تسجيل الدخولQueen opened it. Ava immediately leaned over. “What is it?”Queen couldn’t help laughing. James had taken a selfie. He looked miserable.His bottom lip was pushed out dramatically. Underneath the picture was a message.This is the face of a man whose girlfriend is ignoring him. Queen shook her head.So petty.Another message appeared. Please respond before I perish. A third. I am weak. A fourth.My suffering is immense. Queen laughed so hard she nearly snorted. Ava watched the entire exchange.Then pointed toward the phone. “That’s how he gets away with things.” Queen bit her lip.Trying and failing to stop smiling. Maybe Ava was right. Maybe she was too easy on him.Maybe she should still be angry. Instead, she typed back. You’re ridiculous. The reply came instantly.But am I forgiven? Queen stared at the screen. Ava stared at her. Waiting. Queen sighed.Then typed: Maybe. The three little dots appeared immediately. Then: I’ll take maybe.A smile spread across her face. Before she co
Ava was the first person to find out. And she nearly dropped her coffee. “You did what?”Queen winced. The reaction was exactly what she expected. “Ava please stop being dramatic”“No.” Ava held up a hand. “No. Start again.” Queen sighed. “I’m moving in with James.”Ava stared at her. Then blinked. Then stared some more. “Voluntarily?”Queen rolled her eyes. “Why are you like this?” “Because I care about you.”Ava put her coffee down. “Queen, this is the same man who cheated on you.” “I know.”“The same man who made you cry for three weeks.” “I know.” “The same man who had you looking like a ghost.”“Ava please stop” “No i won’t.” Ava shook her head. “I need to understand.”Queen looked away. Because she knew how it sounded. She knew.But every time she pictured walking away from James, her chest tightened.Every time she pictured him with someone else, she felt sick.She still loved him. And that was the truth she couldn’t escape. “I want to try again.”Ava leaned back. Frustrated.
The first few days after getting back together with James felt strange. Not bad. Just strange.Queen still caught herself checking his phone whenever it buzzed.Still wondered where he was when he didn’t answer immediately.Queen kept waiting for something to happen. For him to cancel plans.For him to criticize her. For him to make her feel small again. But none of that happened.He called. He checked on her. He asked about work. He listened when she complained about Melissa.For the first time in a long time, being with him felt easy. Maybe that’s why she found herself at his apartment again on a Thursday night. That Thursday evening, they were curled up on James’s couch eating Chinese takeout while a movie played in the background.Neither of them was paying attention to the movie. James kept looking at her.Queen finally sighed. “What?” He smiled. “What?” “You keep staring.” “I know.”“Why?” James put his fork down. “Because you’re here.” Queen rolled her eyes. “You are so dramat
It was a photograph. A very old photograph.Four years old. The day they started dating. James was smiling. She was smiling.Neither of them looked perfect. Neither of them cared. Under the picture was a single message.I miss us.Queen stared at it. Then another message arrived. I miss the girl who believed in me before anyone else did.Another. Good night, Queen. She swallowed hard. Because he always knew exactly what to say.Exactly. And that was the problem. Ava returned carrying two bowls. One look at Queen’s face and she groaned.“What now?” Queen handed her the phone. Ava read the messages. Then read them again.Then looked toward the ceiling. “God.” “What?” “He is good.” Queen almost laughed.Ava handed back the phone. “Delete it.” “I’m not deleting it.” “Then mute him.”“No.” Ava pointed at her. “This is how it starts.” Queen looked down at the photograph again.Ava stared at her. “Say something.” Queen looked down at the photograph James had sent.Her phone buzzed again. Ano
The dinner was over and for some reasons, Queen decided to go over to Ava’s place to spill the tea.Ava opened the door. One look at Queen’s face and she groaned. “Oh no.”Queen walked inside. “What?” “You forgave him.” “I didn’t.” Ava pointed at her.“ But you're smiling.” Queen immediately stopped smiling. Ava folded her arms.“How bad is it?” Queen dropped onto the couch. “It wasn’t bad.” Ava stared. “That’s even worse.”Queen laughed. Ava noticed. And that worried her. “Aha.” “What?” “He got to you.”“No.” “He absolutely got to you.” Queen shook her head. “It was just dinner.”Ava sat beside her. “Tell me.” Queen hesitated. Then started spilling the tea.She talked about the flowers. The chair. The apology. The dessert. The chocolate message.The violin. The compliments. Everything. By the time she finished, Ava was staring at the ceiling.“Wow.” “What?” “He read a book.” Queen laughed. “Ava.” “I’m serious.” “Ava.”“He cheated on you and came back with a full marketing strategy.”
The next few days were quiet. Too quiet. James stopped calling every hour.He stopped sending long messages. He stopped begging. Instead, he sent simple texts.Good morning. Have a great day at work. Did you eat? Good night. Ava hated it.“He’s changing tactics.” Queen looked up from her phone. “What?”“He’s changing tactics.” Ava stole a fry from Queen’s plate. “When the crying doesn’t work, manipulators become patient.”Queen rolled her eyes. “You make him sound like a criminal.” Ava pointed at her.“That’s because you’re forgetting.” Queen’s smile disappeared. Because she wasn’t forgetting.She remembered everything. The gym. The scale. The insults. Victoria. The cheating. All of it.But she also remembered four years of memories. And that was the problem.Two weeks later, she was still trying to separate the good memories from the bad ones.Her phone buzzed. James. Again. Ava groaned. Queen answered. “Hello?” “Hi.” His voice was soft.Careful. As if he was afraid she’d hang up. “H







