4. Leila, untouchable

A week went by, and my friendship with Leila grew stronger.It was like she we're best friends, with definate undeniable extra feelings, as in more than friends. She was simply fantastic, in every way i can think of. She always managed to somehow brighten my day, no matter how dark it got. I enjoyed every single moment i was in her company, and when she wasn't around, she was always on my mind. But of course she wasn't the only one on my mind. What Rawan said in her text message never seemed to escape my thoughts. 'I love you'? Lately I have felt a little more for her, but I'm just beginning to like her, and she's already in love with me? It's too fast, I didn't even see her this way until lately, How am I going to face her when she's back?

After my last class, i stayed in the campus' starbucks. "One white chocolate mocha, grande please, thanks" i nodded with polite expression engraved on my face. then i went and sat in what is now my usual seat- facing the cashier. I sat there, seemed lifeless, sinking in my ocean of thoughts- till that was interrupted with a couple of cold hands covering my eyes.

"Guess who?"

"you're back!! 7imdilla 3al salama!!" i shouted at the top of my lungs. It was Rawan. I stood up facing her, god i missed that face. I sat her down, got her her usual java chip frappuccino. It felt so good to have her back. I never realised i missed her that much till i saw her at that very second. "meta raddaitay?"

"tawa ma 9arli two hours" she answered with the same smile i had on.

"why didn't you text or something? I would've come ilma6ar for you"

"mabi ata3bik, adri you classes ib hal wagt"

"shda3wa Rawan, ta3abich raa7a" i winked

We talked for a long while, in which the widest smile had never been erased off my face. As we headed to the end of our conversation i realised something that really confused me.

When i'm with Rawan, i completely forget about Leila; then again when i'm with Leila, i completely forget about Rawan. It was so weird, i liked them both very much, but they both had very different personalities. Rawan's the innocent, naive type. It was so cute how childlike she can act sometimes. She's just adorable. Leila's different. She's more of a thinker (over-thinker at occasions), really sarcastic. She can make me laugh so hard that whatever beverage i'm drinking, whilst yapping along with her, always seems to make it's way out of my nostrils. I loved being with both so much.

"hey, so listen i'm not done with you, wanna go get something to eat or something?" she said while we both stood up.

"haha yeah sure why not" i answered with a happy expression drawn on my face. I took the her jacket that was hung at the back of her seat, and put it on her. As i was doing so, i saw Leila way back, far away, standing there just looking at me. She had a look on her face that suggested i had cheated on her. I looked back at her. I waited for something, but nothing happened. After a minute or so she just left with that same look.

"yallaaa emsh" she pulled my arm and headed towards the door. Leila's look had me worried. What was that look? If it was any other girl i'd say she was jealous, but not Leila. She's different. Unique.

We hopped into my car, drove off with Leila's stare never escaped my thoughts. For some reason i didn't want Leila to think that i was 'with' Rawan. Maybe that was my answer. The answer to if i should ever 'be' with Rawan. Maybe it's better for us to stay as friends.

We ended up going to a fancy lebanese restaurant. We had a good time, not great- like times we had before she left. Don't get me wrong she was still her own remarkable self. It was me. I couldn't stop thinking about what happened.

I couldn't sleep that night. I stayed up all night thinking Leila, and what's she gonna say tomorrow. I left for uni early the following morning. I wanted to go talk to Leila, i wanted to go get things out in the clear- that Rawan is just a close friend, nothing more- at least thats what i thought. I went in through the glass doors and headed straight to her classroom. It had already begun, so i sat on the floor outside waiting for her. After a long hour her class ended and she got out. She saw me sitting on the floor looking at the door waiting for her to come out. She flashed away a half-a-smile and asked me to get up. "Come, walk with me big head"

"yeah well girls like it" i replied to her unnecessary remark, with a hint of cockiness

"well the girl yesterday sure seemed to like it" she looked at me, straight into my eyes.

"yeah, thats what i wanted to talk to you about" i began "she's a friend, thats all. I've known her since forever and..." i stopped for a moment, someone was behind her trying to grab my attention by waving. It was 3azooz. He was heading towards us.

"ha bo ya3goob 3ash min shaafik, shlooonik sha5baarik" he looked at Leila then at me. His smile grew big. He placed his huge arms around her and... "i see you met the future mrs. 3azeez" ...