Give fate a chance 5

“He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money.”

Benjamin Franklin

I heard two people whispering, but I can’t quite make out what they were saying.

I turned to the other side of the bed, to suddenly see a very bright light!!

I tried to open my eyes, but closed them quickly; the light was too painful.

You know when its dark for a long time, and then someone suddenly opens a flashlight two 

inches away from your eyes? Yeah similar to my situation except instead of a flashlight 

reema opened the curtains to reveal the blinding sun!

Reema: yaaalla rise and shine amigas!!

UGHH!!! Akraah hal 7araka!!

She’s an early riser and expects us all to wake up early too..

I shouted: REEEMOOO YA7MARAA CLOSE THE CURTAINS!!!

Reema: not gonna happen yallah gomay ka shaikha is in the bathroom o dalia bitgoom 

al7een naby nanzil nitrayag!

Ok breakfast is my favorite meal of the day!! I just cant say no to that..

Me: ifff ok

I yawned, stretched then pulled myself out of bed, ahh it was very comfortable!

I went into the bathroom and took a warm shower. I love warm showers in the morning!!

After I finished and got out of the bathroom, I blow-dried my hair and changed into my light 

green skinny jeans and off-white flowy blouse. I put on some mascara and announced that 

I was done!

Reema: me too!!

Me: latgoleely dalia lail7een bil 7amam!

Reema: I’m afraid she is!

Me: waaay yallah!

I am a very impatient person! Especially in this situation

Shaikha was applying her make up: nezlay entay o reemo o e7na nyeelikum

 Me: OKK! :D

Reema: laa 7aram khal nan6irhum!

I whispered: reeema plss 7ady yo3ana

Reema: iff okk

We took our bags and left the room..

I like the hotel’s interior design, it has this distinctive Arabian nights theme

It also makes me feel cozy, which is what makes a hotel special to me!

Anyway, we made our way to the hotel’s restaurant

Their buffet was so yummy! There were pancakes, French toast, waffles, eggs, hash 

browns, and so many other things..  I didn’t know what to choose!

Me: reema, khal nakhith min kilshay o we’ll share!

Her eyes popped out: maynona? Wayedd!!

She’s one of those diet freaks who barely eat anything

Me: waay ana maligait ella anzil ma3ach? Wainn shaikha ehya my food buddy!

Reema: walla entaw tibl3oon min e9ub7 laih bilail and you don’t gain a kilo! O ana bas a7i6 

eb 7aljy shay 3ady azeed ten kilos!

Me: mashallaaaah!! 7isdeeeena ba3aad!

Reema: mashallah! Im just saying..

Reema is soooo skinny, but she thinks she’s fat which is really sad, she doesn’t see how 

beautiful she really is!

Me: khaleeny sakta bas!

E7taramt nafsy and I filled my plate with only two pancakes and two hash browns.

Reema filled her bowl with special K cornflakes and milk..

We found an empty table and sat down..

Reema: so what’s the plan for today?

Me: lets go shopping today, o bacher ba7ar? I need a tan!

Reema: perfect! 3ad omy mwa9etny taby el celine luggage mini bag

Reema’s mother is the cutest! She’s like the perfect mother mashallah.

Her dad died when we were in grade nine, so her mother tried her best to spoil reema in 

every way possible.

But don’t get me wrong; she’s not the snobby, spoiled brat type. Reema is the complete 

opposite! She’s a pretty, down to earth and a very simple girl.

Reema is an only child, and so am I, but god blessed me with three sisters from different 

mothers!!

However, shaikha has two older brothers and Dalia has one older brother and two younger 

sisters.

Finally the princesses Dalia and Shaikha arrive with their plates..

Shaikha: allaah lamo mashift el pancakes wain mukana?

Me: hmm ill give you a piece if you gave me one of those delicious looking French toasts!!

Shaikha: DONE!

That’s how we do it, simple bargains that lead to a full, satisfied stomach! :D

She took one pancake, and placed a slice of French toast on my plate yum!!

I was just about to dig in, when I felt like someone was staring at me.

You know when you get this weird feeling that you just have to look up and see who’s 

looking?

I raised my head and saw this guy who was sitting on the table in front of us, just staring at 

me.

It was really creepy!

There were two other guys with him, but they were deep in conversation munching away on 

their food.

However, he had no food on his plate and he just sat there resting his head on his hand 

staring at me intensely.

Wait, is he staring at ME? Or someone behind me…

I turned around, but there was no one just the wall.

I lowered my head and continued eating my food in silence.

I’m sure kan emtani7 o akeed lama shaf the way I looked at him laf wayha!

Without thinking I looked up slowly just to see if he looked away, but no he was smiling this 

time.

SMILING TO ME!!

Wth? Who is he? Do I know him?

And then I realized, that face I’ve seen it before bas wain yaraby??!

I really suck at memorizing faces or names; I can only remember you instantly if I spent 

like a week with you.

Where did I see him? I squeezed my eyes; I tend to do that when I’m trying to remember 

something.

He has short black hair, with black intense eyes that freak me out! He has a goatee and 

very red lips mashallah china 7a6 7umra..

Bas uhwa mo 7a6, latifhmoony ghala6 :p

Ok am I staring?

I lowered my head… waay ma7ib chithyy I need to know where ---

TETHAKART!!! How could I be so stupid!

He was the creepy guy I saw yesterday at the bookstore!

He gets creepier everyday!

Reema interrupted my thoughts: lama!! Shfeech sakta??

Me: ha? Laa mafeeny shay!

I tried not to look at him, but I couldn’t help it, I had to see if he was still staring!

Iff ma7ib a7ad ekhizny wana akil!

It was like he was watching a movie, because he didn’t even look away once.

Give fate a chance 4

“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.” - Albert Pike

*ring ring ring*

I opened my eyes with my hands on my heart; the sound of the alarm will kill me one day.

It’s 8:30

I instantly smiled when I remembered the reason behind the alarm..

I jumped out of bed and the first thing I did was peek out the window..

Good the sky is clear..

I checked the weather app on my phone, and apparently it’s going to be sunny

El7imdila!

I headed to the bathroom to shower, with a smile.

After I finished, I packed what’s left of my things, changed and ran downstairs.

Mom: haa lama khala9tay shighlich?

Me: eee khalast

I told my nanny to put all the things in the car..

Me: yallah ana bamshy al7een!

Mom: la7thaa! Wilbanat wainhum??

Me: bnitlaga bil ma6ar!

Mom: ok allah y7afithkum enshallah!! 7a6aitay siyadtich o qur2an biljan6a??

Me: ee yuma 7a6ait

Mom: khalas 3ayal awal matoo9len diggay 3alay o kalmay ubooch 3ashan eyelikum!

Me: ok

I reached in and gave her a big hug, kissed her on the forehead, and ran to the car.

My dad is already in Dubai he has some work to do, so we will meet him there and then we’ll return to 

Kuwait together.

I got in the car..

Me: shakeel roo7 ma6ar

I wore my beats and enjoyed listening to some of Rashid al majid’s oldies.

Ahh the way to the airport is the best thing in Kuwait!

I love traveling, but the weird thing is that every time I travel I feel homesick and want to return to 

Kuwait.

Yet, this feeling never stopped me from travelling :D

I have been friends with Dalia, Reema, and Shaikha since middle school, and we’ve been very close 

since.

In our first year in university, we decided to travel every summer.

We usually travel alone; therefore, for some reason our parents find it safer for us to travel to close 

countries in short trips.

Except for last year we went to Spain and Italy because our parents accompanied us.

I received a text from shaikha

Shaikha: wainich?

Me: omw, you?

Shaikha: ana o dalia wi9lana waiting for you and reema!

Me: ok!

After a while I arrived at the airport, I grabbed a trolley and waited for shakeel to bring out my bags.

After everything was set I called shaikha

Me: aloo wainkum??

Shaikha: 9oob el check in!

Me: yallah kany yayatkum!

I pushed the trolley all the way to the check in area.. I saw shaikha waving

Me: heyyy

Shaikha and dalia: heey!!

Dalia: waay wanasa its that time of year!!!

Me: eee I can’t wait!!

Shaikha: you guys now that we graduated, does that mean we’re going to stop this tradition of ours??

Me: laa!! Lets think about the depressing stuff later shall we?

Reema arrived after a couple of minutes; we finished checking in and then headed to star bucks for coffee.

We ordered our drinks and rushed to the gate because they announced the final call for boarding.

I didn’t realize that we were so late, everything happened in a rush until we finally settled in our seats.

I sat next to reema, and shaikha sat next to dalia behind us.

Reema whispered: waay wa2akheeran ya hal yom!

Me: eee! 6ool el wagt during finals wana bs afaker eb hal safra!

Reema: abaih tadreen ana lail7een madry ay findiq 7ajaztaw!!

Me: way mkhadiya! 7ajazna eb the palace yam dubai mall

Reema: ee allah a7ib hal hotel!

Me: enzain ana banam shway 3ala ma no9al

I rested my head on the seat, closed my eyes and instantly fell asleep.

I woke up to hear loud noises..

Reema: LAMA GOOMAY W9ALNA!!

She was too excited

Me: ok ok I’m up!

I went to the bathroom quickly, I had to fix my self up before leaving the plane.

I brushed my long black hair then pulled it into a ponytail..

I straightened my blouse to fit into my skinny body and fixed my make up..

I walked out of the bathroom to see people already leaving the plane

Reema waited for me, I took my huge LV tote and we left the airplane

-----

We finally reached our suite! I was sooo exhausted! I threw my bags on the floor and jumped on the bed. 

Shaikha jumped after me, then dalia and reema joined in too.

Reema: AAAAAAH wanasssaaaa

Shaikha: ya 7maraa lat9arkheeen bathoony!!

Reema punched shaikha lightly on the shoulder: khaleeeny mishta6aaa

Shaikha jumped on reema, then reema screamed

Shaikha: tabeeen a3almich shlooon tishta6ain?

Yes shaikha wayed dafsha

Dalia and I started laughing..

Me: bs ya baanat!! Ana 7ady yo3ana!! Khanroo7 nitghada

Ok let me tell you something, food is my fourth best friend.

I’m that kind of girl who eats anything she wants and never gets fat. People envy me for that.

Dalia: waiih gamat etfaker eb ba6inha!!

Me: haha bs wallah mu yuwa3a entaw?

Shaikha: emballa ana yo3ana!

Me: ok yallah emshaww mishtahya joe’s café.

Reema: yallah

THANK GOD, there were two bathrooms. I mean I can share anything except for a bathroom.

So I went first into one of the bathrooms and the girls shared the other bathroom.

I changed into jeggings, an Yves Saint Laurent t-shirt, and a black blazer

I let my hair loose on my shoulders

After everyone got ready, we left.

We reached the mall and made our way to joe’s

The mall was crowded and hardly with any Emirati’s ..

We reached joe’s to find it full! We had to wait for thirty minutes to get a table..

Ughh I was craving their risotto!!

Me: shinsawy?

My phone rang..

It was my dad, abaih I totally forgot to call him!

Me: alooo

Dad: halaa baba shlonich??

Me: el7imidilla bkhair enta shakhbarik??

Dad: bkhair! El7imdila 3asalama wainich al7een?

Me: allah ysalmik, ana eb dubai mall ma3a elbanat!

Dad: enzain lataghdain, baye atghada ma3ach

Me: meta btyee?

Dad: ya3ny 3a6eeny sa3a

LAAAA!! Bs magdar arid :( + I really miss him and I want to see him!

Me: okk tam

Baba: wain tabeen takleen?

Me: joe’s pls mishtahyita

Baba: ok khalas meet me there in an hour

Me: ok bye

I hung up..

Me: sm3aw my dad just called and he wants to have lunch with me, so umm I’m sad to give you the 

permission to eat lunch without me!

Reema: laaa who’s going to eat half of my food??

Me: hahaha latkhafeen eb tomorrow’s lunch a3aweth

Reema: okk.. 3ayal nan6ir ma3ach?

Me: laa entaw roo7aw ana bashtry pappa roti I have to get some food into my system ba3dain baroo7 el 

bookstore elly foog badawer ketab 3ala ma yo9al uboy

Shaikha: khalas ok, so we call you 3ala el kha6 likwty ?

Me: ee

We parted ways, I went to pappa roti and bought the best bun in town, then headed to the bookstore.

I was looking for new interesting books for baking..

I really enjoy baking in my free time

I forgot about time, I swam deeper and deeper into the rows of books until my dad called and told me he 

was waiting for me in joe’s.

I gathered my books and went to the cashier.

I asked the woman for a book, but she told me it was sold out and they might bring it some time this 

week.

Working lady: give me your name and phone number so I can contact you when the book arrives.

Me: ok umm my name is lama al***** and my number is kuwaity because I didn’t buy an emarati sim 

card.

Working lady: yeah its ok

Me: ok its 0096599******

Working lady: thank you, I will be calling soon

Me: ok

I turned around to see a guy who was staring at me awkwardly..

He didn’t even look away when I looked at him!

I quickly moved around him and made my way out of the bookstore.

Give fate a chance 3

“A man is usually more careful of his money than he is of his principles.” -

Ralph Waldo Emerson

He let out a sigh..

Then removed the ghitra from his face

My heart was about to jump out of my chest ..

He looked at me..

I said a little too loudly: MI7SIN??

I placed my hand on my heart, I have to say that was a relief..

Mi7sin: ee shaikha dagat 3ala dalia o galatlina wainich..

Me: abaaih khara3tny!!!!

Mi7sin: haha asif.. bs laish mu gafla el beeban??

Me: madry wallah ana 3abaly enny gefalt’hum..

He just looked at me and smiled..

I smiled back.. wait

Me: wain dalia??

Mi7sin: bilsayara warana

Me: ohh enzain shloon ligaitoony? Maybayen shay!

Mi7sin: laa shda3wa ybayen, ya3ny elru2ya mu wath7a bs ebayen

Ok I have to admit sometimes when I get scared I exaggerate and let my imagination go wild, but really it 

was scary!!

Me: wallah madry ana mashoof shay o 7ady khayfa shlon binrid elbaiit???

Mi7sin: ana basfi6 sayarty hny, o bagool 7ag dalia tye sayartich o agi6kum elbait!

Me: o enta shloon trid? O shlon tkhaly sayartik hny??

Mi7sin: basee6a agol 7ag wa7id min erab3 emurny 3nd baitkum o aye weya hny akhith esyara

Me: eb hal ghbaar??

Mi7sin: hahaha shfeech wayed mkabra elmawthoo3? Tara mu lihadaraja.. o a9lan ga3id ekhuf

Me: hmm.. khalas elly eraya7ik!

He wrapped the ghitra around his face and got out of the car to cal dalia..

Before they came I jumped to the back seat since mi7sin is driving, thank god no one can see me..

I called shaikha to let her know that they found me..

Me: ee ka al7een beyoon o mi7sin besoog

Shaikha: ashwa! O tara umich ga3da t7aty wayed khal aadig 3alaiha!

Me: ee ok thank you my love!!

Shaikha: ahah ma baina 7abeebty

A few minutes later dalia and mi7sin got in the car..

We dropped dalia, then he dropped me to my house.

It was a very awkward car ride, I didn’t even sit in front next to him I stayed in the back seat.

After he dropped me off I thanked him and told him to take car..

Mi7sin: haha walla chinich umy ethanya

Me: ee el7areem wayed e7atoon

He’s really nice!

I got into the house…

Faj2a wela umy tyeely rakith witlimnyy

Mom: entay matyoozeen!! Kila chithyy adig 3alaich mobilich mughlaq?? Allah y3afy shayoukha 

6amenatny 3alaich! Ana ga3da hny galby y7tirig o entay matrdeen 3ala mobilich!

She was crying! It broke my heart.

And of course my eyes began to tear

Me: wallaa soorryy!! Ana kint ga3da adig 3alaich bas mu rathy yalgi6 elkha6!! Elwa7eeda elly theba6 

ma3aha shaikha!

Mom: elmuhim 3assa ma9aar fekum shay??

Me: laa el7imdilaa , yezaah allah khair mi7sin uhwa elly radna…

Mom: ee ya7laila 7abeeby maga9aar!

I just cant stand the thought of my mother crying because of me..

Me: yuma walla asfa.. pls latiz3leeen mnyy!

Mom: 7abeebty akeed mara7 az3aal minich! Bs shway khtara3t tadreen ba3ad ana wayed a7aty.. o entay 

bnayty elwa7eeda akeed bakhaf 3alaich!

I hugged my mom, wallah I love her so much!!

Mom: enzain 3ad khalastay shighlich? Bacher warakum safra.. 3asa maykansiloon el ri7la min hal ghbar!

Me: laaa enshallah maykansiloonha!! O ee khalast shighly bs bugaw elashya elly lazim a7i6hum bacher..

My friends and I are going to Dubai for four days, since we just started our summer holiday.

We just finished from our last course in university, which means we’ll graduate on January next year 

enshallah.

I still didn’t take all my papers or signed up for the graduation ceremony.

My phone started ringing..

It was Reema, my third bestie..

Me: aloo

Reema: la7thaa

*6oo6 6oo6*

Shaikha and dalia: aloo

She made a four way call..

Me: ahlaaan!

Shaikha: hala feech! Haa anqathkuum mi7sin??

Me: ee!! Waay dalia ukhooch eyanin 7ada 6ayib mashallah!

Dalia: adryyy 6ali3 3ala ekhta!

Reema: waay lazim edakhil 3umerha bilsalfa haha

Shaikha: enzain sm3aww sakartaw jna6kum??

All of us: eee

Shaikha: waay ana makhalast!!

Reema: kal 3ada shaikha lazim akher wa7da!

Shaikha: siktay entay akher wa7da eta7achaain kila zar3atnaaa!!!

Dalia: enzain sm3aw aham shay kilwa7da tyeeb thoob o seyada mu nafs kil marra bs ana ayeeb o e9eer 

za7ma 3alaih

Me: eee ana 7a6ait malyy

Reema: thakarteeny al7een a7i6

Shaikha: ok yalla ya jema3a I have a lot to do fa ana asta2thin!

Me: ana banam 7ady daykha o entaw namaw warana faz3a

Reema: waaaay wanasa okk yalla banam 3ashan e9eer e9ub7 bsr3a

Me: el7imdla wishikir lool yallah good night amigass

We ended the call..

I seriously can’t wait till tomorrow, yarab maku ghbar!

Give fate a chance 2

“A wise man should have money in his head, but not in his heart.” - Jonathan Swift

It was blinding! I can hardly see anything or anyone one meter in front of me.

I was petrified, I didn’t want to drive anymore; therefore, I parked my car in the emergencies lane.

I tried breathing in and out to calm myself down, but the sound of the car horns made it harder!

I started coughing; all I inhaled was the dust particles that suddenly invaded Kuwait.

It was scary how one second the skies were clear and the next you see this huge cloud of dust enveloping everyone as it passes by.

I can hear car engines, honks, and people shouting; but I can’t see them.

My heart started racing, I was stuck in the middle of the street on my way back home from The Avenues, alone.

My iPhone was acting gay. Every time I called my mother it would say, “user is busy”, and when my mom calls me and I pick it up I would hear strange voices and weird sounds.

I think the service is down.

I felt like I was going to cry

I was having the best evening! But now its ruined..

Nothing beats the feeling of complete relaxation you get after a massage.

Ahh, I felt like my body is finally satisfied. Like my bones are my friends again.

Yet, I feel like my bones became rock-solid now, all tensed up with fear.

I felt sincerely happy after my massage.

I was smiling like an idiot all the way from spa time to my car.

The best part of it was when I bumped into Dalia, one of my besties.

She went to the cinema with her brother whom later went to Caribou, where met up with them.

----

I received a call from Dalia as I made my way to the parking..

Me: ahlan!

Dalia: hala feech! Lama entay bil avenues haaa??

Me: eee shdarach?? :o

I started looking left and right waiting for dalia to appear..

I didn’t tell my friends I went to spa time because I called them on the same day and made the appointment.

I normally call two or three days before I want my massage, because its always full..

But I was like khanadig wajareb etha ligait and surprisingly I did.

Dalia: ta3aleely Caribou!

I slowed down..

Me: ok!!

I turned around and headed to Caribou.

I found Dalia and her brother Mi7sin..

I don’t know why, I just feel very shy around her brother! I didn’t expect to find him with her..

Me: esalam!

Dalia and mi7sin: wa3alaikum esalam..

Mi7sin: ha shlonich lama?

Me: el7imdila bkhair, enta shlonik?

Mi7sin: wallah tamam

He was the spitting image of Dalia, if I didn’t know them I would say they were twins. Except Dalia’s twenty-two years old and he’s twenty-seven, I think.

Dalia: gi3daay, shfeech wagfa?

Me: laa wallah lazim arid elbait al7een!

Many ga3da ou ukhoha mawjod, fashla!

Dalia: 3ayartech khalas ok I’ll see you later then

Me: hehe ok yallah bye

I walked to the parking.

While I was heading there, I checked my twitter account and everyone was tweeting ad3ya 3an eljaw.

Some people tweeted “waay shal ghbaar!” others tweeted “the weather is scary”.

And all I thought was, “way 3ad lazim ebalghoon! I bet the weather is just a little bit dusty, o allah el7afith!”

I reached my black Bentley and got in. The weather was dusty, but not as bad as my fellow tweeps have described. I started my car and left the parking.

Ok, I take that back. The weather was terrifying!

----

I don’t even know how I reached where I am now safely; I can barely see anything.

I called a lot of people but I kept getting the same thing, “user is busy”. UGH! I wanted to throw my phone out the window.

I was trying my luck, I kept calling and calling until finaalllyyyyy

Shaikha: aloo!! Lama shfeech 3asa ma sharr??

Shaikha is my second bestie.

Me: abaih shayokh eljaw ekhare3!!

Shaikha: 7ilfay? Dagga 3alay alf marra tgoleely el jaw ekhari3? Khara3teeny 3abaly feech shay!

Me: actually emballa! Shaikha I’m stuck bilda2ery el rabi3 o mashoof shay! O kil madig 3ala a7ad y6la3ly user busy way babchy!

Shaikha: chathaba!! Entay wainich exactly?

Me: umm, 9oob lulu hyper o madry shnu yamma ba3ad

Shaikha: okk. Sim3ay al7een I will see what I can do o I’ll call you dnt go anywhere!

Me: as if I can.. ok bsr3a pls!

Shaikha: okk

Iff the one time I don’t tell my friends enny 6ala3t e9eer kil hatha L

Estaghferalaah!!

I need a miracle, if only my Bentley could fly!

Ahh my car!! Ok I know mu wagty bs mabeeha titwa9akh :( I love my car so much.

I looked at my phone every five seconds hoping shaikha would call..

The weather was getting worse..

Which frightened me even more!

I swayed in my seat; it was getting uncomfortable.

Now, not only the outside of my car is covered with dust even the inside.

All I inhale is sand.

Suddenly,

Someone knocks on the window really hard then opens the passenger seat’s door.

My heart almost stopped!! I hadn’t realized that I didn’t lock my car J

He was wearing a ghitra and dishdasha

His ghitra was wrapped around his face so I don’t really know who it was.

He quickly sat down and closed the door.

All the while, I was frozen in my seat.