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Yasmi n
Shopping with Amirah was always an adventure, and today was no exception. We were on a mission, scouring the stores for the perfect lingerie that would knock Rafael’s socks off. I could feel the excitement bubbling inside me as I imagined his reaction. Amirah, my ever-enthusiastic partner-in-crime, was equally thrilled, though probably more for the gossip than the actual shopping.
“Oh my god, Yasmin, look at this one!” Amirah exclaimed, holding up a delicate lace number that was more revealing than covering. “Rafael will go wild.”
I laughed, taking the piece from her and holding it up for inspection. “It’s definitely...something. I don’t know if I’m brave enough for this one.”
“Come on, Yas. You’ve got to push the boundaries a little. Besides, you’ve already crossed the biggest one.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, clearly fishing for details.
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face. “Amirah, I already told you, I’m not giving you a play-by-play. Some things are private.”
“Oh, please! How am I expected to live vicariously through you if you don't share? Spill the beans!”
“You’re hopeless,” I teased, placing the lingerie back on the rack and moving on to a selection I was more comfortable with."You'll just have to use your imagination."
As I got lost in my thoughts, reminiscing about the moments Rafael and I had shared, I noticed Amirah had wandered off. I scanned the store and spotted her near the window, admiring a silky nightgown. But what caught my eye was the young man outside, staring at her with what could only be described as heart eyes. He was practically glued to the spot, his gaze fixed on Amirah like she was the only person in the world.
I couldn’t help but smile. It was adorable how taken he was with her. But it also made me curious. Why had Amirah never mentioned any guys? She was twenty, after all. Surely, she must have had some romantic interests by now.
I walked over to her, casually glancing at the guy outside to see if she’d noticed him. She seemed oblivious. How hadn't she noticed him when he was blatantly staring at her?
“Hey, Amirah,” I started, trying to sound nonchalant. “That guy out there seems pretty smitten with you.”
Amirah looked up, puzzled. “What guy?”
I pointed subtly, and she followed my gaze. The moment she saw him, she rolled her eyes and quickly turned away. “Oh, him. He’s just window shopping and guys stare all the time.”
“He's a window shopper with heart eyes,” I said, raising an eyebrow. “Didn't you notice him? You didn't mention him. Or any guy, for that matter. Why is that?”
Amirah busied herself with rearranging some lingerie on the rack. “Because there’s nothing to mention. I’ve had crushes, sure, but nothing worth talking about.”
I wasn’t convinced. “Come on, Amirah. You’re twenty. You must have had at least one serious crush. Spill.”
She sighed, clearly annoyed by my persistence. “Yaz, there’s nothing to tell. I’ve had crushes, yes, but they’ve never been serious enough for me to waste words on.”
I crossed my arms, giving her my best “big sister” look. “I don’t buy it. There’s got to be more to it and if you want me to continue sharing with you then you have to share with me.”
Amirah groaned, finally giving in. “Fine. There was one guy in high school. His name was David. He was sweet, funny, and super smart. We hung out sometimes, but I never told him how I felt. And then he moved away. End of story.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about David?” I asked, surprised. “You know you can tell me anything. ”
“I know,” she said, her voice softening. “But it just didn’t seem important at the time. And then he was gone, so what was the point?”
I hugged her, feeling a pang of guilt for pushing so hard. “I’m sorry, Amirah. I didn’t mean to pry. I want you to know that I’m here for you, no matter what and you can tell me these things.”
She hugged me back, a small smile playing on her lips. “I know, Yaz. Thanks. Now let’s get back to finding something that'll make Rafael’s jaw drop.”
We fell into a comfortable silence, each lost in our thoughts. I found myself thinking about Rafael again, wondering how he’d react to the lingerie I chose. I wouldn't be opposed to him tearing it off me.
“You’re thinking about him again, aren’t you?” Amirah’s voice cut through my reverie.
“Is it that obvious?” I asked, blushing.
“Totally,” she said, grinning. “You’ve got that dreamy look in your eyes.”
“Well, I can’t help it,” I admitted. “He’s kind of amazing.”
“I’m happy for you, Yaz,” Amirah said, her tone sincere. “You deserve all the happiness in the world.”
“Thanks, Amirah,” I said, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand. “That means a lot to me. You know, you deserve happiness too.”
She sighed, but there was no annoyance in her voice this time. “I know, Yaz. And I appreciate your concern. I do. It’s just...complicated.”
“Complicated how?” I asked gently.
“It’s not that I don’t want to find someone,” she said slowly, choosing her words carefully. “It’s just that I’m not sure I’m ready for that yet. I’ve seen how messy relationships can get, and I guess I’m a little scared.”
“I get that,” I said, nodding. “Relationships can be scary. But they can also be wonderful. And you don’t have to rush into anything. Just take your time and do what feels right for you.”
She smiled, looking relieved. “Thanks, Yaz. That’s exactly what I needed to hear.”
**********
I stood in the bustling café, sipping my iced latte, when Amirah nudged me, drawing my attention to the entrance. I followed her gaze and felt my heart skip a beat. Walking towards us were Ava and Cheryl. My pulse quickened, and a sense of dread settled in my stomach.
Amirah's eyes narrowed as she watched them. "Great, just what we needed," she muttered under her breath, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Play it cool," I whispered, forcing a smile. "Let's not give them the satisfaction."
As they approached, Cheryl's face broke into a hesitant smile, while Ava wore an expression of forced politeness. We exchanged awkward greetings, the air thick with unspoken tension.
"Yasmin, it's been a while," Cheryl began, her voice overly sweet. "How have you been?"
I swallowed hard, trying to keep my composure. "I've been fine, Cheryl. How about you?"
Cheryl nodded, her eyes flickering nervously to Amirah, who leaned against the counter with her arms crossed, a smirk playing on her lips. "We're doing well, thank you."
Amirah chimed in, unable to resist. "So, what brings you two here? Another apology tour?"
Ava shot her a glare but quickly regained her composure. "Actually, yes. Mom and I wanted to apologize again for how things ended between you and Ethan. We know it was a difficult time for you."
I raised an eyebrow, skepticism creeping into my voice. "Again? How many times do you think it takes to make up for what happened?" Ava's sudden change in tune was worrying. Why was she begging for forgiveness when she was so reluctant to do so before? Was it because of the press conference? Did she think I was still married to her brother?
Before Cheryl could respond, Amirah cut in, her tone dripping with disdain. "There's no need, Yaz. We all know this is just another one of their guilt trips."
Cheryl sighed, reaching into her purse and pulling out an envelope. "I know you probably don't want to hear this, but Ethan wanted you to have this. It's a letter."
A handwritten letter from my ex? My stomach churned at the sight of it. I shook my head firmly. "No, I don't want it."
Amirah, however, had other ideas. She snatched the envelope from Cheryl's hand, her curiosity getting the better of her. "I'll take it. I want to see what he says after being cruel to you."
"Amirah!" I protested, but it was too late. She had already taken the letter, stuffing it into her bag.
Ava seized the opportunity to change the subject. "Yasmin, you mentioned some pictures before. Could you describe them to us?"
I frowned, confused. "Pictures? You mean the ones Ethan showed up with when he accused me of cheating?"
She nodded a peculiar urgency in her eyes. "Yes, those. Can you describe them?"
Reluctantly, I described the photos that Ethan used as evidence against me. "They were photos of me with another man, looking very... intimate. They were badly photo-shopped and I could have sworn one of the photos was on a website time ago."
Ava and Cheryl exchanged a look that made my blood run cold. Cheryl turned to me, her face pale. "Yasmin, we never sent those photos. We had no idea they existed until you mentioned them."
"What are you trying to say?" I asked, feeling as if the rug was pulled out from under me. "That someone else sent those photos?"
"That's not what we're saying," Ava continued. "You know exactly who did it?"
"I do?" I glanced at Amirah who was watching me, her concern shining clearly through her eyes.
"I think it's time for you to go," she told them. "You've upset her."
"Wait," I called out as they turned to leave. "Why are you turning on him?"
I expected some long-winded explanation that would have me question my sanity, but Ava's answer was so simple yet devasting. "The ship is going down, there's no reason for us to go down with it."
They left right after, leaving me reeling. If they were trying to piss me off so I would forget all about what they did it was working. Now I knew the answer to the question I should have asked a long time ago. Ethan wasn't pissed off because I accused his mom of sending the pictures, he was pissed off because he was a momma's boy, and he knew she didn't give him the photos. He was just upset that I called her a bitch.
I grabbed the nearest chair, surprised I hadn't seen it before. Only three people who knew I was 'married' to Ethan would do such a thing. I blamed two of them all along, but I was wrong. I thought it was odd he didn't notice how badly photo-shopped they were but that was because he was the one to edit them. He created the evidence he needed to justify a divorce and I don't know why..