face the strange // f.w.

💘 chapter eleven 💘

It was January 3rd in the morning, and I was already getting ready for my meeting with Finn in New York. He said to just meet up in his hotel, and to bring my camera and tripod along. However, as I was packing them into my backpack that morning, I got a call from Zaynab.

"What's up?" I said, putting the phone to my ear, and was alarmed to hear violent fits of coughing over the line. When it stopped, she sniffled.

"Hey man, I don't think I can drive you today," Zaynab said hoarsely, "I think I'm getting sick."

"No shit, dude," I said, forcing a laugh. I knew how guilty she probably felt about it. "I'll get someone else to take me, or I'll get take the subway."

"Really? You sure? Cause I can-"

"Zaynab," I sighed, "I want you to get better."

After she coughed again, she said, "Thanks, man. Sorry again."

"No problem," I replied, and with that, she hung up on me. I pressed my lips together, sitting down on the bed. I was gonna meet up with Finn, no matter the circumstances, but I had no one else to take me. What I needed to do was to go downstairs and think of a new plan.

Lugging my backpack downstairs, I went into the kitchen, surprised to find Ahmed at the table, alone with a cup of coffee.

"Ahmed?" I said, slightly confused. "Where's Mom and Jamila?"

"They're out shopping," Ahmed replied, taking a sip from his coffee. "It's like she's Mom's new daughter or something."

"Yeah, well. I'd want a daughter too if I was stuck raising two boys," I said, unsurprised. Mom had taken a liking to Jamila, to the point where it was hard to have a conversation with her without Mom butting in. Jamila seemed sweet, though, even asking where I was when I disappeared at the New Years party, so I appreciated that.

Ahmed chuckled, and set his cup down. "Anyway, I thought since they were out, maybe we could hang out today? It's been a while since I last saw you."

As Ahmed said that, an idea popped in my head. "Actually, Zaynab was supposed to drive me to meet a friend in New York, but she got sick. Do you think you could take me?"

"A friend?" Ahmed said, raising an eyebrow suspiciously. I gulped, realizing I'd have to get around him knowing I was meeting up with Finn fucking Wolfhard.

"Yeah. He's from Canada, so he's flying into New York so we can hang out."

As Ahmed stayed put at the table, reluctant to move, I sighed.

"I swear to God, he's not a creep, he's a normal teenager. We actually first met a few months back in New York, but when he went back to Canada, we kinda kept in touch-"

"Relax, Ali," Ahmed said, getting up from the table and finishing his coffee. "I trust you. I'm just glad you're starting to make some friends."

I opened my mouth to argue, but realized he was right, and kept quiet. Ahmed grabbed his car keys from the kitchen counter, and slipped on his winter coat from behind his chair.

"You ready?" he asked, and I nodded, following him to the door of the house.

---

The drive over, despite Ahmed's insistence on playing his music, wasn't as awkward as I thought it would be. Instead, as we crossed from New Jersey to New York, I found myself laughing at the stories he brought back from college.

"- That's when she threw up. All over my khakis!" he finished, and I snorted.

"Khakis? Thank God she got them ruined. Who wears khakis to a frat party?"