The Book of Fate Read Online Free PDF Page A

stranger.’
    â€˜So what?’
    â€˜So what? It’s really unseemly. I think he heard you.’
    â€˜No he didn’t. He heard nothing. And, what exactly did I say that was so bad?’
    â€˜That he’s handsome and…’
    â€˜Come on!’ Parvaneh said. ‘Even if he heard me, he was probably flattered. But between you and me, after I took a better look at him I realised he’s not all that good-looking. I have to tell my father that Dr Ataii has hired an assistant.’
    The next day we were a little late going to school. But as we hurried past the pharmacy, I saw the young man watching us. On our way back, we looked in through the window. He was busy working, but it seemed as if he could see us. From that day on, in keeping with an unspoken agreement, we saw each other every morning and every afternoon. And Parvaneh and I found a new and exciting subject to talk about. Soon, news of him spread through the school. The girls were all talking about the handsome young man who had started working at the pharmacy and they came up with all sorts of excuses to go there and somehow attract his attention.
    Parvaneh and I got used to seeing him every day and I could swear that he, too, waited for us to walk by. We would argue about which actor he resembled the most and in the end decided that he looked like Steve McQueen. I had come a long way. By then, I knew the names of famous foreign actors. Once I forced Mother to go to the cinema with me. She really enjoyed it. From then on, once a week and unbeknownst to Mahmoud, we would go to the cinema at the corner. It mostly featured Indian films, which made Mother and me cry like rain from the clouds.
    Parvaneh was quick to find information about the assistant pharmacist. Dr Ataii who was friends with her father had said, ‘Saiid is a student of pharmacology at the university. He’s a good kid. He’s from Rezaieh.’
    From then on, the looks we exchanged became more familiar and Parvaneh came up with a nickname for him – Haji Worrywart. She said, ‘He looks like he’s always waiting and worried, as if he’s searching for someone.’
    Â 
    That year was the best year of my life. Everything was going my way. I was studying hard, my friendship with Parvaneh was growing stronger every day and we were gradually becoming one soul in two bodies. The only thing that darkened my bright and happy days was my horror of the whispers around the house that became more frequent as the end of the school year approached and which could put a stop to my education.
    â€˜It’s impossible,’ Parvaneh said. ‘They would never do that to you.’
    â€˜You don’t understand. They don’t care whether I am doing well at school or not. They say anything beyond the first three years of secondary school doesn’t do a girl any good.’
    â€˜The first three years?!’ Parvaneh said, surprised. ‘These days even a school diploma isn’t enough any more. All the girls in my family are going to university. Of course, only the ones who passed the entrance exams. You will definitely pass. You’re smarter than them.’
    â€˜Forget about university! I wish they would just let me finish secondary school.’
    â€˜Well, you have to stand up to them.’
    The things Parvaneh said! She had no idea what my circumstances were. I could stand up to Mother, talk back to her and defend myself. But I didn’t have the courage to be as outspoken in front of my brothers.
    At the end of the last term we took our final exams and I became the second top student in my class. Our literature teacher really liked me and when we received our report cards she said, ‘Well done! You’re very talented. What field of study are you going to pursue?’
    â€˜My dream is to study literature,’ I said.
    â€˜That’s excellent. As a matter of fact, I was going to suggest it to you.’
    â€˜But