We decided that each one of us would stand in a queue of each class and sign each other up.
“Hey there stranger.” A familiar voice.
------
I turned around. “uh-uh.. Saud?” What brings you here?”
This is coincidence number two.
He smiled “Why do you think? I’m registered here.”
I choked. It was a surprise to say the least. I did not expect this.
Why do I have butterflies in my stomach? Why am I getting hot?
After 15 minutes of awkwardly waiting with him behind me, it’s finally my turn. I signed myself, and my friends up and left.
Reem: ”Shfeek glbtii 6ma6a?”
Lama: “7rraanaa”
Faisal: “Who was that guy you were talking to?”
Lama: “No one, just a guy I met at the plane.”
Faisal: “So, someone.”
Lama: “Shut up Faisal.”
God, Faisal mara samj.
Jenna: “Come on yalla we have orientation in the gym”
We went to orientation and sat down. I looked around for Saud but no sign of him, thank god. I can’t risk the blushing again. Why was I blushing to begin with? I DON'T like him.
Mrs. Barbra started talking about camp policies and curfews and things of that sort for a long time.
Mrs. Barbra: “I see we have a lot of Arab applicants this year”
The whole row of Saudis screamed and cheered.
Mrs. Barbra: “Haha, settle down now. It’s always nice to see diverse ethnicities in camp”
I caught Saud staring with the corner of my eye. I looked at him so he would look away, but he didn’t, he just kept on staring.
This is very uncomfortable I’ve never had someone stare like that. I looked at him again, and our eyes met.
Reem: “9aa777?”
Me: “Huh? What did you say?”
Reem: “3aglk weena ya om elsara7an?”
Me: “Hina hina bs ma sm3tk.”
She raised an eyebrow: “Hmmm okay.”
We finished orientation, and went back to our rooms and settled in. Jenna, a Brazilian girl called Lassa, and I share a room.
It was 6 pm, and the night was still young. I called Faisal and Reem and we made plans for dinner and a movie. Our curfews aren’t until 11, so we still had plenty of time.
I wore my high-waisted light washed jeans, a maroon knit sweater, converse, and put my hair up in a messy bun.
Everyone was going because all the students had the rest of the day for themselves.
We all met at the main gate and got a taxi.
We decided to eat at Chipotle, yum! We got our orders and sat down.
Jenna with her mouth full of food: “Lama isn’t that the dude from the plane?”
I looked up and he had his back facing me.
Me: “Ee walla ho.”
Faisal: “O mashalla 3rftoo mn ‘6hra?”
Reem: “We’re girls n3rfkm mn rjoolkm”
Jenna: “Ask him to join us 7aram jals alone”
Me: “Laa mala da3y abd”
Faisal: “Eeh 9dg ma y7taj, ma t3rfoon esh noo3a”
Jenna: “Come on guys, 76oo nfskm makana 7aram takloon l7alkm”
Me: “Ee 9dg, bss mafii amal walla ast7ii”
Jenna: “I’ll go ask him”
Jenna went over there and asked him, and from what I could tell from the hand gestures, he was refusing and Jenna was insisting.
He got up and walked behind her, I directed my sight back to my food. I don’t want him to think I’m staring.
Saud: “ElSalam 3leekm.”
Everyone: “W 3aleekm elsalam.”
Saud: “Are you sure you guys don’t mind me joining you?”
Faisal: “Well, kind of.”
I kicked Faisal from under the table.
Reem: “Haha, Faisal just likes to joke around. We’re sure shd3wa.”
Jenna: “So Lama told me she met you in the plane.”
He turned at me and smiled: “Yes, I’m Saud.”
Jenna: “I’m Jenna tshrfna. This is Reem, Faisal, and well you know Lama.”
He smiled again. AHH! His smile is GORGEOUS.
Faisal: “Km 3mrk? O ween sakn?”
Saud: “18, o sakn bl 5ubar”
5ubar? Weird, I’ve never seen him before.
Reem: “Oh m3 Lama ajal”
Saud: “Ma gd shftk”
Lama: “Wala ana. 7ata lw shftnii y3nii mar7 t’thkr”
Saud: “I’d remember your face if I saw it, trust me.”
Is the room getting hotter??????
Faisal interrupting: “Soooo, is this your first year at camp?”
Faisal was very protective of us; he was like our brother.
Saud: “La, I’ve been to camps in Europe bss this is my first one in the US”
Faisal nudged Saud’s arm with his elbo: “Eee Europe 7g 9ya3a”
Saud smirked. I think he was annoyed.
Jenna trying to break the tension: “Soooo! Saud, b ayat classes sjlt?”
Saud: “Umm writing, and the camp signed me in the rest, but I didn’t check”
Lama: “Why not photography? I thought you were into pictures.”
Saud: “Trying something new, developing my writing skills I guess. I got inspired”
Does he mean inspired by me?
Lama: “Hmm.”
Reem: “So are you here by yourself, or are your friends joining you?”
Saud: “Just me. My friend is joining the second session.”
The camp had two sessions. The first one is a 6-week one. The second one is a 3-week one.
Jenna: “We’re going to a movie later do you want to join?”
Faisal gave Jenna the death stare.
Saud: “Ahhh… Thanks but I’ve imposed quite enough.”
Me: “No impassion, you’re welcome to join if you’d like.” I don't know what got over me...
He looked at Faisal: “Would you mind me joining?
Faisal smiled an obviously fake smile: “No, shd3wa!”
Reem: “The more the merrier!”
We watched The Avengers. I loved it!
We got home around 10, and everyone headed to their room.
Just as I was about to enter my building, Saud called out my name.
I walked back and told Jenna it’s okay she can go.
Saud: “Thanks for today. I had fun.”
Me: “Haha why are you thanking me? Jenna is the one who invited you. Yeah, I had fun too”
Saud: “Thank her for me please. We should do this again”
Me: “Enshalla.”
I was waiting for him to say something but he didn’t say anything; he just kept staring.
Me: “Umm... Well… I have to get going! Good night.”
He smiled: “Good night Lama.”
Lama. I liked how my name sounded coming from his mouth.
As I was walking back to the building I got butterflies in my stomach.
What is happening to me????
I went to sleep with the butterflies still flying around in my stomach.
I had a dream that I was watching a movie in the entertainment room.
Saud had his arms around me, and I rested my head on his shoulder, I never felt so safe.
Then I woke up in a cold sweat. What a stupid meaningless dream! I wouldn’t let him sit next to me let alone put his arms around me.
Jenna: “GOOMIII GOOMIII T25RNAAAA IT’S FOREST DAY!!!!”
I looooove Forest day! It’s a day we spend in the forest with outdoors activities like rock climbing, paint ball, and zip lining.
I quickly wore my yoga leggings, a muscle-tee, and put my hair up in a pony tale.
I skipped breakfast since we were already late.
I decided to zip-line first and then play paint ball!
I forbade myself from looking for Saud. He’s trouble I can feel it.
I’m not the type of girl who isn’t afraid of anything, but zip-lining was a wonderful experience.
The distance between the first and last tree was around 15 meters. It isn’t much, but I got to see the whole forest in fast motion. It was beautiful.
Paintball was in a HUGE ditch that was filled with obstacles, huts, and holes in the ground to make it harder to win. Whichever team kills all the other team’s members first wins.
We decided that we should split into teams since each team can only have 5 members and Faisal and Jenna were already in a team.
Me, Reem, a guy called Stewart, and a Kuwaiti guy called Bandar were in a team but we needed one more player
Bandar has always went to camp with us but we’ve never really talked to him. He’s isolated, and was always studying.
Jenna: “SAUD! SAUD!!”
Saud was wearing a fit red shirt, and shorts. All I could think was HOT!
He ran toward us, I looked away.
Saud: “Hala?”
Jenna: “Reem and Lama need more people on their team, join.”
Saud: “Ee suree.”
Ugh, I’m going to KILL Jenna.
Every team huddled up to talk about the strategies.
Reem: “Ana mn el7een agoolkm ana fashla, so I’ll just hide until it’s over.”
Saud: “Listen we need to do this thing in a smart way. Bdal ma nbyn lhm wjoodna n5bii nfsna and we attack them by surprise.”
It was a smart idea.
Lama: “I feel like that’s a stupid idea.” Esht’heet a3and.
Saud: “Then what do you think we should do you om elafkar?”
Stewart: “I think we should scare them.”
Saud: “Trust me I’ve done this before, coming out of no where is going to scare the shit out of them.”
Bandar: “Ana m3a.”
Lama: “Fine, we’ll do it your way.”
The game started and we all started running around finding a good hiding place. Screams over here and there. “GOOT YOU”
“DEAD”
“NO NO PLEASE”
I just kept still in my place waiting for someone to pass by.
I heard foot steps on the right, jumped out and shot him.
“GOT YOUU!!”
It was Saud.
He laughed and said: “That would be something to brag about… If I weren’t on your team, Loser!”
Lama: “Uhh… Sorry?”
Saud: “It’s okay I was looking for you anyway.” He had that “I told you so” look on his face.
Stewart was running: “WE WOOOOONNN, IN YOUR FACE!!!!”
I looked at Saud, and he just smiled and high-fived Stewart.
His smile melts my insides. I don’t know how one person can be so charming ufff!
