...Kashish stared at her phone, her fingers hovering over the group chat. Maryam had been hyping up this moment for days—weeks even. Their first-ever video call. It was supposed to be exciting, a fun experience where they finally put faces to the names they had spent months, even years, talking to....
...But instead, she felt an odd sense of dread....
...Would things change after this?...
...Would seeing each other make things feel different?...
...Before she could spiral further, her screen lit up with a flood of messages....
...Maryam: OKAY! EVERYONE READY?!...
...Kashish: Why are you screaming?...
...Maryam: Because this is historic! Our first ever video call!...
...Jack: I feel like I’m being forced into something illegal....
...Harry: Same....
...George: It’s just a call....
...Saba: But we’ve NEVER seen each other before....
...Kashish chewed her lip. That was the problem, wasn’t it? Once they saw each other, their dynamic might never be the same again....
...Kashish: And we could keep it that way....
...Archie: Agreed. I don’t need to see Zaid’s ugly face....
...Zaid: Likewise....
...Kashish: Aww, you two bond through mutual hatred. So cute....
...Archie: No one asked you, Kash....
...Maryam: SHUT UP. I’M SENDING THE LINK. JOIN....
...A second later, the video call link appeared....
...Kashish inhaled deeply before clicking on it....
...---...
...The Video Call – Connecting…...
...The screen loaded, flickering for a few seconds before settling into multiple video boxes....
...Kashish’s eyes darted across the screen. Jack, George, and Harry sat together in what looked like a shared apartment, their cameras slightly shaky. Archie was lounging back in his chair, smirking at his screen. Maryam’s camera was unsteady as she adjusted the angle. Saba’s excited face popped up, her wide grin filling the screen....
...And then—...
...Zaid’s screen remained black....
...Kashish narrowed her eyes. “Zaid, are you even there?”...
...A pause. Then his voice, smooth and indifferent....
...“Yeah.”...
...“Then why are you hiding?”...
...“Technical difficulties.”...
...“Liar.”...
...Archie leaned forward, a mischievous grin stretching across his face. “He’s probably scared we’ll all see how short he is.”...
...“I’m taller than you,” Zaid shot back....
...“Ohhh, Archie, you gonna take that?” Kashish teased, raising an eyebrow....
...Archie scoffed. “Listen here, you little gremlin—”...
...“GUYS,” Saba interrupted, exasperated. “Be normal for five seconds.”...
...“That’s impossible for them,” Kashish said, shaking her head....
...The group dissolved into laughter, the banter as chaotic as ever....
...And then—...
...A sudden gasp....
...“WAIT.” Maryam’s eyes widened as she leaned closer to her screen. “KASHISH.”...
...“What?” Kashish frowned....
...“YOU’RE PRETTY.”...
...A stunned silence filled the call....
...Kashish blinked. “What?”...
...“You. Are. So. Pretty.”...
...Heat crept up Kashish’s neck. She wasn’t used to this kind of attention. “Um. Thanks?”...
...Archie smirked. “Don’t listen to her. She’s actually a little goblin.”...
...“And you’re a troll,” Kashish shot back....
...“No, but seriously,” Saba chimed in, tilting her head, “you look different from what I imagined.”...
...“Oh god.” Kashish groaned. “What did you imagine?”...
...George crossed his arms. “Honestly? Someone scarier.”...
...Kashish gaped at her screen. “I—WOW.”...
...Laughter erupted from the group again....
...And then—...
...Zaid’s screen flickered....
...For the first time ever—...
...Kashish saw him....
...Her breath caught in her throat....
...She wasn’t sure what she expected....
...But it wasn’t this....
...Dark, slightly tousled hair. Sharp, well-defined features. A calm, unreadable expression that made her stomach flip....
...Zaid looked… different....
...Different from what she had imagined....
...But also exactly how she had imagined....
...Their eyes met through the screen....
...For a moment, everything else faded....
...It was just the two of them....
...Until—...
...“HA. You’re ugly,” Archie declared dramatically....
...The moment shattered....
...Kashish burst into laughter, and Zaid rolled his eyes....
...“At least I have eyebrows, Archie,” Zaid deadpanned....
...Archie’s jaw dropped. “EXCUSE ME?!”...
...“Oh no,” Jack muttered. “It’s happening.”...
...“Someone grab popcorn,” Harry added....
...Kashish wiped a tear from her eye, her laughter finally settling. “I missed this chaos.”...
...“Same,” Saba agreed....
...As the teasing and bickering continued, Kashish’s gaze flickered back to Zaid....
...And for the first time in a long time—...
...She saw him smile....
...---...
...Private Chat – Zaid & Kashish...
...A message popped up on Kashish’s screen later that night....
...Zaid: You didn’t say anything about how I looked....
...She frowned slightly, reading it twice....
...Kashish: Why? Do you need compliments?...
...Zaid: No....
...Kashish: …You looked different from what I imagined....
...Zaid: Different how?...
...Kashish hesitated. How could she explain it? That the image of him she had in her head had always been blurry, uncertain. That now, after seeing him, he somehow felt more real....
...Zaid: In a good way?...
...Her heart skipped a beat....
...Was he fishing for compliments?...
...Rolling her eyes, she typed back....
...Kashish: You want me to stroke your ego that badly?...
...Zaid: Just answer....
...A small smile played on her lips....
...Kashish: Fine. You looked… nice....
...A pause....
...Then—...
...Zaid: You did too....
...Her breath hitched....
...She stared at the message, rereading it twice, her chest feeling oddly light....
...She should say something....
...But instead—...
...She locked her phone....
...And for the first time in weeks—...
...She fell asleep smiling....
...---...
...To Be Continued…...
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