The following day, her stepfather,
Jalaal, had organized a fishing trip, especially for Aish. When Haifa returned
from work, her mother and aunt were bustling about, preparing snacks for the
excursion. Afa, although a bit annoyed, was getting ready for school. Her
mother gently assured her that Aish wouldn't have another chance during her
stay and promised to take her on a fishing trip soon.
Aish, bubbling with excitement,
chatted incessantly as the family made their way to the docked fishing boat.
The day was sun-drenched, with a clear blue sky, and Jalal informed them that
the weather was perfect for a fishing trip. The trip took nearly half an hour,
and the spot they had chosen was renowned for sport fishing.
Aish and Haifa were both handed
fishing reels and the men onboard patiently showed them how to use the
equipment. Since it was their first time fishing, neither Haifa nor Aish had
high expectations of actually catching anything. They spent the initial moments
learning the ropes and sharing stories from Male' to pass the time.
Haifa noticed Saira sitting with
Jalaal and her mother. She realized that they were intentionally giving her
alone time with Aish to catch up. It was heartwarming to see her family's
understanding of her needs, even without her having to explicitly express them.
The maturity she saw in Saira, despite being younger than her, was astonishing.
Haifa sensed that Aish was
deliberately avoiding discussing anything too exciting to spare her feelings.
She appreciated the gesture but still felt a bit left out. They had been close
friends for a long time, and their group always had a great time when they were
together.
Aish mentioned that most of their
friends had started working, except for two who were preparing to go abroad for
higher studies.
"Daddy asked me if I wanted to
go abroad for a master's degree, but I refused," Aish explained as she
adjusted her ponytail and brushed away the strands of hair that the evening
breeze had blown onto her face. "I told him I wanted to gain some work
experience first and decide later on what my next academic steps would
be."
Haifa nodded, "Yeah, I thought
the same."
"Do you have a campus
here?" Aish asked.
"No, but there are online
programs I can apply for," Haifa said. "I was thinking of going
abroad for an internship later on, maybe."
Aish smiled, "Wow, that's nice.
I want to do that too."
Haifa gazed out at the sea. Her
dream of becoming a professional photographer felt like a long shot. She didn't
expect to become a famous photographer in the country, but she aspired to
establish it as a legitimate career.
Aish looked at her sideways. "I
know something is bothering you. I saw it when you came from work," she
said, looking ahead. "I will not ask if you do not want to talk about it,
but I am here."
Haifa didn't look at her when she
replied after a moment, "I saw a comment on Aseel's Facebook status from Rizu
today," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. She had just finished
her work and wanted to check if Aseel had messaged her. When she found he
hadn't, Haifa thought of checking where he was since he normally posted his
whereabouts on either Facebook or Instagram religiously. She did feel a bit
guilty for snooping, but she did not want to send him another message since she
had already sent two messages in the morning before coming to work.
The photo of him was amazing, and the
scenery was breathtaking. Haifa could have looked at the picture forever. His
long hair was styled to fall like a waterfall down his shoulders. He wore dark
shades and sported a wide smile. He was dressed in a white cotton shirt with
the first few buttons open, displaying his fine muscles. He stood wearing black
jeans and ankle boots, looking like a GQ model. The excitement of being with
him in just a few days coursed through her.
As she was about to scroll through
the feed, she spotted the name Rizu, enclosed in hearts at both ends. Her heart
pounded painfully in her chest, and she felt like she was going to have a panic
attack. Just seeing the name brought back waves of anxiety, and it took her a
few minutes to regulate her heartbeat after reading the comment.
Haifa told herself it didn't mean
anything. It was just a comment. Aseel had apologized and came back for her. He
had said he would cut all ties with the girl. But here she was, commenting on
his post as if they were still in contact.
Aish remained silent, sitting with
her reel in her hand, waiting for her to continue.
Haifa continued, "He had posted a photo of himself in the Arabian Desert, with
the caption ‘best place to see in Dubai'. Ans she commented, saying, 'The only
place we missed the last time.'" The lump in her throat made it difficult
to speak.
"He did go to Dubai when he was
with you the first time. She must have been with him," Aish said.
Aish had been there when the whole
thing had unfolded. Haifa remembered the day she had called her, crying when
she found out. Aish had come instantly and stayed with Haifa the whole day,
offering support and comfort. She had even gone through every available piece
of information about Rizu on social media and provided a comprehensive bio.
Haifa was amazed at how Aish could gather so much information; she could have
given FBI agents a run for their money.
Haifa nodded, "It doesn’t mean anything, I guess. But the fact that she's still around
and commenting means they're still talking. It just brought back all the pain
and hurt from before."
Aish looked at her with empathy,
"Have you talked to him about it?"
Haifa shook her head, "No. I'm
still trying to make things right from our last fight. I know asking him would
lead to another argument. I don't know how many more fights I can handle."
Aish placed a comforting hand on
Haifa's shoulder, "You know, it doesn't necessarily mean anything. What's
crucial is whether you trust him or not."
Haifa lowered her gaze, her voice
filled with uncertainty, "I know. I want to trust him. I really do. But I
trusted him so blindly before that I didn't see what was happening right in
front of me." She then looked at Aish, questioning herself, "Do you
think I'm foolish for wanting to continue the relationship?"
Aish met her gaze with
understanding, "No, not at all. We love who we love. The person we love
may not be perfect, but when we truly love someone, we accept them with their
flaws." She continued, "The important thing is to understand why you
want to stay with him. Is it because you genuinely love him, or is it the fear
of losing him?"
Haifa let out a wistful laugh,
"Is there really a difference?"
Aish nodded, "Yes, there is.
Sometimes we become so emotionally invested in a person, or the idea of a
person, that we lose sight of whether we truly love them or if it's our anxiety
speaking."
Haifa sighed, "I wish I could
understand the difference. You're so good at this, and here I am feeling
completely lost."
Aish shrugged with a smile,
"Don't sell yourself short. Trust me, I'm not much better. I'm just great
at giving advice." She flashed a grin.
Rolling her eyes, Haifa
continued, "I even borrowed money from my mom to buy a ticket to Male' so
I could surprise Aseel when he comes back. Now I just feel silly."
Aish squeezed her hand supportively,
"No, don't think that way. It's incredibly sweet of you to put in so much
effort. I might not understand what you see in him, but he's truly fortunate to
have someone who loves him so deeply."
Haifa gazed at her friend, her eyes
filled with uncertainty. "Do you think I should go?" she asked.
Aish considered her words carefully.
"It's ultimately your decision. If you genuinely believe that seeing him
would strengthen your relationship, then you should definitely go."
Haifa sighed, her voice tinged with
sadness. "I don't know anymore. Even my mom asked last night why he would
go to Dubai when he could have visited me. He had promised to visit." She
shook her head. "I don't know why it always has to be me trying so hard to
make it work. He doesn't even want to meet me halfway. I just feel so
tired."
"Then don't go," Aish said
simply, her voice filled with concern. "You have a lot of work left for
your project, and you don't need the extra stress of seeing him."
Their conversation was interrupted
when Aish felt a strong tug on her line. Her stepfather and the crew helped her
reel in the fish. Aish was beyond ecstatic, and Haifa, along with the rest of
the family, cheered for her first catch. They took photos of Aish proudly
holding the fish. The fishing trip came to an end just before sunset.
***
Haifa lay on the living room sofa
with Aish and Saira, binge-watching a series on Netflix. Aish had decided to
stay in for the night since they were still tired from the outdoor trip in the
evening.
Saira, engrossed in her phone and
the TV, asked, "When is your flight?"
Aish replied, "Friday
morning."
"Just one more night to go? You
should have come for a longer stay," Saira commented. "What do you
want to do on your last day here?" she asked.
Aish thought for a moment. Haifa
could sense that she was wondering what else there was to do in Vavathi but was
too polite to say it. There weren't many typical tourist activities to enjoy on
this remote island, and they had already explored most of the available spots
during the first two days of Aish's stay.
"Hey, I know, there's a new
restaurant opening on the island next to us. We can take the ferry. It's one of
those big, posh kinds. We can have dinner or just coffee with cakes. They have
lots of cake, and some of them are free for their grand opening." Saira
chimed, showing her phone to Aish.
Aish's eyes lit up, and she replied
happily, "I could go for some cakes."
Haifa nodded and smiled along as she
observed the excited duo planning away. However, deep inside, she felt a stab
of hollowness. Aseel hadn't replied to her all day, and the comment on his
social media still weighed heavily on her mind. She wished he would just call
her, so she could put her racing thoughts at ease. She didn't want to bring it
up via text, and she wasn't even sure if she was ready to talk to him about it
over the phone.
When they finally called it a night it
was well past ten. Haifa lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling and listening
to Aish's gentle snores. Haifa often had trouble sleeping, especially when she
had fights with Aseel or felt overly anxious. Her insomnia had worsened since
he left for Dubai. She tried to toss and turn as quietly as possible, not
wanting to wake Aish.
Unable to sleep, Haifa finally
decided to check Rizu’s comment once more, just to make sure she wasn't
overthinking things. She turned to her side, retrieved her phone from the desk,
and checked Aseel's profile to find the post. She noticed that he had made five
more posts, yet he hadn't found the time to send her a single reply.
Clenching her teeth, she reminded
herself that she just wanted to check the comment, not get angry about his lack
of response. One problem at a time. She blinked at the comment, and her heart
seemed to stop when she saw that Aseel had replied with a simple "I
know." She closed the app and lay back on her bed as tears fell
uncontrollably down her face.
Did you love the chapter, please let me know your thoughts
in the comments.
Have a wonderful day!
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