The Double-Tap Accident

Chapter Forty-Two: Number One in My Heart.

"Yas!" Larine and I exclaimed.

"I'm just saying," She defended, wrapping an arm around Mariam. "You've said it before. You miss being in a relationship. You miss Iman. You've barely been single for a while. A break from anything involving a relationship, casual or not, even dating as a whole seems like a good idea for you. Am I wrong?"

"No." Mariam agreed. "I think you're right."

"I know," Yasmeen said lightly, any leftover strain in the atmosphere easily dissipating. After all, she was rarely ever wrong.

"Speaking of love lives, how's Areeb, by the way?" I had to ask. She barely spoke of him. And when she did, her cheeks flushed. Like now. I didn't fight against displaying my delight.

"He's fine." She said abruptly, attempting to shut down the conversation.

"I think I hear wedding bells." Larine teased and next to me, Mariam's shoulders shook as she snickered at Yasmeen's blushing cheeks.

"Oh, yeah?" Yasmeen narrowed her eyes at Larine. "How's Nikko?"

Larine frowned. Mariam and I burst out laughing at her displeased face of now being the center of attention. "I think we should get going," Larine muttered.

"Wait," Yasmeen said. "Are we all okay?"

Three heads nodded including my own and we made our way out of our house and into Larine's car.

"You know," Mariam shut the door from the back as I took the passenger seat, "Since it's confirmed Aven's going to be a lawyer, do you think he can be mine in the future? Best friend package deal, of course."

My friends agreed as we made our way down the street and I rolled my eyes in response, not helping my smile that was accompanied by pride in my chest.

Aven heard back from the law school close to New Pensley only a few days ago.

I had run into his room and found him standing in the middle with his phone in his hand. Iman was in his desk chair, foot bouncing up and down. Multiple people, his family and closest friends were on the conference call. It was easy to remember the anticipation in his eyes when I had walked into the incredibly tense room.

The voices from the phone were a mixture of encouragement for him to check his email, comfort from his mom and dad and the sound of Clara's excitement along with others I didn't recognize. I knew Dev was speeding home with Laurence but at that moment, Aven couldn't wait. He had such a great support system of people all on a conference call rooting for him and it made my heart swell.

He had locked his eyes on me and I had sucked in a deep breath, wishing I could take any nervousness he had and place it within myself. This was everything he's ever wanted. Especially for the little girl on the line.

"Open it." I had whispered.

He had reached past Iman, opening his email and looking at the first flagged message in his inbox. My fingers laced under my chin as he crossed the room to his laptop.

With bated breath and the sudden silence from the phone that fell as soon as he clicked the mouse, everyone waited. His hand was gripping the mouse hard, and he took one deep breath before opening the email.

After a moment, he had whispered in a shocked voice, "I got in."

Ezekiel's cheer was the first thing I heard, quickly accompanied by many people yelling with him, congratulating Aven. I could hear his mom scream and his dad yell happily. Next to me, Iman had been going wild. But I had been looking at him. At the surprise on his face. At the surprise.