Z's Little Black Book: 500 Days of Raghda

There's a movie called "500 days of summer". It is a romance movie, but unlike any other romance movie, it does not end with two lovers meant together and have the movie-end kiss. No! It mainly tells a story of a guy, on his journey of love, hope, suspect, depression and disappointment. The story begins with love at first sight, tells the story in the eye of the lover, diving deeply in his thoughts and his journey of changing emotions. How his relationship with her is on fire at a time, and cold like ice later. It starts with a love story and ended up drifting away with no true reason.

What I liked the most about the movie is the way it uses time! It jumps back and forth between the current and the past. One scene is about day 1. the next scene is about day 320 and so on. Another thing is about how to tell the story in the eye of the lover, going deep in his mind by capturing two contracted scenes of expectations vs. reality. This "Screen splitting" was first introduced to me by the Syrian series "على طول الأيام" one of my favorite tv series.

I have this movie in my mind, as I recall how I met her! for the first time. How my emotions were going from being sky-high to a very bottom down feeling.

I asked God one day if there's a love a first sight, then show me the proof. She was that proof! I was a student at the university, standing with a friend outside my department. She came as a freshman student walking from Far away.

At first sight, I had my mind and heart asking the question: Who's she? Why my heart beating so fast? Why my mind is in chaos? I still remember the scene, everything was blurry, except her. As she was walking, she climbed the stairs of my department... Oh My God, She is a fresh student in my department. Days later, I was looking for her, chasing her moderately. Without her noticing. I was going home every day, very happy.

Time flies, when I found out she's a Christian. I got disappointment, not of the fact that she's not from my religion. I respect and love them. But the fact there's no way that we will be together. especially in a place where society was torn apart from war and civil war. I was so disappointed at first. Until the time, I've noticed she's looking back, chasing me through her eyes the way I did. This kind of look is so captivating, Eyes very expressive, that smile. it is like looking to myself in the mirror. I had the same facial expression every time I had a glance look at her, warm feelings and a wonderful world. I bet she had the same feeling I had when I look at her.

The first year passed, I didn't have the courage to speak up my mind. We were on summer holiday. I was nervous, as I know many families are departing Iraq, especially Christians. Then one day I had something to do at the university, and there was she. From Far away, eyes met together, and she had that big smile on her face. I was so high.

Long Story Short, the new semester starts, and I was finally able to talk to her. Love her more, and then have her go. As I found out there's no way we will be together.

It was expected, and this was worrying me all the time. At first glance, I've been recognized as a Christian, she may expect something and then reality strikes, he's from the other religion. She's so believer and committed to her religion. I was from another side, shifting between expectation and reality the same way she did. We ended up with one reality, we can't be together.

I started next year with huge disappointment, I tried to avoid her. I was expecting she will not care and will move on. But no! she "Just like me" had that fire inside. I didn't want to approach her. Logically, the more that I will talk to her, the more I will be falling. From her perspective, she tried her best to approach. Even though there was no direct communication, but I participate in her life. Assisted indirectly to aid her study. I tried my best to be careless, while I was burning inside. I couldn't look at any other girl except for her. Despite having the opportunity to get into a relationship with another. But no! It is like cheating, I will not do that!

I had several hard days. One day, I was crying, very jealous of seeing someone from her religion, approaching her, he is from evening studies. They walked together to the library, bought a sheet and that's it. Her Friend Hala was not with her! Why? I asked one mutual friend in her class. I know she did not have anything but just to think about that burned me inside. She noticed this time and followed me to the classroom, where my friend was comforting me. She sat nearby with eyes full of worries. "I'm sorry Zaid!" That was I thought she said in her mind and I hide my face, wiped up my tears, and then I told my friend I will go home. I couldn't stay! By the end of the year and during the final examinations, my mind was in storms, I couldn't read, sleep, and live normally; I was all about her. Stuck in the middle.

I used to read my final examination playing this song continuously

Time flies, the feeling of disappointment grows more, graduated & moved on in my life. Speaking about graduation. My brother and cousins came with me, I saw her nearby. Then after the graduation party, we went to a restaurant. 5 minutes later, you were there. Sitting with your friend facing me. Exchange look, I wonder what was in your mind. I remember that the music was songs from Tamer Hosney "Egyptian signer" one after another. God had me at this moment.

This is one of the songs played - Time paused for me while looking at you at that moment

That was my last time seeing her, I didn't dare to come to the university. Well, I did but in general... I was happy in that way, she's alive and happy. Then that eventual moment comes, she got engaged!

I can not describe how I felt that day but ended up accepting the reality, and any views from expectations were fading away. Then she got married, that painful and expected truth. I ended up sincerely wishing her good luck. I accepted that reality, in exchange for having her being happy and alive. Breathing the same air, being nearby. Her Heart beating in harmony with mine; these reasons were like a drug to me. I'm happy because she's! At nights, I used to sit outside in the garden, gazing at the stars, thinking about her. I'm in the same world like hers, looking to the same sky; my love is pure.

October 31, 2010. I was at work, I was not that good actually. I was not in the mood of work and wanted to depart early. However, I managed to stay until the end of work time. On my way home, I had to go through a certain street. It was closed! I didn't know, but then I opened the TV and here it was. Regardless of the reasons behind this, which are not justified. The terrorists are keeping hostages in Lady of Salvation church. Oh My God! What? Raghda.

I know she goes to another church, but I don't know why I felt she was there. I don't have her contact number, I can't call anyone to check on her. I couldn't sleep, going back on forth. Checking the news and Facebook from her friends. Nothing!

Hours later, the Iraqi SWAT stormed the church, the terrorists start to shoot the hostages randomly. I'm still worried, nothing new. Is she at the church? Why she's not interacting? Her friends said nothing, the news does not provide any information about who was saved, and who was.. killed.

I had that fight in my mind, I barely slept. I didn't go to work the next day. I was so worried, she was there! I was sure in my heart. I trust my heart on this, but I was hoping my heart failed me this time... But it didn't...

This is a post from a friend of her in the same glass. I was refreshing my Facebook and then I saw this. Just Now! Speechless... My heart turned to black, cold-like Ice. I can't say more about this moment...

Next few days, I was back at work. On my way to work, early in the morning. I happen to pass by the church street, This is where I see her condolence board at the wall about the funeral place and time for the Bride of heaven: Raghdad Wafi Yousif Beshara...

Her last day through her eyes, as told by her parents.

She was in her second month after her marriage date, she got the news from her doctor that she's pregnant. She wanted to go to church to be thankful and get the blessing for this news, her father called and asked her not to go, he told her about the threats. At that time, there's was an outside tension arises in Egypt between Muslims and Coptic people (Christians). She responded to her father "If I meant to die at church, then I would love to"

She went There with her Aunt, when those terrorists enter the church, the priest managed to take them ib the church basement without any notice and locked the door. Her father called, she responded quietly, assuring to him that she's alive, so as her aunt. She was wounded but alive. hours later, the terrorists were able to locate them. She called her father again and told him that they were exposed, the terrorist is trying to open the door, and they are trying to prevent that. "Open the door or I will shoot" This what her father heard from the other side of the phone. Seconds later, the terrorist start shooting, and she had her aunt died in front of her. She was crying, yelling and tell her father that her aunt is killed. Seconds later, she told her father the terrorist open the door and he's about to kill them. "Allah Akbar" and boom. This what was heard by her father. the last second of her life. When I read this, I don't know. Split the screen, have me in one and her in another. We both were dying at the same moment, but each in his/her way. She was killed physically and her soul went up to heaven, while I.. I was devastated, defeated and killed psychologically, and my soul trapped in the earth...