I received a message from him: "I'm Qais. Save my number and respond, it's urgent." I didn't reply and closed the phone. I went to the bathroom, washed my face, changed my clothes, and went downstairs to eat. I had spent a few days outside the house, and I found my mother and father having a meal. I took a plate, and my father asked me about things. I said: "Fine." He was looking at me, but I did not meet his eyes because I knew he would realize that things were not okay.
I finished my meal quietly and excused myself to go read. I love reading and have a special corner for it in every part of the house. I sat in my room in a secluded corner, put on music, and isolated myself from the world while I read. I didn't notice that my father entered my room and said: "I have a guest, please." I took off my headphones, and it was Qais. I quickly stood up and placed the book on the sofa.
My father said to me: "He wants to talk to you outside." Qais looked at him and said: "Thank you, uncle." My father and Qais had a good relationship because Qais lost his father when he was young, at the age of eleven, and my father had always been caring toward him. But as my engagement progressed, my father became very worried about me, especially since I was raised by my grandfather.
Back to Qais, he said firmly: "Why didn't you answer my calls and messages?" I pretended I wasn't afraid, but to be honest, my heart was trembling with fear. I was facing a tall, dark, muscular man, with sharp features, and extremely tense. I said: "I don't want to talk to a cold person like you, and our agreement was that I wouldn't bother you, and I'm trying that."
He looked at me and said: "Get ready." I said: "I don't want to." He said angrily: "Get ready immediately, and I don't want to hear 'no' after I speak." I said: "I don't want to go anywhere with you." He lifted me up, and I screamed, asking him to put me down. My father was shocked, and Qais apologized: "Forgive me, uncle, your daughter is stubborn."
My behavior was expected of me, and my father laughed, saying: "No problem." I thought my father was starting to feel comfortable with Qais, but my mother had a different opinion. We arrived at the car; the weather was cold, but the car was warm. I muttered to myself: "What does he want? He's just like his grandfather, does as he pleases, and no one can stop him."
He said to me: "We'll go somewhere for a short time, and I'll return you to your room so you can continue your novel." I did not answer a word; I chose silence. We arrived at my grandfather's palace, and I said to him: "Today we were at grandfather's, didn't you get bored?" He said: "Yes, but this time is different." He set me down, and I was shocked because he didn't let me wear anything on my feet. We arrived at the guest room, and Qais asked my grandfather to come down.
He said firmly to my grandfather: "Today, you insulted my wife and told her she is a foreigner's daughter, and I want to restore her right." I was astonished by his behavior; I had never expected such a thing in my whole life. My grandfather said: "And where is the wrong? She really is a foreigner's daughter." Qais said: "She is a daughter of this family, your daughter, and from now on, no one has the right to speak on this matter. Something unexpected will happen." All of this happened, and I was stunned.
He lifted me and said: "I will repeat my words to you, grandfather. I do not want you to interfere in my privacy or in preparing my wedding. I am the first responsible for everything; you are only invited." He continued to the car and set me down, and I was amazed all the way. I wanted him to pinch me or bite me so I would wake from this dream.
Qais looked at me and said: "I am not him, I am me, and no one is like me." I said to him: "It doesn't matter, and thank you for defending me." He said arrogantly: "We are friends now, aren't we?" I looked at him in surprise and said: "Yes, yes, friends." He said: "May I invite my friend to something she likes?" I looked at my clothes and said: "It's not possible like this." He looked at me and said: "No problem, I have a solution."
He got out and brought me shoes, which fit perfectly, put his coat on me, and asked me to go down to buy clothes. I said: "No need again." He insisted: "No, today you are going down." I bought pants and a warm wool sweater with polar bears on it; it was childish as I usually liked. He asked them to bring coats and chose a long, warm black coat.
Then he asked me: "What do you want to eat?" I said: "I've already eaten." He said: "Let's drink something if we go to a café overlooking the sea." The sunset was breathtaking. I asked for cocoa, and he asked for coffee. The different orders made me feel silly, but he didn't care.
He looked at me and said: "Are you satisfied?" I said: "Somewhat." He said: "All this and 'somewhat,' what should I do to remove your anger, my friend?" I said: "I was joking, no need to do anything, I'm fine now, thank you." I looked at him hesitantly and said: "I didn't know you were kind; I thought you were like a black hole, scary and incomprehensible." A yellow smile appeared on his face, and he said: "And now, how do you see me?" I said: "Somewhat kind." He smiled and said: "Thank God."
After that, silence fell for a few moments, and he asked: "Did you save my number?" I said: "No, my close friend saved it." I was surprised and said: "My close friend? Aren't these too many things for me in one day? I can't handle this generosity of kindness anymore." He said: "From today, we are friends, no limits between us. Ask for anything you want, and I will be kind to you."
I was very surprised, and my facial expressions showed it. He said: "Don't be surprised; I didn't expect to be kind, but you said a word that upset me: that I am like my grandfather and no one likes me. So I thought I'd be kind to you, even if you don't like me." I lowered my head and eyes to the ground and said: "I apologize for my words; I didn't mean it. I was just angry. I promise I won't say this again." Suddenly, the sky filled with rain.
I was absorbed in watching the breathtaking view, but he was looking at me strangely, as if he didn't see anyone around him but me. I broke his gaze and asked: "What are you looking at?" He said: "Nothing." People were hiding from the cold, and I was waiting to go out and catch raindrops in my hands. I had finished my cocoa, and he had finished his coffee. I said: "Let's go." He said, "I got bored this fast." I said: "No, it's not that, but I don't want to disturb you more."
He said today he was free. I looked at him childishly and said: "Sure, may I make a request?" He said: "Of course." I asked to play in the rain. He laughed hysterically, thinking I was joking. I looked at him seriously and said firmly: "What's funny? It's simple. I want to play in the rain. Is that hard for you?" He said: "I'll watch you while you play." He looked at me and said: "Okay, but on the condition that it's not here." I said: "Then where?" He said: "Somewhere with no one else around; I don't like anyone watching you while you play."
I said: "The rain will stop if we stay here. Shall we discuss the conditions?"
He surrendered and said: "Go out and play, I'll wait in the car." Like a child, I played in the rain, approached the car, and looked closely at the window. I told him to come down and play with me. He said no. I looked at him carefully: "Are you sure?" He opened the car door and came down. We played in the rain. Afterwards, he said: "Enough, you'll get sick." He took me to his palace so I wouldn't catch a cold. My clothes were wet, but it was closer than my home…