"Do you ever wonder if you’ll ever find love like that?" Noor asks as she watches my older sister and her husband—Yuva and Jozab.

I snap out of my daze. Fuck. Was I just watching Noor?

Anyway, where did that question even come from? "What? You mean Yuva and Jozab?"

She nods.

I look over at my older sister and Jozab. Suddenly, an image of Noor cuddled up against me they way Yuva is against him right now flashes through my mind. I shake it off.

I clear my throat. "I mean, yeah. I don’t see why not." I glance at her. "Why do you ask?"

She shrugs.

"Come on, Noor. Don’t give me that. I can tell you’re lying. There’s a reason you asked that."

"It’s stupid. And you’ll probably say something even more stupid."

"I promise I won’t."

"Pinky promise?" She holds out her pinky.

I let out a small laugh. I’ve always found it cute how she uses pinky promises as a solid foundation of trust. Not that I would ever break it. I lock my pinky with hers and it’s like a jolt of electricity just ran through me. "Pinky promise."

"Okay," she exhales and pulls her hand away. "What if… What if I’ll never fine someone? Because of my illness?"

Oh so this is what people mean when they talk about their heart breaking. "Now why would you say that?" I fully turn to her and she mirrors my actions.

"People have left me before."

"Like who?"

"Aleeza, Nia-"

"That whole friendgroup was filled with insecure girls that made fun of other people to feel better about themselves. I’ve never liked any of them."

"That’s not the point, Ayan. The point is, what if nobody loves me because of my illness?"

"If somebody doesn’t love you because of your illness, it’s not because of your illness. They just don’t love you." I wince internally as soon as it comes out of my mouth. That did not come out right.

"Oh so nobody’s going to love me?"

"That’s not what I meant."

"Really?" She exhales. She exhales in that way where she’s about to start a whole dramatic act. "I heard that I’m unlovable-"

"Quit with the theatrics," I cut her off with a laugh. She laughs too. God, I love her laugh. "You’re not unlovable. If anything, people are idiots to not love you. You’re smart," I start to count off qualities of hers with my fingers, "You’re funny, witty, beautiful. I mean—Have you seen those pictures that Reyah took of you? Your illness doesn’t take away from any of that. Any guy who loves you would gladly catch you before you pass out, cook for you when you can’t, drive you around, get things for you when you can’t move your legs, do anything for you." I look back at her eyes and fuck I regret it. She is so gorgeous it’s killing me.

"I thought you promised you’re not going to say anything stupid?" she teases lightly but I can tell that she took in every word I said.

Which is good because every word I said I meant.

I know because I love her.

(Based off of my WIP)