Accepting You

Chapter Ten

"Wait." The top of Olivia's mug was positioned at her lips, ready for her to take a sip. "Yusuf? Yusuf. Yusuf from school fit Yusuf?"

"Yes," Asiya nodded manically. "Can you believe it?"

"I don't believe it." Olivia placed her mug back on the table. "So, let me get this straight. Yusuf from school. The guy you had a fat crush on–"

"It wasn't a fat one," Asiya interrupted.

"I'm in the middle of a process, Asiya! Let me process this!" Olivia snapped theatrically.

"Alright." Asiya rolled her eyes. "Just process everything quicker!"

The few days Asiya had had to wait to share the news with Olivia had felt like they had gone by in agonising years.

Yusuf asking for her dad's number had been most of what Asiya had been thinking about. 

The news had been moving against the walls of her mind and nearly leaked out of Asiya's mouth whenever she opened it.

It had been all Asiya wanted to talk about. But she hadn't wanted to share the news over a text message. A text box wouldn't encompass all of Asiya's feelings and wouldn't do the news justice.

Such news deserved a platform. Luckily for Asiya, Olivia also lived in London, so Asiya could use a little café near Kings Cross before catching her train home as one.

"Okay." Olivia tucked the front strands of her hair behind her ears. "So, you're telling me, Yusuf, from school spawns in your office five years later, still fit as fu–"

"Olivia!"

"Sorry! Still fit as. Then he sits you down and asks you for your dad's number because he wants to marry you?" Olivia said slowly.

"Potentially marry me, but yes!" Asiya drummed her fingers against the table. "Isn't that crazy?"

"What's crazy is that all this has happened, and you're still sitting in this dingy café and not under a wedding arch!" Olivia hissed as she thumped her palm on the table. "Girl, why the hell have you not told your dad? Why haven't you texted him? Why is your ring finger still naked?"

Before Asiya could answer, Olivia stretched herself over the table and grabbed Asiya by her arms.

"Have you lost your mind? The boy liked you, and now the man has said he still likes you! Earth to Asiya! Do you still have a brain in there?" Olivia shrieked as she shook Asiya like she was one of her protein shakes.

"Olivia, please lower your voice!" Asiya hushed as her friend released her.

"Asiya, please start explaining yourself!" Olivia grinned, matching Asiya's matron like tone.

Asiya stirred the marshmallows in her hot chocolate and watched them bob up and down.

"I'm mostly shocked. A part of me is excited we met again, and I'm lowkey gassed that Yusuf said he's interested in getting to know me," Asiya expressed.

"Brain still in Asiya's head? Check," Olivia chirped as she flicked her finger in the air.

"A part of me still can't believe it," Asiya said.

"I can believe it," Olivia said.

Asiya tipped her head to the side and flattened her features. "Olivia. This is Yusuf we're talking about."

"And?" Olivia shrugged. "You were a catch then, and you're even more of a catch now."

"Come on," Asiya scoffed.

Dating was haram, and Asiya had had no envy for it when she was younger, but she had still noticed how boys had used her as a bridge to get to Sarah and Olivia.