My Best Friend's Girlfriend

Chapter 2

Love me, Like you loved Rumi, Inflaming my desire for your Sufi heart.

“Waqas, snap out of it.” Hassam scolded.

“Sorry.” I closed my writing app.

I’m a poet you see. And a hopeless romantic at that.

I moved to the UAE from Saudi Arabia. My first girlfriend at 16 years old was Amna. And she used to be our neighbor in Saudi Arabia.

I sent her my first poem and we immediately fell in love. However, I didn’t have any luck with women after our breakup.

“Waqas, hurry up!” Shahwath exclaimed.

I will get back to my own love story later. Right now we are exploring Hassam’s love story.

So, we all got out of my car and followed Hassam to the inside of the airport.

It was night time. But a beautiful night I might add. It reminded me of my first love.

“I’m going to miss you guys.” Hassam told us then hugged each of us individually.

“Don’t get lost out there.” Ali told Hassam.

“Don’t be a stranger.” Shahwath said.

“We’ll miss you too.” I announced.

With that, his bags trailing behind him, Hassam left us standing without him for the first time in our lives as best mates.

My family was always at odds with Amna’s family. We had our elders arguing over friendly dinners. Our moms clashing over trivial matters. And our dads confronting each other over political ones.

It was not a healthy atmosphere for anybody. But we were madly in love. It all started as a crush but ended up as true love.

“I’ll miss her.” I told Shahwath who was in the passenger seat.

“Don’t you mean miss him?” Shahwath asked.

“I’m talking about Amna!” I took a deliberate hard left surprising the others.

“Well, if you really loved her, you wouldn’t have left her.” Ali told me from the backseat.

“It’s complicated.” I told them.

“Hey, what’s this?” Ali found my poetry notebook in the backseat.

With your memories, My nights are never empty, To my ears your talks, Dazzle like the moonlit sea.

“Bravo!” Shahwath clapped.

“Okay, Ali. That’s enough.” I warned.

Ali continued. Lonely is my heart and soul, Eyes are left wet, Come on now, Do not let things be left unsaid.

I braked. The book flew out of Ali’s grasp and landed God knows where inside the car.

I sobbed. “I miss her so much. And now one of our best friends is gone.”

Shahwath patted my shoulder. “He’s not gone forever.”

“Yeah bro, not like Amna.” Ali said.

We all started laughing. And just like that. The sun started exchanging the place of the moon.