Forbidden Across the Border

Are You Jealous ?

Smriti's POV

It was a quiet evening, and I found myself mindlessly scrolling through Hania's Instagram again. It had become a bit of a routine — whenever I had a free moment, I'd find myself looking at her posts, smiling at her quirky captions, and admiring her infectious energy that practically leaped off the screen. But tonight, something caught my eye.

It wasn't one picture, or even two. No, it was a lot of pictures. Almost every other post featured Hania with this one girl — Reem, I think her name was. They seemed close. Really close. They had goofy selfies, candids from what looked like beach vacations, and even more formal, polished photos from events. There was a warmth between them, the kind you don't usually see unless two people are genuinely comfortable with each other.

A mischievous smile tugged at my lips. Maybe I could use this to tease her a little. I opened up our chat and started typing.

Me:

Me: "So... who's this Reem girl you seem to be obsessed with? 😏 She's in almost every picture of yours. I'm starting to think there's something going on here. 😂"

I sent the message and leaned back, waiting for her response. It didn't take long for those familiar three dots to appear, signaling that she was typing.

Hania: "LOL, obsessed? Really, Smriti? She's just my best friend. We've known each other for ages!"

Me: "Uh-huh, best friend, huh? That's what they all say. Look how close you guys are. But seriously, like every picture? I think she's trying to take my spot as your best friend. Should I be concerned? 😜"

I could imagine her rolling her eyes at me as she typed her next response.

Hania: "OMG Smriti, stop! You're being ridiculous. You haven't even met her, and you're already jealous? 😂"

Me: "Pfft, jealous? No way. But I mean... should I be? She's clearly been in your life for a while. Seems like you two are pretty close."

I was really enjoying this little back-and-forth. There was something so easy about teasing Hania. She always took it in stride, never missing a beat.

Hania: "Smriti, come on. Reem is like a sister to me. We've been friends since forever. There's literally nothing to worry about!"

Me: "A sister, huh? You're just saying that to keep me off the scent. I think she's trying to replace me."

Hania: "LOL, replace you? You're impossible! Reem's been my bestie long before we met. You've got no competition here, trust me. But this is hilarious, I'm loving jealous Smriti. 😂"

I could feel my cheeks heat up at the way she turned the tables so effortlessly. I wasn't actually jealous, of course... or at least, I didn't think I was. But the way she responded made me second-guess for a moment. Could I actually be a little envious of her relationship with Reem?

Me: "Okay, okay, fine. Maybe I'm just a little... curious. You know, making sure my place as your new bestie isn't in jeopardy. Gotta watch out for the competition. 😎"

Her response came quickly, as if she was laughing while typing it.

Hania: "Curious, huh? Sure, we'll go with that. But for real, Smriti, you're special too. There's no replacing you, I promise. 😉"

I felt a warmth in my chest reading that. Special, huh? I wasn't expecting her to say that, and I definitely wasn't expecting how it would make me feel. This was supposed to be a fun, light conversation, but suddenly there was a shift. It was subtle, but it was there.

Me: "Special, huh? Well, if I'm special, then I guess I can forgive you for having another best friend."

Hania: "Good! I was starting to get worried there for a second. But seriously, Reem is gonna love this when I tell her. She'll think it's hilarious."

I grinned at the thought of Hania telling her friend about this little exchange.

Me: "Oh, great. Now I'm going to be the butt of the joke between you and Reem? That's just perfect. 🙄"

Hania: "Well, maybe I should introduce you two. Then you won't have to feel so left out."

Me: "Oh no, you don't! I'll probably get ganged up on. I don't think my ego could handle that."

Hania: "LOL, okay fine. We'll spare you. But seriously, you have nothing to worry about with Reem. She's like family. And anyway, it's not like you don't have a million people in your life too."

She had a point. Between cricket, family, and friends, my life was pretty full. But I couldn't help the little twinge of something — was it really jealousy? — that crept in whenever I saw Hania with someone else. I didn't want to admit it, even to myself, but I liked being the one she talked to, the one she joked with. It felt... special.

Me: "Okay, fine. I'll stop giving you a hard time about Reem. But just so you know, if she ever tries to steal my spot, I'll fight her for it. 😉"

Hania: "OMG, Smriti. You're insane. But okay, deal. I'll let Reem know she's got some competition now. 😂"

I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. Here I was, getting faux-jealous over a girl I didn't even know, teasing Hania about her oldest friend like it was some sort of rivalry. But the truth was, I just liked talking to her. She had this way of making everything feel lighter, easier.

Me: "Good. As long as we're clear on that. 😎"

Hania: "Crystal clear. But honestly, you're too much, Smriti. It's like you've got this playful side that only comes out when you're talking to me."

That made me pause. Was that true? I guess in a way, it was. Hania brought out a side of me that not many people saw. I could just be Smriti that didn't knew there could be a side of the girl who loved to joke around and be a little silly.

Me: "Maybe you're right. You do bring out the best in me."

Her response came almost immediately, and I could tell she was smiling when she typed it.

Hania: "Well, I'm glad. Because you definitely bring out the best in me too."

There it was again. That shift. That subtle, almost unspoken connection between us. It wasn't just banter anymore. It felt... different. Deeper. But neither of us said anything more. We didn't need to.

I leaned back, smiling to myself as I reread the conversation. Teasing her about Reem had been fun, but it also made me realize something. Hania had become more important to me than I had expected. She wasn't just someone I talked to occasionally; she had slipped into my life in a way that felt natural, almost inevitable.

And while I wasn't actually jealous of Reem, I did feel lucky. Lucky to have Hania in my life, even if it was still new. I didn't know where this would go, but I knew one thing for sure: I wasn't letting go of this connection anytime soon.