Selfless

Chapter 38

They just got here and I'm already stressed.

"Bebeğim, iyi misin?" Maman asks, her tone pitying. ("Are you ok?")

"I'm fine, I'm gonna get Nima's things." I pull my phone out as I walk to the kitchen and text Ari.

Come up with a fake last name ASAP.

Her response is fast, coming in just as I'm grabbing Nima's bag of dog food from the cabinet. That just shows how important I am to her. I'm the same way when she texts me.

I unlock my phone and read her text.

Ari
Why? Are we gonna roleplay?

I cover my mouth as I giggle. She cheers me up without even knowing she is. I know her intention was to make me laugh but she didn't know how much I needed that.

I send her a lengthy reply, telling her the reason. Her reply comes just as fast, just as the first one it makes me smile. She's so selfless.

Ari
I'll just come get her hermosa and I'm using Li's last name, Walker.

That honestly would be the best option and the last name works. I put my phone in my pocket after sending an 'Ok'. With Nima's food and water bowls in hand, I walk back to the living room where Maman is sat on the couch.

"Where's the dog?" She questions.

I set the food and bowls by the coffee table. "My friend is coming to get her. We'll have to wait for her before we go shopping."

Her arched brows dip down, clearly confused. "It would be better we take it to her, would it not?"

I shrug. "She offered and she's already on her way now." Waiting for Ari gives me more time with Nima so I don't mind.

Her lips raise into a small smile. "That's nice of her, is she Muslim?"

"No, she's Christian." I answer.

Her smile remains, unlike my father who would do the opposite. "Oh, do you have any Muslim friends?"

"No, there are none at my school."

She hums in understanding as I set my keys on the coffee table. "I need to go get the rest of Nima's stuff from my room." I tell and begin to make my way to the stairs.

"I'll help." She says, surprising me and follows me to my room. The help isn't really needed but I don't mind it, I'm just getting the few toys Nima has, her dog bed, and her leash.

In my room, I pick up Nima's bed and see Maman looking around curiously. "Who is this?" She stands by the pictures of me and Ari above my vanity mirror.

I can't stop my smile as recall taking them. There are a six of them, most of us innocently laying next to each other on Ari's bed, cheesing or making goofy faces. The most recent one and my favorite is me sitting on Ari's bed, hugging her neck, my cheek pressed against hers. We had Aya take it of us. I figured it was friendly enough to hang up. I have so many more less friendly ones, but those are hidden very well.

"Ari, she means a lot to me..." I don't even mean to say the last part and jerk my head away from the pictures to Maman, ready to explain.

"She does? Is she the one coming to get the dog." She asks with a raised eyebrow before I can try to explain, thankfully she doesn't seem to be taking it in the way I meant it.

Ari's the love of my life but obviously I can't tell her that yet. "Yeah, she's my best friend." Is what I decide on.

"I thought..." She pauses. "What was that girl's name? Hadley? I thought she was your best friend." Hailey doesn't deserve to be remembered.