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The loosened wood of the picnic basket screeched gently against the bench's table, as Mrs. Bakkoush placed all of their belongings down. She let out a tired sigh, sitting down by herself as she watched the kids from afar.
She couldn't help the proud smile that slipped on her lips as she saw them them all giggling and cheering. Praying to god in these tough times, she was glad the He listened to her. Sana hadn't been in the best state for the past few weeks, and although she never said anything, Mrs. Bakkoush knew. It kept her up at night thinking of what could cause Sana , out of all people to become so agitated.
Luckily it was over.
Her beautiful, brilliant daughter was smiling again, and even wearing bright colours.
"Jaan?" She was cut out of her longing glances at the kids, as Mr. Bakkoush sat down beside her. He turned towards her with a warm smile and said, "what are you thinking?"
She shook her head with a knowing smile, "Nothing, just watching the kids all happy after so long."
"Yah, it has been a while since they've been this happy right?" She nodded, leaning her head against his shoulder.
"I'm glad." She whispered, watching her dimpled daughter shoot the ball into the basket.
--
Sana rushed past Elias, doing a quick long jump, as the ball swiftly dropped into the basket.
" Ohh !!!" Mikael cheered, rushing up to Sana to give her a loud high-five.
"Please," Elias scoffed breathlessly, "you just got lucky."
Sana heard Mutta chuckle behind her, "I don't think luck makes someone get five shots in a row Elias."
"Hey man! You're on my team!!" He whined, grabbing the ball from Sana.
"Yah I know that too man, but let's face the facts that these two are beating us."
"Please, Mikael doesn't even count as a legitimate player."
" Hey !" Mikael said, falsely wounded, "I-I can play..."
"Aw of course you can." Came a sarcastic voice from behind her.
Turning around, Sana's eyes caught Yousef's, who gave a shy smile.
"Okay, I don't need your fake compliments Yousef, bye." Mikael said, storming to the bench where Sana's parents were.
"Who's winning?" Yousef asked, eyes not leaving her's. She squinted in disbelief, "obviously me."
" And me! " Shouted Mikael from the bench.
The boys and her collectively turned around, rolling their eyes at Mikael.
"Well that's because," Yousef grabbed the ball from Elias, silencing him before he could complain, "you haven't gotten any real competition."
"Or really ?" she asked, eyes glued to his. Her feet automatically, and proudly, stormed towards him, until she felt their breaths intermingle. He nodded, brown, darkened eyes flashing down to her bare lips.
“Okay.” she said, stepping back suddenly. The heated moment cut, causing him to blink out of his dream-like trance, before he gathered himself up again.
“Mind if I join?” Sana turned around surprisingly, hearing her father’s deep, kind voice. With a grin, she walked backwards until she was beside him, shoulder hitting his gently.
“Of course Pappa, you can be on my team.”
“Hey!” Yousef cried, “That’s not fair! Uncle is amazing at basketball.” she shrugged her shoulders, sharing a soft laugh with her dad.
“Sorry ibn, she chose me first,” he consoled with a laugh, before Yousef replied.
“Okay okay fine, since you want to be on her team, it’s fine- it’s cool. I guess I’ll take Elias, Adam, and Mutta then.” Sana oohed in consolation, getting a smack on the arm from Elias who muttered a shut up in embarrassment.
“Well I guess I’ll have Pappa and Mikael on my team then. Anyways, even having four people won’t help you win.”
Yousef twitched his lips, as if attempting to keep his smoldering look intact, again she caught him lingering his eyes on her, as she turned around.
The teams walked to their individual sides, as Sana, on the right side of the court, called Mikael over. The three huddled together, whispering their plan.
“Stay in the right corner and distract Adam okay?” Mikael cocked his head back by her words, appalled.
“So i’m just...a distraction?”
Sana pursed her lips, eyes softening with fake pity as she said, “Mikael. Why are you lying to yourself? We both know that you are literally the worst player ever. Last time we played together, you somehow ended up shooting in your own team’s basket .” Mikael smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.
“Well..that did happen-”
“Okay then that’s settled,” she cut him off, turning towards Mr. Bakkoush, “and Pappa?” Mr. Bakkoush nodded, thick eyebrows scrunching in concentration.
“You guard Mutta. He is weirdly intimidated by you, and we need to use that to our advantage. He’ll never attack back at you.”
“I just don’t get why he’s so scared of me, you know?” he said sadly.
Mikael responded with a nod, “I think it’s just your personality you know? Plus you’re older so.” Mr. Bakkoush nodded slowly, scratching his chin, as he actually contemplated Mikael’s suggestion.
“You know I was talking about that with Sana’s mum the other day-”
“-Pappa!” she said cutting them off, “ Not the time! ” The two men looked at each other, nodding sheepishly before Sana rolled her eyes.
“Moving on,” she said glaring, “I will block Yousef and Adam. Well..it’ll end up being just Yousef after one point, Adam gets winded way too quickly.” Mikael opened his mouth to add one of his funny comment, but Sana cut him off, “-Not. The. Time. Mikael.” Sheepishly nodding, he crossed his arms over his chest.
“Okay get the plan then? Let’s go team!”
They high-fived each other. Maybe slightly to aggressively for Mikael, who whimpered slightly. Coughing it off to act calm, “I’m cool, I'm cool.” he said through the pain as they ignored him.
Sana walked over to the center of the court, rolling up the sleeves of her white sweater. Yousef stood in the other side of the center circle, arms crossed against his chest as he eyed stance.
“Let’s do this Acar.” she said with confidence. Rather than replying, he kept his heated gaze intact, causing her to fluster.
“Stop it.” she whisper snapped, before fakely laughing as her mom brought the ball between them.
“Good luck you two.” she stated with her sweet voice, throwing the ball into the air. Instantly, Sana was brought back to her focussed brain that she used in the court, ears channeling out every sound other than the ball.
Although Sana was quite shorter than Yousef, she knew he’d use his right hand to tip the ball onto his side, so she smacked the spinning ball with her left hand, catching him off guard. From the peripheral vision of her eyes, she saw his eyes widened in sheer dumbfound surprise, as he scattered his arms to get the ball.
It was a smooth dance, how she caught the ball, and swivelled her way passed him. Swiftly, she shot the ball into the shaky net by a long shot, left hand catching the ball even before it could hit the ground. Turning around, she found the boys all frozen in place, stunned and confused by her tactic.
“You’re one shot behind Acar,” she muttered with a cocky laugh, as she threw the ball at him.
And looking down at the ground, she pretended not to have noticed the fascinated and proud grin that had spread on his lips.
--
The game was tied.
After a few easy shots made by Sana, Mutta had surprisingly caught onto her tricks, as he brought their team up in scores. Everyone couldn’t help the sheer look of shock on their faces as he cheered by himself at making the baskets.
“Mikael!” she had whispered sharply, snapping her head around to him “what the hell man?!” Mikael panicked, hands flailing everywhere.
“I’m sorry! I just- he tripped m- aunty brought out the chicken -”
She groaned in frustration, rubbing a hand over her face “Again with the chicken Mikael?! Come on man!”
Yah, he and Adam had given up pretty quickly as Mrs. Bakkoush had brought out the large bowl filled with the piping hot tagine. Sana and her dad shrugged their shoulder, slightly relieved that he was gone, if they weren’t gonna lie.
The team players had become Elias, Yousef, and Mutta, against Sana and her dad. And although her competitive streak was at it’s highest, she couldn’t help the slight fumbles she faced when Yousef brought his face a little too close to her’s as their breaths would collide. It didn’t also help that his eyes were constantly on her. Even as her back faced him at times, his burning gaze heated her cheeks.
Something had changed.
She couldn’t quite point it out, but there was something. Before, the interactions between her and Yousef were very fluffy, very above the surface. But as they had untangled the mess of problems that they had been facing for the past months, the interactions became more memorable. Too often, would they be talking in a group, and suddenly everyone else would just leave, muttering a few curses at them, as they watched each other. His gaze was no longer warm, but heated, with a slight storm swirling within it.
They had never truly confessed that they liked each other, but they knew. Hell, everyone knew. Yet there was something so entertaining for them to pretend that they weren’t constantly finding each other in crowds, lingering their touches slightly too long, and sitting far too close for ‘just friends’. Or how they basically created a game for who would crack first, and confess the words. Neither of them had said the three words, but it had come to the point that saying that they liked each other would be so.. lukewarm . What they had wasn’t a liking for, but it also wasn’t fully love either.
It was just, Sana and Yousef.
--
Sana caught the ball from her dad’s clean throw, as she dribbled her way to the opponent side. Suddenly, Yousef came up to her, body so close that it stole one of her ragged breaths.
“Not this time Bakkoush.” he sang quietly, arms blocking her usable area of the court. She attempted an in and out dribble, only to get caught in the tangle of his long arms. Letting out a low growl of frustration, she paused for a minute, eyes staring into his. And he suddenly froze in the chaos, not being able to help himself, but match her gaze. In the quick span of the moment, she swooped under his frozen arm, passing the ball to Mr. Bakkoush, who slam dunked the ball into the basket.
“OHHH!!” Sana hollered out, high-fiving her breathless dad. Yousef bit his bottom lip with a grin, shaking his head at Elias.
“Bint,” Sana turned towards her dad, nodding “I-I’m very tired now. Do you mi-”
“Pappa! Oh god I forgot ,” she scolded herself by snapping a hand onto her forehead, “I’ll go get the medicine from upstairs. Y-you sit down beside Mamma.”
After finding his diabetes tablet in his room, Sana jumped down the stairs, until she breathlessly reached the bench.
“Ah thank you jaan.” he said with a warm smile.
“No worries Pappa, you’re alright, right?” he nodded, smiling up at her proudly, “Eat okay? We’ll play a little more”
Turning around to go to the court, she heard her mother softly scold her dad for tiring himself out, before he teased her how kept on watching him play.
Her eyes once again caught Yousef’s ardent one’s as he pretended to be listening to the conversation between Elias and Mutta.
‘Oh here it comes..” Elias muttered quietly, getting a laugh from Mutta.
“Comes what?” Sana said as she reached them, eyes inching slightly away from Yousef’s. Mutta and Elias looked at each quizzically, then looked between her and Yousef, who clearly didn’t understand what their - it’s so obvious that a cat could get it - looks were suggesting.
“Seriously?” Elias asked in genuine disbelief. Yousef looked at Sana, they shrugged, before eyeing Elias. Mutta muttered a few curses under his breath, before shaking his head in disappointment.
“What?” Yousef asked.
“Okay either you guys are stuck on hiding this, or you’re both extremely oblivious and stupid,” he waited, thinking they’d understand, obviously they didn’t, “ Oh my god , we know you guys are dating!” he blurted out, wincing and checking if his parent’s had heard them. Yousef quirked his lips, before eyeing Sana knowingly.
“We,” he pointed between them, “are not dating.”
“Yah Elias,” Sana muttered, “we’re not.”
“Wai-how-then what was- what ?” Mutta scratched his head, clearly as confused as Elias.
“So..you guy don’t like each other then?”
At that, Sana met his gaze, to see his response. Not saying anything verbally, but eyes speaking, she shrugged her shoulders at him, as if saying ‘you say it’.
“Umm,” he laughed, eyes refusing to leave her’s while scratching the back of his head, “well.. we do.”
“Okay...” Mutta muttered, brain almost hurting from confusion. Elias added on, “Then why aren’t you dating then?”
Honestly, they didn’t know the answer. But it wasn’t something they wanted to force upon themselves just because they had that special place in their hearts’ for each other. They stood silently staring, ticking off Elias.
“Fy faen,” he waved a hand between them, cutting Yousef out of his trance, “ answer me !”
He shrugged his shoulders, before going back to staring into her eyes.
Mutta grabbed Elias by the shoulder, walking his away towards the bench, “Oh my god- forget it Elias, these two are hopeless.” he muttered.
Again, the dance of their eyes began, as they ignored the two pissed off guys.
He’d look into her eyes intently, then sweep them over her face, always lingering on her lips for a few seconds too long. She’d grin back, as he’d watch her, eyes remaining on the one dimple above his cheek muscles.
He bit his lip, throwing the ball around in his hands.
“Let’s play? A one on one?” he suggested.
“Sure,” she shrugged with swagger, walking to the center “but you’re going to lose Acar.”
He bounced the ball to her with a laugh, preparing himself in front of her as she dribbled.
“Wanna bet?”
Sana sprinted to the left, dribbling the ball with her left hand as he jogged behind her. She halted, moving to the side as he continued for a minute of going forward. Grinning, she passed the free throw line so close to just throwing the ball..
Suddenly Yousef popped up in front of her, arms blocking her view of the hoop with his tall body.
“Come..on..” she muttered, moving from side to side for a window of unguarded defense. Luckily, while he had height, she had speed, so when he tried mirroring her side to side actions, she slipped onto the left. But Yousef knew better at that point, so he quickly followed her, hands lowered in order to stop her.
Concentrating, she jumped up, feeling his arms hit her waist, as she dropped the ball in. Her victory grin faltered slightly, feeling his palms rest against her waist, before he stepped back reluctantly.
“Bint!” Sana jolted out of her reverie, licking her lips before laughing out an answer to her mom behind her, “Huh?”
“Come on, you two need to eat now!”
“Okay, coming!”
Yousef jogged up to her as she walked towards the blanket, shoulder nudging her silently as they found their way to the bench filled with food.
--
The lunch had been amazing, in the surprisingly kind and moderate sunlight, they all laid on the long orange and green-checkered blanket. The stupid grin wouldn’t sweep off of her face as the boys and her mom listened intently to her dad, as he narrated their love story, getting the occasional awwww, ohhhh or hoot from the boys. That, and along with the fact that a certain boy’s brown eyes kept finding her’s. It was getting harder and harder for Sana not to feel that instant heat in her chest and cheeks, but it was also getting harder and harder not to love the feeling.
After a good two or three hours of just pure bliss and happiness, they collected their game cards, and baskets of food. Staying in their usual character, the boys offered to take the things back upstairs, letting the old couple go on their usual weekend long walk. Of course, that left Sana, who attempted to fold the long carpet by herself.
“Let me help.” his voice came from the back door. Yousef walked up to her with a smirk, grabbing the other end of the blanket.
Stepping back, in order to smoothen out the cloth, he muttered too smoothly, “You know you have too short of hands for this right?”
“Shut up. They are average length.”
He neared her, combining her end of edges with his, thumb grazing her knuckles not too subtly. Taking the blanket away, he neatly folded the material until it was the size of a small table.
“Here you go.” she opened her arms, as he placed the soft blanket into the cradle.
She didn’t want to go upstairs.
She knew that when she went upstairs, it would be them, but with the boys again. This little bubble was too tempting for her to not step out of.
Reluctantly, she turned around after a moment of thinking, walking to the door. Suddenly a warm hand encircled her wrist, stopping her in place.
“Hey.” he licked his lips nervously, pursing them the way he always did when he was hesitating, “Stay here for a bit.”
--
Her feet pushed her into the air, as they swung in silence on the small swingset. Sana caught his hand in her’s, fingers intertwining. She’d like to pretend that her heart hadn’t sped up when he rubbed his thumb in circles across the skin of her hand.
She loved this.
Many times, she had noticed that they liked to stay in silence. As a kid she had assumed that he was a talkative person, being her brother’s friend. But as the years went by, and her admiration for him altered into a lingering attraction, she had noticed the quietness within him. It only furthered her admiration for him, that whilst being such a collected person, the few words he would say held so much meaning.
When her parents had walked passed them, ending their walk around the neighbourhood, Sana panicked and pulled her hand away, laughing too loudly as the old couple smiled at them.
“Are you coming in jaan?” Mrs. Bakkoush asked, as Mr. Bakkoush opened the door for her.
“Uh-” Sana scratched her head awkwardly, “I’ll be up in a bit. You and Pappa go”
Mrs. Bakkoush looked between the two young kids, before nodding and heading upstairs. The door shutting closed echoed in the silence, as Sana turned to Yousef.
“I-it’s getting late I guess. We’re going over to somebody’s house in the evening, so I’m gonna get ready.” she said unwillingly, standing up from her seat. He watched her as she stood up, hands shoved in her sweater’s pocket, as she faced him.
Pausing and just admiring her, he got up, and intertwined their hands (it was his new favourite thing to do), “I wish you didn’t have to.”
Sometimes, whilst he would look at her ever so endearingly, as he was in that moment, Sana wondered how it would be if they ever did start a relationship, if they ever got married. Who would be the one to wake up first? Who’d make breakfast? Who’d be the romantic one? Who’d be the one who initiated things?
“I know.” she said quietly, not wanting to disturb the serenity of the moment. Yousef tugged her gently towards him, chest slightly hitting chest.
But Sana knew, that if they never started anything, how would they reach that beautiful part of their life? Maybe keeping things the way they were would lead nowhere.
Someone had to initiate it. So as she nervously took a deep breath, she gathered her courage to say the words.
Licking her dry lips, Sana hesitated as she spoke, “Do you want to go out with me?”
The words came blurting out of her mouth, destroying the nonchalant tone that she had desperately wanted for it to sound like. A twinkle of light glimmered in his eyes while he took in her words, lips forming his classic wicked grin.
Lifting a hand up to her face, he grazed his knuckles on the lining of her baby pink hijab, before responding lightly, “Yes. Yes , of course I do.”
Sana smiled, before clearing her throat to conceal her relief and excitement.
Without revealing how her tiny self in her brain was dancing and cheering she responded, “Th-that’s great.”
Yousef brought his lips to her cheek, feathering her cheekbone in such a manner that made Sana’s heart jump in ways that she hoped wouldn’t cause any injuries. And as his lips pressed a gentle kiss on her dimpled cheek, and his brown floppy hair tickled her ear, he whispered oh so gently, “It is great.”