Her Side of the World

Chapter 6

I feel extremely happy when my eyes land on Mariam about half an hour before our next class together at 1pm. Probably a little too happy.

I was not able to catch up with her in the morning. But now is my chance.

"Hello." I say when I get to her.

She turns around and looks at me. She was texting and did not see me coming.

"Oh, hi." she smiles.

"All good?" she asks me. Mariam feels and sounds genuine in everything she does and says. When Mariam asks me "all good?", you could hear the concern in her voice. You could tell that answering "not really, I am having a bad day" or anything of the kind is in fact an option. You can do that. This is why she is asking. She wants to know.

"All good. You?"

"Yeah. We have a class together in few. 420. You're taking that with me, right?"

"True."

"Wanna walk there?"

"Yeah." I nod happily.

Mariam leads the way. We walk from the main gate to the Bechtel Building, passing by what seems like a forest inside the university. Both of us stay quiet for most of the time.

When we arrive at the building, we take a seat on a bench near the entrance. Mariam drinks from her cup of what I guess is a milkshake.

"You want to taste this? It is amazing!" she exclaims.

It seems like a pattern of hers. Loving food and wanting to share it.

"No thank you. I had a heavy breakfast today."

"Really? What did you have?"

"Fool?" I answer unsure if I am pronouncing it right.

Mariam laughs. "No way! Good for you! You've now tasted one of the most delicious breakfast platters. You liked it? Who made you try it?"

Mariam is too excited. It is fun watching her and listening to her. And giving her some time to ask more questions before I answer. I smile.

"So?" she persists.

"I liked it, yes." I laugh a little. "A friend that I recently made, Danny."

She smiles and nods. She takes a sip from her milkshake.

"You must try the Fool that my mother makes. Everyone loves it."

I laugh. "You see her often?"

Mariam laughs. It seems to me that everything I say, these people find it funny.

"Yes, considering that we live together."

"Oh. I thought you'd have rented a place near and your mother would be living in the suburbs or something."

"No. I live with my family. We have an apartment here in Beirut."

"I see. So who lives there? Besides you and your mother?"

"My father, who travels from time to time. And my two sisters."

"Two siblings. Nice."

"Three. I have an older brother. But he's married."

"Oh. Sweet. So you're a total of four."

"Yes."

"I also have a nephew. But I will not show you pictures. Not yet. Once we're close, I'll spam you with some."

I laugh. Once we're close. Mariam acknowledges this potential, and I love it.

"But like, how old is your brother?"