My Best Friend

Fahmeen's POV:

*Can I come over?*

*Why? What's happened?*
*YES.*

...

She sees me standing there as she opens the front door. My face must be a state. Eyes puffy and swollen, body trembling from the evening chill.
"What's happened, Fahmeen?!"
Georgia pulls me into a hug. I close my eyes and find comfort in her familiar scent. Her thick jumper. The smell of the shampoo she uses.
"Come in."

We're in her bedroom and on her bed. Georgia's been giving me that sad face, I know she feels helpless as I haven't spoken yet. I don't know where to start.

"Please say something." She takes my hands in hers.
"I'm really sorry about how I reacted to... your secret. I'm so so sorry. You didn't deserve that, especially from me." She sniffs and I realise she's crying. God, we're both a mess.
"You deserve love, you do. God, you do!" Georgia wraps her arms around me once again and I feel her cling onto me.

"It just shocked me but that doesn't justify how I reacted."
She pulls away.
"You're right. There's nothing wrong with it. You're old enough and he's a good guy. A really good guy. And besides, by next year you won't even be his student anymore."
She wipes her tears and chuckles. I feel choked up thinking about that.
"Nobody in England would be his student after this year." I look down and bite my lip, stopping them from trembling.
"What do you mean?"
"He's leaving, Georgia. Rolf is moving back to America. He got offered a job at some school in his hometown. Apparently it's too good to lose."
"I don't want to get in the middle of that. I don't want him to have to choose between someone he's known for a few months and a big opportunity."
"It wouldn't be fair."

"You said you love him though."
"I do. So much." It hurts.
"And he loves you. I see it now." Her eyes glazed over, thinking.
"He told me he does."
"So, maybe he's only considering it. Have you both talked about it yet?"
A flashback of earlier comes to me. The moment he told everyone was the moment he told me.
"He just came out with it. And it sounded like he's already made up his mind."

"Don't do this. Don't shut him out. Let him explain. Has he tried to contact you since you left?"
I nod and give her my phone.
Her eyes grow huge at my screen.
"45 calls from him alone? Ango, that's him right?"
I nod again.
"God, even your mum, Jay and Sam they're all worried. Even Aunt Penelope! I have to at least tell them you're safe."
"Okay." I say, but I don't want to go back home yet.
"Here, lie down. Stay the night."
I get under the covers and allow my eyes to rest as I hear her walk around, contacting everyone.

...

We're both in bed now and there's something I still want to tell her. Of you. I touch my stomach.
"Georgia?" I whisper.
"Yeah?"
"I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant? Oh my god."
A pause.
Suddenly she shoots up and bangs the lamp on.
She squeals.
"You're pregnant! My best friend is having a baby!" She hugs me, basically pinning me against the bed.
"Yes. I took tests. Three, actually. And I've had symptoms."
"Wait." Georgia sits up.
"Does he know?"
I shake my head, feeling guilty. I need to tell him. I have to now think like a proper adult. Maybe he'd want joint custody when he moved to America. My heart hurts.
"He has to know, babe." She rubs my arm and then leans on my shoulder.
"I know." I whisper.

Fahmeen's POV:

I was with Jasper, submerged in my duties. I avoided Rolf, I wanted to only see him when I tell him which would be after school.
"Jasper?"
"Hmm." He mumbles. He looks up from his work and gives me his full attention. I still am wary around him, especially when he looks at me like that. I've noticed he has a favourite student. More like a pet, you could say as she loves doing his bidding and he loves ordering her around. Shania. Her smug grin is always around when I am. It's like she gets off on making me uncomfortable.

Being at school was a welcome distraction. I stayed with Georgia till I reluctantly went home. I figured I had to face everyone eventually. They were mad but I took it all. I took it all because they were more scared. And I hated that.
My brother's gone. I remember the morning he left. It was horrible. He knew it, we knew it. The worst time possible but he had to go back.

Nobody really understood why I ran. I couldn't explain for obvious reasons. But I made it out to be more of a stress issue. Mum admonished me of course, drumming it into me that she was there to talk to for anything. Sadly that isn't the case.

She also let me know how worried Rolf was as soon as I walked out the door. He ran the fastest after me. He took his car to search for me too. Apparently he stayed out most of the night until he received the text Georgia sent from my phone. Only then did he go home. He still contacted me but I wanted to say what I needed to in person. That was today.

"Can I skip English today to finish off this paperwork? It's just for today, I promise."
Jasper's face is thoughtful, considerate.
"Are you really asking your principal if you can miss a compulsory lesson, Fahmeen?"
My heart accelerates, he's right what was I thinking.
"Ha. Gutsy, I like it. Sure, just keep it between us." He winks and gets back to work.
I blow out a breath, did that really just work?

...

"What's going on here?" Rolf barges in and looks between us. It's fifteen minutes into his lesson and I guess he's figured out I'm not there.
"Professor. Nice of you to join us. Don't you have a class?" Jasper smiles, but it's not in good nature.
Rolf's eyes are angry, glaring at him.
"Why do you have my student working for you when she should be with me?" I can smell his aftershave. It's the one I've become so accustomed to. He is standing beside my chair. God, I miss him.
"She's working, Rolf. What you should be doing." Jasper dismisses him and looks bored.
Rolf bangs his fist on the table. It's then I notice he's tired, restless. Have I done this to him? He looks terrible. God, he's not even put any effort into his shirt.

"Not during my lesson she should be. You know that. I know that, so what game are you playing?" He leans forward on his desk, staring Jasper down.
"No games Professor. You seem to be overstepping. Maybe I should reconsider your position?"

I look down hiding my shock. Would he really do that? Could he? Rolf tenses and I know he feels like he lost. But that doesn't mean he'd stop.
He looks at me from the side,
"Fahmeen, come with me."
Jasper stands up quickly.
"Fahmeen, if you go you lose your privilege to be my assistant."
Does he really think I care? I only did this because I believed I had no choice. I wanted to scoff in his face.
"Let's go, Rolf."
I walk out and I know they're still staring at each other. The room reeks of tension and hostility. It's hard to believe they were ever best friends.

...


He doesn't say anything as we walk. The hallways are empty and it's just the two of us. I'm nervous being alone with him because there's something huge between us and it's like the ugly elephant in the room. I don't understand why he didn't tell me.

Rolf looks around before quickly dragging me into a closet.

It's just the two of us and all I hear is our heavy breathing. I can't hide my feelings for him, they're apparent and obvious. He affects me and it looks like I affect him too. He's breathing hard and finally, he looks at me. Like, really looks at me. I can sense he's holding himself back from touching.

Suddenly Rolf pushes his lips onto mine. They're forceful, hungry. He moans against my lips. His hands gripping me tight into him. I allow these few seconds because I missed him so much. His delicious taste back on my tongue. Big hands all over my body. He's acting like he's never touched me before, feeling me like the first time. I try not to moan at his rough affection as it's turning me on.
"Mm stop." I push at his chest. We're panting in the dark.

"Tell me why you didn't say anything. Where you going to leave me just like that?"
There it is. I wait for his answer, afraid I might not like what he says.
Rolf runs his hand through his hair and sighs heavily.
"I hadn't decided yet, baby. I... at least I thought I didn't."
"So it is what you want to do? Because if it is... you have to tell me now."