A Thing, Beyond Forever

20.

"Hey man, are you alright?"  I asked walking up to Yazan in the park after Talha left. 

Yazan looked at me for a brief moment then went back to throwing pebbles in the pond. "Yeah. I...just needed some time alone"

"Mind if I join?" 

"Of course not," Yazan said as he gestured the place next to his

I sat down beside him, propelling my arms above my knees as I bought them closer to my chest. 

"I am sure your boyfriend would mind if you spend your time with me instead of him" Yazan scoffed as he continued to throw the pebbles.

"Oh, don't you worry about that" I chuckled lightly as I took a pebble from his hand and tried my best shot. 

We both laughed together as we watched the pebble didn't even make its way into the pond. 

"What was Huda's outburst about?" I asked the question I had been meaning to ask from the moment I sat down beside him. 

"Thank god you finally asked" He chuckled as he looked at me, "I could see you squirm in your place trying to figure out how to ask that question" He giggled and I threw a punch on his  bicep. 

"Well...you know. She thinks our platonic friendship is nothing more than me being interested in you" He shrugged as he curled his lips. 

I nodded as I considered him for a moment. He just couldn't stop throwing those pebbles. I looked at him. Like really noticed every feature of his face. I asked myself, did I feel anything more about him other than just the fact that he was my best friend? The answer was no. But did he felt the same? The answer I didn't know. 

"To be honest, I like what you and I have," I said and he turned his face to look at me and cocked his eyebrow up as if to ask, 'what?'. "This" I gestured to the way both of us were sitting. "Our platonic friendship" 

Yazan nodded as he turned his head to look straight ahead of him, "I know"

"In a world, where people think it's impossible for a guy and a girl to be anything more than just friends. I am glad it exists between us. This comfort zone that we have, I am grateful for it"

Yazan smiled, "I know. Me too" 

"Now come let's have something to eat" I stood up dusting my jeans and gestured my hand towards him to get up

"That bastard Talha told you to convince me to eat, didn't he?"

I broke into a laugh. "I would have come to you otherwise as well"

He circled his arm around my neck, "I know you would, you just can't resist being away from me" 

I bit his forearm in response as I giggled. 

"I would tell you to get yourself a boyfriend but you already have one!" He laughed as he ran towards where everyone was having lunch. I smiled as I ran behind him. 

He turned half-way while running backward. "You are coming to the graduation party, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world,"  I said.

Graduation Ceremony

"Girls, selfie time!" Noor cheered as she raised her arm to click a photo of our group.

All the girls in my class were lined up in alphabetical order with our respective caps and graduation gowns. It made me feel so proud as if I was done with my degree. But, It was just another at this moment when I could make my mother proud, she isn't there.