II

I’m sorry that I did not make certain things clear in the previous chapter regarding places and areas, and that I did not put into consideration that you guys might not be fond with London and places there, therefore I decided to put a star (*) after anything that I want to elaborate or define, and I will at the end of each chapter :) 

From the previous chapter (I):

 *Selfridges: department store on Oxford Street, one of the major roads in the City of Westminster in the West End of London.

*Mount Street and Park Lane: two streets that meet at a corner where the Grosvenor House Apartments by Jumeirah Living Hotel are located.

*University of the Arts: research university located exactly on Oxford street, specialized in art, design, fashion, and media.

I hope I made everything clear enough? :)x

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Previously:

I was scrolling down my Twitter timeline as I continued walking, when I saw Faisal’s Foursquare check-in at Selfridges. Sh*t. What is he doing at Selfridges.

“uff yarb mayshofni! I can’t deal with a “Faisal lecture” right now, my head already hurts and I can feel it pounding!” I thought to myself.

  Faisal is Areen’s brother, my 25-year-old cousin, but we have a very different relationship than any other cousins have. It always feels like he’s my guard, protector, person in power, decision maker, its like I have a second dad. Not because I choose to have him around, but he insists to be around. 

   Living away from my cousins at my early teenage years and being my shy-self, it was very hard for me to let him in when I went back to live in Saudi, adding to the fact that he’s a male, but somehow he managed to make me feel a bit comfortable around him out of all my boy cousins.

   I walked straight ahead and figured that he might be inside and wont see me in the first place, and to my luck he came out the mere second I was passing by the entrance. 

“Sultana?” I heard his familiar voice calling my name.

   'Oh he never calls me Sultana, never' I noted to myself. “Oh Faisal what are you doing here?? You’re in Selfridges? on your own well? That’s new!” I faked a smile as I rambled my comments at him. I was just trying to get away of his questions, but I knew I failed. He gave me the ‘don’t try/stop talking’ look, and excused himself from his friends, saying that he won’t be able to accompany them for the night. 

He came next to me and placed his unbelievably large hand on my back, guiding me forward to the same direction I was taking. He was quite. I hoped God he wouldn’t make a big deal out of this.

He made sure his friends were far away from hearing us, and stopped on a corner of a street crossing Oxford St. in the middle, and leaned on it. He looked at me, and still didn’t say anything. He eyed me and started talking,

“Sultana why were you walking alone? Knowing that neither your parents nor I allow you to walk alone in the streets of London no matter what? Wain Areen? Or Dave eli he’s supposed to be with you?” he looked at me waiting for me to answer.

   “I’m sorry, can you take me to the apartment please.” I wasn’t feeling like getting into an argument with him, I am becoming irritated of his over-unnecessary-protectiveness over the past couple of weeks, and our conversations are transforming into the worse. I had a lump forming in my throat and the wind wasn’t helping, making my eyes watery and all. ‘Sultana don’t cry' I kept telling myself, knowing Faisal like the back of my hand, I knew that if I cry he’ll know something is wrong, and would do anything to know what it is. How was I supposed to tell him that he'll be forced into marrying someone he doesn't love?

   He didn’t move an inch, and I kept staring at my black converse, noting how they’re getting dirtier, giving them an edgy look now. Next thing I knew were two cold fingers on my chin lifting my head up.

“Can you please tell me what’s wrong? Why so cold and dry m3ay?” he asked me as he was studying my eyes.

  My jaw started shaking and trembling from the cold wind hitting my sideway, and because I didn’t want to be pressured with questions.

“Sultana!Talk‼ aklm jidar anaa??” he said with gritted teeth, "e7trmy 6oly w 3ar'9y w la tsf6eeny!" and I couldn’t take it anymore, tears rolled down my cheeks, I was shaking hard with a faint sound of weeps, I was trying my best to control the breakdown of my tears and mixed emotions. 

  He was taken off guard with me crying! He held the sides of my shoulder with both his hands and crouched a bit so that he’d face me, “I’m sorry wala ma kan ga9di a39ib 3laik, bs wala l2n a5af y9er lk shay w ma tgdren tt9arfeen! enti t3rfen ana mu ga9id arf3 nabrat 9oty 3laik wala! Khala9 la t9e7en 7gk 3alay!” panic was all over the tone of his voice; I think it was the first time he sees me crying. When he saw that I couldn't stop crying and people started noticing he pulled me into his embrace and squeezed me tight. The side of my face was resting on his chest, and his chin was focused on top of my head, he was shushing me the whole time, and when he saw that I calmed down he started speaking, "Sala6a btgolen eish feek wla shlon?"
"I thought I was 'Sultana.'" I shot back.
He laughed and replied,“La you’re not ‘Sultana’,” he said as he squeezed me harder and continued talking, “or Sul, or SulSul, or Sala6a. You’re Sul6anity. Sul6anat al7ub w alwanah, el shoug w arkanah, elzain b rumanah, klh feek ya Sul6anat zamanik.”

He did not wait for me to replay and finished of, "I don't want you to turn into an ice cube or get a cold, we'll finish our talk once we get to the penthouse."

He grabbed my tiny hand and pulled me to walk with him, till we reached his black CLS-class*. He opened the door for me and I got in, and in mere seconds we were at the penthouse.

Want to know what happens next in the penthouse between Sultana and Faisal?

Stay pitched for the next chapter to know more x

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*CLS-class: Mercedes-Benz car model. 

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I hoped you enjoyed reading the chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Anyways, if you think that I need to touch upon certain things please do tell me, and as I always say feedback and comments are highly appreciated :*x

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