"It has been a long time since we last gathered together... Look at yourselves, you appear older even at this age," Lina exclaimed while sipping on her lemonade and letting out a boisterous laugh.
Somewhere in the world, at a tourist resort outside the city walls,
a handful of friends reunite after three years of separation.
Since their graduation from university,
each one embarked on a mission to shape their selves and find their place in the world.
Under the gentle moonlight, they all sit by the pool, embraced by the whispers of summer and the sound of a guitar strumming nearby. Outdoors, people form small groups surrounded by an aura of warmth and love that permeates the air.
As the five friends sit together, the others form their small groups, engaging in lively conversations.
"Lina," Iyad playfully pointed his finger toward her.
"You're just short in stature, that's why you look like a child. Look at that chubby face of yours."
Lina retorted, adjusting her posture, "Oh, you crooked piece of wood... Look at yourself. Don't you eat?"
Iyad and Lina exchanged fiery glances as if they were about to engage in a heated argument.
Reem, sitting nearby, burst into laughter and said, "Look... look... they're starting their banter."
Jad nodded in agreement, his laughter accompanying Reem.
Meanwhile, Maram slowly approached them, bending down on her knees, appearing as if she were a child.
As she reached Iyad and Lina, she stared at them with an intense gaze, instilling fear in both of them.
They turned towards her slowly, their laughter indicating that it was all just a playful exchange.
However, Maram paid no attention to their reaction.
She raised both her hands and struck them with force, almost causing them to stumble to the ground.
She screamed, "Won't you stop fooling around, you two imbeciles?"
For a moment, silence fell among them, everyone fearful of Maram's response.
Then she spoke again, saying, "Speak up! Don't remain silent like this."
Jad mumbled, "Who will speak now? You're terrifying."
Maram stared at him, saying, "Are you saying something, Jad?"
He quickly shook his head in denial.
Maram smiled angelically, readjusting her posture.
The black strands of her hair brushed against the edges of her fair face.
She said, "I truly missed you all," and they laughed together.
Lina embraced her, expressing her longing.
The five of them sat, enjoying the gentle night breeze, beneath the moonlight and the accompanying stars.
Suddenly, Lina jumped from her seat as if she remembered something.
She said, "Oh, I remember! I heard something. Let's try it." She was excited, holding a glass between her hands delicately. Her brown eyes sparkled, and her blushed cheeks added a special touch to her gentle smile.
The others turned to her with curiosity, their voices joining in unison, "What?".
Forming a circle, the five of them listened as Lina began, "It is said that each one of us possesses the power to unlock memories from our past lives. But... there's a condition. Ahem, ahem... You have to do it with your past-life lover." Then Lina smiled mischievously, while the others stared at her in bewilderment.
They fell silent momentarily, then each one lightly hit her while uttering, "Silly Lina."
"Oh, I completely forgot. We're all unattached."
They laughed again, and Iyad said, "Seems like you were a cow in your past life, Lina."
They all burst into laughter. While they were still laughing, Lina suddenly had an idea. She said,
"Let's give it a try... Like this... We'll spin this water bottle," pointing to the bottle in her hand, "and we'll test it. We'll choose two people each time to try it."
Maram interjected, "Are you foolish or something? It's just a rumor."
Jad also chimed in, "Hmm, I don't think it's necessary. We'll just waste our time."
But Iyad said, "Come on, let's just try it. Let's make sure that Lina was indeed a cow in her past life."
They all laughed again, and they agreed to give it a shot.
They sat in a circle, watching Lina's hand as she was about to spin the bottle...
Lina: "Are you ready?"
The others nodded in response.
Lina gently spun the bottle... and finally, it came to a stop, pointing towards Jad.
Iyad and Jad withdrew, leaving only the females.
Lina spun the bottle once again, and this time, it landed on Maram.
Lina spoke playfully, saying, "You two together... come on!"
She gestured towards Jad and Maram, who sat there with a sense of disappointment and reluctance.
They exchanged a few words in unison, "Spare me, please."
Then they smiled at each other, but Lina, refusing to back down, placed her hands on her waist, sat on her knees, and a look of determination appeared on her face. "No, let's do this. Stand in front of each other," she insisted.
Meanwhile, Iyad and Reem laughed discreetly as they watched the scene unfold.
Maram approached Jad gently, and they both knelt facing each other.
Their faces turned slightly red with shyness.
Maram then turned towards Lina, her expression pleading, "We've outgrown such things... please."
But Lina refused. She approached both of them, holding their hands, and said,
"Now, come closer to each other like this," while gently adjusting their positions.
Jad and Maram drew closer, their faces reflecting a mix of sparkle and bashfulness.
Their hearts beat softly, almost audible to Lina.
Jad, with his enchanting and gentle features, stood before the beautiful Maram. While Lina made light of the situation, they exchanged a hidden smile, acknowledging the silliness of it all.
Lina spoke again, saying, "Now, hold each other's hands," as she interlaced their fingers.
They could barely hold each other's hands due to the overwhelming shyness that consumed them.
Then, following the currents of their embarrassment, they both lifted their gazes toward the horizon, gazing at the shimmering stars.
Lina continued, "And now... move closer until your foreheads touch... hmm, like that."
After adjusting their positions, she said, "Now, try not to think about anything... nothing at all."
Slowly, she moved away from them, leaving them in that position.
Iyad and Reem discreetly took some photos of them.
Their hands began to sweat, and they were on the verge of pulling away from each other.
Just then, both of them caught a glimpse of a quick blue spark and instinctively leaned toward it.
They let go of each other, moving apart, their hearts racing.
Suddenly, their faces turned pale, and it seemed as if they were struggling to breathe.
Iyad approached anxiously, asking, "What... what happened?"
Meanwhile, Lina and Reem were also taken aback by their reactions.
Maram and Jad remained seated, facing each other, without uttering a word.
However, it was as if they were one body and one mind, struck by a momentary sense of astonishment, followed by curiosity. Quickly, they returned to the same position, holding onto each other tightly, their heads leaning against one another as if meeting for the first time.
After a long while, Lina, Iyad, and Reem approached them, staring in silence.
Maram and Jad immersed themselves in the memories of their past lives as if time had ceased to exist.
A shimmering blue flame appeared in front of each of them, vanishing and reappearing intermittently.
It was as if they were diving together, beneath the blue waters, into a hidden tale.
Beneath the water's surface, the smiles of a bride and groom sparkled, on the verge of bursting with sheer happiness. Their hands touched, and the clear water bubbles danced around them.
Whispers and gentle touches filled the air, accompanied by a sweet voice that echoed through the place.
A female voice called out, "Arman..." and a male voice responded, "I am here, Nominsa."
The echoes of their voices resonated in the ears of Jad and Maram, both of them uttering, "Arman... Nominsa."
Their smiles grew brighter as if they had finally found each other after a long and slow journey.
They were on the verge of losing consciousness, amidst the screams of Lina and Reem, and the fear of Iyad.
The duo found solace in a distant past life,
far away from the flickering moonlight that illuminated the peaceful darkness.
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