Chapter 1

As I was combing my really long dark brown waves that smelled of patchouli, thoughts kept floating in my head. Why did Leen get freaked out and turned all pale when she saw me laughing with Bader and joking around him last night at Shaikha's? I mean he's only Shaikha's brother! A best friend's brother is like family! She's getting really suspecious and weird! I can't believe she actually rejected sleeping over at Shaikha's cause Bader was going to watch the movie with us! She also left too early! God it pisses me off when my best friend is hiding something from me! What pisses me off more is that we've been so close for too long for her to think that I wouldn't know something's wrong by her facial expressions! I need to know what's behind that girl, I'll call her after I dry my hair. Dad interrupted my so called thoughts and opened my wooden bedroom door saying he'll leave in 30 minutes, and I have to go with him to the airport to say goodbye since he's going to Germany for buisness the next three years, and there won't be any time for him to visit us. He'll be living in hell for three years! I'll seriously miss him... I mean it's not like his other buisness flights! He always goes there for a maximum of two months! It never got to a year! I can't imagine the house without him... I wouldn't have anyone to wake me up then go to sleep just to laugh at me while I get mad and start wining about how it's unfair to wake someone up then go sleep! Okay, so I didn't really have quite a lot of time to dry my hair, so I thought I'd put it in a french braid since it was actually half dry already. I did my hair as fast as I could, wore black tights a grey crop top and plain white slippers, and went downstairs. I saw mom crying and sobbing, so I went there and tried to console her "Come on mom, it won't be as bad I promise, the years will go by with a blink og an eye" I said while trying to hug her, but my mind just rejected the idea of too much love at once. "I know dear, I really know, you just wouldn't understand this" she barely whispered out the words while crying! I just kept silent trying to digest the amount of mysteriousness her sentence held... Anyway, I sat there staring at her for about 10 seconds, and then I got up and went to the kitchen and did myself a white cheese with cucumber sandwich, poured some milk into a glass, and took them with me ready to eat them up! By the time I finished, my dad rushed down the stairs saying he's late and we must go now! I really don't know why does he want me to go with him, but eh it's okay at least I'll get more time with him... I picked up my earbuds and phone, got into my abaya and I went to the car waiting for dad! I wonder why did he ask me but no one else to go with him :/? Why didn't he ask Yazeed :/? He's the 20 year old here! I'm only 15! Agh this family is weird :/... And dad's finally here! He got into the car, asked the driver to head to the airport, then he held my hand and said "Laura, look at you! You're all grown now! I can't believe I'm looking at the same baby I used to carry running around the house and shouting here comes the flying princess" he told me smiling at me "I'm still here on the princess part..." I gave him half a smile and raised my eyebrows playfully. "You always are daddy's little princess." he pinched my cheek which made me feel like a 5 year old all over again. "Well, you must be wondering why I'd ask you to drop me off at the airport, and not anyone else, so to break it off to you. I asked you because there's something I must tell you Laura" suddenly his attitude turned from affectionate to absolutely serious. "Okay, shoot!" I said expecting him to say something stupid like the movies or something as I have a gazillion riyals hidden under my bed sheet, you can take them and do whatever you want! "Listen well Laura, and I don't want you to interrupt me, just listen to me till I'm done talking, and then you can say whatever you want!" "Hm, dad you're kinda freaking me out here hahah? What's wrong?" I said suddenly getting my stomach to hurt waiting impatiently for what my dad's about to say. "Laura, I've been married to a German woman Called Sina, I never wanted to cheat on Anoud, but Sina stole my heart on my buisness trips! I couldn't resist her! Back to my subject, we were married since you were 9! And she's on her 6th month of pregnancy, so I must be next to her! That's why I'm going for three years! I must raise my child well! Please understand my situation Lulu! I know you're too mature for a fifteen year old! I told Yazeed when he was 17, and it made my relationship to him get really tense, and he hates me now! Please don't do the same! It's okay in our religion to marry 4 women, and I'm only marrried to two!" He said in a very regretting tone, his eyes begging me to understand... I pressed my lips hard and just stared at him! After a minute of silence, he finally said "Why aren't you talking Lulu? Don't you have anything to say? Please don't tell me you got mad at me too? Please just understand please Lulu!" he begged. "Hm, good luck with your child." I said sounding as emotionless as I could! "That's all you got to say?" He said in shock "I knew you'd understand I knew it! I love you so much honey!" he pulled me for a hug, I couldn't hug him back, I just felt too disgusted of this! I forced my tears to stay in place till we get to the airport! The rest of the ride was pretty much silent. I dropped him off at the airport gate then I told him I don't want to go down cause I don't feel like seeing alot of  people, I kissed his forehead and said "Take care of my mom, and skype with her every once in a while! I don't want to see her hurt." then gave him my back not giving him a chance to answer. I just wanted to vomit this feeling out of my body! It felt so weird! How could he hide this from us all of this time? How could he do that to my mom? She's probably crying her eyes out now missing him already! How could I ever consider this man a role model? I feel like I don't even know him anymore! I need to stop thinking of this! I got my phone out and dialed Shaikha's number, she answered right away "Hallaww babehh! Supp?" she said in a flirtatious tone. "Um hey Shaikha, are you busy? I'm not really feeling well, I need to get my mind cleared of a lot of stuff! Can you come over to my house for a sleepover or something? I'll call Leen too! We can swim too! Please?" "What's wrong pie? Nah, I'm never busy! Sure, I'll ask Bader to drop me off" she said back into her normal tone. "I'll tell you when you come over, bye" and I hung up then dialed Leen's number. She didn't answer till the third call, "The hell? Why weren't you answering dude? Anyway, Shaikha's sleeping over, can you come too?" "My phone was on silent sorry, yeah sure I'll ask dad!" she said in a sleepy voice "Alright sleepy head, bye" I hung up then asked the driver to stop at Baskin Robbins cause I needed something to cool off the mixed feelings I've got, I took a big scoop of Rainbow Sherbit, then headed home waiting for the girls to come over. I texted Leen that we're swimming too cause I forgot to tell her on the call. She said she'll be over at 3:30, and it's 1:30 now. I sent the driver to bring us sweets, chips, drinks, etc. And I asked the maid to put two air matresses at my room, and get the tanning oil, towels ready by the pool, and clean the pool's bathrooms and stuff. It's 3:00, Shaikha's here, and we're waiting for Leen! Shaikha was waiting impatiently to know what's wrong with me, I told her she has to be patient and wait till Leen's here! She said she'll tan till Leen gets here! I hate tanning, I don't understand why do they and Yazeed love tanning so much! I can barely stand being in the sun, let alone enjoy it colouring my skin, so I was splatting on sunscreen! Leen suddenly ran in with her purple swimming suit on, letting her golden soft waves fly freely in the air! "Dang it girl, lookin sexyyy!!!" said shaikha in her usual flirtatious tone putting her black curly hair into a bun. "Uh, I know I'm sexy, you don't have to remind me" said Leen in a confident tone winking to shaikha. "What? okay, but you know I'm sexier though!" said Shaikha. "Oh oh oh!!! Yalla Leen's here, spill it Lulu, what's with you?" "Akhh!!! You should have forgot by now dude! Okay, so you know I dropped my father at the airport today, right?" "What does that have to do with it?" Said Shaikha. "She'll explain, just have some patience already!" replied Leen. I giggled at their stupidity then told them what happened! They hugged me right away, "It's gonna be okay sweetie! Alot of parents do that, it doesn't mean he doesn't love you!" said Leen, but it made me think how would she know that if her mother's divorced and she doesn't know anything about her but that she dumped them when Leen was 6 cause she fell in love with a Lebanese guy! "Hahahah, I don't care about them anyway! It's adult shit, and I don't wanna talk about it! I'm sure they can handle everything by their own! Anyway, I'm hungry! Pizza or lasanga?" "LASANGA!!!" Shaikha shouted, her eyes widened after the mention of food! "Alright, I'll ask Mary to send it here!" "You know you're in denial, right?" Asked Leen. "I don't care, denial is good for now! What do you wanna drink?" "Mountain dew!" Said Shaikha in excitement. "Alright, you know what's good for you! I want strawberry juice." Said Leen. "Stop being a mom and start enjoying your time dude!" We ate, swam, took alot of pictures, watched Brave, then slept like babies...