Me and Nadim became friends and we met several times, but I asked him to meet me at the disco because I was preparing a surprise for him.
---
At the disco
We sat at one of the tables, just the two of us, and we ordered water. Khaled went to the bathroom and then came back.
Nadim with a smile: Thank you, Mokhtar, for getting me out of my loneliness.
(Khaled): I see you as a good person, but believe me, loneliness is also a good thing.
Nadim sadly: That's what I tried to convince myself of—that my loneliness is happiness and all that. But I really feel pain because there's no one who loves me, cares about me, or checks on me. I truly hate being alone.
(He tried to hold back his tears.)
I'm scared of being forgotten in this world.
Khaled, pretending to be touched: Listen, Nadim, people are different in how they think. For example, you are very affected by loneliness and the absence of people who care about you. But I'm the opposite. If someone checks on me, I reply, no problem. If they don't, I don't even remember them.
Look, people in your life and mine are just tools. You move them to reach your goal.
Simply, think of yourself as the main character in a novel. Everyone else you meet is just a side character whose job is to help the hero. So, if one of them disappears, does the hero get sad? Learn to say "screw everything." The most important thing is my happiness.
Nadim: Thank you for your advice, but words are easier than actions. I really get sad and can't do anything when I don't get a message or a call or anything from anyone. I think it's impossible to fix.
Khaled: Keep yourself busy. Honestly, I had a tough upbringing. My father wanted me to grow up cold-hearted and emotionless. He didn't care about anything but my success, so he used to beat and torture me so I'd get used to pain.
But he was happy when I hit my friends at school and used to tell me to fight to become stronger. He always stopped me from making friends unless there was a benefit. A weird way, but honestly, it worked.
What about you?
Nadim: I really don't know anything about my father, but my mother was everything to me. Honestly, I don't want to know anything about my father. I loved my mother before she died, and she was my compass in life.
Khaled: Where is your father?
Nadim: My mother told me he died while traveling abroad. I was young then, so I didn't feel connected to him.
Khaled: Did you wish he was with you in your loneliness?
Nadim: I don't know.
Khaled: Now let's go out. I want to show you something.
---
They started walking.
Nadim felt a bit scared because they were heading in the direction of the company.
Khaled: You look nervous. Is something wrong?
Nadim: Nothing.
They kept walking until they reached the company.
Khaled: I have the surprise I told you about. There's something fun downstairs.
Nadim stood silently, shocked.
Khaled: Come on, follow me.
Khaled walked ahead while Nadim followed behind, still shocked.
Nadim: Before I go with you, I want you to know something.
Khaled turned to Nadim.
Khaled: What?
Nadim smiled and suddenly punched him really hard in the face. Khaled was in pain and put his hand on his face to check if it was bleeding. He got angry and tried to hit Nadim, but Nadim suddenly started counting:
"Five… four… three..."
Suddenly, Khaled found himself unconscious on the ground. He couldn't move. His vision started to fade slowly, and he said:
"This wasn't my plan… what happened?"
Then he passed out.
Nadim looked at him and said:
"Thank you, Khaled. But now, you are the side character in my story."