Read Blind to the unasked :: Five-1

Days passed, as Hana enjoyed conversations with her friends, Anwar on one side, who seemed to lose himself every time they gathered, and Reem, and Maram, who paved her path behind the curtain of the social media site connecting her to Jihad through Hana's account. Hana didn't need much to be happy; being her friend, she relished her time. Hana's days went by between school, home, playing cards with her friends, and occasionally enjoying a game of basketball.

One day, while gathered with her classmates in the section to play basketball, it was on a Saturday evening, around five o'clock, they played in the school's playground because it was usually empty and allowed them to play as it allowed others as well to use the school's courts on weekends, provided that they didn't create chaos and adhered to the conditions set for that.

Hana entered the playground with her classmates after they had caused a stir with their arrival, exchanging small talk and laughter that illuminated their faces, especially Hana's, who possessed a burst of delightful laughter. Every time she smiled, her hair strands danced, and her eyes sparkled as if she were an innocent child in the early stages of her growth. As they stepped onto the court where the playgrounds were located, Hana caught sight of Maram from afar, who was also present in the area. She seemed surprised, considering Maram had no connection to the school where Hana studied. Perplexed, she approached Maram, who was sitting under a massive tree with her classmates. Hana gently removed her black cap, leaned forward, and peered at Maram's face with curiosity. Maram smiled, repeating Hana's name. Standing beside Maram, Hana inquired, "What are you doing here?" Fatigue and weariness were evident on Maram's face as she replied, "There are renovations in our school's playgrounds. I thought I'd skip the sports exam, but thanks to your school, it opened its doors for us to take the test." Hana chuckled charmingly, drawing attention to her proximity, then said to Maram, "Have you finished then?" Maram answered, "Yes, we're just waiting for the boys to finish."

Hana suggested, "How about a match between us and you?" enjoying challenging Maram, who disliked sports and had no interest in basketball. Hana's friends cheered for her to join, so she shouted, "I've challenged the rich kids' schoolboys. No problem, right?" One of Hana's friends replied from the group, "They won't cry, right?" as the others giggled beside her. A mischievous smile crossed Hana's face as she raised her eyebrows at Maram, who knew she and her classmates were in for a crushing defeat, yet they still accepted the challenge.

As the girls prepared for the match, boys from Maram's school stepped forward to watch and cheer for their classmates, while in the adjacent field, older boys were playing football, including Ahmed, Maram's elder brother. He caught sight of Hana from afar and chuckled as her friend stared intently at her while she headed toward the yard. Ahmed remarked to his friend, "It's good I won't have to console my sister here. Hana will handle her after all." His friend stared at him, asking, "Hana?" Ahmed proudly pointed towards Hana, saying, "Hana, my sister's friend and practically my second sister too." He paused, taking a circular step, then added, "Let's watch the match too," signaling to his friend, who quickly agreed.

The crowd gathered around the court as both teams prepared. Hana spoke up, "We're short one player. Can we borrow someone from you?" gesturing towards the opposing team, who agreed. With a grin, Hana, after grabbing Maram's hand from outside the court, said, "We'll take this one." Everyone consented, while Maram chuckled at Hana, saying, "I can't even handle the ball, are you kidding?" As Hana stood ready to play, she replied, "Just run around, and enjoy the taste of victory for once." She chuckled again, facing the opponent and the referee to start the game. Meanwhile, Maram showed signs of lethargy and reluctance, indicating her lack of interest in doing anything.

Everyone watched eagerly as the game commenced. Hana, with agility, leaped higher than her opponent, snatching the ball gracefully. Ahmed's friend couldn't take his eyes off her, and in a flash, Hana's team scored a goal. It seemed as if the opposing team were mere statues, as Hana and her friends dominated the court, scoring goals effortlessly. Maram's expression changed; she seemed to be enjoying herself more, even though she was just running. The game progressed without the opposing team scoring a single goal.

As the match neared its end, it seemed like Hana would score the final goal, but she chose to pass the ball to Maram, who appeared eager to score. Maram dashed towards the hoop, jumped with force, and released the ball, but it didn't even reach halfway up the basket, eliciting laughter from the crowd, synchronized with the referee's whistle. The stadium echoed with laughter, and Maram appeared crestfallen until she glanced at Hana, who was holding her stomach from laughing too hard at her friend. Then Maram, too, began laughing, walking towards Hana, saying, "Are you still laughing after what you did?" Hana, unable to contain her laughter, replied,

"The frog jumps more than you did just now." Tears welled up in Hana's eyes from laughing so hard, while Maram patted her on the shoulder, gesturing for her to stop. They were indeed best friends, enjoying each other's laughter without any reservations.

Finally, Hana stopped laughing as the crowds dispersed, but her friends weren't done playing. They split into teams and continued playing. As Hana talked to Maram for a while, Ahmed stood beside them, suppressing his laughter beside his sister, saying to Hana, "I saw a frog today trying to score a goal." Hana burst into laughter again, while Ahmed's friend stared at her, captivated by her innocent laughter and demeanor.