Chapter 19%
The weather was getting hotter by the day and Samira had no idea if Jean was still hanging around. Just to be safe, she kept to herself and barely stepped outside!!
During that stretch of quiet, Yosel sent her messages every now and then, reminding her to stay out of the sun, telling her about little things happening in town
Thanks to him, she stayed updated without even leaving her house. She knew who got into a fight, who was causing drama at the market… all the usual village noise.l
Some people might’ve found it all silly or boring, but Samira didn’t. She actually liked it. In a way, she was grateful that someone cared enough to keep her in the loop.
After a week of staying in, a more cool day rolled around. Tired of staring at the same walls, she decided to take a short walk.
She hadn’t gone for when she saw Yosef sitting by a group of villagers, helping peel beans. He hadn’t noticed her yet, head down, focused, hands moving steadily.
It was such a simple scene, but for some reason, Samira paused. There was something about the way he looked in that moment, calm, grounded, kind of worn. It made her chest feel strange for a second!
She walked over and called has name. Yosef looked up, surprised “Samina? What are you doing out here?”
She grabbed a small stool and sat beside him. “Got a little stir crazy Needed some air””
feeling beans wasn’t hard, so she picked up a handful and joined him. Yosel tried to tell her not to, but she just waved him off. Before long, they were chatting and peeling, side by side. It was easy. Comfortable.
To anyone else walking by, they might’ve looked a little too close. And that was exactly what Jean saw. He had been keeping his distance for days, but the second he caught sight of them together like that, something in him twisted hard.
Yosef, Sitting next to las Samira. Smiling, talking, picking leaves out of her hair like it meant something. Jean’s jaw lightened. His chest bumed. He couldn’t watch another second X
Without thinking, he stormed over, grabbed Samira by the arm and yanked her away. His voice was low but sharp. “Get your filthy hands
His eyes blazed, wild with jealousy. Like he was seconds away from exploding. Like he couldn’t stand the thought of anyone else standing where he used to be.
The two of them locked eyes and you didn’t need to be a mind reader to know what was going on, they were sizing each other up and neither one was backing down.
Samira felt the shift in the air right away. She frowned, slipped her hand out of Jean’s grip and walked over to stand beside Yosel, putting herself squarely between them/l
Jean just stood there, stunned. Watching her make that choico, watching her choose someone else, it hit him like a punch to the gut. His voice cracked. “Samir.. you’re seriously taking his side?
Samira’s patience was already thin and that question pushed her over the edge. “Jean, even if there was something going on between us, you don’t get to question it. Not after what you did.“1
But Jean wasn’t hearing any of it. His head was stuck on her “even if,” and the panic in his chest was growing fast
He reached for her shoulders, desperation all over his face. “No… no, that’s not thue, right? You and him, it’s not like that, is it? Samira, please… don’t say that.”
Samira’s eyes narrowed. She didn’t understand how, out of everything she just said, that was what he focused on.
She shoved his hands off and said coolly, “I already told you, whatever’s going on in my life now, it has nothing to do with you. So do me a favor and stay out of it”
Then she turned, grabbed Yosef’s wrist and walked away. As they walked, a bitter thought crept in.
Back when she left, she had made two quiet wishes: that Jean would be happy with Luna and that she could finally start fresh. Neither had come true.
Jean was still miserable and she still hadn’t gotten the peace she hoped for.
735PM c d ·
