My Best Friend's Girlfriend

Chapter 5

It took a few weeks to get our plans in order, but soon enough, Ali, Shahwath, and I were on a plane headed to Beijing. The flight was long, with plenty of time for our thoughts to circle back to the secret. Ali tried to keep things light, chatting about random topics—the movies playing on the in-flight screen, the food, even some nostalgic college memories—but the tension was there, hanging over us like a storm cloud.

Shahwath, sitting by the window, kept his eyes fixed outside, barely joining in. I could sense the unease gnawing at him. He never was good at hiding his feelings. I guess that’s what made him the conscience of our group, the one who always thought things through before diving in. But this time, he seemed lost in thought, like he was battling something deep inside.

Finally, when Ali went off to get some water, I turned to Shahwath. “You okay, man?” I asked quietly.

He took a moment before nodding, still not meeting my gaze. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just... worried about Hassam. And Vei. It’s all happening so fast, you know?”

“Yeah, I know,” I said, though I could tell that wasn’t all that was bothering him. I didn’t press further. If there was one thing I’d learned over the years, it was that Shahwath would speak when he was ready. For now, I’d just have to be patient.

When we finally touched down in Beijing, Hassam was waiting for us at the airport. He looked different—more relaxed, like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He’d grown a little stubble, his hair longer than I remembered, but the smile was still the same.

“Look who’s here!” he called out, pulling me into a tight hug. Ali and Shahwath joined in, and for a moment, it was like old times again. Just the four of us, laughing, joking, like there was no distance, no secrets, no Vei waiting on the other side.

He took us to a small apartment he had rented in the heart of the city. It was cozy, with minimal furnishings—a couch, a few bookshelves, and a dining table barely big enough for the four of us. Vei wasn’t there yet, and for that, I was strangely relieved. It gave us a little more time to adjust, to settle into this new version of our friendship.

But Hassam wasted no time in talking about her. As soon as we sat down, he launched into stories about their dates, their shared love of exploring the city, even their silly arguments over Chinese takeout. He talked like a man possessed, unable to keep the joy out of his voice, but there was a c***k in his façade—a nervous energy that betrayed the enthusiasm.

Ali, ever the diplomat, smiled and nodded along, throwing in the occasional comment. Shahwath, on the other hand, sat back, arms crossed, his expression hard to read.

“So, when do we get to meet this famous Vei?” I asked, trying to keep the conversation flowing.

Hassam’s smile widened. “She’ll be back in an hour. She’s been dying to meet you guys. Trust me, you’ll love her.”

There was a pause, a moment where his eyes flickered—like he was about to say something more. But then he swallowed whatever words were at the tip of his tongue and reached for his phone instead.

While he was distracted, I exchanged a quick glance with Ali and Shahwath. Ali raised his eyebrows, as if to say, See? He’s not telling her everything. Shahwath just shook his head slightly, looking away. I could tell he was thinking the same thing as me: What if the secret came out now, when things seemed so perfect? What would it do to Hassam, to Vei, to all of us?

Soon enough, the front door creaked open, and Vei walked in. She was beautiful in a way that was hard to describe—there was a warmth in her eyes, a quiet confidence in the way she carried herself. Her smile reached all the way up to her eyes when she saw us.

“You must be Waqas, Ali, and Shahwath! I’ve heard so much about you,” she said, her English accented but fluent. She shook our hands, one by one, and for a moment, I felt a pang of guilt.

She had no idea. No idea about the bond that held us together, and no idea about the shadow that lingered just out of sight. But she trusted Hassam completely, and that trust shone in her every word, every look she directed his way.

Dinner that night was a strange mix of comfort and unease. We laughed, we joked, we told Vei about our time with Hassam in the UAE, leaving out the parts she didn’t need to know. She seemed to fit in easily, as if she had always been part of our little circle. And Hassam... he was happier than I’d seen him in years, like he’d finally found a piece of himself that had been missing.

Yet, beneath it all, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were all walking on a fragile line, one wrong step away from breaking everything apart.