Not My Boyfriend

2. Following Her

2. Following Her

"Hey, Mulki!" Hassan shouted as he embraced her lifting her off the sleek floor, spinning the dazed 15- year old girl, laughing at her squeals. "What are you doing here?" He whispered affectionately in her ear. He set her down, and the handsome teenage boy did not seem to notice that anything was wrong.

Her chocolate eyes flashed a mix of hurt and confusion as her heart squeezed in her chest. "Hassan?"

"Mulki, I didn't know you moved to Somalia, too. Why didn't you tell me? I thought you were still in Ohio. I can't believe that we are both here and we will go to the same school. "

He smiled his bright smile as he always did as if he was relieved to see her.

Mulki's breath caught for a second as she broke a little inside. She refused to cry in front of him. Refused to lose what was left of her tattered pride.

"I can't believe it either." Mulki echoed in a hollow voice. She blinked at the apparition standing in front of her. Teenagers bustled all around them, but

Mulki could not see or hear them. Her mind tried to process that Hassan was here.

"But then again, if you came to here, where else would you go? It seems like this party is full of ex-refugees. How do you like Somalia far?" Hassan asked.

Mulki smiled weakly. This must be a nightmare. This could not be real. She pinched her arm. Ouch. No, she was actually awake.

Absently, Hassan brushed his fingers through his short black curls. "It is true right? That the food taste better here? I never did believe that when my mother used to tell me that. I love it here. I spent all summer at the beach. "

"Mulki, It is good to see you." Hassan said.

"You too," Mulki lied. It was horrible to see him.

Then she saw Samira walking towards them glaring at her.

"Why don't we dance?" Hassan asked.

Samira stood next to Hassan, "Hassan," Her voice small and innocent. "You

promised that you were going to dance with me. Don't you remember?"

Hassan blushed. "How could I forget Samira? I was looking for you everywhere."

"I have to go." Mulki hurried past him. She put her cool hand on her burning cheek. It was not fair. This is why the psycho Samira had cornered her.

How long did it take heartbreak to heal? It had been all summer since she had last seen him. She had even moved to a different country. She refused to give herself a moment because she did not want to think about him. She can't believe that she thought that he had ever loved her. That had been the worst part. She always had thought that he loved her too, even if he had never said it, but she had finally accepted that she was wrong.

She looked back to see Hassan dancing with Samira.

Mulki needed to go home.

Where was her best friend? She searched the crowd until she saw her best friend in the middle of the dance floor.

Faisa was in the middle of the crowd, she was showing off her dance moves as usual. Her hips were dropping and rolling and no one could take their eyes off her. Of course, they did not know how many hours Faisa practiced in front of the mirror. Faisa loved dancing.

Mulki forced her way through the crowd. "Faisa!"

Faisa saw her and waved. Then she continued her dance to the rhythm of the song. Another girl came into the circle, now the two of them competed to the shouts of the crowd.