Fighting For Her- Imane Khelif

A Choice Made

Imane and Ellie woke up to an awkward tension that hung heavy in the room. Neither of them wanted to address the previous night, but it lingered, thick and undeniable. Their morning was filled with silence as they ate breakfast together. Each bite felt heavy with unspoken words. Both of them wanted to say something, to break the tension, but the weight of their recent conversation kept them both quiet.

They left for training in near silence. At the gym, their friends noticed the awkward energy between them, but no one asked any questions. They carried on with their routine, though the atmosphere felt different.

During a break, Sarah pulled Imane aside, a small smirk on her face. "Hey, did you hear? Gianna's moved on. I saw her flirting with some new woman earlier today. Looks like she's given up on Ellie."

This brought Imane a strange sense of relief. She tried to suppress it, but she couldn't deny the lightness she felt knowing Gianna was no longer pursuing Ellie. For a brief moment, she felt like things could go back to how they were.

Meanwhile, Ellie was struggling. As much as she tried to shove her feelings for Imane aside and be friendly, she couldn't stop the hurt gnawing at her. She'd put herself out there, and Imane had rejected her. It was hard to forget.

Needing space, Ellie stepped outside for a breath of fresh air during training. The air was warm, but she still felt cold inside. As she stood there, staring blankly at the distant horizon, Gianna approached her with her usual swagger.

"Hey," Gianna started, her tone smooth and casual. "You okay? You look like you need a break."

Ellie sighed. "Yeah, I just needed some air."

Gianna leaned against the wall, her eyes lingering on Ellie in a way that made her uncomfortable but also flattered. "How about a proper break? Let's go out tonight, just you and me. I've got two tickets to a new lesbian movie, and I thought we could grab dinner afterwards."

Ellie's heart raced. Just a few days ago, she would have laughed and turned Gianna down without a second thought. But she was tired of being lonely, and the thought of making Imane jealous was suddenly tempting. It wasn't like her to think this way, but rejection had changed something inside her.

Maybe if Imane saw her with someone else, she'd realize how much she wanted Ellie.

Against her better judgment, Ellie nodded. "Sure, why not. I could use a night out."

Gianna grinned, clearly pleased. "Great. I'll pick you up around 7. Dress sexy."

Back at the apartment later that evening, Ellie took extra care in choosing her outfit. She wanted to look amazing, not just for Gianna, but for Imane. She slipped into a short black form-fitting dress that hugged her curves, accentuating her body in all the right places. As she stood in front of the mirror, she couldn't help but feel a mixture of anticipation and dread.

Imane was sitting on the sofa when Ellie emerged from the bedroom, dressed to kill. She couldn't hide the flash of surprise—and something else—when she saw Ellie. The way the dress clung to her, the way she seemed to glow, it all sent Imane's heart racing.

"Where are you going?" Imane asked, trying to keep her voice steady, though inside she felt uneasy.

Ellie didn't hesitate. "I'm going out with Gianna. We're seeing a movie, then dinner."

Imane's stomach dropped. She had assumed Gianna had moved on, but hearing Ellie say it out loud—confirming it—was like a punch to the gut. She felt a swell of protectiveness, a desire to stop her from going, but the words lodged in her throat. Instead, she blurted out, "Gianna's dating someone else, Ellie. She's a player. You should know that."

Ellie's face hardened, her expression shifting from neutral to angry in an instant. "And why should I believe you? You don't want to be with me, but now you're suddenly concerned about who I date?"

Imane stepped closer, frustration rising in her chest. "I'm not saying this out of jealousy—"

But Ellie cut her off. "Yes, you are. You can't have it both ways, Imane. You rejected me, and now you think you get to control who I go out with? You have no right."

Imane fell silent, guilt washing over her. She didn't want to hurt Ellie, but she also couldn't shake the sinking feeling that Gianna wasn't what Ellie needed.

Ellie's eyes filled with a mixture of anger and hurt. "I'm going, Imane. And you know what? Maybe you should stop worrying about what other people think for once and worry about how you feel."

With that, Ellie turned and left the apartment, the door closing behind her with a soft click.

Imane stood there, staring at the closed door, her heart heavy. She knew Ellie was right. She was jealous. But she was also terrified—terrified of losing Ellie, of her own feelings, and of the rules she had lived by for so long.

As the evening wore on, Imane couldn't shake the knot in her stomach. The apartment felt emptier without Ellie there, and the reality of her own feelings began to weigh on her more than ever.

She sat in the quiet, unsure of what to do next.