Guys and girls are talkative in high school. They were talking about Ahmed and Maryia and gossiping. Two guys and Pedro, Ahmed's close friend, were walking beside each other on the school campus. Guy 1 speaks. "Maryia is playing with Ahmed's feelings." Guy 2 replies. "No, man! He loves her." Guy 1 objects. "but her father is not as famous as Ahmed's father. Ahmed's father has the biggest trading company in San Francisco, and it has many other branches across California. She is lower than him in social status." Guy 2 asks for Pedro's opinion. "Pedro, did you hear this 'social status' expression? Haha! He is an idiot!"
Guy 2 keeps laughing at the formal words his sassy mate said, Pedro looks serious and replies. "Of course he is; because he thinks something is between them." Guy 2 comments. "So you believe he isn't attracted to her?" Pedro explains to them. "It is her who is attracted to him, not him attracted to her. It's the opposite." Guy 2 looks confused. "But the looks and the eye contact they exchange.." Pedro says in a confident voice. "Oh boy..just simple tricks from her to make him give her attention."
A group of girls were staring at Ahmed and Maryia on the campus during the break. They exchange gossip as they stand. Girl 1 says. "Look at him. He guarantees her love, so he acts like he doesn't care." Girl 2 adjusts her hair in a silly way. "No. He is supposed to love a girl like me." Girl 3 waves at Girl 2 to stop her talk. "Uh, stop it! Just look! Don't they look like each other?" Girl 1, 2, and 3 exchange looks at Ahmed and Maryia, who are a few ten meters from each other and them. Girl 1 comments. "Mm. not much. I mean. Why would there be a similarity?" Girl 2 replies to Girl 1. "They are Egyptians." Girl 1 says with a curious voice. "So what is this, you think? Silent love?" The girls laugh and walk away.
Ahmed heard the girls by chance as he was walking in their direction. He was noticing the rumors and their talk, as well as Maryia. When he hears this, he smiles and shakes his shoulders, showing his questionable attitude about why they do that. Suddenly, Ahmed's friends, Leo, Pedro, Akira, and Omar, find Ahmed playfully jumping on Leo, saying "Hi!". Leo aches. "Ouch! You hurt my shoulder!" Leo pats his shoulder as Ahmed does. Ahmed apologizes. "Sorry, Leo."
He salutes the rest of the group. While Leo looks at Ahmed and then at the group members in a sly way, he talks to Ahmed. "So, boss? Where will we go today?". Ahmed spreads his looks to the group members. "What do you think, guys? Pizza?" The group shouts in agreement. "Pizza!", and then they run behind each other. Maryia noticed this situation with interest, always cautious that someone may see her focusing on him.
Every time Maryia walks on the school campus during the break, watching Ahmed playing football or joking with his friends, she keeps telling herself, "He is Muslim, cute, loves cars and classics. Why not?" She didn't mind being his girlfriend, but just his interest. She thought he didn't even know she existed. One time, Ahmed's friend saw her staring at Ahmed. When she noticed she was looking at him, she quickly looked at her notebook, acting like nothing was there. However, the class noticed everything every day.
Another time when Maryia returns home, she gets in her room, throws the books, which is not her habit at all, and rests her back on the bed. A love song was playing on the TV in the salon where her mother Yousra and other acquaintances were talking. She smiles in joy and stares at the ceiling. The song on the TV spreads love feelings in Maryia's atmosphere. "OH, WHEN YOU TRULY LOVE AGAIN! OH, WHEN YOU TRULY LOVE AGAIN AFTER LONG YEARS" The singer said.
As Maryia is lost in her dreams, she closes her eyes and smiles. Suddenly, she stands up. Her face is terrified, and her eyes are widened. "No.. no.. I shouldn't have these feelings. I have to stop it." Maryia said to herself. She breathes quickly from the panic as she recognizes that she has feelings for Ahmed. Teenagers with psychosis usually can't focus on relationships when they are dealing with different major issues like psychosis. However, she was interested in this love.
At night, Maryia is preparing dinner in the kitchen. She prefers having her meal alone. Maryia's family is not very warm. They are usually distant. Her father, Magdy, is always away at work. Yousra is always on the phone and the TV. It's rare when they have lunch together on the weekend. This distance Maryia has from her family is the reason beyond her emotional spareness. This leads later to developing her psychosis. Maryia steers the pasta in the pot and talks to her younger sister, Leyan.
"Leyan, how was school today?" Maryia asked. Leyan crosses her arms on her chest. "Not very well. I hate a lot of people there." Maryia looks concerned. "Why? What happened?" Leyan looks down. "Nothing. I just hate seeing them every morning. It is like seeing demons in the place!" Maryia laughs. "Ha Ha! Didn't you choose this school alone and refuse to join mine? Don't be that furious. You can avoid them; I know how schoolmates are annoying, especially when you don't have common cultural backgrounds. Focus on studying and having fun with your close friends." Leyan chose to join an American school instead of an international one.
Leyan replies with sadness. "My close friends don't care about me." Leyan looks up and puts her finger on her chin. "Umm, yes, we spend time together and attend school together." Leyan raises her shoulders. "but they do not ask about me if I am absent." Maryia looks sad and hugs her. "Aw, I am sorry you are feeling this way." Maryia leaves her embrace and points to her with her finger. "Listen, don't wait for anyone to care about you! Just care about making yourself happy. While you do not harm anyone, you should also include yourself." Leyan smiles at Maryia and hugs her. "Thanks, Maryia!"
As the days pass, Maryia starts to search for his accounts on social media and stalks. She discovered more about him and his personality, his favorite car types, his favorite friends, and more. She sits one day in her room, with the school book in her hands, but her heart and mind are elsewhere. Maryia talks to herself. "I refuse these feelings, Uh..Okay. It's ordinary to have these feelings because I'm a teen, but.. Uh.. No.. it is hard.." She feels hopeless about conquering these feelings and keeping her strength.
Ahmed and Leo, Ahmed's best friend, are walking after school in the street. They have a cool conversation about having some fun. Leo says in excitation. "I wish I could drive my father's car. It is a luxury sports one from Germany. Did you see it? On Instagram?" Ahmed replies in his cool voice. "Yes, I did. But I'm not interested in these kinds of cars. You know I'm a classic man!" Leo laughs. "Yes, I know." He replied. Leo smiles and stares at Ahmed for a while, then he replies. "What about having a car ride tonight? With our fathers' cars?" Ahmed looks serious and terrified. "Oh, no. My father would have killed me if something happened to the car." Leo replies, playfully. "Don't be afraid. You are a skilled driver! You have been driving so well for the last two summers and you have already obtained your driving license this year!"
Ahmed looks serious and stops walking, then Leo as well. "I'm not afraid! I'm never afraid.. I'm just cautious. Even if I have my driving license or a skilled driver, Dad doesn't trust me. He says I'm reckless with cars." Ahmed said with a pained face. Leo stares at Ahmed, then they continue walking again. Leo replies. "Mmm. Okay, let's delay this amazing event to a time that will never come." Leo waves at Ahmed and runs to his house. "adiós!" Ahmed stops in his place, staring at Leo, who disappears from the place, thinking of something we can't figure out.
Ahmed is in his room at night, turning off the light to sleep. As he was about to go to bed, he heard a noise from the street. He was curious to know what it was, especially when the noise revealed more about its source, which was something he loves: Cars! He opened the window's curtain and looked at the street. There was a cabriolet with some boys having fun in it. They were laughing and enjoying the Adrenaline! He looked at them and smiled. He can feel the excitement they are feeling. Unintentionally, he raises his hands and acts like he is holding a steering wheel. He tenses his hands strongly, but he returns to reality and drops his face to the floor with a hopeless impression. Then, he closes the curtains and sleeps on the bed, dreaming of his car ride.