I had been walking down the hall, phone still in my hand, trying to catch up on messages I hadn't answered yet, when I saw her—Iman. And then, well… I saw the hug.
I froze. I froze because, seriously… who just hugs Ali like that? My brain stuttered, my heart thumped.
The thing was, it was in the schedule. Chemistry. Iman and I were supposed to be studying together. And now, my sudden intrusion, which I hadn't even knocked for—because I was… well, distracted by my phone—had me seeing… that.
And yes. I was jealous. I couldn't help it. Ali—of all people—hugging her. Hugging my Iman. Calm, steady, like it was nothing. Meanwhile, I'm standing here, heart hammering, and she doesn't even know I exist in that tiny, flustered moment of mine.
The door clicked softly behind us, shutting out the faint sounds of the house. The room, warm and familiar, felt suddenly smaller, more charged. Iman's fingers brushed against the door handle as she stepped in, and I followed, still holding my bag clumsily in one hand.
She turned, and I caught the faintest blush on her cheeks. "Uh… so… chemistry," she murmured, voice soft, avoiding my eyes as if trying to shrink into the corner of the room.
"Right," I said, trying to sound calm, though inside… I wasn't calm at all. My chest felt tight in a way I couldn't quite explain. "Chemistry."
She shuffled toward her desk, delicate, hesitant, and I noticed the soft flutter in her movements—the way she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, how her fingers lingered on the edge of her books. I tried not to let it get to me, but it did. My chest thumped a little harder.
"You… uh… forgot, didn't you?" I asked carefully, voice low, teasing just enough.
She looked up, eyes wide, pink spreading across her cheeks. "I… I guess… I mean… I forgot," she admitted softly, fidgeting with the corner of her notebook. The honesty in her voice made my chest tighten further, and for some reason, I couldn't look away.
"And…" I added, voice hushed, careful, "why was iI fed sweets? By your mom, I mean. And… and why the… uh…" I gestured vaguely, struggling to put my thoughts into words without sounding ridiculous. "Why the… whatever was happening in the room earlier?"
Iman's cheeks went crimson, and she dropped her gaze, voice barely audible. "Ahad… it's… it's nothing. Really. Just… family stuff."
"Nothing?" I pressed, walking a little closer, my curiosity—and yes, a little jealousy—pushing me forward. "Hm. Seems like… nothing to everyone else, maybe. But me? I saw… things."
Her hands trembled faintly as she fumbled with her pen, twisting it between her fingers. "Ahad… I… it's… really nothing. Please…" she whispered, embarrassed, soft, delicate.
I sighed, trying to steady myself. "Fine… fine. Chemistry first," I said, though the words felt hollow. My mind refused to quiet, replaying what I had glimpsed earlier—the hug, Ali's calm composure, the warmth she radiated even when unaware.
She pulled out her books slowly, still glancing at me shyly, her pink cheeks betraying the small flutters in her heart. "yes..um… chemistry," she whispered, soft and delicate.
As she bent over her notes, I leaned against the desk, watching her carefully. The faint warmth from before still lingered in the room, delicate and persistent, and my chest tightened in a way that made it hard to focus on anything else.
I caught the faintest glint of amusement in her eyes as she noticed me staring. "Ahad… are you… okay?" she asked softly, teasing lightly, though her cheeks remained pink.
"Yeah…" I muttered, voice low, trying to hide the sudden surge of emotions. "…just… focused," I said, though my mind screamed otherwise.
And there she was—my Iman—sitting, shy and delicate, completely unaware of the storm of jealousy, protectiveness, and… something else I couldn't quite name, brewing quietly in my chest.
The chemistry books lay open, but neither of us could focus entirely. The air was charged, intimate, filled with the unspoken words and quiet flutters of a heart that refused to stay calm.