Kiss The Rain…
I am so numb that I don’t thin I can say anything anymore. I messed up everything once again. It is just me – I’m in so much pain that I stopped feeling anymore. I’m the type of person who either gives all or nothing. And it’s even harder to go back to nothing once you’ve given all. I care about people way too much, and that will ultimately be my undoing.
I will let the song express what I feel now. I don’t like the video here, but I couldn’t link the original – the original video pretty much describes and shows my state of mind and feeling:
A Tale of Three Girls…
I had a rather looooooooooong chat with one of my best friends today. Before I go on, let me explain the background a little.
We are a group of three friend and have been together since 4th grade – that’s about 15+ years now. Elementary, middle, high school, A-Levels, College (well the first two years atleast). There’s me, Hammy and Cammy. Hammy and Cammy went to ACD, a sort of transitional college where you can complete first-year and second-year college before transferring to the States for your degree. Most credits generally get accepted. Whereas I stayed here, studied my entire degree at AUS in Sharjah. So off they went to the States, Cammy in Texas, where she met her college sweetheart and got married last February, where both Hammy and I were maids of honor. And Hammy studied in Carbondale, completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s and is now returning to Dubai to help in her dad’s business.
As for the dynamics of our relation ship, Cammy and I are best friends – like she is my best, best, best friend. Hammy and her are also best friends. As for Hammy and me, things have always been on the two extremes of the spectrum. The first 7-8 years of the triangle was spent on Hammy and myself competing to be Carmen’s BFF. It wasn’t the most fun part of school. But then came junior and senior year and we had to chose our specializations: Science, Commerce or Design. Hammy took Commerce, while Cammy and I chose Science. So Hammy got shipped off to another class, but unfortunately, Cammy and I also got split, thanks to a teacher who wanted to keep us apart. So with the three of us in different classes, we stopped being obsessed with being the better BFF and got on being better friends all around.
This continued through A-Levels, college and when both of them went away. We’ve all gone through everyone’s good and bad times. Cammy’s parents and my mom take us as their children – we’ve grown up together. I don’t plan on missing any milestones in Cammy’s life unless I can’t help it. Hammy’s parents, on the other hand, think my mom is legally separated from my dad, because if Hammy’s folks were to know that my mom divorced and remarried, they’d think I’m a bad influence on her and wouldn’t allow her to go out with me. I’m not ashamed of who I am, or what my family has become. But for keeping the peace, I keep my mouth shut. Hammy doesn’t mind, but she won’t go against her parents if they forbade her too. Cammy’s parents, on the other hand, know everything. And as I said, they’re like my second set of parents. When I turned 21, her parent’s came to wish me and even gave me a present even though Cammy wasn’t around. I still have that watch, although the leather strap rotted from my germophobe tendencies to wash my hands everytime I do something.
As for Hammy, it’s always been rather hot and cold. And it isn’t so much about being Cammy’s BFF as it about how different we are in lifestyle, culture and many others. I’m from a broken home and had a very difficult teenage life, with parents splitting, remarrying, again splitting, on top of my own set of problems of being a teenager. We weren’t poor, mom managed to keep us very well, but there are many things I’d like to do that I couldn’t because the money didn’t stretch as far. I don’t complain much as it’s taught me to treasure things even more. And not be spoiled as much. And since dad left, I’ve had a considerable amount of freedom in socializing and going out. I wasn’t too bad – I hope. I admit I did many things I’m not proud of, but that taught me to treat freedom with respect. And now most times I prefer staying at home. And I was never a party person so it’s not like I partied, boozed and drugged.
Hammy, on the other hand, is rather well off – she stays in a lavish duplex with her folks and pretty much can afford many things that I couldn’t. Her family is intact. However, her father is extremely strict with her and her curfew until perhaps 2-3 years back was at 8pm. On the dot. No later. Now it’s till 10pm. And we’re all about 25. And of course no boys at all. Not even as friends – although I think her mum helped her relax that a little as on one of her birthdays, some of her guy friends from college came home. She has to sneak out to see her friends and generally can’t go to events that go beyond 10 and she doesn’t have a ride back home.
So the main fights we’ve had were when she would go out with her friends and kinda ignore me just a bit. The reason being I work hard, studied hard and my timings were such that I wouldn’t be free till 7-8pm. Plus if we were out somewhere where I had to stay past 10, I can’t promise her a ride back. So you can imagine how things went. She had to please her parents, and I felt like I didn’t matter to her. And her college friends would sometimes get her out of the house beyond 10. Which irked me because if I asked the same, she’d be too scared to ask her dad.
These kept piling up among other things. Now everytime we have a get-together in Texas, I live on a hitch-hiker’s budget as most of my money went on getting the plane ticket there. Hence I unashamedly crash at Cammy’s place because I can’t afford a hotel. Whereas in Hammy’s case, she can afford the ticket (it’s cheaper going domestic than international duh!), accommodation and so on.
But sometimes I need to be kicked out of Cammy’s place – like her wedding night. So I planned on crashing at another person’s place again – to save cash. Hammy insisted I stay with her and I not pay a penny, which in my head made me feel rather, I can’t get the word – indebted. And most times I hate feeling that. I hate feeling like I owe someone something. Because most times, I’ve never been allowed to forget that they did something for me and therefore own my ass forevermore.
Anyhow, recent events just made things worse and worse between us two until the final push happened in July during the last get-together. I felt very taken for granted and ignored the entire trip – a trip of my planning and my idea to do something special for Cammy’s Bday. I kept feeling out-trumped every minute – an example was me showing up from Dubai as a surprise on Cammy’s bday. Versus staying in the Trump tower’s in Chicago for 3 days. Which sounds cooler? By the end of the trip, I wondered why I even bothered doing anything for anyone anymore. I felt miserable.
And also Cammy’s brother getting in the mix didn’t help. I was single at that time and he was so nice to me I developed a kinda crush on him. Nothing big – if it happened, it happened. If it didn’t, no biggie. Kinda like a vacation fling. Well he didn’t reciprocate, but he didn’t stop me either. However, he had a thing for Hammy and although I had my suspicions, I didn’t think much about it. Well, we all got drunk one night in Chicago and it became pretty obvious to everyone how into Al (that’s his nickname) I was. And Cammy didn’t like it at all – I get it, protective sister saving brother from rather ‘experienced and loose’ best friend.
And the vacation ended in a slightly awkward note. Well, after I left, the entire group met up again twice – sans me. Because they’re all in the States, but I’m not being on the other side of the globe. It made me feel very left out. And that’s how I found out about Hammy and Al hooking up. It didn’t bother me so much that they hooked up, but the fact that Al hadn’t been upfront with me from the start. If he said he fancied her in the beginning, I wouldn’t have had that stupid drunken moment and wouldn’t have made a fool out of myself infront of everyone.
And hence why I was trying to be rather polite and gracious when both Cammy and Hammy told me. I felt awkward, not to mention a little embarrassed and hurt. And a little betrayed by both of them. Apparently, Cammy was ok with it all. It just reinforced the idea that I felt she saw me as ‘loose’. But I might have annoyed Hammy , which lead to her saying some rather nasty things to me and me finally having enough with all of them.
After all that drama, I decided to not be proactive in the friendship anymore. I felt I had done more than enough, and then some. Flying all the way from Dubai is no joke – each trip I make takes time out of my annual leave, a big chunk of my salary as well trying to not piss relatives off who say I never visit them by keeping quiet about going. Whereas it was just a hop, skip and jump from her to fly down to Texas, or for them to drive up to Carbondale. I feel like if I were in their shoes, they would never do as much as I’d do for them. Like my wedding. Whenever it happens. I feel like if they can’t make it, they won’t bother coming. Whereas I was willing to risk my new job by flying out before my probation period. Because I would never miss her wedding ever. We promised each other when we were little girls that we’d be there for each other’s weddings, and if possible, on the birth of our children. And I remember that promise.
Anyway, Hammy’s coming back to town by end of January. We spoke the whole morning. In the process, all these feeling of hurt and anger and everything just came out. And she had no clue how I felt. How miserable I was feeling. She said she was sorry and never knew I saw things that way. In the end, we made up and hopefully we can start fresh. I’m being cautious though, because all this took a toll on me.
I honestly don’t think Hammy is a bad friend. We’ve had many good times together. But I do know that we also can push each other’s buttons and no matter how much we try, the differences in our lifestyles, family and culture make it hard for us to be ever as close as we both are with Cammy.
Losing It…
I stayed at home today. All the late nights, crappy sleep, and now infections up here and down there piled up. I just couldn’t get out of bed today. So I called in sick.
My gran didn’t even notice I was at home until I rose out of bed at 12. I feel like nobody notices me anymore. That I’m invisible. That life somehow passed me by. Nobody notices if I’m even at work or not. I could have not called in sick and no-one would realize I’m not at work. But for the sake of not absconding, I called anyhow.
Even P hasn’t called in a while. And I’m not going to call him either because I’m rather pissy at him. We were supposed to meet up, but he had family plans last minute. I know things will be ok with him later, as I can’t be mad at him for long, but I’m just giving him attitude anyway. He has no idea about JT disappearing. I need his support, but a part of me feels too proud to go to him. And the fact that I’m supposed to be mad at him.
As for JT, I feel numb now. I broke down last night and cried pretty much the entire night. I didn’t sleep well. I feel lost. I’m not sure what to do anymore. I did what I could to contact him, and now I just have to wait I guess. I know he has good reasons, if he’s still alive. But the waiting is eating away at me. Perhaps it’s just me over-reacting. If it were a normal and sane person, they would have lived their life and not worry so much.
Nothing makes sense anymore. I’m afraid I’m losing it.
Nightmares…
I’m awake. Wide awake. Because of nightmares that won’t go away. And the fact that I’m still itchy down there, despite attempts to keep it clean (not that I don’t normally, I’m quite hygienic. But more than usual). I’ve kept it dry, scrub it with dettol and feminine wash, yet the itchiness and some TMI info – some nasty gunk surfaces every time I clean. Damn him. I think it’s a yeast infection.
Anyway, nasties aside, the dreams. There are two nightmares that keep me up at night. One is the one I keep talking about – the rather traumatic times with my ex’s best friend. Except worse happens in the dream. And in addition, I remember my first time. I mean, you’d think you know better after it happens the first time, wouldn’t you? I can’t even say the word when it relates to myself. Because then it would be too real. And yet I let it happen again. I should have known better.
In short, I knew his best friend had a thing for me. And I kept my distance. But when I had a rough patch with my ex, he wanted to meet me to mediate things. I agreed to see him. And I poured my heart out, and was crying because of my ex. And what did he do? He hugged me, and then proceeded to kiss me and feel me up. I was shocked and ashamed and angry at the same time. I should have left immediately. But I let him drop me home. And I didn’t call my ex until the next day. By then the damage had been done. He didn’t believe me one bit. He said I was using his friend to get back at him and I was a ‘manipulative, conniving bitch’. I was too shocked to say anything.
Which leads to the second dream. The nightmare of choosing to end a life. I found out that I was knocked up. And by then, I was rather helpless in what to do. I loved that man, no matter whatever pain I had gone through. I knew what his answer was. But I didn’t care. My job was informing him, not really waiting for his predictable answer. But of course, I never got hold of him. And when I did, it didn’t come out the way I wanted it to. It came out very spiteful, like to get back at him. Of course he thought it was another trick, another ‘manipulation’.
For a long time, I wanted to keep it. I thought of how I was going to manage in a city as harsh, judgmental, and unforgiving as Dubai. I thought about leaving, seeking shelter with people I knew in USA or Canada, where I wouldn’t be condemned for being a single mother. I wanted to do the right thing and take care of this miracle. I believed it a miracle more than a curse. Because with my PCOS condition, it was a miracle that I even got this way. I felt alone, isolated. No one in my family knew, and knowing so would have made things much worse. I’d lose my family too.
But I had just finished my degree, and I was unemployed. I had no prior experience beyond small, part time jobs. How would I ever do this? I needed work, but in my condition that would be impossible in Dubai. I’m not married. No company would hire me in that state. And after that, definitely not. I thought about giving it away for adoption. Anything but killing it.
But in the end, I took the easy way out. And I regret doing it till this day. I feel so guilty, so horrible. I took an innocent life. I killed my own child to move on in life – to get a career. I walked out on it. I’m the most horrible mother in this world. And a murderer. What sort of a mother am I? I should never have a child again. I don’t want to. And I probably lost my only chance in ever having a child again. I OD on the pill and bled for days. I was bedridden and depressed. The only thing that pulled me through was my job. I was emotionally comatose.
It was after that that I promised myself to never be so vulnerable again. To shut myself off. Yet I get hurt again and again. I never really learn. I hadn’t dated for almost two years after that, and only attempted half-heartedly again. And found no-one who was worth it. Or anyone who could look past the wreck I have become.
And I haven’t told anyone till now. I mean publicly. Because for my mother, it is just shameful being all that. And I do feel ashamed. And guilty. I should have known better.
Ex, Cuts and Goats….
I’ve decided to cut my ex out of my life completely. It was the final straw for me.
He invited me to go out yesterday. I said ok as I had nothing better to do. Said he’d call back. So I continued with my life. No call. But an SMS at about 11pm. He wanted to hang out with me, him AND his best friend. Yes, the SAME best friend who molested me. The one my ex felt I was ‘manipulating’ to get back at him, instead of defending, protecting and believing me. That was it for me. He either is really stupid, or really insensitive. I don’t care one bit for him anymore. I don’t even hate him. He means nothing to me.
On other news, remember the doors I was talking about? Both are quite ravaged and have nicks and cuts and chips in the wood. It makes for rather painful cleaning and itches the entire day. Finally bought some antiseptic cream for stuff like that and not eat and drink till it heals. Going to the loo is quite an excruciating affair.
Other than that, everything’s just peachy. Tomorrow is Eid-ul-Adha (commonly known as Bakri Eid *goat sound*). We generally don’t do much for Eid anymore as it’s just mum and me. We perhaps make a sweet dish, kababs and maybe go out for dinner somewhere. We don’t cook for an army as it’s a total waste of food.
But I asked mum to make biryani this time as I haven’t had her biryani in ages. I think the last time I had any home-made biryani from mum was like 3-4 years back. Mum prefers making a khichdi with the meat in it as its easier than all the long process of layering and cooking that biryani requires.
I’m going to learn how to make it tomorrow and maybe a future post and recipe with pix coming up soon!