Chapter 8- An Amazing Opportunity

   "No way!" Dida said to me at her locker.

   "Yep, at the beach. At sunset."

   "That's good that he didn't kiss you at the picnic."

   "Yeah. It was the right time and place."

   "Were his parents nice?"

   "They actually were. I thought they'd be mean because they kept texting him to ask where he was when we were in the taxi going to his house. His little brother's cute."

   "What's his name?"

   "Arsalan. He's like nine years old."

   "Cool. Are you ready for the dance on Friday?" I completely forgot about the dance.

   "No. I forgot about it."

   "I didn't . I've been planning for weeks. Come over to my house today. Will you?"

   "Sure. I need to really plan."

   "We'll take my bus."

   "Alright."

 

   "Could I call my mom from your phone real quick?" I asked Majd while we and Dida were going to the busses.

   "Sure." He handed me the phone. I quickly dialed the number in. We just got a home phone yesterday.

   "Hello." she said when she picked up.

   "Mama, it's me. Could I go to Dida's house? We'll be taking her bus."

   "Sure."

   "I gotta go. Bye Mama."

   "Bye Lina." I hung up.

   "Alright. Bye Majd." I said while handing him the phone.

   "Bye." he said. We did a quick kiss. Dida and I started to run. The bus was packed when we got in. We picked the very last empty seat. It was towards the back.

   "I forgot!" I said to Dida as we sat down on the seat.

   "Forgot what?"

   "I forgot that I had to go to the community center to get their newspaper."

   "To learn English?"

   "Yeah. Remember that Majd and I wanted to learn it together?"

   "Yeah. I forgot something too. In history, my teacher gave us a brochure. It was about a language program. You can study a language in its home country. There's a website link on it. Wanna go on the computer when we get to my house?"

   "Yes! Thank you Dida!"

   "You're welcome." We got to Dida's stop in ten minuets. It took five minuets to walk down to her house.

   "Hi Lina. How are you?" Dida's parents said as we went through the door.

   "Hi Ghaith, hi Shurka. I'm fine thanks, and you?"

   "Very good. Thanks. Are you doing alright after what happened at school?" Shurka asked.

   "Everything is back to normal. No harm done."

   "Are you two going on the computer?" Ghaith asked.

   "Yeah, why?" Dida asked.

   "Just wondering. You two have fun. We'll be cleaning the yard if you need us."

   "Ok." we both said. We went in her parents' room to go on the computer. We started to type in the link on the brochure.

   "LLS for Arab High School Students." I read out loud. That was also the title of the website.

   "Ever wanted to learn a new language? Now, you can! This program will help you learn a language in its home land! Explore and meet new people at the same time! Interested? Fill out the online application. Fill out the application, then you'll be interviewed at your school. Due dates for applications is October 31 at 12:00 a.m. We will be interviewing November 1- November 12." I read aloud.

   "Can my mom and Majd come over? They must see this." I asked.

   "Let me go ask my parents. Wait here." She went out of the room. I was excited about this program. I had a month and a half to fill out the application.

   "I explained the whole thing to them. They said that they can come over. They can stay for dinner if the they'd like also." she said when she came back. She handed me her home phone. They agreed to come over when I called them.

   "I'd like to do this. Would you?" Dida asked.

   "Of course! Majd would love it too." After some time,  we heard voices in the house all of the sudden. We opened the door and saw my mom, Majd, Arsalan, and his parents.

   "I'm sorry. I didn't know he was gonna bring his parents." I whispered to Dida.

   "It's alright." she whispered back.

   "Hi Lina." Majd said as we went to the living room.

   "Hi." We started to hug.

   "Do you guys wanna see the program before or after dinner?" Dida asked everyone.

   "What do you all think?" Shurka asked.

   "Maybe after dinner would be good." Mama said.

   "Alright." Ghaith said.

   "I'll start to prepare dinner. Everyone could sit down wherever you'd like." Shurka said.

   "Would you like me to help you?" Mama asked.

   "I could too." Najwa said.

   "Us too." Dida and I said.

   "If you'd like. We'll let the men be alone." We all walked to the kitchen. We decided to make lentil soup with a side of cous cous with vegetables and chicken. We all thought that the men would like it also.

 

   "Now, we should look at the program now, right?" Shurka asked everyone at the dinner table. We just ended dinner.

   "Sure." Hasan said. We all went to the second computer in the living room.

   "I got the brochure in class." Dida said as she typed in the website address.

   "I think it's amazing." I said. The website came up and Dida read the introduction aloud.

   "Click on the application link." Shurka said after Dida was finished. On top of the application, it described what it was about. It said that a parent could go along too.

   "Can I sign up mom?" Dida asked.

   "What do you think Ghaith?" Shurka asked.

   "If you're ok with it, then I'm ok with it." Ghaith replied.

   "Alright Dida, you can." Shurka said.

   "Yay! Will I be going alone?" Dida asked.

   "If you mean by either me or your dad coming then, you'll be going alone." Shurka replied. Dida and her parents started to fill out the application.

   "What about me Mama?" I asked.

   "I guess you can." Mama said.

   "I change my mind. I'd like to see America." I heard Shurka say.

   "Yay!" I said happily.

   "And me?" Majd asked his parents.

   "You'll go with us." Hasan said.

   "Yes!" Majd said excitedly. It was the greatest opportunity that ever came to me.

  

  

  

Author's Note

ignore spelling mistakes if any

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

Story is very detail and I like the flow of the story. The characters are interesting. I feel like I'm learning a new culture view on living and life. Thank you.
Coyote