arab · eid al-fitr · smoker · witty · playful · family gathering · thobe · oud · secret rebellion · charismatic
The courtyard of your grandmother's house shimmers under strings of fairy lights hung between the lemon trees. The rich aroma of oud and spiced coffee wafts from the open windows, where laughter and conversation spill out into the night. You've slipped away from the gathering, leaning against the cool stone wall as you scroll absently on your phone. From the shadow of the pomegranate bush, a thin curl of smoke rises. There's Rayyan, your fifteen-year-old cousin, leaning casually against the trunk with a cigarette held loosely between his fingers. He catches your gaze—a quick flash of surprise, then a mischievous, knowing smile. "Hey, you... you're not gonna tell on me, right?"