Chapter 3
The nightmare ended, and my life returned to its previous state of calm and tranquility. The spring break was over, and we returned to our studies. As usual, Ahlam and I, at the beginning of the new term, went to one of the small restaurants near the university for lunch and some chat. Since Faisal’s proposal to me had happened over the break, I wanted to bring it up with Ahlam, hoping she might reconsider how she viewed her relationship with Faisal.
Faisal wasn’t important to me. He could marry any other girl for all I cared. What mattered to me was Ahlam. I didn’t want her heart to break or to be burned by betrayal. Despite her family’s liberalism, she had high morals and a sensitive heart.
I told her, “Isn’t it time for us to celebrate you and Faisal?” I said this while she was sipping her juice through a long straw. I noticed her biting down on the straw, her eyebrows furrowing.
In a confident yet sad voice, she replied, “It’s not time yet. We’re still sorting out our feelings.”
I was stunned by her words. My shock and disbelief quickly turned to anger as I blurted out:
“What????? Sorting out your feelings? Are your feelings not in order? And if they’re not sorted, will you just leave each other? Ahlam, what are you talking about? Did you have a fleeting relationship with Faisal? How could your morals and upbringing allow you to get involved in such a fruitless relationship?”
With every word, I could see my friend's eyes shifting—sometimes looking at the ground, sometimes widening in surprise. When I finally finished, she looked at me and said, “What’s wrong with you? Have you gone mad? How could you think that of me? Just wait, and I’ll tell you everything when it ends in marriage. Please be patient and seek refuge from the devil, so he doesn’t fill your head with doubts about your friend’s morals. We’ve known each other for five years; all I ask is that you pray for me to achieve what I hope for.”
I apologized, placing my hand over hers, and told her that I always prayed for her and truly hoped that this relationship would lead to marriage and peace of mind for both of them.
She then asked me, almost pleading, not to call what she had with Faisal a “relationship” because it would diminish what was between them.
I didn’t comment on that, though I promised not to use the word “relationship” again, despite my confusion. If two people are in love, what else would you call it if not a relationship?
Our usual meal ended, and we left the restaurant, heading to our homes.
You might wonder why I didn’t tell her about Faisal’s proposal to me. I didn’t see it as necessary. After all, the proposal wasn’t going anywhere. I didn’t want to lose my friend, nor did I want to hurt her, so I kept quiet. In my silence, I could preserve our friendship, but over time, I realized that our friendship was destined to end.
Our studies kept us both too busy to mention Faisal. It was an incredibly challenging year, demanding both physical and mental effort. We were divided between our hospital training and the numerous research papers we had to complete. We also had to manage a mountain of copied documents, which Ahlam and I split between us, taking turns to copy them.
One day, it was my turn to go to the copy shop. After finishing my copying, I headed back to my car. Midway, I ran into Faisal. For a moment, my eyes froze on him, but I quickly collected myself, shifting my gaze to the papers in my hands. I tried to move naturally, though inside, I was trembling, sensing an unavoidable confrontation on the horizon.
As our paths drew closer, I heard him say, “Please, I need a few minutes of your time.”