Trust Falls

I Don't Believe In Superstition

I grabbed my phone and stuffed it in my pocket, yelling out to my parents--or whoever was listening--when I saw Zeenath's car pull up to our driveway.

"I'm leaving! I'll be back by seven. Or eight." I paused. Silence. "Or I'll shave my head and pierce my tongue and and...dress like Trump!"

More silence. No one's listening.

"I'm running away!"

"I'm moving to Florida!"

"Or maybe France!"

....

"I'm dying."

There was a laugh from the living room. "Good bye, Iqra."

"Oh, I didn't know you were actually listening. Bye Mom." My face flushed warm. The times people decide to listen, I swear...

"Bye honey."

"Bye bye." I swung open the door and let it slam shut behind me, wincing as it did. Whoops. That'll start Mom's wrath. Time to run.

I walked over to the car and grinned at Zeenath, saying hello through the window before hopping inside.

"Yo."

She snorted. "I thought you told me not to say that."

"Yeah. I know." I stuck my tongue out at her. "I'm just a huge hippo...Oh no."

"A hippo?" She laughed.

"A hippie...Eh? Wassit called?" I scowled. "A hypercrit."
"You mean a hypocrite."

"Yeah. That too."

Zeenath rolled her eyes and looked at me through the rearview mirror.

"I picked you up a bit early. I hope you don't mind. We need to go pick up a few peoples."

I grinned. "Your peeps."

She nodded. "Yeah."
"Peep...peep...chickens. Your chickens." I raised an eyebrow at myself.

"You know, I keep forgetting you're seventeen and not twelve."
I bit my lip. "Me too."

"What?"

"Me too." I snickered.

We pulled up to an apartment building and I looked around, confused. "Why...this isn't your apartment..."
"I know," she said, climbing out and shutting to door. I scooted out and the car beeped as it locked shut. "But we're going to pick up some friends, remember?"

I followed Zeenath up the stairs to the first door on the right. She knocked and waited. I collected air inside my cheek and puffed it up. She turned around and poked it, making all the air come out with a small "ptuw."

I frowned. "You burst my bubble."
"It just looked so...pokeable." She smiled.

There was a rustling on the other side of the door and we both turned back around. It swung open, revealing two guys. Damian and Luke, I think. The blond one, Luke, had his arms around Damian's neck, who was desperately trying to push him off. They froze when they saw us.

"Zeenath." Damian's face turned red. "Uh, hi." He pushed Luke off and he stumbled away, laughing.

I snickered.

His eyes flicked over to me before going back to Zeenath. "Are...what..."
"We're here to kidnap you." I put my hands on Zeenath's shoulders, pulling her backwards. She yelped.

"Yes, what she said." She froze. "Wait, no. Iqra!"

I laughed as she sighed and tugged on her ponytail. "We're here to.." Her hands waved around, trying to find words. "Euh...Damian! I told you we were going to help Iqra with the play."