The Crown And Her Shadows

chapter 5

Three Months Later

Iman had just finished her last class for the day. Billy wasn’t feeling too great, so she’d gone home early. Iman, however, made a pit stop at the campus café to grab an iced coffee. She no longer ordered the iced toasted vanilla oat milk shaken espresso not after that incident the other day.

She reached the counter, placed her order, picked it up, and headed home. As she sank into her couch, she found herself smiling remembering the moment he asked her to be his friend.

---

FLASHBACK

Iman woke up early that day. Too early.

Even Billy was startled. She avoided Iman until they left the house, and even considered calling a cab just to dodge the intensity.

“This is too much stress,” she muttered dramatically as she slid into the passenger seat.

“What’s wrong?” Billy asked as they drove.

“I just... I have this feeling. Something good’s going to happen today.”

“Okay, fortune teller,” Billy teased, arching a brow.

They got to school earlier than expected and decided to stop by the café. As they entered, they spotted Ayman typing away on his laptop, deeply focused.

They passed him without a word and placed their orders. After getting their drinks, they sat at a table that just happened to be across from him.

A few minutes later, Ayman looked up, spotted them, and stood up to approach.

“Good morning, Si—Ayman,” Iman corrected herself mid-sentence.

He chuckled. “Morning, Iman.”

“Good morning, sir,” Billy said, shooting Iman a cheeky look.

“Morning, Miss Shuaib,” he replied, playing along.

“Fine, Ayman,” Iman muttered.

A few minutes later, their drinks arrived. They started chatting about everything and nothing, but Iman was distant barely answering, clearly lost in her thoughts.

Ayman checked the time. “I’ve got class soon,” he said, beginning to pack his things.

They walked out of the café together. People stared especially the girls. Whispered side comments buzzed around them, but none of them paid attention. They just walked and talked like nothing else existed.

Then Billy, queen of the unexpected, dropped a bomb.

“Why does he call you by your first name?” she asked Iman, but clearly meant for Ayman to hear.

“Because it makes me feel old,” he answered casually.

“So can I call you that too?” she shot back.

“No,” he said flatly.

“Well, that was harsh,” she mumbled.

“Okayyy, I have two whys,” she said. “Why the shouting? And why not me? There’s something fishy between you two, I swear…”

“Can you please shut up?” Iman cut her off, cheeks flaming.

“Yeesh, sorry,” they both said in unison.

“Okay, Miss Shuaib, sorry for talking at you,” Ayman teased. “Don’t report me to Mommy.”

She gave him a playful glare.

As they neared the building, Billy suddenly froze. “My phone!” she gasped and ran back to the café to retrieve it.

Perfect timing.

Ayman turned to Iman, cleared his throat, and said, “Iman, I wanted to ask you… would you go out with me?”

“Well, Ayman… I’m not ready for a relationship right now. But we can be friends.”

“Uhm, sure. Why not?” he said with a small smirk.

“I’m sorry if I made you sad.”

“No worries. I don’t get sad,” he shrugged, though his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

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BACK TO PRESENT

“Earth to Iman!” Billy snapped her fingers in front of her friend’s face.

“Huh? Sorry, what were you saying?”

“I was asking when your flight is!”

“Oh tomorrow, 10:30 PM.”

“Okay cool. I’m leaving tomorrow too for my aunt’s house.”

“Are you done packing?”

“Yep! Let’s eat, abeg.”

As they were eating, Iman’s phone started to ring. Billy leaned over dramatically.

“It’s Ayman,” she whispered with a grin, eyes sparkling with mischief.

After the call ended, Iman groaned.

“Can you stop already, Billy? We are not dating!” she huffed, crossing her arms like an annoyed anime character.

“Whatever you say,” Billy said, wiggling her brows like a villainess in a soap opera.

“I’m serious, Billy!” Iman stomped her foot.

“I’m serious too, Iman,” Billy replied, grinning like she knew something Iman didn’t.

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