Eighteen-year-old Hayat Amanullah has it all: a loving family, a carefree life, and a future at the Ivy League school of her dreams. But her perfect life shatters when her oldest brother suddenly dies in a car accident. The tight-knit Amanullah fami...
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~ Black dahlia (flower): Betrayal ~
Ever since I read Arafat's letter, my life has been given a new purpose. I've been looking into the pre-med programs of study at Rallie University while I wait for their admissions decision, I spoke to my parents (my dad was ecstatic, my mom's eyes filled with tears as she trudged upstairs), and I mustered up the courage to rifle through some of Arafat's old med school textbooks.
No wonder he still kept them. Whenever I asked him why he didn't sell or get rid of the ones he no longer needed, he would give me a cryptic smile and say, "You never know when you might need them again."
I decide to tell Aneela about my decision to pursue medicine. She responds with several excited texts, earnestly tells me to contact her if I need help with anything at all, and says, Arafatwould be so proud of you.
I stare at the text with a teary-eyed smile, hugging my phone to my chest.
When I tell Abeer, she responds in classic Abeer fashion—by freaking out and immediately calling me, then squealing so loudly I have to pull my phone away from my ear to prevent possible ear damage.
Something compels me to text Rameez as well. We've been texting more and more frequently over the past couple of days—it's been a while since I've had exciting news to share, and I feel like telling everyone I care about.
I halt at the thought—everyone I care about? Has Rameez fallen into this category as well?
I shake the thought out of my head as I wait for his reply.
you're full of surprises, he says. what brought on the decision?
I hesitate, then decide to tell him the truth. arafat wanted me to be a doctor. i only just found out.
He begins typing, then stops, then resumes. Finally he says, he would be so proud of you.
thank you.
med school will be lucky to have you. Then, seconds later, he sends a <3.
I startle, my eyes widening both at the compliment and the heart.
Oh, my God. A heart? I press a hand against my chest, since the very emoji he sent is beating wildly in it.
What does it mean? Is it a friendly, platonic, you're-my-sister's-best-friend-and-I-support you heart? Is it a we're-becoming-better-friends-and-I-appreciate you heart?
Or can I dare to hope that it possibly means something else?
How do I even respond to this? Should I sent a heart back? Should I leave him on read? Should I respond with something else?
I bite my lip, staring at the little symbol. Maybe I shouldn't reply immediately so as to not look like a desperate attention-seeker. Yeah, I'll wait for a few minutes. Or hours.
