CONNECTED HEARTS

23:Shanghai Escapades Continue..

Kaltoom's POV

The next morning, immediately after brunch, we dove into something different ..soy milk, which Adyan explained the locals called dòu jiāng, and the crispiest, most mouth-watering spring onion flatbread I'd ever tasted. I also tried baozi and fried dumplings, golden on the outside and bursting with flavor inside. Let me be clear: none of us were Chinese, and none of us could cook like this. But Adyan, my supposedly sweet boyfriend (Note the sarcasm) had been on a mission since sunrise. He'd literally chased Laila and me out of bed, saying he had "plans" later that evening. I rolled my eyes, but Laila giggled like always, teasing him for acting like a bossy older brother.

We ended up dining at the five-star restaurant Yongfoo Elite, which quickly became my dream spot. Their breakfast spread was top-tier, and the cozy vibe matched the chilly weather perfectly. Typical Laila though she insisted on ordering an English breakfast because "nothing Chinese looked appealing." I thought Adyan would argue, but nope. He just shrugged and let her have her scrambled eggs, toast, avocado, and coffee while he and I devoured the local dishes. The contrast made our little table feel like two worlds colliding, and honestly? I loved it.

Just when I thought we'd spend the day in peace, Afdal called, announcing that he was on his way with his baby sister and someone named Sara. The second he mentioned Sara, something in my stomach tightened. I hadn't met her yet, but the way her name hung in the air made me uneasy. Yesterday, we'd met Afdal's parents when they came by without him or his sister, and I figured today would be... different.

By the time they arrived, Laila had dragged us into an ice cream shop, and Adyan let her softie that he is. I teased him into trying a scoop, and of course Laila used it as an excuse to take pictures of us. She was basically directing a photoshoot, spoon-feeding him ice cream for the camera while snapping at least twenty shots. I was dying of embarrassment while Adyan just leaned into it, smiling like his jaw was made of elastic.

"Wow, couple crush!" A smooth, teasing voice boomed behind us. We turned, and there stood Afdal with Sara and a girl who instantly stole my attention. Her face the arched brows, the lashes, those lips reminded me so much of Khalid that I froze mid-breath.

Before I could overthink, Laila screamed so loud the shop owner probably heard. She jumped into Afdals arms like they hadn't seen each other in years.

That girl? Afeeyah.

Her wit was as sharp as her features. "I'm not dead, you know. And clearly not invisible either," she quipped when she caught me staring. Laila laughed, hugging her tightly . "My Afeeyah! How I've missed you!"

"Yeah, clearly," Afeeyah sassed back, rolling her eyes. "I was the first person you welcomed."

Their banter was hilarious, and even Adyan was chuckling quietly beside me, dimples showing. Still, I couldn't shake the uncanny resemblance between Afeeyah and Khalid. My brain even threw out wild theories blood transfusion? Lost sibling? Something dramatic.

Before I could sink too deep into conspiracy mode, Afdal butted in, grinning. "You know she loves me more, that's why!"

Afeeyah scoffed, and Adyan finally cut them off. "Alright, enough. We've got places to be."

But Afdal wasn't done. "Chill, bro! I haven't even welcomed our bride-to-be properly. Assalamu alaikum, Kaltoom! Pleasure meeting you, you're even prettier than your pictures. MashaAllah. Hope Muhammad here's been on his best behavior."

I smiled, returning the greeting. "Wa-alaikumus-salam, Muhammad Afdal. Nice to meet you too." Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Laila's goofy grin, and I knew she'd tease me about this later.

Ten minutes later, Afeeyah had hijacked Adyan's Porsche, blasting Blackpink while recording us on Snap. Her carefree, chaotic energy was infectious, and for a second, I felt a sharp ache for Amani.

The day blurred into a mix of sights and laughter. We wandered the Bund promenade, soaked up the views, and even joked about Sara disappearing early with a flimsy excuse. I didn't care much. Adyan kept me distracted, telling me about his life here, making me laugh, even offering to carry me when I complained about my aching feet. "If you were mine, I'd carry you all day," he teased. I rolled my eyes, but inside, I was melting.

Later, we crammed ourselves into an outdoor restaurant, feasting on over seven dishes. My proudest moment? Mastering chopsticks like a pro. Afdal insisted we finish the day with ice cream,again! so off we went to Zangx Place, this dreamy little parlor straight out of Pinterest. By my seventh scoop, Adyan finally gave in and joined me. We even caught a puppet show, which Afeeyah claimed was her favorite part of Shanghai. No surprise! rich girl probably had half the city memorized.

As the sun set, painting the lake orange, the group started winding down. Afeeyah and Laila were already plotting a post-graduation sleepover, bouncing off each other's energy. Watching them reminded me of my own tantrums like when I refused to go to school until Khalid promised me a Prada bag.

Back home, Laila crashed for a nap while I FaceTimed Amani, Khalid, and my family Abi, Ami, and Farouk. Their smiles when they saw me safe and happy with the Salmans lit me up inside. Alhamdulilah for this moment.

Farouk, of course, went full big-brother mode, lecturing me about staying safe. I promised I'd be careful, then treated myself to a hot bath. By the time I slipped into my evening dress, Laila was already asleep. I scrolled through Instagram, posting videos and snaps of our day. In my sleepy haze, I forgot to send Khalid the pictures of Afeeyah. Oh well. With a smile tugging at my lips, I curled into bed and drifted off, replaying the perfect day in my dreams.

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