Unedited. First draft.

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•

I swallowed a lump in my throat as I recalled what happened yesterday. I still couldn't believe it! Farida was the last person I wanted to share a room with. After everything we had been through, I thought we were never going to cross paths again. I, for one, didn't want to see her anymore. She had betrayed me more than enough.

"This is your bed." I had heard Aisha say. "By the way, my name is Aisha."

"My name's Radiya." Radiya introduced. "What's your name?"

"Farida." She responded. "My name is Farida..." Her voice trailed for a second or so. "Who is that?"

Without mincing words, she was referring to me.

I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep. After how we parted ways the last time, I wasn't ready to see her. Not at the moment. I still had to prepare myself mentally.

"Oh! That's Manal." Aisha replied. "She's the one you're going to be sharing a bunk with."

"Manal?" Farida asked.

By the tone of her voice, I depicted she had a hunch I was the one.

"Yes."

"Uh...is she in the department of food science and technology?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Yes! Do you know her?"

"No." She responded. "I don't know her."

What?

I was enraged by her response. After everything, we had shared...the good memories. She was going to throw them down the drain?

Why am I even surprised?

She was a vile person anyways. I was a fool to think she might not have an ulterior motive for asking Jawaad to pretend to be in love with me.

After everything she did to me, she had the effrontery to deny me in front of strangers.

I blamed myself more for still having expectations from her.

When will I ever learn?

"Oh! How did you..."

"I just took a guess."

"Okay."

"Do you need help with anything?" Aisha asked.

"No, thanks. I got this." Farida politely declined.

Ugh! Miss goody-two-shoes.

"If you need any help, don't hesitate to ask any of us." Aisha continued.

"Alright then. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

I shook my head in an attempt to spurn the thought from my mind. I had been able to avoid Farida yesterday, but for how long was that going to be possible?

I heaved a sigh and turned to the other side of the bed. Aisha was not in her bed. Maybe she had gone for her lectures.

I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to perform ablution to say my prayer.

In about thirty minutes, I was set to leave for school. My gaze trailed to Farida, who was still asleep in her bed. Fortunately for me, she had been sleeping all along.

I picked up my handbag and sauntered out of the room.

•

"Hey, Manal!" Na'eem nudged me with his left shoulder.

We were seated beside each other in class, waiting for the arrival of the lecturer. As usual, Na'eem had reserved a seat for me beside him.

"What?" I snapped. I still hadn't forgiven him for mentioning Jawaad's name yesterday. Because of him, I was forced to remember the hurtful words Jawaad said to me without an ounce of remorse. But that wasn't the main reason why I was moody.

"Are you still mad at me?"

I rolled my eyes. Were the signs not clear enough?

"I said I'm sorry na." He heaved a sigh. "Okay...what do you want me to do so that you can stop giving me the silent treatment? Come on, Mana! We just resumed. Is this how you want to start the semester with me?"

"You should have thought of that before deciding to ask me about him, knowing fully well how much I despise him."

For the umpteenth time, he sighed. "Alright...okay. I admit I was wrong. I'm sorry. Is that okay?"

I simply nodded. To be honest, I wasn't really mad at him anymore. I just couldn't stop imagining how I'd adjust to living with Farida.

This is exhausting.

"Am I forgiven?"

I nodded. "Just don't do it again."

"I won't. I don't even like him anyways. Never had."

It was true. Na'eem had always avoided topics relating to Jawaad. He never asked me questions about Jawaad or even made any efforts to discourage me from being in a relationship with him. Na'eem had always been indifferent about Jawaad.

"Na'eem, something is bothering me." I swallowed. "I need you to tell me what to do."

"What is it?"

Before I could answer, the female lecturer walked in, alongside a student, carrying her books.

"We will talk after the class," I mumbled.

He nodded.

•

After the lecture, Na'eem and I went to our usual spot, under a mango tree, and sat on one of the benches there.

"When you walked into the class earlier, I noticed your mood, but I thought it was due to what I said yesterday..." Na'eem's voice trailed. "Tell me; what's bothering you?"

I lowered my head. I knew he might think I was being childish, but being in the same room as Farida was a big deal to me. Ignoring her while we were in different rooms would be indubitably much easier than ignoring her when we shared the same room—the same bunk. For a fact, I knew we were going to clash one way or the other. The last thing I wanted, was to get into a physical fight with her. I feared I might lose my mind with her around...

"Is it..." His voice trailed.

Without a doubt, I knew he wanted to ask if it was Jawaad disrupting my peace of mind again, but he must have remembered the warning I gave him about mentioning him in my presence.

"No." I shook my head. "It isn't him."

"Hala?" He tried another guess.

I shook my head again. Hala and I were not on talking terms. Even in class, I avoided speaking to her. I knew it was the same on her side. She wasn't ready to settle our differences. I wasn't either. If she didn't want to be friends with me, I was more than welcome to treat her as an enemy.

One thing I promised myself never to do, is to force friendship.

We were better off without each other. I'd admit I used to like her company, but with time, I realized she had brought nothing, but bad vibes to my life.

Annoying.

I found myself loathing Jawaad even more. He was the reason I had a fallout with Hala. And Hala being an insensitive bitch, decided to break our friendship. She chose a man over me.

How typical!

"Hala and I don't even speak to each other anymore. She's still keeping malice with herself." I rolled my eyes.

"Isn't that the same thing you're doing?" He pointed out.

"Oh! So you expect me to make peace with her when she doesn't want that?"

"Have you tried?"

I rolled my eyes at him. His words irked me.

"No, and I'm not going to do that!"

"Then stop complaining."

"I'm not complaining!"

He chuckled. "Okay."

I glared at him. "Why do you always like to make me seem like a villain?"

"That's not it." He groaned. "I only want you to be happy. Holding a grudge against someone is like carrying a heavy burden on your shoulder... See, I don't care about Hala. It's you I care about. If I don't tell you the truth, who will?"

"My family." I narrowed my eyes at him.

He tittered. "On a serious note, Mana, please make peace with Hala. You don't necessarily have to be the best of friends again, but—"

"I have tried," I stated, cutting him off. "You don't know Hala. She's the type of person who never forgives. I don't want to be associated with her kind. As I said, we are better off without each other. She has her new friends now and I have you."

He smiled. "You have me." He repeated.

I gazed at him, dreamily. How can one person have so many good features?

"Now, tell me." He adjusted his sitting posture. "What or who has been bothering you so much?"

"It's Farida."

"Uh uh."

"What has she done this time?"

"You won't believe it," I grunted.

"What?"

"She's my new roommate. Can you believe that? How's that even possible? Why her? Of all people!"

"Hey! Catch your breath. Calm down, okay?"

"How do you expect me to calm down, Na'eem? I'm freaking out. Farida is my roommate? It's unbelievable. I hate this!"

"Woah!"

"Is that all you have to say?" I narrowed my eyes at him. "What is woah?"

"It's not as bad as you're making it seem." He started.

"I—"

"Let me finish, will you?" He shook his head. "In my opinion, this is a good thing. I know you feel betrayed by what she did, but as I said to you earlier, you don't necessarily have to be best of friends with her too, but make sure you settle your differences."

"It's easier said than done."

"I know..." He sighed. "Believe me, I do, but you just have to give it a try. If you do that, even in the sight of the almighty, you're the bigger person."

"In front of those strangers, Farida pretended not to know me. It seems to me she doesn't want peace with me. I'm honestly tired, Na'eem." I was tired of Hala and Farida beefing me. I thought I didn't care about them anymore, but that was just a blatant lie to soothe myself.

"Just ignore her attitude. On your part, do what you have to do and leave the rest to her. Promise me, you'll try to make peace with these people."

"Okay," I mumbled.

"Thank you." He smiled.

"It's unfortunate." I pouted.

Na'eem's forehead wrinkled. "What is?"

"It's unfortunate that you're not into me."

He opened his mouth, probably to say something, but ended up keeping it to himself instead.

"I'd have damned all consequence and  choose to be with you." I was being dead serious. In my eyes, Na'eem was the perfect example of the kind of man I needed in my life. "You understand me so well. You give me the best bits of advice. You are the only person asides from my family that I feel so comfortable around. It's a pity. We would have made a wonderful couple. Don't you think?" I wiggled my brows.

Na'eem remained silent.

"Hey!" I nudged him. "I asked a question. Don't keep me hanging."

"Hmm..."

"Tell me honestly, don't you think we would make a good couple? Plus, our children will be so beautiful and brainy."

"No!" He snapped.

I furrowed my brows in incomprehension.

"That's enough now. I'm going back to the hostel. You should as well." He remarked and began to walk away.

"Na'eem!" I called after him. "Wait for me, will you?"

•

When I got back to the hostel, I met Farida's absence. I heaved a sigh of relief. I still wasn't ready to face her.

Aisha and Radiya were seated on a mat at the foot of their bunk, chitchatting.

"Assalamualaikum." I greeted them.

"Wa Alaykum salam." They answered in sync.

"Welcome, Manal! Are you hungry? Radiya prepared food for us." Aisha informed.

"I will have some then. Thank you."

Radiya brought the pot of food and a plate in front of me. "Serve yourself."

I smiled. She was nicer than I thought.

I was still eating when Farida walked into the room.

I looked everywhere but her. I knew there was no way I could keep avoiding her, but I still tried.

"Hi, Aisha, Radiya..." She greeted them.

"Hi!" Radiya beamed. "Welcome back, Farida!"

Despite trying so hard not to give relevance to Radiya, I had noticed she was much more jovial towards Farida.

I wonder why.

Mtchw

"Thank you." Farida smiled back and began to walk towards me?

"Hi, Manal!"

Me?

I finally mustered the courage to look up at her. "Hi." I deadpanned.

"It's nice to see you again." She remarked.

"You know each other?" Aisha's brows furrowed. "You said—"

"Oh! that?" Farida waved a hand, dismissively. "I didn't know she was the one. Of course, I know her. We're—"

"Acquainted." I finished for her.

Farida shook her head. "More than that. We've known each other for a long time. We're best friends."

I let out a humorless chuckle.

Best friends? I don't think so.

After everything she did to me, she had the guts to refer to us as best friends, when we weren't even friends anymore. I had already deleted her phone number and some of her pictures from my phone. I couldn't bring myself to delete some of the awesome pictures we took together, because deleting them would be equivalent to deleting all the fascinating memories we shared. She might have blown the friendship we once had, but I couldn't deny the fact that I still had a soft spot for her.

I feel stupid.

"Why are you laughing? Did I tell a joke?"

"Yes, you did." I played along. "A not-so-funny one."

Aisha and Radiya watched in silence. By the look on their faces, I could tell we were confusing the hell out of them.

"At least I made you laugh." She smirked. "I'm glad."

I forced a smile.

I wish I could wipe that smug smirk from her face!

Farida was just too conceited and overbearing for her good.

I hate her.

•

Assalamualaikum/hello!

Aisha or Radiya? 👀

I personally like Na'eem and Manal's relationship. I just can't get enough ☺️

Between Manal and Farida, who do you think is more egoistic? 😩

Do you see them being best friends again?

Jawaad or Manal's POV next?

Btw, if you haven't followed me on Instagram, please do so. I'll be running the Q/A very soon. This is your chance to ask me anything you've been wanting to ask me or make a request 😊

deey_jah
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