Serendipity 24

Nouf

Fares looks so distanced, i wonder what's bothering him. I'm not good with emotions and saying the right thing at the those times. You'll find me smiling awkwardly at someone crying thinking: should I pat their back or should i smile less; should i add an its ok.. What if its not ok? how should i know?
I go for distraction is the best policy. Its my way in helping lift up people's spirit and i mean it in a very genuine way. Its the only thing i can do and i wont stand there doing nothing. I just can't...

"It so cold" i attempt in starting a conversation. He looks at me, smiles with a courteous nod and takes a puff on his cigarette. It doesn't surprise me that he smokes. His looks give the impression that he was born with a cigarette in his hand. Its part of his bad boy kinda image. I'm disappointed though. Why do guys think it makes them look better or macho? It doesn't smell good either and this whole thing with the yellower teeth and bad breath.... disgusting. Still didn't have an effect on perfect Fares though, but it doesn't look good.

"What's wrong?" Fares looked at me closely under his knit eyebrows. At that moment i realized that i was staring at him with a disgusted look on my face. "You have a bad habit of staring and not talking..."
I winced at his comment as i remembered the time i stared at him by the parking lot. "I was thinking how do you tolerate the taste and smell of the cigarettes  its.... disgusting"
He looked at me with half eye.. whaaaat did i say, oh god i need a brain to mouth filter and face mask... "Its the feeling you get with it, everything else shuts down and you're there somewhere...." he pauses to take another puff. I swear i could die of the smell, its causing some weird nauseous feeling in my stomach. He let the smoke out regardless of the expression on my face and continues, "...thinking of nothing just about where does this smoke goes. Its relaxing."

He stared back into the horizon and left me hanging there. Was this the end of the conversation? I can't believe that the company of his cigarette is better than any other human being. Its so difficult to talk to him. It literally hurts my brain to come up with a conversation to talk about. Even the silence between us is too tensed, i can feel it. Like what am I doing standing here... Is this what they call a spark of attraction?... What does he like? maybe football, he looks like an athletic person. I hope he's not overly obsessed though, like those that get into fights and so on...  Or maybe he's into cars.... UGGH... talk, say something you handsome statue..

"Stop complaining silently" came Butti's voice from behind me. He probably heard my huffs and puffs. I don't blame myself. I could've lost my sanity to the twirl of thoughts given my tied tongue. I couldn't explain the feeling of relief that poured over me when i heard his voice. Finally a normal person. "Your hot chocolate."
Mariam, Haifa and Lojain came walking in behind Butti holding their warm drinks in their hands. Apparently, the mothers decided to stay away from the cold weather. The glass wall was enough for them to see the beautiful scenery.

Haifa winked at me pointing with her chin at Fares. Just make it more obvious, the fool thats standing beside the silent statue. I smiled faintly.

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Trying to "speed up" things, Haifa decided to try out her match making skills.
"Nouf! you should ask Fares about studying masters in the states. Fares, its safe isn't it?"
"Not for girls." he replies with no hint of interest in the subject. All he could think about is ways to leave to a more "entertaining" place.
"Typical!" Replies Lojain as she rolls her eyes. "A girl can be safe in any place if she knows who to mix with and where to go.."
"oh, really." A spark of interest finds its way into Fares' voice. "then you should stay at home"
"What do you mean, huh?" The tension between the two worked up. Lojain was not willing to let someone belittle her in any way. Especially not him with his ego issues, she thought. "At least i can be responsible."
"Its fine. You just need to know the right and appropriate places. If you take care, there's no harm." Butti joined the conversation but addressed his words to Nouf. "But the feeling you get after coming back... its difficult. Two years of your life here would be missed and when you return you will feel the gap. Its a strange feeling."
"Yeaaah but you get to have the experience of living alone. That's amazing!" Lojain was more excited than Nouf. She always wanted to experience the life abroad. Waking up in the morning in her own apartment, walking to work or college and passing by Starbucks on her way for a cup of coffee. Buying groceries, fixing the interior and all those little things that count.
Fares caught the excitement in Lojain's eyes. "You think its all fun? With your....... that attitude, you'll get yourself in serious problems."
"Well i've seen myself handle more responsibility than you ever did since we got here."
"Lojaiiiin" Haifa hissed trying to calm her down.
"Whaat? I'm being honest!" She looks around at everyone's faces. "I bet Butti took all the responsibility when you two were there, am i right Butti?"
Butti didn't want to go into this conversation. He turned around to look at Nouf, maybe dive into another conversation with her. Or maybe she should listen to this, maybe she should know how Fares really is. But he couldn't bring himself to do such thing to his brother.
"He did and I played hard" Fares smirked and puffed on his cigarette. "Got a problem?"
Lojain glared at him before walking away, "Pathetic."

Butti just laughed at the scene, it was amusing how Lojain could stand up in the face of his cold blooded brother. She could actually trigger him to talk and negotiate. He patted Fares on his shoulders, "1-0, step up your game bro."

The next twenty minutes passed along with interesting conversations. Lojain, Butti and Mariam were on one side talking about the States and studying abroad while Haifa and Nouf were engaged in a casual conversation with Fares. Nouf was able to gather more information about her prince regardless of Fares' rare contribution to the conversation.


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