Beside me Lily giggled, and something in Yusuf snapped. He ran after us and we ran away, squealing in delight. Never much of a long-distance runner, I gave up quickly. Yusuf tagged me and then set his sights on Lily. They ran all around the playground, Lily grinning widely, Yusuf looking determined.
“Guys, stop!” I yelled, but they ignored me. “Let’s play something else!”
But they only had eyes for each other. I watched them zigzag through children skipping rope and dodge straight through an intense Grade 6 basketball game without breaking a sweat. When Yusuf finally caught up to Lily, he grabbed her hands and swung her around. She tripped and tore her pristine white tights. When I reached them, they were examining her bloody knee and Yusuf was looking sheepish.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “You’re not going to start crying, are you?”
With a disdainful look, she stood up and tore off her tights, balling them up and throwing them in Yusuf’s face. Then she took off again, laughing at our stunned faces.
We had been inseparable since that day on the playground, up until the past year. Maybe growing apart was part of growing up.
My phone pinged, interrupting the silence with a message from StanleyP.
StanleyP
Checking in re: dream job. Is it time to fire the confetti cannons? I have some news to share too!
I fumbled, closing the screen, but Lily had seen. “Your mystery friend?” she asked, and it was my turn to blush.
“Nothing to see here,” I muttered.
“It might be time to do something about that whole situation—” she started.
“This from Ms. Indecisive,” I countered. “Do you love Yusuf or not?”
“It’s not that simple for us. His dad... My mom is...”
Lily didn’t have to fill in the blanks for me. Theirs was an inter-religious relationship frowned upon by both sides. Lily was not religious, but her Italian Catholic family did not approve of her feelings for her childhood best friend who happened to be a practising Muslim and the son of Syrian immigrants. That disapproval was very much mirrored by Yusuf’s parents. As a result, my friends’ on-again status had mostly been kept secret from both families, as their off-again status was so clearly desired by both. I was the only person either could confide in. Sometimes I wondered why they bothered, whether their feelings for each other were worth all the trouble.
“At least you know who you’re dealing with. I know nothing about my online... friend,” I said.
“If only there were some way to fix that situation,” my friend mused in the dark. She snapped her fingers. “I have an idea! Maybe you could try asking him.” She giggled as I shoved her. “Come on. What’s the worst that could happen?”
I mentally listed my reasons.What if we started revealing things about ourselves and he turned out to be different from how I imagine him? I would lose someone important to me—a confidant, an accomplice, a well-wisher. The one person who liked my podcasts from the very start.
I shrugged. “Nothing, I guess. I should... I will.”
Lily shook her head, smiling slightly. “I know what that means. But you do what feels right, Han. Just let me do the same, okay?”
I hugged her. “Get some sleep, Dr. Moretti,” I said. “Try not to forget me while you’re busy saving everyone else.”
We made plans to meet the next week on her day off. I walked her back home before standing under a street lamp for a few moments, texting StanleyP.
AnaBGR
Didn’t get the gig. They went in another direction.
StanleyP
WHAT? Who are these people? They have an angry bot heading their way.
AnaBGR
Nice try.
StanleyP
At least let me do some low-level subtweeting. They’re crazy not to hire you.
