Nomi & I

I remember the day Nauman and I became friends. It was one high school day (grade 11, 12?) I was in the school library during my spare and I was drawing in my sketchbook (what else is new). Anyways, I was immersed in my drawing and then I heard a boy behind me asking me if he could borrow a pencil (or was it an eraser?) I gave it and thought I'd never see it again but then the pencil borrower asked me my name. I replied and when I did, he proceeded to tell me that I say my name wrong! I remember I became upset because how dare a stranger tell me, that I pronounce my name wrong, the name that my parents gave me, the name that I love. And that's all I remember - that the day Nauman and I became friends, we had an argument.

Since then we've had countless arguments.

One of my earliest memories of him is of us sitting and talking in the library. I also remember his friend, though I forget his name...one of my friends thought he was cute. She told me I should become good friends with Nauman so that I could talk to his friend for her. Well Nauman and I became friends but I don't think I ever did talk his friend. His friend, I discovered, was a bit messed up. Nomi I think you know who I'm talking about (whatever happened to him?), but that was high school, and at that time we all had messed up friends.

Another memory I have is of the day Nauman told me that he liked me. I remember I wasn't sure how to react because I never saw it coming and I was already head over heels in love with V at the time. So, we agreed to be just friends, as young people do, and then he got to know me better and realized that we'd probably be the worst two people in the world to end up together anyway. Thank God nothing came of that otherwise I can bet we'd have killed each other... which would mean I wouldn't be here today...and my blog wouldn't exist... which would also mean Nomi wouldn't be upset over my last post.

I think after he graduated (older than me), we became even better friends. Even though we didn't get to see each other at school, we spoke almost everyday on MSN or the phone. I complained to him about my problems with V, from the more serious religion-related issues to the silly stuff like how-come-V-doesn't say-hello-with-a-cheerful-voice-but-only-a-happy-voice kinda problems. And as the great friend he was, Nauman took V's side EVERY SINGLE TIME. I don't think there was ever an instance where he said to me, "you know what 'Liya, V's wrong here and you're right." At the time that annoyed me like crazy, but then I realized that he's just being fair. He's a fair person. And maybe V's hello greeting did have a touch of cheerfulness combined with happiness. Whatever!

When I got to university, Nauman was there to give me advice. He helped me understand how to read the GO Bus schedule (a very complicated looking thing), and he gave me tips on what to expect and how to deal with a new place. We didn't go to the same university but even though we were even farther apart, we became better friends. Because he had been there for a year, he was kind of like the "expert."

V and I have a rule: because I'm a crazy jealous female, my rule is that he doesn't talk to any pretty girls at school. Well that rule has been broken because most of the times it's the pretty girls that are the smart ones, so he has to talk to them, befriend them, and borrow their notes. Although V isn't a crazy jealous guy, he had to have a similar "rule" for me - that I don't talk to any guys. So I don't. All of my friends a girls, something that I have no problem with at all BUT Nauman isn't a girl. The thing is, he doesn't 'count' as a guy. I don't have an older brother or sister and I don't have any older cousins that lived nearby so I never really had someone I could ask silly but necessary questions to. In a way, I saw and still see him as an older brother figure. So that's the role he fulfills. And V is okay. And the world is good.

Now that I'm working, he's one of the ones who listens to my teaching stories. He's also one of the many who complain that teaching is all I talk about... but I can tell he understands how important it is for me to have gotten where I worked so hard to get in such a short time. He really does care.

Although I'm only telling of my side of our relationship, our friendship goes both ways. When I complain to him about V, he'll tell me about a girl. When he complains to me about work, I'll try to find something positive in it. When he complains to me about family, I'll complain right back about mine. And, when I used to complain about school, he'd tell me I'm making a big deal out of nothing. And most of the time I was.

I was angry after our last conversation and I apparently took some things in the way that wasn't intended. I don't regret my last post, I think it brought out some interesting comments that I was glad to see in my readers. It helped me realize that not everyone is like Nauman pointed them out to be. But there are some who are. They know who they are. Now that I think about it, I'm glad that we had that conversation, that I wrote that post, and that we talked about it afterwards. I feel better, and if possible, I feel that we're stronger friends now. I wish the best for him in his life and I know he does the same for me. And, I look forward to continuing our friendship inshAllah (if he doesn't get sick of me as the years continue).