5. Guys night out

"mrs 3azeez?" I looked puzzled

"ee, I mean... wait you didn't know?" he returned the same puzzled look.

"Alf alf mabrook! Ya &%$#% ma getli 5a6ib!" I replied with a huge fake grin, trying to hide my true feelings. We hugged. I then looked at Leila standing against the wall biting her pinky not knowing what to do, or what to say. I cleared my throat, "Mabrook Leila" I said with a calmer tone and a subtle yet undeniable angry look portrayed on my face.

"So what're you doing together?" He looked at Leila, which was now gazing at the ground as if solving a hard math equation.

"Umm, he was just... Mm," She was starting to stutter "...aah..."

"I missed a class and I wanted her notebook to copy out the notes" I disrupted,

3azeez started laughing "w int lel7een tgi9 class-at? Ma t3allamna? ahaha"

With the same fake smile plastered on my face, I turned to look at him, "haha i'm not twelve anymore bu s3ayyid"

"ah maturity, impressive," he went on laughing "okay ana barid ilbait now, nesait my Finance book, 5anchoofik 3aad"

"oh don't worry, betCHOOFni" I mocked him. He gave out the 'peace' hand gesture as he left. I looked at Leila for a moment. She was still looking at the ground. "So, congrats, see you next class" I said as I gave her my back to leave.

"yousef..." She almost whispered. I stopped, still giving her my back. "Wait... I.." I turned to face her. I looked at her face. She still wouldn't look up, she wouldn't look into my eyes.

"What Leila?" She took a quick look at me, then back to the floor.

"Never mind," she answered, "I'll see you next class,"

"Sure.." I walked away leaving her just standing there. I walked a couple of steps then I heard her say with a fading voice "bye"

I walked out of the door. Then I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. It was an unsaved number.

"aloo?"

"chennik btamshi? ma 3indek classes today?" It was 3azeez.

"umm bala, bas i'm not feeling well, i'm going home- sleep it off"

"afaa! ma tshoof sharr! salamtik!"

"shar ma iyeek teslam bo s3ayyid, t2aamer 3ala shay?"

"actually ee, you think you can go out bel lail? I miss our nights awwal"

I laughed, "Ay nights? Haha kinna neg3ad bel diwaniya nel3ab sony w n6ale3 aflam Bruce Lee, 6ila3na marra bel sina!"

"hahaha tell me you don't miss those nights! at7adak bu ya3ga!"

I laughed yet didn't respond, implying that i do miss those routinic nights. "okay you're on" I finally said, "so i'm guessing we're not hanging out at your place? Cuz that might be, dare I say lame?"

"haha you wish." he yelled out "la la esma3, there's this new place out 3al ba7ar, it's a BOMB"

"oh 3arafta, 5ala9 i'll meet you there at 8, tabi shay" i got into my car.

"salamtik, yalla bye" and hung up.

-At 8-

"haa yalla wainek?"

"kani, i'm bil parking ga3id asfi6, ashoofik daa5il" i hung up and went inside.

I went in, looking for him. There he was sitting at a table smoking, and talking on the phone. Sallamt 3alaih w sat down waiting for him to finish his call.

"yalla 7abeebti, bas arid adeg 3alaich" and hung up

Oh great. Just when I managed to get Leila out of my head, she's back in- I thought.

"So tell me... " I started a conversation "how did you and her meet" pointing at his phone.

"Oh i met her in Minnesota. Agoollik bo ya3goob walla she took my breath away min awwal ma sheft'ha" he said with his twinkling eyes looking directly into his cell phone screen sighing which i'm guessing has Leila's picture in the background, otherwise who would he sigh over- i thought to myself.

"haha tara 7adda mo layig 3alaik you talk like that. Yaabitik ilgaa3 Leila haa?"

He lifted up his head, looked at me for a while. Sakit. "no yousef, mo Leila"

"ha- what do u mean mo Leila? Leila, 3azooz your fiance! Who were you talking to?"

He lifted up his phone, held it so i can see who was in his mobile background, and just drew the biggest smile on his face.

I stared at him. Silence filled the air. "ent min 9ijjik??!" He tried to escape my intense gaze at him. "Who is this??"