Chapter 1
WARNING: this story contains some sexual content and mature content which viewers may find unpleasant.
Kyle’s POV
Latinos Restaurant, Casemates Square Gibraltar
Thursday, 24 April 2014
13.20 hrs
I drank my coffee peacefully at my table sat in the afternoon sunlight, browsing around the square watching the bystanders as they pass by.
There were many people taking up seats in the multiple restaurants and cafes filling the square whilst others were browsing within the shops or simply walking in and out of Casemates Square, be it through the main gate or down along the path of Main Street.
Fatima and I arranged to have lunch together due to her job interview at 12.30pm today for an Administrate Assistant role in the Hassan’s International Law Firm in Line Wall Road, so we agreed to save lunch for after her interview.
I had a feeling of course she would be running late so I booked us a table in advance, which turned out to be a smart move luckily since by this time all the tables around me were now fully packed for lunch.
My mobile vibrated and I fished it out from my pocket, reading the text message sent from Fatima.
Fatima:
Hi, I’m just on my way now. Interview finished early so I stopped by my house quickly. See you soon my love xxx
I smiled reading the text.
But when I pressed the “back” button however I came across Jessica’s last message in my inbox she sent me on Sunday when I was in my house with Fatima.
I still haven’t replied to her since and quite frankly I don’t know what I’m waiting for. Maybe I’m not interested anymore or maybe I’m waiting for a right time to reply to her.
But is it even worth it though? – I keep wondering.
Despite my disloyalty to her which she still doesn’t know about, it was her decision to end the relationship and I was very understanding towards her – no matter how painful it felt at first.
I sighed and dismissed the topic altogether.
Good timing too as I then felt a hand touch my shoulder and turned my head up to see a beautiful girl dressed in a black jacket, blue jumper underneath in a pair of slim beige trousers wearing a grey Hijab and black headscarf.
‘Hey beautiful,’ I said smiling.
Fatima smiled back as she leaned in to kiss my cheek.
‘Hey, I hope I wasn’t too long?’ Fatima replied taking her seat in front of me.
‘No it’s fine, I’ve only been here five minutes. So how did the interview go?’
Fatima set her handbag down on the floor and removed her black jacket, placing it on the empty chair next to her. She got comfortable in her seat and looked over to me as she began to explain.
‘It was really good. They seem very keen on me so I’m hopeful I might get the position.’
‘That’s great!’ I replied. ‘So when will you know for sure?’
‘Well they still have a few more people to interview, they said, but the deadlines are next week so I imagine after that I’ll hear something… hopefully.’
I smiled just as I signalled the waiter to come and serve Fatima.
‘Well I’m certain they’ll get back to you with good news.’
‘Thanks,’ Fatima muttered just as the waiter appeared at our table and looked down at her.
‘What can I get you, ma’am?’ he asked politely.
‘An orange juice would be nice, please.’
‘Right away,’ said the waiter as he noted down her drink and walked off back into the restaurant.
Fatima took the menu in her hands and browsed through the selection of meals to choose.
I already knew what I fancy having – but now I have a second meal in front, I thought to myself smirking devilishly.
She noticed my smirk however and asked what was funny. I evaded the question and continued to browse through my menu, but I did catch a glimpse of a smirk on her face as she continued to browse the selection.
I also caught glimpse of my knuckles on my right hand as I held up the menu, noticing the faded cuts from when I slammed my fist into Fatima’s wall after seeing her bruised face.
The bruise on her face had also lifted thankfully, but that might be due to the amounts of makeup Fatima has applied to herself to cover it up. I guess we both have our own marks we are trying to forget about but things are starting to feel better now than they were before.
It no longer feels like we are just the close friends we started off as, or even as friends with benefits anymore. We are much more than any of that now.
‘OK, I know what I’m having,’ said Fatima lowering her menu with a grin.
‘Oh yeah? What do you fancy?’
‘I fancy the fish and chips.’
I nodded my head in approval of her choice.
‘Not bad.’
‘And you?’ she asked.
‘I’m going to have the burger. This morning’s workout has left me starving,’ I chuckled.
Fatima chuckled with me as she closed up her menu and set it down on the table.
‘Well if you’re still hungry afterwards I’m sure I can fix up something for you,’ she said with a wink of her eye.
I snorted, giving a little chuckle as I noted down her offer should I decide to take her up on it – most likely I will however.
I called the waiter over again to take our order. He noted them down on his little pad and headed back inside the restaurant straight to the kitchen.
Fatima looked around the rest of the Square, noticing the groups of young and old Bayside and Westside Comprehensive students out in Casemates, hanging around before they needed to head back to school for the end of their lunch at 13.45pm.
In particular I could tell she was fixed on a group of Westside girls in their burgundy school uniforms.
One particular group of girls had a few Gibraltarians as well as a couple Gibraltarian Moroccan girls wearing their Hijabs with the burgundy uniform.
That was one of the many unique things about Gibraltar, is that we’re so mixed race with many different nationalities and even religions that reside within our very small community of over 33,000.
Most of whom originate as either Moroccans who took up residency here, Spanish residents who either live here or a large majority of whom come in through the frontier daily to work in Gibraltar – with even a few locals who cross over daily into Spain to work.
We then have a small Indian community, a Jewish community, a few Portuguese as well as many fellow British nationals who were either born here such as myself or have moved here over the course of their lives.
The fact we’re also so small means everyone here knows everyone which can often have its faults when you live in such a small city where everyone knows your business, but as well it has its pros I suppose.
A common saying that goes on in Gibraltar is: “you’ll hear of news spread before it even hits the evening news on GBC”.
Some students were slowly disbursing out of Casemates to head back to school before lunch ended for them whilst others were remaining until the last second.
‘Did you ever mix much with the Gibraltarian girls in Westside?’ I asked.
Fatima shook her head, still gazing down towards the group. However a sense of sadness took over her face as she started to frown.
‘I didn’t mix much with anyone when I was in school, Kyle. More often than I wanted I was always bullied so I just remained alone.’
Fatima’s frown spread on to me as I felt my lips turn into a straight line. I knew exactly how she felt from my own personal experiences.
‘I’m sorry…’
Fatima closed her eyes, taking a deep breath she brushed aside the memories of her school days and looked over at me and managed to smile again.
‘It’s OK, it’s in the past.’
I smiled back at her and reached out with my hand to hold hers, rubbing the surface of her hand with my thumb. She felt warm and her hands were soft to my touch. I just couldn’t visualize how someone so amazing could be treated so poorly by her school peers.
Goes to show school can be really tough.
‘Well you’re not alone anymore,’ I said.
Fatima simply nodded at me.
Our orders eventually arrived and the waiter laid out our plates on the table. Both of us started away at our meals, enjoying the sunny afternoon just as the last of the students began walking back to school for afternoon lessons.
Fatima continued to watch the group of girls and boys, both Gibraltarian and Moroccan alike, walking together in their little groups.
It went to show how different things were here compared to when Fatima was first growing up in Morocco, in Casablanca, until the age of twelve when she moved to Gibraltar.
That photo of her holding her baby brother Yusuf at the time was taken the very first day they moved here into their house.
Where she originally grew up teenage boys stuck to boys and teenage girls stuck to girls, but here and certainly in other Western countries it was different and mind opening. But even then, things for Fatima had never been easy.
Her father’s behaviour towards her and her mother had a good hand involved in how much Fatima struggled socializing during her school years. It hit hard the fact she wasn’t just alone during those years but also bullied on a daily basis that it was easy to understand why any form of contact was a struggle for her, just as it was for teachers to get through to her.
However in college things did significantly change for her as I recall she not only became more open but did have some friends she mixed with other than myself in class.
As bad as it sounds the best thing that could have happened in Fatima’s life was for Soukaina to find the courage to stand up to her father and settle for a divorce. Of course Karim didn’t go down without a fight which is why Soukaina left Morocco in the first place with her children.
Since then it’s been a battle for Karim to travel down to see his kids on occasion.
However there have been other occasions I’ve learnt where he did try to take Yusuf back to live with him, but both Soukaina and Fatima always got in the way and made sure he didn’t succeed.
I have to give Soukaina a lot of credit, she’s definitely stronger than she makes herself out to be and that strength is clearly what has made Fatima the beautiful and intelligent woman she is today.
It would be an understatement to say I’m proud of her.
