Friends?

Chapter 24

'Omar'

The pain kept me up at night, but mainly the fear of losing is what kept me tossing and turning.

My nose is going to take a while to heal. I had side effects from all the medication as well...the only thing I was grateful for at the moment was that I still had a few weeks before school reopened.

Moreover, on one hand, my acceptance letter arrived for next year... my acceptance letter for a new University.

During the fight when I saw Elizahs face in the crowd rushing towards the ring...as blurred as my vision was, her voice kept me away from slipping into a comma. That's when I realised that I could not lose her to Jamal or any other person... and seeing her hurt for me made me a lot angrier.

"Do you have something you would like to tell me?"Owais asked handing me a bottle of water.

"It's nothing I just was in shock that's it. I'm prepared this time..tomorrow his going down."

"I know you're doing this for Elizah...but after that, you know you already won her over. She won't want to get married to him."

"I told you I don't like her," I said annoyed

"Wait when did I mention anything about you liking her," he said laughing as he brought over another bag

I practised all day and night. I needed to win. For her, for us...and me. She isn't an object though, I should've said something before agreeing to have her as the prize, after all at this point it's all up to destiny. My father was upset after watching the circulating video of me being hit to the ground with blood flying everywhere, I knew that was the main reason Elizah tried to stay around me all the time, so I wouldn't see the video but here we are hey.

He lectured me for hours, in my apartment and has been sleeping over to keep an eye on me. I spent the rest of the day planning and practising. I didn't care about the comments people posted every second, what I cared about was what Elizah thought of me...and how she saw me.

The next day I heard a knock on my door in the morning,

I rushed over to open it and found Elizah standing before me. She arrived taking over the place as soon as she bumped into my father. I laughed watching them cook. He saw her as a daughter for a very long time, it's funny how he did not remember her at all. We ate and then left for the dojo that day

"Shouldn't you be with your soon-to-be fiance?"

"If you don't want me here I can just leave," she replied annoyed.

"I'm just kidding..."

We arrived at the dojo and after the both of us entered the ring was surrounded by people from our dojo so nothing could be sneaked past...Owais took out his lollipop covering it up as he waited for the bell to ring. I turned over to my right and saw her seated in the crowd.

The bell rang and he came charging towards me. I never wanted to use my taekwondo skills but he had provoked me already.

With a kick to his head and jaw, I ended the fight with the ambulance arriving. There was no need for me to wait it out this time. Elizah and I did accompany him to the hospital, she nagged for hours about how things would be better if we just made peace since he's just an obsessive fan of mine.

He woke up, turning towards us who were still arguing silently, "Elizah?

" Omar?" he said trying to figure out what was around him

He sat up feeling his jaw. "now I know why no one even dares to step into the ring with you," he said handing his bracelet to me, "I'll keep the promise on one condition."

"We'll talk about that some other time, you need rest right now," I said leaving with Elizah.

And as I and Elizah walked to the bus stop I couldn`t help but wonder, if she still wanted to be with him.

"Are you still going to marry him?" I asked avoiding eye contact

"He's a great guy with a caring heart but...I just can't bring myself to think of us romantically involved."

"As long as you are happy."

I was a lot more relieved after hearing her say that...

Later that day I went over to pick Jamal up, and he was surprised...but I knew what it felt like to not have anyone to rely on...I especially knew what it felt like for people to use you.

"What's that condition?" I asked as I placed his bag into my car

"Tell her how you feel. From the looks of it, she likes you too."

"We're just friends, student and master...classmates, there are no other feelings."

"If you say so then I can have her?"

"NO."

he laughed closing the boot of the car, "Omar...just at least think about it, by the way, I'm sorry about your nose."

"We're even, sorry for putting you in a short coma and breaking your jaw,

"Friends?" I asked reaching my hand out to him

He hesitantly accepted my handshake before I drove him home. I have fulfilled your request Elizah.

The rest of the days went by and soon the second semester began. The last one for this year and my last one with her.

"Why did you come and pick me up for the class after I told you how angry I am at you for what you did last night?"

"How am I supposed to know that you are allergic to mustard, I mean who the hell is even allergic to mustard?" I asked laughing

"I am," she said taking off her mask, "I look like a chipmunk!

"I told you that I'm sorry..besides now all the guys won't look at you."

"First of all, we both know that there has been no guy who has asked or tried to ask me out. I mean who would if there's a mean-looking guy around me all the time."

"How can you still move your mouth with your face like that."

"I'm glad that you found this funny..." she said putting her mask back on as we arrived on campus

The swelling will eventually disappear after 2 weeks so I don't know why she was making such a huge fuss about it...and I no, do not look angry.

My nose cast was removed yesterday and so far the bone was doing well but wasn't completely healed so I'm going in today for a new one. Owais walked into our classroom placing breakfast in front of us.

I removed the food away from her," liquids for 3 days remember."

"Don't make me feel like such a third wheel," Owais said sitting in between us, " I no longer have to hide our relationship," he said placing the school paper on the table

The headline read rising Stars. "Our competition got published, so people knew we are comrades. By the way, Elizah now that you're in kickboxing I bet I can win a fight against you," he said standing up

"How is that fair, the only reason we fought during that year was that you made a terrible remark about taekwondo."

"I'm assuming that's how you guys met," I said

"Yes, she beat the absolute crap out of me...try her since you both haven't done taekwondo in a while, it would be such an interesting thing to watch."

"Omar over here use to spar with me when I was younger and I never won," she said laughing before stealing my drink

"Well do share the wild stories later, there's a staff meeting now," he said quickly jumping out of our desk and leaving.

"Can you blend a burger for me after class?" she asked attempting her puppy eye thing

"That makes no sense, it's only 3 days the swelling will go away."

"If I can't eat, you can`t either," she said giving away my breakfast, "we're even now."

"Petty and childish is what you are."

Later she accompanied me to the hospital where my nose was checked and a new banged placed. If there's one thing that made us even is that I got my nose broken for her...

"Jamal said he's coming over for dinner tonight to check up on me."

"Why would he need to do that you guys are separated.." I ask annoyed

"Yes we are, but we are still close friends and he's worried about me."

"I'm coming with you."

"It makes no difference you`re always at my house either way!"

Or am I?