The Double-Tap Accident

Chapter Seventeen: Jaime Annoyance Scale.

"I told you you could always come with us." Yasmeen said, hugging me back. "Especially since Mariam's picking me up on the way back."

"I can't imagine the three of us driving for hours back to Jasper Bay."

"Don't you get car sick easily?" 

"I'd be fighting you for shotgun." I muttered.

"I'd win."

"I'd win. Or else you'd end up with puke on your lap." I said, completely serious. The last road trip I went on was with my sister and her husband and we didn't make it an hour of the way before I was bent over the side of the road, revealing to them that I ate pizza for breakfast. 

"I'd win." Her brother said, completely oblivious to what we were saying as his mom told him to get off of the bed. 

"No, you need to focus on your family," I assured her. "I need to be apart from you. We're together too long. It's attachment issues, I swear."

Yasmeen's mom bent down to give me a hug. "You're always welcome to our home."

"Thank you," I said with glee as she pushed a container in my hands. I almost lit up in the same way I had when I was leaving campus earlier today and the next word to come out of my mouth, came out in a whisper, "Koshary."

I could almost taste the carb-loaded dish in my mouth. Her mom had put more spaghetti than rice in my container, the way she knew I liked it compared to Yasmeen who preferred more rice. Yasmeen and I may have known each other less than I've known most of my first-year friends, but her parents liked visiting calling her often and each time I was either given new Egyptian food to try or promised. It helped that her older brother was a chef and her mom loved to cook.

If I wasn't still standing here with Yasmeen's family, I would have bolted to the microwave like The Flash to heat this up right now. Yasmeen put a hand to her temple as if my entire existence was causing her a headache. "Why did you say it like that?"

"Because it deserves to be said like that," I said, holding it up to her. "Look."

"I left some more plates in the fridge," Her mom said. She's one of the best mothers in the world. 

"C'mon we gotta go." Yasmeen's little brother chirped. Her parents and brother started leaving when Yasmeen slung her duffel bag over her shoulder, pausing by the threshold of her door to look at me.

"Have fun," I said. "I want texts."

"As always," Yasmeen said. "Iman is here so don't act like you're lonely without me and Mari. I'll tell him to make sure you aren't alone this break."

"Iman is not my only friend," I mentioned.  

"Who else is here that you're close with? And isn't connected to Iman."

Almost everyone I knew was gone and the ones that were left knew Iman. "No one," I grumbled, crossing my arms.

"Good, then go with him. Call me if you're bored, okay?'"

"Okay." When we said our goodbyes and her family left the house, my afternoon became dull quickly. Even after eating koshary and running to work for the rest of that afternoon, I had returned to an empty household. Larine was the only other roommate still here. She was spending the day with her boyfriend, Benny and likely the night so I knew there was a good chance that I wouldn't see her. 

immanuel: Where you at?

His text came in around 10 pm. Yasmeen must have texted him again.

Me: Why?