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“You know”, Noora began conversationally. “I don’t even think its that bad.”
Sana gaped at the blonde in shock.
They were currently sitting on one of the window ledges of the college, opposite each other and looking out at the campus grounds. Having not seen Noora since the week before, and more importantly before that disasterous night at Isak’s place, she had felt the growing need to vent.
“Not that bad?” Sana gasped. “How is it not that bad?”
Noora shrugged, looking a little helpless under Sana’s glare. “I just mean that you got a date with Yousef”, she defended adamantly. “That’s good news!”
Sana shook her head vehemently. “No, its not because Isak had something to do with it! That means he probably set Yousef up to take me out. Maybe he’s paying him or something, I dont know. But what I do know is that I don’t trust Isak Valtersen as far as I can throw him”
“Offended”, a voice piped up from beside her.
Sana jumped, turning to face the intruder with a pre-prepared glare already in place. When she saw who it was, her glare faltered momentarily before she narrowed her eyes once more. “What do you want?”
Isak mockingly put a hand against his heart and gasped, feigning hurt. “I happened to overhear you bashing me”, he said after letting the facade drop. “Thought I’d come over and bitch at you for it”, he joked.
When Sana looked across at Noora to roll her eyes, she was instead met with one of Noora’s genuine smiles. Feeling betrayed, Sana looked back at Isak, purposely ignoring Noora’s little giggle. “While you’re here, you can answer a few questions”, Sana said with no room for debate.
Isak rolled his eyes, entirely unaffected by her attempt at looking scary. “Shoot.”
Sana glared a little harder but Isak remained unbothered. “Did you set me up?”
“Excuse me?”
“With Yousef”, Sana sighed in exasperation. “Did you set it up? Is it all some big joke?”
Isak looked genuinely offended at her words and his eyes grew soft. “You seriously think I’d do that to you?”
Sana stared at Isak in shock at his reaction, surprised that the boy had taken her question as such an insult. Sana shook her head quickly. “No, I- I just… I’m worried that this is all some kind of joke.”
Isak narrowed his eyes slightly. “Well it’s not, Sana. Yousef likes you, you like him. All I did was get you in the same room.”
Sana began to panic internally at the look on Isak’s face. “Isak… I’m sorry if I offended you or-”
“-It’s fine”, Isak interrupted, turning away. “Have fun on the date”, he called back as he headed up the stairs towards the library.
Sana watched him go with a solemn look, feeling slightly ashamed. When she turned back to Noora, she too was frowning.
“I’m sure it’ll be fine”, Noora said, patting her arm reassuringly.
Sana nodded, taking a deep breath. She sure hoped so.
…
When the date eventually came around, Sana wasn’t even ashamed to admit that her stomach was rolling and her palms were sweating. She wasn’t unfamiliar with being nervous, far from it – she was the muslim kid after all – but she hadn’t quite experienced this before. Feeling nervous, without the accompanying dread of being harrassed for her hijab.
No, this time she was simply terrified of ruining her chances of a second date.
In the end, she crumbled and called Noora.
“It will all be fine”, Noora laughed, not unkindly. “Everything will work out, I promise.”
Sana sighed deeply as she rubbed her hand down her face. She ignored the spike of fear she felt when her fingers slid across the tell-tale signs of another outbreak, chosing to ignore it and pretend it didn’t exist lest it make her even more nervous.
“You can’t know that.”
Noora paused for a moment, presumably to think. “Sana, you are one of the most kind-hearted people I have ever met in my entire life. Yousef already know what you’re like, good and bad. You wont chase him away.”
Sana nodded slowly, her breath heavy and slightly uneven. “Yeah… okay.”
…
To some people, saying the date was a success just 20 minutes in might have been a little presumtive, but to Sana the night was already perfect and the hours to come could only improve the evening. Yousef seemed to agree.
“You’re saying you’ve never tried it?” Yousef asked in a tone of voice that strongly suggested he didn’t believe her.
Sana laughed, shaking her head. “Nope.”
Yousef looked offended, holding a hand to his heart in mock hurt. “That’s insane! I don’t believe you!”
“Well you should”, Sana said, smile fading and being replaced by a frown.
Yousef paused, watching her face warily. Sana met his eye, frown firmly in place- until he smiled. Depsite her best efforts, Sana felt her frown slip when Yousef began to grin, and laughed along with him.
“So, shall we?”
Sana looked back up at Yousef, raising her eyebrow in confusion. “Hæ?”
Yousef smirked coyly. “Shall we head to dinner?”
Bowing her head to hide embarrassment, Sana nodded. “Sure.”
…
“Can I try some?” Yousef asked, already reaching over the table with his fork out.
Sana shook her head fondly, pushing her plate towards Yousef who eagerly a potatoe.
“Wow”, Yousef said impressed as he thirstily chewed. “That’s pretty good.”
“I told you that you should have had this”, Sana grinned, pulling her plate back towards herself to take another rewarding bite.
Yousef shrugged. “Mine’s still better.”
Sana paused mid-bite, looking up at her date with a raised eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
“It is”, Yousef laughed, obviously nervous under Sana’s watchful gaze.
Sana immediately dropped her fork, sitting up and looking Yousef dead in the eye. She couldn’t help but feel a little sense of pride at the minute fear in his eyes. “Gimme”, she simply said.
Yousef’s smile quickly returned and he eagerly held out a fork-full of his dinner. Sana spared a thought for the fact that they would be sharing a fork, but simply leaned forward to close her lips around the fork and take the food.
As she wrapped her lips around her food, her eyes flitting away from Yousef to avoid his meaning gaze, Sana froze. Quickly taking the food and consuming it hastily, she sat back. Yousef raised an eyebrow in confusion and followed her deadly gaze.
What he saw was clearly more funny to him than to Sana, for he immediately burst into laughter. “No way!”
Sana ignored Yousef’s joyous cheers and sent Isak Valtersen her deadliest glare. She titled her head slowly so as to glare at him through her lashes, for effect, as he and Even approached.
“Why halla Sana!” Isak said cheerfully as he reached her and Yousef’s table.
Even and Yousef stood to hug one another, hands lingering on one another’s back as they greeted each other.
With Yousef distracted by his best friend, Sana turned to her own best friend and hissed. “What are you playing at, Valtersen?”
Isak ignored her tone and beamed. “Why me and Even were just on a date, that’s all. It seems you’re doing the same.”
Sana grit her teeth at his sarcastic attitude.
“Did you guys want to join us?” Yousef asked, smiling widely as he sat back down.
Isak and Even both simaltaneously turned to watch Sana, whose eyes widened in fear and potentially a little bit of hurt. Isak quickly shook his head.
“No, thanks. We were just finishing and we gonna head back Even’s dorm.”
Yousef laughed softly. “You’re actually going to Even’s dorm for once?”
Even shrugged. “Isak’s roommate is there, mine isn't”, he said, indicating to their table.
Yousef nodded, “I guess I’m not. Have fun, but make sure no one’s naked when I get back.”
“Promise”, Even smirked as he pressed his hand against Isak’s lower back to guide him away. “Nice seeing you guys, have fun!”
Isak waved as Even guided him out the restaurant. “Have fun best bud!”
Sana rolled her eyes, quickly schooling her features when Yousef turned back to her with a soft smile.
“You okay?” he asked kindly.
Sana nodded, despite the ache in her chest. “I just… how come you invited them to join us?”
Yousef resumed eating, only sparing Sana a small shrug. “It’s just polite, right?”
“This is a date”, Sana finally said.
Yousef paused, his fork hovering over his food. He looked up at Sana slowly, his face solemn but straight. “I- I didn’t mean-”
“- I know you didn't”, Sana sighed deeply, looking down at her food and pushing it uselessly her plate with her fork.
“Sana.”
Sana looked back up at Yousef, who had sat forward on his haunches, leaning towards her with his hands folded on the table. “I don’t want to think I don’t consider this a date. Or worse, that I don’t want to just spend tonight with you. And only you. I didn’t think, I swear.”
The look in Yousef’s eyes, genuine hurt and panic, made Sana sigh. She nodded slowly, her eyes still sad but softening to Yousef’s obvious truthfulness.
“I’m really sorry Sana. I promise I’m really loving this and I’m really… liking you. You- you know I like you, right?”
Sana smiled softly, her blush deepening and her eyes fluttering. “Yeah, I like you too.”
Yousef grinned at Sana as she watched him from under her eyelashes. Unlike when glaring at Isak, there was somethung distinctly warm about the look she sent Yousef.
Yousef let his hand rest upon Sana’s on the table. “Would you… maybe- wanna do this again?”
Sana’s face tore into a wide smile and she giggled nervously. “Yeah, I’d-I’d love that. Really.”