Perfectly Imperfect

~42~

"So, if you like Adam, don't even think of any other thing, especially when there are lots of other girls waiting for the perfect opportunity though I'm sure he won't even see them."

Especially when there are lots of beautiful and slim and perfect girls who probably deserve him. Why would he even look at me? Why was he even looking at me?

"Hey girl."

She screeched, startling me out of my train of thoughts.

"I can guess what you're thinking by the look on your face and please, dead that thought. Don't even go there at all. Adam likes you, period! Scratch other girls and what they look like. He isn't even looking at them, you're all he can see and you deserve him. You better use that to your advantage before other leeches like Bola start sufarcing again."

I burst into laughter before I could stop myself. Did she just call her friend a leech?

"He likes you a lot. You should even play hard to get but then, you probably even like him more."

I shook my head. Aminah seemed to know my feelings even more than I do.

"So, should I call him now?"

"Noooo!"

Her brows raised and the corners of her mouth twitched up as she looked at me warily.

"There's nothing to tell him if I should call him."

"There are lots of things to tell him. You can start by telling him that you like him."

She said, wringing her eyebrows suggestively at me.

"No way."

"Yes way. Girls are doing that, it's no big deal."

"Wait, was that what you..."

She shrugged, a playful smile on her face.

"Maybe I did..."

My eyes widened. Wait, what?

"Maybe I did not."

She burst into laughter and I joined in too, the sound of our laughter vibrating through the entire length of the room.

It felt good, the randomness of this thing, talking into the night with a friend, talking about a boy I liked. That was the least and last thing I thought I'd ever talk about, at least not now. It felt euphoric too, like all the stars had perfectly aligned for me.

"You're a girl, you deserve to feel this way."

Do I? Really? Me?

"So, should I call him now?"

"Nooo."

I replied, the word sounding and feeling more like a smile than an actual word and she shrugged before she stood up from the bed. She looked comical, her neck stretched out like that of an ostrich and I almost laughed. The more reason why I avoided hairstyles like that like a plague.

"Maybe, I should just give Bola his number."

It took a minute for that to sink in and she was by the door when I got want she meant by that.

"You wouldn't dare."

She burst into laughter as she stepped out of the room. She was probably going go the kitchen to eat something. I thought I was the one who liked to eat but I was just a learner compared to her.

********

Aminah was still downstairs and occasionally, I could hear her indistinct chatter with my younger brother. It was late in the night already and my parents had retired to their room. Mom had taken a special liking to Aminah ever since she started coming around. I knew she felt I needed that kind of energy, chirpy, vigrant and always bubbly.