6awalt 3alaikom? I’m sorry you guys bas it was a really long post to write! It took forever to come up with actual sentences. 3araftaw lema all the events are in your head bas you can’t put them into actual words and then everything you write seems stupid or boring?
Btw tara i didn’t proof read it , 7adi malait so please excuse any mistakes or boring paragraphs..Sorry :/
Anyway here it is, the long awaited graduation post! Enjoy!
Love you guys :****
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Graduation was fast approaching. We were all nearly done with our IGs and have started to attend rehearsals and graduation gown fitting. It was very exciting but sad at the same time knowing that this will be the last few days that we get to spend with each other. We are all gonna go our separate ways. Most of my close friends are gonna go study abroad including Lulu allah ywafigha inshallah. And the guys!! I’m gonna miss hanging around with them everyday, laughing and joking and just being plain stupid, its gonna be hard seeing them outside of school..
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Lets fast forward a bit to Graduation shall we?
On that morning we all gathered really early in Starbucks 9al7iya for breakfast and to make last minute plans. After breakfast we headed to the ballroom for the final dress rehearsal.
Me: “I hate this gown! Why is it so huge? Zago, do i look fat?”
Farah: “Let me see, hahahahahaha you look like a balloon!”
Me: “Kalba!! You have man shoulders!”
Farah: “So do you!”
Me: “Chub, I don’t! Why is this so hideous?! Why did we let this happen??”
Farah: “Banana!”
Me: “Huh? Why are you so random?!”
Farah: “Madri i think I'm hungry”
We bickered for a couple of minutes until we heard the music start so we quickly got back in line.
The girls had their heels on to practice walking and not falling on stage. As the music started we took that as a our queue to start walking into the hall. I think i was about 5th in line. I managed to get to my seat without falling. Excellent! I was seated in the front row next to Sulaiman. I had a full view of all the audience. Farah and Lulu were also in the front row but we were separated from each other.
Rehearsal moved on. The Head boy and Head girl rehearsed their speeches and then we practiced gracefully accepting our certificates for about a million times. Everyone was messing around. We then practiced leaving the hall in a straight line with poise.
Everyone was kicked out of the hotel and sent to go home, have some lunch and get ready for tonight. Sulaiman and i stayed behind to practice our speech and since it was a surprise to the rest of the students. It was fun. I felt very confident. I liked that i was doing the speech with Sulaiman and not alone. I would very probably be really freaking out if we weren’t. Plus together we came up with some pretty funny stuff to say which sort of upped my confidence a bit more. I am usually a very very shy person and making a speech in front of a few hundred people is probably the most terrifying thing in the world. Sulaiman helped me overcome that fear for a day. He’s such a sweetie wallah.
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So anyway we all went home, had some lunch then i met up with Lulu and Farah at the saloon . We all got French manicures because it was just very in back then and our hair straightened.
Afterwards we all headed home to get dressed. I took a quick shower then got into my dress.
Mama: “Ha ma 5ala9tay?”
Me: “Ya3ni..”
Mama: “Ma 7a6aitay make up?”
Me: “Umm Lulu ba3dain it7i6li, ana ma3aref”
Mama: “Ta3alay ana a7i6lech”
Me: “LA! Lulu t7e6li”
Mama: “Haw laaaaaish?”
Me: “Mamaaaa bas ihya t3aref”
Mama: “Kaifech. Lifay 5al ashof il nafnof 3alaich”
Me: “7ilo Mama?”
Mama: “7ilo Mama”
In comes the brother..
7amood: “Waaaaai3”
Me: “Inta wai3!!”
Mama: “7amood! Sh3alaik min i5tek?!”
7amood: “Tadreen intay oo Mama tishbehon ba3ath? Bas 6ab3an Mama a7la”
Me: “I6la3 bara!”
He goes over and gives my mom a side hug.
7amood: “Mama mino a7la? Ana wila Judo?”
Mama: “Kilikom mo 7ilween”
Me: “Mama!”
7amood: “Madri shlon ana wildkom! Ma7ad i7ebni”
Me: “La2anek mo wildna”
Mama: “Baskom! Inta! Gom idris! Oo intay yallah la tit2a5erain! Raju yan6erech ta7at.”
Me: “Intaw ili m2a5reeni! Mama 9ij mo 7ilo nafnofy?”
Mama: “7ilo 7abebti, i5och i6afrech.”
7amood: “Mama mozain il chithb, intay mo misa3a gaylatli inna i5tek jaikara oo nafnofha ilawe3 il chabd?”
Mama: “7amood ista7 3ala waihek! inta sh3alaik min nafnofha? Sh’hal sowalef? Inta rayal 3aib!”
7amood: “Bas 5ala9 ana badawerli 3ayla thanya”
Me: “A7san manabeek”
Mama: “Baaaas! Yallah kil wa7ed iro7 isawi shiqla!”
I quickly placed my heels in my bag along with my overflowing make up bag. I then put some flip flops on and headed out. We picked up Farah then made our way to the hotel. She looked very pretty in her pink dress.
Awal ma wi9alna we headed straight to the bathroom in the lobby where Lulu was waiting for us. She helped me put on some makeup. When it came to make up i was useless. Ma3aref! I knew nothing other than putting on a bit of blush and some eyeliner, even that would be messy. i put my own eyeliner on and then i was done.
I looked in the mirror after she was done, i loved it, my skin looked flawless, she covered up the pimple that was slowly lurking and put some bronzer on my cheeks. I looked naturally pretty. If my mom had done my makeup i probably would have ended up like bozo the clown’s little sister.
I was happy. Everything was going perfectly so far.
We all then joined everybody upstairs in the ballroom and helped get all the final details ready. We practiced our speeches over and over again and made sure that our slide show’s timing was perfect.
After all the students have finally arrived the photographer started taking random pictures of us before we put on our gowns. We all just messed about.
The ballroom looked gorgeous. The flowers on the catwalk just looked so pretty.
I stood looking out the huge window with Lulu and Farah. I wanted to cry. I’m gonna seriously miss everyone.
Farah: “Ya kalba don’t you dare!”
Me: “Shino? Shsawait?”
Farah: “In bichaitay ahefech kaf!”
Me: “Oh my goood! Intay laish hailigiya? 9bay intay 9bay? Shini ahefech kaf? “
Lulu: “Mako fayda Jude, you’re talking to the girl who has nose-picking and farting contests with 7amodi, what else did you expect?”
Farah: “How are you my friends? Itfashloooon!”
Me: “I7na ili infashel?”
Farah: “Eee! Haven’t you heard that nose picking is very in right now?”
Lulu: “Baaaas!”
Sulaiman: “Heeey so what are we talking about?”
Me: “You don’t want to know”
Sulaiman: “I’m guessing shay ilawe3 il chabd with Farah?”
Farah: “Why? Why? Why would you assume such things?”
Sulaiman: “That's nearly always the case”
Farah: “Hmmm”
Sulaiman: “Shiftaw outside the window?”
Me: “Shfeha?”
Sulaiman: “Tadron inna thats a magbara?”
Lulu: “Nooooo 9ij?”
Sulaiman: “Ee wallah. 3azooooz! Ta3al! Mo hathi magbara?”
Aziz: “Ee”
Sulaiman: “See.”
Me: “That’s scary…”
Aziz: “Hatha i5tiyarech Juju!”
Me: “I didn’t knoooooow inna theres a graveyard right outside!”
Aziz: “Al7een shbigolon il nas? Msaween ta5arojhom 3ind il magbara? Wallah fashla”
Me: “Intaw laish killa i6afroni?”
Sulaiman: “Its funny! Juju ya kalba ta3alay come give me a hug!”
Farah: “Awwww!”
Sulaiman: “Intay ba3ad ta3alay ya wa95a just make sure your hands are clean i don’t want your boogers on my suit!”
We had a big huge group hug. Our friends just kept piling on top of us to join in on the hug. The photographer took a picture. We looked hilarious.
A couple of hours later after lots and lots of photographs were taken of us in our pretty formal dresses and suits, we were taken to the backroom behind the stage where we were to sit and wait until most of the guests have arrived.
We all got dressed in our hideous graduation gowns and sat and waited. Photographers from different magazines came in to take photos of us. Ana razza wayhi in each and every picture that was taken.
As we were waiting i got butterflies in my stomach. I began to feel really nervous. Madri shfeni, i was cold and hot and i wanted to throw up. My teacher suggested i go to the bathroom. I took my gown off and put my flip flops back on and then headed out to the ballroom where a lot of people have already arrived, I looked towards my parent’s seats but they haven’t arrived yet. I made way out of the ballroom and into the hall where the bathroom was.
I found Fahad sitting on the chairs next to the window with his brother, Nasser and 3ama a7mad.
He noticed me then stood up and followed me to the bathroom entrance which was a hidden 3ashan ma7ad ishofna.
Fahad: “Shfeech 7ayati?”
Me: “Madri 5ayfa, a7is ba6ni i3awirni”
He placed his on my stomach and rubbed it.
Fahad: “7ayati lat5afeen mako shay!”
Me: “I know bas..”
Fahad: “Shaklich wayed 7ilo”
Me: “9ij?”
Fahad: “Wallah ya galbi, ityaneneen”
Me: “Thank you, that makes me feel a bit better actually”
Fahad: “Inzain intay ro7ay wash your face al7een oo everything will be fine”
Me: “I can’t i have make up on!”
Fahad: “Oh shdarani, 3ayal madri do what you have to do oo ill wait for you here”
Me: “Ok..”
I went in and looked at myself in the mirror. Why am i so scared? Ya3ni shbe9eer? I tried to shake it off bas mako fayda, ba6ni i3awerni!
I left the bathroom a few minutes later to find Fahad still waiting at the door.
Fahad: “Ha 7ayati? Do you feel any better?”
Me: “I guess..”
Fahad: “Galbi listen to me, there's nothing to be nervous about, you’ll do fine i promise. You practiced your speech a million times, you’re gonna be amazing mo bas fine!”
Me: “Inshallah.. Thank you 7ayati..”
Fahad: “Good luck 7abebti”
He gave me a very big hug and i felt safe. I wanted to stay in his arms bas it was too risky, anyone could pass by. He gave me a quick on my cheeks then i hurried back to the backroom.
Someone gave me some water to drink and i calmed down a bit. We hung around and took pictures of each other to waste time.
After about an hour later we made our way down the emergency flight of stairs leading to the hallway. I was having trouble walking with me heels, they were very high. Amazingly i made it in one piece though. Farah was struggling with hers too. We don’t usually wear heels, its flip flops or sneakers for us most of the time.
We stood in line, i was the fourth one i think. The entrance doors opened, the queue music started and we walked in. It wasn’t perfect but who cares. Some of the guys got their seats wrong and others sat down before they were supposed to but i don’t think many people noticed. Everyone was clapping and cheering and taking pictures.
My parents sat in the second row on my side. My mom looked gorgeous. She was wearing a black suit. It was a straight black skirt suit with a black blazer that had some detail on the colour, i have never seen her to beautiful before. Both my parents were smiling, they looked very proud.
A few rows behind them sat the rest of my family. There were aunts and uncles and cousins and my grandparents and friends. All smiling and clapping, it was amazing! I don’t remember how many people i invited bas kan wayed! I felt popular haha.
Towards the back sat Fahad with his uncle, brother and Nasser. Next to them ga3deen a huge group of guys, probably friends of one the guys illi ma3ana. Kano wagfeen oo they were cheering oo screaming. It was funny, ifashloon. Fahad stood ma3ahom oo clapped while looking at me and smiling.
After the cheering calmed down, we took our seats and the ceremony started. The headmaster made his speech, followed by the guest of honor, then Lulu who was the head girl made hers in English followed by Aziz who made his speech in Arabic.
I couldn’t stop smiling and looking at everyone. I felt proud. I was aware that the photographers were focusing on me more than anyone else. They made me feel pretty and more confident. I kept my smile and posed for all of them hehe.
After all the speeches were done came time for the certificates. When i heard my name i went up to get mine. Ihnee 7asait the cheering was overwhelming. It was amazing, my cousins were very loud and some of the guys illi wara stood up to cheer even though ma3arifhom, Fahad oo his guests joined in oo 3amati iyabiboon oo my friends and family! Everyone was seated in different parts of the room, they were scattered so the noise seemed to come from everywhere. The guest of honor handed me my certificate and then told me inna oh shakla 3indech wayed mo3jabeen. I laughed. The headmaster shook my hand them winked. My smile shaga wayhi 6ab3an.
Following the certificates came time for my slideshow with Sulaiman. Like we practiced, Sulaiman and I stood up together on queue and walked over to the microphone. All the butterflies that i felt earlier were gone.
Me: “We have a little treat for everyone tonight. My friend Sulaiman and i have made a little slideshow of all our friends that are graduating with us tonight to show how much they all mean to us.”
Sulaiman: “Only a few of them know about it but none of them know what we are gonna say, so this is a surprise for them as well.We hope you enjoy it”
We started of the slideshow with pictures of Lulu. I said some nice stuff about her. Then a picture of Farah came up and Sulaiman said some funny stuff about her, we got a few laughs. I’m sorry i don’t remember the speech..I looked at Fahad and my parents all through the speech. When Fawaz’s turn came up i took my eyes off the audience and looked at the students instead. Nobody expected me to be the one to talk about Fawaz since we were still not talking to each other. Everyone was looking straight at me.
Me: “Fawaz is one of our oldest and dearest friend. I think I speak for all of us when i say we just love him to bits. His smile just lights up the room and whenever he is present you can’t help but laugh at his sense of humor. I don’t think i’ve ever met anyone who is as funny as Fawaz. I remember when we were little, Fawaz once told me that he was actually a student by day and a police man by night and that he once killed a robber with just one finger. When i asked him how he told me that it was top secret and you have to be trained on how to do it. I actually believed him! He warned me not to tell anyone or he would kill ME with his finger.There’s never a dull moment with Fawaz. We are all very lucky to have him as a friend and class mate. We’re gonna miss you very much.”
I smiled and looked at Fawaz who also had the biggest smile i had ever seen. He mouthed “I’m sorry i love you” to us from across the hall. All our friends were laughing, none of them had heard this story before.
The picture on the slide show then changed to the next student’s picture for Sulaiman to talk about. I took that chance to look at Fahad.
He wasn’t there!! La ohwa walla his guests. Their seats were empty. What the fuck?? Where did he go?? I quickly scanned the crowd but he was nowhere to be seen. I don’t understand! Why did he leave??
I brushed the thought of him out of my mind and focused on our speech. I didn't want to mess it up.
After our speech the headmaster thanked everyone and made his closing speech then invited everyone to have dinner after we were all out.
We all formed a line like we practiced and walked out to the hall where our friends and families joined us shortly after. Fahad was not in the hall. He just left. i forgot about him. We posed with everyone for pictures for all the magazines and newspapers and the official photographer and personal photos.We had fun. Everyone was introducing everyone else to their families. I got a lot of compliments.
Some of the students had taken off their graduation gowns so my mom told me to take off mine so i can show off my pretty dress then posed for more pictures. I took one with my family and others with friends and some with my cousins.
Before the cake cutting i wanted to get my stuff from the backroom, i was afraid someone would steal my phone or my wallet. I excused myself, i left my parents who were talking to Fawaz’s parents and walked across the ballroom to the backroom. As i walked down the stairs behind the stage i lost my balance and fell!
I felt like i wanted to scream. 7ada laaaaaa mo wagta kilish. Stupid heals! I tried to get up. I couldn’t! My ankle hurt, i couldn’t move. So 6ab3an 7ifa’6taw my reaction. I cried.
Makan fee wala a7ad. Nobody could hear me. I just sat there sobbing. It hurt!
Around 10 minutes later Aziz came in to get something.
Aziz: “JUDE SHFECH?? LAISH TABCHEN??”
Me: “6i7t”
Aziz: “5ara3teni, are you ok?”
* Cry cry cryyyyyy *
Me: “No i can’t walk”
Aziz: “Al7een anadi oboch”
He went then got back with my parents and Mr. Smith. By then my ankle had turned purple and i was just bawling and weeping like there was no tomorrow. 3azooz il kalb started to laugh.
Mama: “Jude 7abebti 5ala9”
Baba: “Baba tigderen togfeen?”
Me: “Laa i3awerni Baba”
Aziz and my dad helped me up so i can sit on a chair.
I remember an egyptian guy came and looked at my leg. I seriously don’t remember who he was or laish yay bas i remember that he just started to touch my leg. Oboy istaw3ab chan igola wa5er wa5er. He could have been a doctor, i don’t know.
They got me a wheelchair and Aziz pushed it out the hall. By then nearly everyone had left. I stayed in there crying for maybe 2 hours, i missed everything, i didn’t get to see the cake cutting or anything else that happened.
Anyway we dropped my mom home then went to the hospital to get some x-rays done. Turns out i twisted my ankle so they bandaged it up and sent me on my way.
On the way back i checked my phone to see if Fahad had left me anything. He hadn’t. I don’t get it! What happened?
The day started out perfectly but ended in the worst way possible. Happy graduation! Well not really..
