Page 35 of The Prospect

Still no response from Hazel.

“So, can you tell us more about her then?” Mum requests.

“About who?” I don’t look up from my screen. I’m too busy filtering through all the possibilities as to why Hazel hasn’t gotten back to me.

Is her phone dead?

“Your date,” Mum clarifies, prompting me to peel my eyes away from the phone and up toward her. “What’s her name?”

“Amira,” I tell the two of them. “Amira Adel. She’s the same age as Hazel, so two years younger. She’s in a dramatic arts program and she’s super outgoing, bubbly, and really is just the life of the party.”

Mum nods, a smile on her lips. She seems impressed. “Do you have a picture of her?” she asks, her eyes wandering toward my phone.

I nod, gulping down any reservations as I pull up a photo of both Amira and Hazel onHazel’sInstagram. I refuse to take any chances of it being on Amira’s page. Mum and Dad might accidentally double tap and that…I don't want to have to explain.

“Wow, she’s absolutely beautiful,” Mum remarks with a smile ridden along her face.

It’s true.

Amira is beautiful.

In this particular photo, she’s got her hair pin straight, down to her waist, as she sports a gorgeous purple gown. If I’m not mistaken, I think this photo was snapped at a gala event not too long ago for all the students in the art’s department.

I only remember because Hazel sent me a picture of her that night in the same baby blue dress she wears besides Amira in the photo. She was so nervous that night, rambling on and on about how one of her pieces was up for an award.

She won.

I never had any doubt.

“Your Mum is right,” Dad agrees once I pull the phone back. “Amira’s a pretty girl, but I still don’t quite understand how the other person in that picture hasn’t caught your eye by now.”

“Jude,” Mum growls his name in a low, drawn-out voice, prompting him to raise both of his hands in defense.

“What?” Dad reaches down to pick up the boxes once more. “It’s true, Emily. I’m just saying what you’re too afraid to,” he remarks, brushing past me as he makes his way toward the back. “Have a good date, son,” he calls out. “Oh, and do me a favor, tell Hazel to stop by when she has the chance. I want her to take on a new wall mural.”

I want to nod, but all I can do is rub my eyes to stop myself from saying the same three words that I have for years. “We’re just friends.” But no matter how many times I say it, everyone refuses to believe it.

Perhaps because deep down it’s true. Hazel and I aren’t ‘just friends,’ we’re more than that. We’re not boyfriend and girlfriend, sure, but we’re somewhere in between, in the mostplatonicway possible.

Though, I’d love for someone to explain to me why I still can’t seem to remove not only the image of her in my bedroom last week from my mind, but the way she lit up after Hart kissed her on the cheek…

It made me turn cold—frustrated. I’ve tried not to think about it much, but the task has proven impossible. It’s just lingering in the back of my mind, even though I know it shouldn’t.

I need to snap out of it. I need to get my head in the game. After all, I’m about to surprise Amira with these flowers.

Sort your shit out, Green.

“Oh, don’t get worked up about him.” Mum rolls her eyes, but it doesn’t seem to matter. I know from just her face alone that she agrees with Dad, she just doesn’t want to hurt my feelings by admitting it. “Enjoy your date, Daniel.” She hands me the most extraordinary bouquet. There’s a reason why she’s the best in the business. “And don’t forget to have fun,” she reminds me, brushing past my arm before she joins my dad in the backroom.

I peer down at the bundle of flowers once more, though as I do I can’t help but feel like something is missing, and so as I make my way out of the shop, I snag a specific flower from the display and tuck it into my grasp.

“Better.”

It takesa few knocks before Amira comes to the door and I can’t help but know why. I could hear the music that blares out from her room all the way down the hallway.

I guess that explains Hazel's obscure purchase of noise-canceling headphones on our Amazon account we share…

“Green?” Amira’s eyes light up once she sees me, turning around momentarily to tell her smart device to lower the music. “Hey! What are you doing here?” Her face is full of surprise.

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