Chapter Text
Maggie spent the next week counting the days until Winter formal. She wasn't one for dressing up, so when her little sister offered to tag along and pick an outfit, her help was much appreciated.
“What do you think, Er?” Maggie asked, smoothing over the fabric as she stared in the mirror. It was hard not to compare herself to the other girls when her frame was more athletic—broad shoulders and lanky limbs.
“Hm, it’s not you.” Erin replied, wise beyond her years at eight years old. She wrinkled her nose at the tulle and walked over to the rack to shuffle through the other options. “Mags! I found one.” Her excitement filled the room as she proudly showed it off.
It made Maggie emotional to think that when she went to college, no one would be left watching over Erin—well, not to the level of a big sister, anyway. She tried to teach her street smarts, but her head was always stuck in the clouds.
“See! I told you.” Erin exclaimed as Maggie emerged from the dressing room. The dress was dark blue and floor-length, with a clasp at the back of her neck. “Oooo, Omar is gonna love it because he loves you!” She taunted, exaggerating every syllable.
“Don’t make me regret bringing you.” Maggie threatened lightly, irritation evident in her voice. The angry furrow between her brows disappeared when Erin turned away with a pout. “Hey, I’m kidding. There’s no one I trust more with this kind of stuff.” She insisted, tickling at her sides until giggles filled the air.
“You think he’ll like it?” Maggie peered down, still uncomfortable in her skin. She wasn’t used to this kind of attention. Her friends from home were the pretty girls with the jock boyfriends, but she never quite fit in.
“Du-uh.” Erin deadpanned, sighing dramatically at how oblivious her sister was. She had a front-row seat to the game of ‘will they, won’t they’ that finally seemed to be coming to an end.
OA met little Erin the first week of the school year. Maggie enlisted his help in picking her up and keeping her entertained until her parents got home from work. Growing up in a girl-dominated household, he figured the evening would be spent watching sappy TV shows or playing with dolls. When, in fact, the opposite was in store.
They bonded instantly over video games, each competitive in their own way. Erin was tiny yet mighty; she beat them most rounds without much effort. “I like you, Omar. Much more than any of Maggie’s old friends.” She joked, though her comment was entirely accurate.
“I don't know about that, but you're much cooler than my sisters.” OA muttered as if it were a secret just for them, but it was loud enough for Maggie to overhear.
Nothing about the move was easy. Erin cried every morning that week about hating her new school. It came as no surprise that she connected with OA in that regard. “I know it seems lonely now, but I promise there's someone out there waiting to be your best friend.” He told the younger girl as she smashed the controller buttons determinedly.
His eyes locked on Maggie, letting her know how much he meant it. She was his best friend from the instant their paths crossed. “Thank you,” slipped from her lips in a whisper. Her stomach turned at the way he studied the emotions on her face.
“Alright, munchkin, it’s time to say goodbye. Mom should be home any minute.” Maggie stood up abruptly, trying to shake off the fluttering in her chest. “Aw, can’t Omar stay a little longer?” Erin chimed in with a pout and clasped begging hands.
She frowned in defeat when Maggie gave her a warning look. OA immediately recognized that glare, having been on the receiving end many times as a younger brother. “Don’t worry, we’ll see each other again. We’re friends now, right?” He crossed his heart to seal the vow, and two tiny arms wrapped around him in a bone-crushing hug.
Maggie waited outside, fidgeting with the cracked polish on her nails as they said their goodbyes. She beamed when OA joined her on the front steps. “I’m sorry about her. I think she’s glad to have someone to talk to besides me.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about. I can relate.” He remarked, backpedaling when it clicked how that must have come across to her. “I mean, the part about feeling alone, not the part about talking to you. I like talking to you.” His voice cracked slightly, and Maggie kissed his cheek before he could become self-conscious.
It was so fast, OA was sure he imagined it. “I know.” She assured with a shy smile. They were millimeters apart, neither truly aware of the distance until someone cleared their throat. OA jumped back like he was on fire when he saw that her mother was home.
“You must be Omar.” The older woman inferred based on Maggie’s story about the boy she defended. “Yes, ma’am. Omar Zidan.” He outstretched his hand to shake hers, and she looked pleasantly stunned. In her experience with teenage boys, they weren’t usually this polite.
“I usually can’t get Mags to share about anything, but she’s always mentioning your name. Omar this and Omar that—” Her mother continued before Maggie cut her off, hoping to spare herself from further embarrassment. “Mom! We get it.”
“Fine, fine, I’ll leave you alone. Anyways, you’re welcome here any time, okay? Don’t be a stranger.” She made OA swear, pulling him in for a hug despite the toppling-over grocery bags.
From that day on, OA and Maggie spent every afternoon together. They hung out mainly at the park so she could ride her skateboard and sometimes at her house when Erin needed watching. It didn’t matter where they were, though; the two had a connection like no other.
OA was so nervous the night of the dance that he was sick to his stomach. Laid out on his bed was a suit from three years ago—the sleeves were too tight and the pants high water—but it was all he had. A knock on the door startled him until his mother came into view holding something he couldn’t place.
“I want you to have the best time tonight, so I went over to Mr. Shaw’s and picked this up.” She said excitedly, extending the dry-cleaned suit towards her only son. Their family didn’t come from wealth, nor did they make much money, but generosity was a virtue instilled in them all.
OA ran his fingers along the seams curiously. His mind was conflicted between guilt and an immense desire to be the total package for Maggie. “Amma, it’s too much. You and Baba need that for bills.” He reasoned, even if it was practically impossible to change her mind once it was set.
“No such thing for my boy. Now go and get dressed. You don’t want to be late.” She advised, holding her cheek out for a kiss on her way out of the room.
The Zidans met Maggie one night when she stopped by to study for a calculus quiz. It was terrifying to think about impressing his parents. But any initial nerves faded the second she walked into their apartment, engulfed by the smell of food and the comfort of chatter.
They welcomed her with open arms, already in love with the girl who made their son light up brighter than ever. It had been a while since they could remember him being happy. To this day, his Baba held Maggie in high praise as the girl who brought OA’s spirit to life.
Clothes were an easy mask to hide behind, a way to camouflage into the background while everyone else tried their hardest to stand out. OA never imagined that standing in a new suit had so much power. It restored a confidence in him that left him thinking, ‘I could get used to this.’
Shaky hands carried a white corsage encased in a box on his walk to her house. He guarded the flower with every step, praying it would still be intact when he gave it to her. OA took a deep breath at the top of her front steps and rang the bell.
The door swung open to an ecstatic Erin, who nearly took his hand off pulling him inside. “Omar! Wait ‘til you see Maggie.” She shouted, wiggling her eyebrows mischievously.
OA listened intently as the fiery girl chewed his ear off about everything under the sun. The world stopped turning when Maggie came around the corner with her hair twisted into an updo and a massive grin. “You look…incredible, Mags.” He stammered, fighting the urge to stare at every inch of her.
“What? This old thing? Thank you.” Maggie joked, though her breath caught in her throat when he slid the corsage onto her wrist. “You clean up nicely, Zidan. Very handsome.” She praised, adjusting the lapel of his jacket as their eyes met. In moments like this, OA was content to get lost in her.
“Aw, you both look wonderful. Let me get a picture!” Maggie’s mom interrupted, gesturing for them to get closer with her digital camera in tote. “Mom.” She complained, her tone firm, but it wasn’t enough to deter the older woman. They were equally stubborn, alike in almost every sense, apart from Maggie’s unwavering bravery.
“Fine, one. Dad is already waiting outside, so be fast.” She said through gritted teeth, taking OA by the hand to stand behind her. His hesitation was apparent, but all it took was a nod from Maggie to know she trusted him. Their matching smiles were a sign this night wouldn’t soon be forgotten.
Out of the photos, his favorite was a candid one of them laughing at something she said. Being with her was like coming home after being out in the cold all day. He was mesmerized by how natural it was to hold her in his arms—her body molding to his.
OA paled the first time her father showed up in a patrol car. He feared the police and what hateful stereotypes they might assume about him, so it was a shock to learn that there were good guys in law enforcement. Her father was a quiet soul, not one for conversation, but he adored his girls and his mission to keep the city safe.
When they pulled up in front of the school, a knot settled in the pit of his stomach. He wanted everything to be perfect, but this place symbolized unspeakable hurt. “You ready?” Maggie asked, her joy cutting through his stream of negativity.
“Let’s do this.” OA exhaled, unconsciously reaching for her hand. She laced their fingers together and held up their interlocked palms. “Hey, it’s just you and me . No one is going to take this from us.” Maggie pledged with every fiber of her being.
From then on, they existed in an indestructible bubble. The decorations were lackluster, and the food was only slightly better than a school lunch, but the company was priceless. Maggie cracked joke after joke, impersonating the rude, mean girls in their grade until he was in stitches.
Halfway through the night, they took to the case of ‘who spiked the punch bowl?’ Their latest theories pointed at the football team captain, who spent the evening desperately trying to prove he was the alpha.
Maggie traded glances with him when a ballad started blaring over the speakers. He broke the silence eventually, ignoring his nerves. “Should we dance?”
“I’ve never danced with anyone.” She admitted, terrified of making a fool of herself by stepping on his toes. “Neither have I, but how hard can it be?” OA rose to his feet with a renewed sense of boldness. Maybe this suit was magical after all.
On the dance floor, her arms locked around his neck. He searched her eyes for permission before resting a hand on her lower back. Maggie considered this kind of thing cheesy in romantic movies, but it was far sweeter in real life.
OA spun her around, both entranced when she elegantly crashed into him. He cupped her face, leaning in as if there were magnets on her lips. “Kiss me.” She whispered, nearly forgetting how to breathe with how fast her heart was hammering in her chest.
It was a quick, soft peck filled with apprehension and inexperience. Yet somehow, it left them feeling like a million fireworks exploded at once. OA knew then that she completed him, his true companion through thick and thin.
“Promise me something?” He implored as their foreheads rested together, each afraid to disturb the moment by moving an inch. “Hm, anything.” Maggie sighed contentedly, captivated by his touch and the music surrounding them.
"We’ll always find our way back to this. To us.”
Life grew more complicated after graduation, but their oath survived the test of time. OA rose through the ranks, making his mark in the army. Her letters were the only thing that kept him alive, along with the idea that she was at home waiting for him after every deployment.
Maggie fulfilled her father’s legacy in law enforcement and jumped at the offer to take her skills to the FBI. It was her dream come true, but the person she most wanted to tell was buried deep in an undercover op. He had been for nearly two years on her first day as an agent.
Contact between them was nonexistent; there was no other choice, but that didn't make it any easier. Six months on the job, it came down the pipeline that a new agent was assigned to the New York office.
Maggie was typing away at her computer when a shadow stood at the front of her desk. “Welcome, you must be—” She blinked twice in disbelief, gazing into the same kind eyes that greeted her in homeroom a decade earlier. Tears spilled down her cheeks, and a watery grin landed on her face. “Omar? Is this- Are you real?”
OA nodded slowly, bracing himself for impact. “I’m here, Mags.” He choked out as her jaw hung open wordlessly. “What are you doing here?” She asked when her mind caught up to speed with reality. Not even in her happiest dreams did she picture a return like this.
“I see you’ve met your new partner.” The ASAC cut in, growing confused at their shared chuckling. “My new partner, huh? Jubal, this is my Omar. He’s the one I’m always telling the team about.” Maggie smiled, and all OA could think was how much he missed seeing her happy.
“All good things, I hope?” He teased, slinging an arm around her shoulder. The way she glanced up at him was confirmation of her infatuation. “ Oh, yes. If I remember correctly, she’s loved you since high school.” Far from the four walls that held their beginnings, an invisible string tied them together yet again. The future was infinite.