“Adelaide’s here,” I mouthed.
Osama snorted.
“Shut the fuck up,” I smacked the back of his head and the car honked again. Fuck, I had to stop doing that.
Osama gave me the middle finger and I returned his gracious act with a flick to his forehead. Even at a time like this, he acted like a complete idiot.
A real best friend,truly.
Silence erupted around us as we waited for her to leave.Why was she just standing there?She walked a couple of steps forward with her shoulders back but as she’d reach the door, they huddled close, and she turned around. Her lips moved at a crazy speed with shut eyes. If I didn’t know her, I’d guess she was praying. But it was a wrinkled patch on her dress that gave her away.
She was muttering encouraging words to herself.
The nerves in my body jumped with their hands held together. Couldn’t she have looked a little less… pretty?
Her eyes flung over to the car again.
Osama cleared his throat.
Our faces turned towards each other. Oh, fucking hell, if someone saw us from the outside, they’d think we were lovingly gazing into each other’s eyes or some shit.
Grimacing, I turned my head to the door.
“Another second longer and I would’ve fallen in love with you,” Osama whispered with a dreamy sigh.
It was my turn to give him the middle finger.
Discreetly peeking up at the side mirror, Adelaide was gone. A snippet of a smile pulled at the corner of my lips. Alas, she gathered the courage to head inside.
An uncomfortable, sticky feeling inside of my body made me wonder what changed—whyshe hesitated.
How long had it been since I’d seen her in front of me? Since I saw her bright smile blind my entire existence?
The pounding of my heart was telling me it had been a long fucking time.
Raising my head, Osama followed suit.
We stared ahead, neither of us talking.
“So…” He began. “Are we gonna talk about that?”
“I’m gonna punch you in the face if you don’t start driving.”
He snickered under his breath and put the car in drive.
It was when we got into the elevators of my apartment complex, that I remembered the windows of my car were fucking tinted.
THREE
ADELAIDE
The door slammed behindwhile the screams of a naked, wailing, running toddler left me stunned while I took my shoes off.
Ayeza Ali wasn’t what I expected. She was blunt and wanted me out of her space. The quick memory of her broken-down house, her saddened expression, and the disbelief in her eyes were enough to fill my empty cup of morals with shame.
“You should be on your knees, begging for an apology. Yet you’re here trying to explain yourself.” Another humourless laugh. “If it weren’t for—” She stopped herself short with widened eyes.
Who could’ve helped her? Was it the same person impersonating me or someone else?
