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When someone is crying, there are only two things to do:
Comfort them, let them talk it out, be there for them.
Leave the issue alone. Sit with them, but don’t pry. Distract them.
From the way Nur glances at me repeatedly, I know which one she wants.
‘What happened?’ I ask softly. ‘If you want to talk about it, I’m here to listen. No judgements from me.’
Nur hiccups, her chest heaving, before the story spills out of her. ‘It’s so stupid. I have no reason to be upset. But I’ve been talking to this guy for a while now, and I – I had mentioned that I wanted it to become more serious. I told him if he wanted it to be serious too, then we’d need to do this properly. Like talking to my dad, talking to my family. But he backed out, saying he was l-looking for a fling and n-nothing more.’ Her voice breaks on the last word. ‘I feel so stupid.’
I wrap my arms round her, pulling her face to the crook of my neck. I’ve heard this story before – it’s one of the reasons my parents were so adamant that I shouldn’t dive into a relationship until I felt a hundred per cent ready for a future shared with someone else. My friends have had guys who promise them the world, and the stars, and everything in between, but they can’t show up when they need to. The minute they have to legitimize the relationship or actually commit, they disappear in a cloud of, Woah, this is going too fast or I didn’t mean it like that! We were just having fun. And in the end, there’s always one person left with a broken heart.
The doors to the Limelight open and Anushka strides in, eyes locked on a file that she’s holding in her hands. But the second she notices us, she drops everything. Nur relays the story to her in chopped-up breaths, tears leaking out of her eyes.
‘Guys suck,’ Anushka says after a beat. ‘I’m sorry you had to go through this, Nur.’
I tentatively broach the subject I’ve been avoiding. ‘I take it that things with David aren’t great yet either?’
Anushka shakes her head, her eyes becoming glassy too. I take a deep breath, trying another attempt to offer some better advice.
‘I know you guys aren’t working out as a relationship, but you are good friends. You shouldn’t throw that away. If you can’t see eye to eye on a relationship front, then you need to ask yourself if you still want him in your life in any capacity. You’re both hurting yourselves by being in a relationship. Maybe it’s time to take a step back into friendship, and to see if it grows organically into what you both want to be.’
Anushka mulls over my advice, and my heart hammers in my chest. Finally she sighs, swiping at her eyes with the back of her palm. ‘I know you’re right. It’s hard sometimes. I feel like if we start speaking again we’ll wreck everything. Nothing will be left. Not a relationship and not friendship.’
‘I know you feel that way, but David isn’t going to just let you go from his life,’ I say, determination coating my every word. Hope blossoms in Anushka’s eyes, so I go on. ‘You two have a great friendship, and you aren’t simply going to lose it because you hit one speed bump.’
Nur lifts her head from my shoulder to lean over and grip Anushka’s hand. ‘We’re a pair, aren’t we?’ she giggles, detangling from me. ‘I think Farah’s the only put-together one of this entire group.’
‘Yeah, and honestly, Farah –’ Anushka grabs my hand, looking at me with bright eyes – ‘seeing you being happy and joyful and positive all the time, it’s such a great reminder of how happy I could be as well. Your attitude is amazing.’
My chest warms with pride, knowing I’m a boulder they can lean on; I feel emboldened, and proud of past-Farah for deciding not to burden The Tragedies with my worries about the LSDCATS audition, or what happened with Gibitah. They need a shoulder, a friend, someone solid – I can be that.
‘You’re delusional.’ Ben’s voice pulls at our attention. He’s walking in, sandwiched between Zayan and David. ‘You two think you can beat me at GTA?’
Zayan scoffs, arrogance lining his every word. ‘Beat you? I could destroy you. I’ve already beaten David every time we play.’
‘Uh,’ David breaks in, ‘we only started playing two days ago.’
‘Excuses, excuses. Just admit I’m better than you.’
David shoves Zayan lightly, and for a moment my heart kicks up in worry that this could lead to a brawl. But Zayan just catches his balance and laughs. A genuine sound. Not smug, or rude, or soft, but loud and free. Eventually, the three of them reach us, and Zayan’s gaze lands on me first. His smile drops slightly, and my stomach clenches.
The sight of me is clearly not helping his mood.
‘Woah, what happened here?’ Ben asks, noticing Nur’s tear-streaked face.
‘You OK?’ David questions, dropping down in front of Nur. ‘Please – tell me who to beat up.’ Anushka laughs, startling all of us, before clapping her hand over her mouth. I know she’s holding back the automatic joke. David looks at her almost pleadingly. ‘You got something to say?’
There’s hope wound up in his words, and I hear the ceasefire in them. I widen my eyes at Anushka, nodding my head ever so slightly. She lets out a shaky breath and smiles. ‘You can’t fight anyone, old man.’
It’s not the greatest comeback, not even close to what Anushka can do, but it’s enough. A smile breaks out on David’s face, so wide, so brilliant.
‘OK, she’s not wrong,’ David says with a laugh. He turns on his heels, still crouching, to point at Zayan and Ben. ‘But they totally could.’
‘And would,’ Zayan offers with a shrug. ‘I mean, I wouldn’t personally punch anyone – it wouldn’t be great for my image at the moment – but I could get someone to do it.’
Nur laughs while standing. ‘Your kindness is astounding.’
