Chapter One

                                                              "The Bad news"

It was the voice of the 'Call for prayer' that woke me up at ten to five. Time to get up and pray, I told myself and that's what I did.

After praying my 'Fajr' prayer, I walked up to the bookcase in my room and picked up my 'Quran', then as always I started reciting it until six in the morning.

Rubbing my eyes I put it back on its place and juggled with the thought of whether to sleep or not. I sat on the bed and instinctively drifted away to a deep sleep.

It was my step mother's voice calling me; "Mahra, Mahra." I opened my eyes which abruptly widened when I saw the sunlight coming through the window.

Oh No. No. No!

"Mahra, Are you still sleeping? It's late. Don't you have work today?" By the ttime she finished her sentence I was at the door.

"Mahra, My child. What are you doing sleeping till seven? You're already late for work."

"Yeah, I fell asleep. They'll kill me at work." I said turning from her to my wardrobe to pick up my towel and select my clothes for today.

"Okay. Hurry up and come down your brother and sister are already having breakfast." She said, making me gasp. I ran up to the wash room while she still kept saying things I didn't hear.

Once done. I quickly did some light morning make-up and wore my 'Abaya'. Turning to the dressing table I placed some make-up stuff, my phone and a few more things in my bag. Throwing it at my shoulder I went out of the room.

Just as mom had said Hamad, my brother and Maha my older sister were having breakfast.

"Salaam Alaikum." I greeted and headed straight for the door.

"Mahra, Where to?" that was my step brother Hamad. "Aren't you going to eat something first?" he asked.

"No, I am really late." I replied sparing him a glance as I walked to the door.

"But you won't be able to work if you don't eat something." Mom said. I opened my mouth to reply but was silenced by my sister.

"Mom is right, you should eat something first, we don't want you to faint in there." She smiled along with Hamad.

"Someone's trying to be funny." I looked at my older sister. "Looks like your 'Loving' husband has influenced you," I winked at her as she rolled her eyes. Maha was married to my cousin who lived in Abu Dhabi so we only got to see her on weekends and now that she has kids, she rarely gets time to see us.

"By the way, where are your kids?" I asked as I got closer to her to pick something and toss it in my mouth.

"They went back to Abu Dhabi last night." She answered.

"No wonder why it's so quite in here, usually when they are around Mom is holding her head and always asking for 'Pain killers'" This made Hamad laugh and Maha narrowed her eyes.

"Did you hear her mom?" Maha said. She almost looked hurt. This is something I never liked in her, she and Hamad would always team up against me. And I would fight back alone. But my sister is too sensitive sometimes. Maybe that's why Hamad teams up with her.

"We'll see when she will have her own kids, and then she will be the one to ask for 'Pain killers'." My mom joked, making them both laugh.

"See, so you agree kids are nothing but a headache." I pointed out, getting up.

"Can't wait to see your cockiness dry once you get married," Maha said. Here we go again.

"Please spare me the marriage lecture." I held my hands up as a gesture to 'Stop' "Just for once let me go to work without it." I completed.

"Why don't you quit? It's not like you need the job." Maha interrogated. This was the kind of lecture I'd hear almost every day and now that Maha was here, it must be repeated. I should've known.

"I don't need the job but I want it." I smiled mischievously at her. She never really understood my obsession for working.

"Why don't you sit at home like every other girl in this family and have those 'Late morning breakfasts, Late night movies' that kind of stuff." Maha completed.

"Yeah and end up like them too, Get married, have kids and live happily ever after. No Thanks"

"Isn't that what every girl wants?" My brother questioned, confused.

"No, not every girl!" I corrected and went up to my mom to say 'Goodbye' and kissed her on the forehead. I waved at my siblings too.

They were my half-brother and sister. My father had two wives, one was my mom who passed away while giving birth to me and the other is 'Um Hamad" (Mother of Hamad). She has always been just like a mother to me even more, I think. She raised me up like her own kids and never really differentiated between us. Even after my father passed away, a couple of years ago, she's never made me feel like I belong to someone other than her.

**

The weather was still hot in October. Oh wait, it's always hot in the UAE. Even our winters are rain and snowless.

Afraid of burning in the sun I ran up to my car. It was a 'Lexus IS 350' one of the most precious things in my life after my job off course.

Yeah, I am one of those few lucky people on the earth who actually love and enjoy their job. And the credit for that goes to non-other than my Boss. He's a true gentleman and the most honest and nicest person I have ever met. But unfortunately now, oh no wait, What say I tell you the story about him later and drive first? 'Cause I am already running late for work or I could tell you while I am driving too, there's no problem.

So I sat in the car and breathed in its fresh air. Everything about this car makes me go nuts. It's my true Love. I love it to pieces.

Anyway, I drove out of our house and headed for work. As always the streets were filled. 7:00 to 9:00 are considered the rush hours here in Dubai and it is way obvious that I am not going to get to work before 8:30. But not to worry my boss is too good to actually say anything.

The best thing that ever happened to me in my life was this job. Thanks to my dad who spoke to his friend, as in my boss, and there I was, employed.

Too easy huh? Yeah off course you'll say that because you don't know how much trouble I had to go through convincing my mother to let me work in the first place, that was the real battle I fought. Other than that everything went on easy, Thanks to God.

I was still stuck in traffic and bored, when my phone buzzed. I saw my best friend and a work colleague Fatima, was calling me. Without a second thought I answered;

"Hello,"

"Hi, Mahra, How are you?"

"I am good but stuck in traffic which could probably result in me not being good after a while." I heard her laugh on the other end.

"Where exactly are you?" she asked

"Sheikh Zayed road." This place is known to be filled at any time except for Fridays.

"Oh, you should get here soon. There's going to be a meeting after 15 minutes for all the employees in our department." Oh so she's at work.

"A meeting? For what?"

"I don't know. Mr. Waleed came this morning saying that there's going to be a meeting at nine." This was unusual.

"Okay, I'll try and get there as soon as I can." I replied; "See you soon."

"Yeah, Hurry up."

After about fifteen minutes, I finally reached to my destination. I would always smile when I came here. It's weird I know but that's just how great my job has been all these years. Making me feel independent.

I drove into the 'Staff parking lot' quickly, It was nearly 9:00 which means the meeting is about to get started and I am not there and turns out luck's just not with me today because the parking lot was almost full. Darn it!

There was no other option left than to just get into the V.I.P parking. I knew I had to pay some money but that's not the problem. I bought a ticket and got back in my car, to find a parking.

As always the V.I.P parking lot is always empty. Within seconds I found a parking and that's when my eyes fell on the digital timer of my car.

"8:57" it said.

I pressed my foot a little further on the clutch and the car sped up resulting in a total disaster. I jerked and bumped in my seat, hitting the break abruptly. This is so not happening.

Almost subconsciously I got out and went to where the voice had come from. Oh you Stupid parking board! Couldn't they put the sign somewhere else? Look what happened to my car. Oh honey! One of its side lights had hit the parking board and was almost displaced.

It was the first time I had ever had an accident in this car which is more precious than anything I have ever owned. And yeah you must know, when something's dear to my heart it is a possibility that I might love it more than my life! No exaggeration there!

I sat in the car again and reversed it a little bit and then got out again, on the verge of crying. I stretched my arm and tried to put the light back on its place. It had come out but was still stuck with wires like a popped eye. Oh my dearest car!

Turning to look at the parking board, I gasped. Poor thing, had totally bent to one side. For some odd reason, I felt proud of having such a strong car. Just a touch of my car's bonnet could do this to it but it was definitely going to cost me a lot.

I didn't even know what was I supposed to do? Do I call the police or the insurance company? Another thought rushed in my brain, the thought of leaving everything there and just parking my car someplace else. No what if they have cameras here, Nah that's impossible, I am just exaggerating. Why does this have to happen with me?

Feeling miserable, I ran a hand through my hair and sat down on the side walk. Running away isn't what I do. I'll have to find a solution instead of sitting here in melting heat.

"Excuse me," I literally jumped from my place, just like I had minutes ago and turned to the source of the voice. My eyes were wide and I was shocked to see what was in front of me. A man, an Emarati guy was staring at me, concerned.

"Is everything alright, sister?" He questioned. How did he know I was here? Does he work here? No I don't think so. He's too ostentatiously dressed to work here. Is he from the inquiry or the police or something? Here to check whether I was going to run or stay? These thoughts were running in my head.

My head, Oh yeah my head. I had totally forgotten that I was standing in front of a stranger with my hair showing. So I quickly took my shailah (scarf) from my neck and covered my hair. Actually I don't wear my shailah (scarf) in the car and today because of the incidents I went through, I completely forgot to put it on.

Once I put my shaila on, I heard him repeat his question. This time I looked up and saw that he had taken off his glasses.

"Yes, Everything's fine. Thank you." I spoke in an amazingly formal tone, even I had never heard it.

I did it because I didn't need his help. Even though I didn't know what to do but still it's more than a mistake for me to show a man that I am dependent on him and secondly he's a stranger, God knows what kind of a stranger. Yeah sure he didn't look like a bad one but who knows.

May be he'd have made an excuse to sit in my car and steel it. Seriously that could happen. Recently I heard in news that a car had been stolen by two men who hadn't noticed that there was child in it already.

Back to the story, sorry I just lose the track sometimes.

The man stood there looking at me, waiting for me to say or ask for anything but my pride was way too much to actually confess that I needed his help.

After about one minute of an awkward silence. He walked away. What a cold blooded person, couldn't he press on a little? God.

What am I going to do now?

~~

We're two girls from the U.A.E, AKA Dubai. We always came on Wattpad and read stories about vampires, Lovestories, High school and that kindda stuff. So One day me & my friend came up with this idea. "Why don't we send a story about our society, something that speaks about our norms, values & lovestories in the Arab world."

Basically, no1 here knows anything about us, so this is a way 2 bring people 2 get 2 know us Arabs better & read something new 4 a change, if u r interested off course.

~Lots of Love; Witty & Witch❤*❀*