Bending Edges

Thirteen

Dakota

I was at the usual sports bar with my friends and Marcus watching the ongoing football match. There were a lot of cheering, screaming, and snacks are thrown everywhere. "Come on, Riley!" My friend, Hannah said.

"The Armadillos* are going to get a touchdown, I could feel it!" Cheered my other friend, Tyler as he pointed at the screen.

We all cheered as the blue and orange football player made a touchdown. Before I could go further with cheering, I felt my phone buzzed in my pocket. I took out my cell to see that Moona was calling and my started heart tugged. I tapped on Marcus' shoulders and said, "I will be back; update me when I get back."

He nodded and I squeezed my way out from the partially crowded area to the calmer side of the bar and finally answered the phone. "Hey Mamoona, what's up?"

"Hey, is this a bad time?" She asked on the other side.

I eyed my group of friends who were so focused on the game. "No, this is a great time right now. What is up?"

"I just wanted to tell you that I did it," Moona said, "I accepted Kristen Aura's offer to interview with them and I dropped out of med school. My interview with them is coming soon."

I felt myself with a burst of joy for Moona who was finally doing something she wanted to do. "That is great news! We need to celebrate. Where do you want to go?"

There was silence on the other side. I paused for a second and took a seat at a bar stool. My spark turned into empathy for Mamoona, she just dropped medical school she must've felt very overwhelmed. "How are you really feeling, Moona?"

I heard her sighed on the of he side before replying, "not good. I thought I am supposed to feel happy and proud, but after when my dad said that he wants to see me become a great doctor, I feel..."

There was a brief paused and I let her gathered her thoughts. "I feel trapped," she finished.

"Well, no one ever said doing what makes you happy was always easy," I said, "what you did was very brave, Moona."

"What on earth am I going to do next?" She asked as she let out an exhausted laugh.

I shuffled around my seat. "Well, you are going to enjoy your time in Kristen Aura. Whenever you feel it fits, tell your parents. Let them know you are happy with what you want to do."

"I feel so unsure. What if I am just making a mistake?" She asked.

"No Moona, I could see it. The way you design, the way you just talk about designing, you love it. This couldn't be a mistake." I told her.

"I'm glad that I talked to you, Dakota. This means a lot to me," Moona said softly.

And that got me already smiling like an idiot. "Don't worry about it. I got your back, Moona," I replied.

"Hey, I have to go. I will see you at the wedding party?" Moona said.

"Yeah, I will see you later."

I hung up the phone and made my way back to my group. Marcus adverted his eyes off the TV to find me smiling hard beside him. "Who was that on the phone, Mrs. Sunshine?" He asked me.

I stuck my tongue out at him. "None of your business," I said.

"Oh with that tone of voice, it must be your Mamoona girl," Marcus teased out loud.

My friend Tyler drew his attention to us. "Dakota, you have a new girl? Why didn't you tell me?"

Then the whole group's attention was drawn towards 'my love life'. "What? Who is she? Is she Sarah's sister, Katie?" Hannah asked excitedly, "you and Katie will make a perfect match."

I rolled my eyes instantly, now they are just saying names I don't know. "No it's not Katie or none of your business," I told them.

As soon as they heard that, they eyed Marcus craving for answers. Marcus threw his arms up. "Hey, don't look at me, all I know it's some girl Dakota has been hanging out with and going crazy over," Marcus said.

Which made me rolled my eyes even more. "Guys, it's just a slight attraction, give it a break," I called out to my gossip-thirsty friends.

"Well, who is it?" -Hannah teased- "Who has captured the heart of the princess of all player?"

I didn't answer Hannah and just kept on drinking my cold beer. Then Tyler chipped in, "Hannah is right, I would feel bad for anyone who falls for the princess of the heartbreaker."

I thought to myself that I wouldn't in a million years hurt Moona and they are being over dramatic with me being a heartbreaker.

"Hey guys, that's enough. You guys are being way too dramatic," Marcus told them.

I gave him a faint smile as he let me rest my head on his shoulders. And the rest of the evening played out like the most night would.

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Side note

*The Armadillos is a made up football team... Totally not real, but if it were to be real, the mascot would be 7ft tall and yellow with a long nose.