SUBTERFUGE

Chapter 4

The cold water hit Mina's face, she gasped, her heart was still going on as if it was racing a marathon. She gazed through wet bangs at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, her arms bracing her on the basin. Calm down, you silly thing, she both berated and pacified herself. Again she brought the cold water to her warm red cheeks, the contrasting temperature stung her skin soothingly.

Her phone began ringing in her room, she hurriedly dried her face and rushed to answer it. It was her best friend on the other side of the line.

"Hey girrrl!"

"Hi Lu!" Mina paused for a moment, her voice sounded abnormally high, so she cleared her throat before continuing, "how was your date?"

Lujain was quiet for a moment, "okay, what's up? And don't even pretend like it's nothing!"

Mina sighed, "shit...why do you know me so well?"

"Cause I've been your bestie since we were in stinky diapers."

"Touché."

"So, spill already!"

Mina bit her lip, she didn't want to tell Lujain about Joeng-min, just not yet. Lujain would never understand why she turned to online dating, and she knew her friend would judge her even more because he's Korean. Mina had to wait for the right moment and think of good enough story to tell her friend.

"My mum was at me again about being fat," it wasn't a lie.

"Not again, your mum needs to get her eyes checked. You're not fat! You're sexy and thick!" Lujain sounded exasperated.

"Well not to my mum, just cause I don't I fit into a size 6, I'm too ugly to get a guy."

Mina heard her friend inhale sharply on the other end, "She said what?! No no no! That ain't true Mina. You're gorgeous girl, a guy would have to be dumb not to like you!"

"Well you say that, but here I am having being single all my life," she pointed out.

"Shut up! Don't act like you've never had a guy interested in you. Just last week you got a box of Lindt chocolate and a confession letter from Yasir. But YOU rejected him." Mina could picture Lujain rolling her eyes as she said that.

"I politely turned him down," she defended herself, "he isn't my type."

"Still can't believe you ate the chocolates!"

"Couldn't waste Lindtt! C'mon!"

Lujain laughed, "Fair enough. But you could have shared some with me!"
"They were my confession chocolates! Sharing it would be like sharing the confession, which I didn't think Ali would've been okay with." Mina snickered.

"Well he wouldn't have known...besides, I think Yasir is kinda cute."

"Lujain!" Mina gasped.

"Kinda! Key word, kinda!" They both laughed at that.

"Hey Mimi, don't take what your mum said to heart. You're going to find an amazing guy, regardless of what dress size you fit into. Know why I say that? Cause you're a super star that doesn't need to be contained to fit societies standard!"

Mina felt herself tearing up, "aww, thanks so much Lu! Sending a massive tight hug through the phone!"

"Ah, I love you," Lujain's voice was high and compressed, as if though she really was getting squeezed.

"Love you too!" Mina smiled, "Okay, I better hit the sack, I'm exhausted!"

"Yeah, me too. Goodnight Mimi!"

"Goodnight Lu!" She clicked off the call.

Mina laid down in bed, staring blankly at her ceiling as a whirlwind of confusing emotions churned within her. From feeling frustrated at her family, to feeling excited joy at discovering Joeng-min, to feeling guilty about not coming clean about it to Lujain. She sighed, turning over onto her side, hand tucked under her cheek. I'll just tackle things tomorrow, she murmured to herself before dozing off.

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Slightly shorter chapter this time.
Which do you think I should do, shorter chapters and quicker updates or longer chapters but slower updates?