Reena’s heart was safe. But she felt fine about their meddling. Truly. Friends who cared enough to meddle were hardly something to complain about.

“He doesn't realize. He's a forest and I'm a fucking wildfire.”

You’re human, and you have to reconcile that with yourself somehow. Forgive yourself. Allow yourself to feel everything deeply, to grow and learn.

We are not asking for permission any more. We are taking up space. We've listened to a lot of people talking about who Muslim women are without actually hearing Muslim women. So now, we are speaking. And now, it's your turn to listen.

“I needed to get her to stop reading those alien romance books.”

“Jokes were never your strong suit.”

She continues to laugh.

“I did have other strong suits.”

I lift my brows.

“You did,” she nods, all trace of humor leaving her.

“One of my strongest suits was…” I take a drink of wine, prolonging the anticipation of what I’ll say, making her squirm. “Loving you,” I finally add.

The look on Lex’s face turns serious, her eyes sad.

“Stubbornness is a good trait to have so long as it doesn’t limit you.”

Like how does one just spark conversation with another person? Unless they’re reading a book I’ve read or have a dog, I’d likely not know what to talk to them about.

All this time I thought I had something. An idea. A spark. All this time, I thought, I may just be able to do this! I may just have a writer’s soul after all! But what am I, really? Just a girl, sitting in a coffee shop, who’s completely deluded herself.

“I’m just so”—she exhales a shaky sob—“so tired. So many good people, trying to live good lives, and it’s so fucking easy for bad people to ruin all of it. I hate it.”