The water fairy (Farah Dowling )

7.

The days that followed were filled with more secret visits to Farah's humble hut. Each time, Yara found comfort in Farah's presence, in their quiet conversations. Farah's wisdom and steady demeanor provided her with a sense of stability that she desperately craved, and she found herself spending more and more time there. It was almost ironic – two outcasts, finding solace in each other's company.

Farah, too, seemed to relish in their meetings. Whether they spoke about the school, the world, or even just mundane things, their conversations were filled with a level of understanding that was rare to find. Yara's frequent visits felt like water to a parched throat - refreshing, soothing, but also quietly intoxicating.

With each passing day, their friendship deepened. In the secluded silence of the hut, there was a comfort, an intimacy that grew with each word shared, each secret revealed. And it was in these moments that Yara realized just how much she'd missed having a true friend, someone who understood her, didn't judge her for her differences. Farah had become that friend, and more.

But as their bond grew closer, so did the complexity of Yara's emotions. She found herself thinking about Farah often, not just as a friend, but in a way that was both confusing and compelling. The line between friendship and something more was getting thinner and thinner with each passing day.

However, each time Yara's thoughts strayed in that direction, she quickly pushed them away. She couldn't let herself feel more, not for Farah. Not for a woman who had been an adult figure in her life growing up, not for a woman who was nearly two decades her senior. It was impossible, foolish. Wasn't it?

Yet, even as she rationalized and denied her feelings, Yara found it harder to ignore the pull she felt towards Farah. The way her heart quickened when Farah smiled at her, the warm flutter in her stomach when Farah laid a hand on her arm. There was an attraction there that was undeniable, and as hard as she tried, Yara couldn't resist its magnetic draw.