The Double-Tap Accident

Chapter Forty-Two: Number One in My Heart.

dedicated to @Norm_ofeoritse for the pretty cover above! thank you <33

Chapter Forty-Two: "Number One in My Heart."

ON A CLOUDY March afternoon, I ran up the stairs two at a time. While stumbling up the steps, I made sure my voice carried throughout the house, "Are you guys here?" I yelled, almost tripping over nothing once again before I stopped at the threshold of Mariam's room.

Mariam and Yasmeen met my gaze from where they were sitting on the bed, looking up from Mari's camera. Two roommates. One missing. "Where's Larine?"

"In her room," Yasmeen answered. "She's finishing a project."

"Okay," I leaned against the door frame to catch my breath. I had run all the way from the bus stop after meeting with one of my groups to drop my things. I placed my backpack on the floor, not bothering to take off my thick sweater. "Good. Don't want us to be late."

"We'll make it on time," Yasmeen assured me, "Are you nervous for him?"

"Kind of," I admitted, taking a seat on Mariam's bed. But not before slapping a sign from the library she had somehow managed to add to the collection a few weeks ago.

We were all planning to go to campus to watch Aven and Iman's semi-final playoff game against Atlas. This might be the last game Aven would play in HU history and it was on home court. Of course, I felt a little anxious for him even though he was nothing but calm when I had spoken to him on the phone this morning.

Even now, I took a deep breath, knowing he was probably listening to one of his numbered playlists before he stepped on the court. By now I had taken a page out of his book, listening to a favourite song of mine before doing a presentation in my genetics tutorial last week. It had helped. "What are you guys looking at?"

Mari held her camera in her hands, showing me the recent pictures she had taken for the final feature of The Caduceus. Like always, her photos were amazing and we were gushing about them when suddenly, Larine burst into the room.

She plopped on the bed next to me, "You look happy," I commented.

"I finished Iman and I's final project," She sighed in relief. "I am never playing a video game ever again."

"You had to make a video game?" Mariam asked.

"Mmhmm and if we don't get at least a 90, I'm going to be pissed. But Iman is so good at coding and ideas, I think we're good." Larine pulled her blonde hair loose from her ponytail, her mind going a mile a minute. "Do you think I could squeeze in a run before we go?"

I glanced at the time on my phone. "No."

"Okay, after?"

"We might be going out after, remember?"

"I'll go with you tomorrow if you'd like?" Yasmeen suggested.

"Please," Larine begged with an exaggerated pout. "I brought it up to Iman and he thought I was insane for thinking it."

"Did you offer for him to come with you like last time?" Yasmeen inquired.

"He said 'no' so quickly." The two of them laughed, expecting that response from our friend. I couldn't help but smile at the sight of them.

"Are you and Iman..." Mariam's cautious voice trailed off. I twisted to face her wondering who she was directing her scrutiny towards.

Her eyes were on Larine.

Oh.

Larine froze, stopping midway from packing her hair into a low ponytail. The sudden silence had me and Yasmeen locking eyes for a split second as my stomach started twisting in turmoil. "Are we what? Together? No, no, no. I wouldn't do that."