NINE

“What game are you trying to play, Haidar? I watched you throw that cold attitude at Hayfa throughout the evening”. My mother hissed.

“What would you rather have me do? Pretend to be something I’m not?”. I asked her.

“Don’t talk to your mother like that, Haidar”. Father chastised.

I shook my head, I wasn’t exactly pleased at the moment.

“No, it’s you who shouldn’t talk to me like this, both of you”. I said to them. “I believe we owe each other some level of respect seeing that I’m not a kid anymore”.

“I beg your pardon”. Father said.

I pried my gaze from my laptop screen and met his.

“Just because I choose to avoid a scandal and get married to Hayfa doesn’t mean I can’t do what I want”. I said to him and his expression hardened. “We’re getting married in a week’s time, I beg of you to let me be till then”.

He made to say something but I shook my head.

“Don’t lecture me about my attitude, don’t talk to me about the party, don’t talk to me about the wedding, and don’t talk to m