feech :S

Nawari: I'll tell you as soon as you get here!

A couple of minutes later 79a arrived. I ran out the door and jumped into her car.

"YALLAH GOOLI" 79aa shrieked.

"Enzain salmi awal yal rude!" I joked at her.

"Yeah okay salam w 3laikm, yallah tell me!" She refused to move the car until I started 
talking. I told you, she always wants to know everything!

"W 3laikm el salam, anyway, you know Man9oor is visiting for the summer 9a7?"

79a nodded and started driving.

"Well, he has his friends over and I guess they were staying up late because they were 
still awake when I left the house. So I was sitting in the 9alah waiting for you when my 
brother and 7amdan and Rashid, those guys from Chilies, walked out of the meelas 
and headed upstairs."

"NO WAY?!" 79a shrieked, and hit the breaks of her car, causing me to hit my head 
against the dashboard.

"ENTI MAYNOONA?!" I yelled rubbing my head.

"Sorry I got excited!" She apologized.

"Fine! If you're going to try to kill us then I wont tell you that he stopped and started for 
what seemed like eternity before Man9oor called his name to wake him up."

"OH MY GOSH!!!!" 79oo continued shrieking. I giggled knowing she would go insane. 
She did continue driving safely though.

"Ana 5ala9 ba3eesh fii baitkm." She joked. She practically does live with us already. 
She's there most of the time without me knowing it.

We arrived at my school but I didn’t want to get out.

"Nawari yallah you're going to be late!" She tried to convince me.

"Ta3aly ma3ay!" I pleaded.

"I can't! I don’t attend school hnee! Mamnoo3!"

After sitting in the car for a couple of minutes, I finally decided to get out.

I walked towards the school doors, not wanting to be here more than ever, and 
watched as 79oo drove away to her school. Ufff I really hate this! I walked through the 
school bawaba and noticed all the familiar faces from my previous years here. This is
a nightmare wallah. All those sluts, and stuck up snobs attempted to fake smile at me, 
but I ignored and walked past them. Oh boy, here we go.

Bittersweet 2

The day I was dreading all summer has arrived. The first day of school. I was awakened 
by our 7ashra Filipino nanny Mary Lou.

"Nawari wake up! Yallah today first day school!" She said as she turned off the ac and 
opened the curtains.

"CLOSE!" I yelled back, covering my face with my sheets.

"Nawarii! Hassa now will come yallah!" She reminded me.

Oh 9aa7 79a was taking me to school on the first day. Allah y3een! On that note, I got 
up and got dressed and ate my breakfast. I was the only one awake since I'm the only
one out of my siblings who still attends high school. I expected it to be very quiet 
downstairs considering everyone was asleep. Surprisingly I heard 7ashra coming from
the meelas. I bet my brother Man9oor and his friends are still sahraneen from yesterday. 
They don't have to start jam3a until mid September. Lucky.

Man9oor attends jam3a in California State University in Long Beach. He'll be traveling 
soon, but we're going to visit him there during Eid Break.

I was sitting waiting for 79a in the 9alah when I heard the meelas door open, and the 
voices were getting louder.
Should I stay mkani or leave?

I decided to sit and pretend I'm watching TV or something.

I glanced to see who was there, and I spotted them.

Man9oor, 7amdan, and .. RASHID.

Man9oor and 7amdan kept walking towards stairs as if they didn’t notice me sitting 
there, but Rashid kept standing mkana. Staring with his big honey colored eyes.

"Rashood!" Man9oor called from the staircase. Rashid looks like he's been snapped 
out of what was probably a daydream, and caught up with my brother and 7amdan.

AWKWARD!

Bittersweet 1

You know that feeling towards the end of the summer when you're so excited and
you cant wait to go back to school? You bought all your new school stuff min el sfar,
bag, notebooks, binders etc. and you just want to see everyone back at school. I feel t
he complete opposite right now! I do NOT want to go back to school. Nothing personal
against my school though. It's a pretty good school compared to others I've seen
around Dubai.

It's just that all the girls at school REALLY get on my nerves. And I don't mean like
those selfish mean girls that they always have in those American movies, bss those
annoying 5agagat girls who care about nothing but themselves, and their only interest
in life is boys.

Anyway, it was at the very end of summer, and school was starting in a couple
of days and I was sooo not in the mood for anything. Just thinking about it made
me depressed!

"Noora!! Noora yallah stwa el '6hr ow enti b3adch ragda ?!" my mom's high
pitched voice awakened me from my slumber. And since I was fii sab3 nooma all
I could reply back was; "Mmmm !!!"

"Noora yallah goomi" She continued. "Lazm et3adleen rgadch 7ag el mdrsa!"

Gosh that word always depresses me. Mdrsa. I'm going to have to ajabl hal ashkal
for 11 months!!

Yaa rabi!

I was forced to wake up after only 5 hours of sleep thanks to 79a who refused to hang
up the phone until 7 el9b7. 79a is the only person in the whole world who knows every
single detail about my life. What time I wake up, what time I sleep, when I'm eating,
even when I'm in the bathroom! She just magically knows! Wallah hal ensana fa'6ee3a
ma3rf min wain it6al3 information. Bss la thats good 3shan she has major stalking skills
which come in very handy!

Anyway, today 79a and I decided to enjoy our last taste of freedom before we start
our senior year. 3gb ma I showered and ate and got dressed, I noticed my BB light
flashing. Without a doubt, I was sure 79a 7arga my BBM with pings. I was right.

Hessa : PING!!!

            PING!!!

            PING!!!

            PING!!!

            ANA A7EEN YAYAA!

Does this girl ever sleep? Wallah t'6a7kny. I grabbed my handbag and ran downstairs
to the living room to find that 79a was already there chatting with my mom and
drinking tea.

"9a7 elnoom sleeping beauty!" 79a joked. We said goodbye to my mom, and
headed outside to 79a's car. Yes, her parents let her drive because they're cool like
that. She takes me everywhere.
We hopped in her little silver Porsche and took off to our favorite place to have lunch.
Chilies!

I ordered my usual spicy buffalo wings, while 79a ordered a salad. I love to enjoy what
I eat, so I dug into my wings and made a huge mess.

"Shway shway Nawari! People are staring!" She whispered, trying not to laugh

"3adii kla ajanb who cares." I smiled back and continued eating. I was so caught up
in my wings I almost didn’t notice the look on 79a's face.

"79oo shu feech ?" I said to her.

"Oh my GOSH!!" She quietly shrieked. I couldn’t tell if she was looking at me or
behind me. So I turned around and it was all clear.

The most gorgeous ma5loo8 I've ever seen was sitting behind us. He has the broadest
shoulders and thickest darkest eyebrows. His eyelashes were so long I could see each
sha3ra from across the restaurant. I don’t know if that gorgeous tan was natural or it's
just the lighting in the restaurant.
That’s when he noticed us staring. OMG!

He just smiled and pointed at his nose. I gave him a confused look. What's up with
his nose? Then I realized. I HAD SPICY SAUCE ALL OVER MY FACE.

"SHIT!" I muttered under my breath and quickly wiped it with napkin. He then giggled
and gave me a thumbs up to indicate that it was gone.

79a couldn’t stop laughing for the rest of our lunch. My entire face was red, and not just
because the sauce was too spicy. It was the most embarrassing thing ever. We decided
to quickly finish our lunch so we can leave ASAP!

As soon as we paid the bill and got up to leave, the silence of the restaurant was
interrupted with a loud ;

"RASHOOD!" said a thick heavy voice that belonged to a guy that just walked into 
the ma63am. A second later we heard ;

"7AMDAN!" and the extremely gorgeous guy who was sitting behind us got up and
salam 3la the dude that walked in.

Before anything else happened, we were gone in a flash. I could see Rashid from the
window looking around the ma63am, when he spotted us getting into the car and
driving off.