Starting Over (Islamic Fiction, Z.M)

Chapter 16 - (Best Friends?)

The food wasn’t completely burned. Just the bottom was slightly burnt. It was still edible if you scratched the burnt parts off but I didn’t want to risk giving them food poisoning or something like that so I just decided to go get some decent food from the restaurant down the street.

“Hey guys, I’ll just go buy some food from down the street. I won’t be long.” I said as I went to grab my purse.

“What happened to the food that you were cooking?” Layla asked; that girl was so quiet I sometimes forget that she was in the room with us.

“It got burnt.” I faked a frown.

“It burnt? What happened to ‘I’m the next master chef’ talk you gave us?” Jawaad teased raising an eyebrow in a playful way.

“I am the next master chef; I just got a little distracted.” I stressed on the ‘am’ to emphasis my point of being a great cook. I’m not cocky or anything but I knew what I was good at; cooking and cleaning are at the top of that list.

“Yeah, yeah, excuses excuses.” He teased longer.

“Do you doubt my great cooking skills?” I faked a shocked expression with a small gasp to make my act more convincing, “You know what, Jawaad. I’m going to go to the grocery store and get some ingredients to cook dinner for you all just to shut you up with my amazing cooking.”

“What? No, I don’t want to get food poisoning.” He whined and his lips turned into a small pout.

“I can’t believe how little faith in my amazing cooking skills,” I opened my eyes wide, faking a hurt and shocked expression, “I should just leave you to starve.” I smirked at him as he gasped for the dramatic effect. He was so much fun to banter with.

“No! Don’t leave Maggie, I’m hungry,” he yelled as I turned on my heel and began walking outside, “Bring edible food with you.” He shouted as I closed the door behind me.

The trip to the store was a short one, just 5 minutes walking as it was just around the corner. I entered the store, took one of those strolling cars and began walking down the aisles searching for some ingredients to make pasta, koftai and cheese sambosa; a dish my grandma taught me to do over the summer.

After getting everything I needed plus a few extra things that we needed in the kitchen I went to pay. The line was awfully long and boring so I got my phone out and decided to answer my mom’s long waiting messages.

“Maggie?” I heard a familiar female voice coming from behind me. Turning around I saw a girl I thought I won’t see for a long time.

“Ella?” I asked, my voice came out unsure but I was certain that it was indeed her. Even though her once long black hair was now back to its natural golden color with the same dip dye of pink at the end of her pony tail, I knew it was her from the star tattoo on her wrist and the lip ring and eyebrow piercing in her face.

“Hey, long time no see.” She smiled at me showing her perfect white teeth in that sweet way of hers.

“Yeah.” I smiled, taking one step closer to the cashier as the line moved. I don’t know why but I was happy to see her. I know I shouldn’t though; I should be mad, hurt and angry.

“How have you been?” She asked in a sympathetic way but her sweet smile never leaving her face.

“I’m good, how are you?” I smiled awkwardly. I knew what she was going to ask next and I didn’t want to talk about it. I wanted to keep this calm and happy aurora.

“Good,” She smiled and we both stayed silent for a bit. It was awkward standing there, I prayed that the line would move faster but of course with my luck it wasn’t moving at all, “You look good, the scarf really suits you.” She smiled awkwardly.